The Kel-Tec P-11 is a compact,
semi-automatic,
short-recoil operated pistol
A pistol is a handgun, more specifically one with the chamber integral to its gun barrel, though in common usage the two terms are often used interchangeably. The English word was introduced in , when early handguns were produced in Europe, an ...
chambered in
9 mm Luger. It was manufactured by
Kel-Tec CNC Industries of
Cocoa, FL
Cocoa is a city in Brevard County, Florida. The population was 19,041 at the 2020 United States Census. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne– Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History Etymology
Several stories circulate amon ...
from 1995 to 2019.
Design and specifications
The P-11 was designed by
Swedish-born George Kellgren, the designer of many earlier
Husqvarna (Sweden),
Intratec, and
Grendel
Grendel is a character in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem '' Beowulf'' (700–1000). He is one of the poem's three antagonists (along with his mother and the dragon), all aligned in opposition against the protagonist Beowulf. Grendel is feared by a ...
brand firearms. The P-11 used an aluminum receiver inside a polymer grip housing held on with polymer pins. The slide, barrel, and magazine were steel. The standard magazine held 10 rounds. At unloaded, the handgun itself was comparatively light. The P-11 lacked an external manual safety, relying instead on a long and heavy
double action only trigger pull, which requires 9 pounds of pressure, to prevent accidental discharge. A firing pin spring and low-mass hammer prevented discharge if the gun was dropped. The P-11 would also accept some
Smith & Wesson 59 series magazines.
"P-11." Kel-Tec. ''Kel-Tec-CNC.com''
An adapter was available that would wrap around the base of 15-round Smith & Wesson model 59-style magazines. Smith & Wesson series 69 compact 12-round magazines would also work, with a matching short adapter sleeve, as well. Accessories such as trigger shoes, finger-rests, belt clips, steel guide rods to replace the factory installed polymer guide rod, gray- and OD green-colored polymer grip housings, night sights, and other accessories are also available from the manufacturer.
Variants
For a short period, the P-11 was offered in .40 S&W and .357 SIG
The .357 SIG (designated as the 357 Sig by the SAAMI and 357 SIG by the C.I.P. or 9×22mm in unofficial metric notation) is a bottlenecked rimless centerfire handgun cartridge developed by the Swiss- German firearms manufacturer SIG Sauer, ...
with reduced magazine capacity. These weapons were designated P-40 and P-357. These models mated a P-11's frame to a larger slide width and barrel. Kel-Tec has suspended production of these pistols and conversion kits. In 2006, Kel-Tec introduced a single-stack pistol based on the P-11 with engineering improvements borrowed from the P-3AT. The resulting PF-9 pistol weighs about the same loaded as the P-11 empty and is somewhat slimmer.
Marketing
The P-11 was designed for concealed carry by members of the general public and law enforcement officers. It was only slightly wider than the staggered-column magazine
A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
it used. It was marketed to users who wanted a concealable firearm with a "full-power" defensive cartridge. The barrel was near the minimum length possible with a Browning tilting-barrel system of operation. The gun easily fit into a pocket, small holster, or inside a handbag. All edges were rounded and smoothed allowing comfort while carrying concealed. Few protrusions on the pistol could catch on a pocket holster, a deep concealment, or inside of waistband holster.
See also
* Sccy CPX-1
* Taurus PT111
References
Review: http://www.humanevents.com/2011/08/23/review-of-the-keltec-p11-a-pocketful-of-9mm/
External links
Kel-Tec CNC Industries P-11 HandgunKel-Tec Owners Group
(KTOG)
{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017
Semi-automatic pistols of the United States
9mm Parabellum semi-automatic pistols
.380 ACP semi-automatic pistols