When KelTec came out with the PF-9, my buddy Tman and I were interested in the pistol. We saw our first example at the SHOT Show and tried to get one to test, but they never sent me one to test.

Tman had heard rumors of reliability problems with the early models so we were hesitant to buy one without trying it first.

My buddy Shane recently bought one and he was kind enough to go to the range with me today to see how well the pistol ran.

Here it is, compared to a P-3AT .380.

The PF-9 fires the 9mm cartridge and of course is more powerful than the .380.

The main reason for the .380 is that it is a small pistol that only weighs 8.3 ounces unloaded and is easily concealed.

However, the .380 is marginal at best as a self-defense cartridge.

Here, I have placed the .380 on top of the PF-9 and you can see that it is only slightly larger than the .380.

Shane wanted at least a 9mm for carry and bought this one to replace his P-3AT.

The PF-9 weighs only 12.7 ounces unloaded. It has a rear sight that can be adjusted for windage. It also has an under barrel accessory rail.

It is smaller than my Kimber 1911, and will be easier to conceal.

We started out the day by shooting some rounds from the .380 to see how different the recoil would be.

It also allowed us to compare the group sizes for the two pistols.

The .380 has very poor sights and is basically a “point and shoot” pistol.

After shooting the .380, we tried the PF-9 and found the recoil to be noticeably more “brisk”.

Not painful or more than can one can stand, but “brisk”.

You know it is a 9mm and not a .380.