Exploding Kel Tec PF9

[Mr. Armageddon]

Hey guys, I am a long time lurker and finally joined the board. I have a fair bit of firearm experience without going into detail but recently came across something I haven't seen in a long time. While at my buddies shop yesterday a guy rolls in that knows him and was carrying a bag of parts. As he laid the parts out he unveiled a story. Seems last year he purchased a Kel Tec model PF9 single stack handgun in 9mm. He continues to say that he was ex police and is very discerning when he shoots always rounding out by box quantity.

He had logged 300 rounds in his new toy and was at the outdoor range to shoot another 50. After loading the mag and charging the weapon he fired. He was immediately struck in the face and at first he thought that he was hit from a rifle riccochett from the next lane. He then looked in his hand and noticed the stripped frame of his handgun. With the aid of the other shooters on the range he was able to locate most of his weapon and sought medical attention. What he laid out amazed me. Back in the early days of import firearms it was quite common for weapons to have slide failure and catastrophic failure. This was mainly due to substandard manufacturing of poor quality metal.

Here on a desk before me was a newer model Kel Tec that had a catastrophic slide failure and had seperated. The rear portion of the slide had broken off from the front where the front sight and recoil spring housing are machined. The rearward portion of the slide struck him in the cheek just an inch below his eye breaking his cheek bone and sinus cavity. That is not to mention the large scar. There was no swelling or aparent stress fractures in the chamber to indicate a hot load. Upon inspection we could see that the metal in the area of seperation did not look like it was properly annealed. This is just a heads up to fellow hunters to be cautious. Many of my friends carry Kel Tec but it is the 32 and 380 models for deep concealment. There was no indication of the failure and no advance warning so be aware. Inspect that area heavliy upon cleaning and if in question check with a gunsmith.

Mr. Armageddon out.

[Jeriah]

Have you posted this to KTOG?

[Mr. Armageddon]

Negative. I just became active on this site. Don't do computer much in free time.

[AZMedic]

A few of us on this board own that gun.I was going to suggest it to my sisters for their first CCW guns....hmmm maybe glock and beretta teamed up to make his pf9

[johnwiseman]

My first question would be what type of ammo he was firing? If he is firing any +p+ or even a lot of +p rounds from a Kel-tec he is making a big mistake. They are not designed to stand up to this type of over pressure ammo. Kel-tecs are about being the lightest guns and very reliable. Not really about being the strongest guns made. The manufacture states his guns are only guaranteed to 5k rounds. I own two Kel-tecs. They are great guns. Just don't shoot crazy loads in them, or shoot them a lot period. They are intended as emergency Self Defense Weapons, they just can't handle too much abuse.

[doubleohseven]

Every handgun explosion I've ever seen has involved handloads. Just saying. =P

[AZMedic]

Every handgun explosion I've ever seen has involved handloads. Just saying. =P

*cough* Glock 40 *cough*

[BobtheBreaker]

OP you should post pictures of the parts so we can see exactly what the break looked like, and how the alleged lack of annealing is visibly apparent in the metal surface.

[raptor]

Yes please post pictures of the pistol.

[Fire]

pics please, this could be a safety issue affecting a lot of us, and a few friends of mine not on this site.....

[Vicarious_Lee]

*fondles his new Kahr P9*

*smoochy face*

"I knew I was right to pick you over that cheap whore!"

*more smooches*

[tjsjr]

Damn. A little scary as a new pf9 owner! Hope its BS from a hot load.

[KaceCoyote]

Need to see photos.

New guy is too new to be taken at face value.

[Paladin1]

Until I see something other than a single "gun shop story by a guy who knows a guy, who knows a guy" by someone who just joined to post it, without pic's or proof, I'm just fine still carrying mine.

Any gun can ka-boom under the right circumstances, and this the first I have ever heard of a PF9 doing it. I don't think I'll panic just yet.

[ozwyn]

Inevitably, Kaboom stories seem to have handloads involved.

Without pics and more detail, I remain skeptical.

[AZMedic]

Well mine doesnt always fire so I don't think I am in any danger...ya need to send it in whatever (in blonde dumb girl voice)

[Gingerbread Man]

Blazer with an aluminum cases in a gun with an unsupported chamber can cut loose on a bad round. However, I don't believe the Kel-Tec has an unsupported chamber. I have seen an early Kel-Tec that someone brought into the gun store where I worked that he took to the beach. It was filled with sand and would not go into battery. If this was a regular carry gun and had not been cleaned it could have been filthy causing it not to go into battery. I'm not sure but a possible cause could have been it fired out of battery and blew.
Clean guns are happy guns.....

[mikieg]

the .40 s&w is a pretty high pressure round. but then again so is the 10mm. does anyone here have a pressure comparison between the two? whats taking this cat so long to post pics? i know many guys that carry the keltec .380 in their vest as a hostage backup. however, i do not know any one that actually shoots (puts many rounds thru) one. not so sure they are meant to be shot as much as they are meant for night stand use. kinda like the colt .380 mustang. i warranteed as many of those as i ever sold.

[jamoni]

I'd also like pics, and I'd like to know what methods were used to determine that the annealing was poor. Until I see some of that, I'm going to consider your story financially motivated propaganda designed to make Keltec look bad.
EDIT: Just looked at the date on this. I think we have a clear cut case of trolling.
Thread locked and buried.

[jamoni]

I am reopening this topic because I made a bad decision. We try to mod fairly, but sometimes make mistakes.
I'm not sure how, but I was mistaken about the date this was posted. I thought that the post had been open for some time with no response from Mr. Armaggedon. The reality is that it was brand new, and he had no time to respond to any doubts.
Mr. Armaggedon, I'm sorry that I accused you of trolling, and for locking this thread incorrectly.
If anyone has any questions or concerns about this, please let me or another mod know.

[Fire]

any further info on this- any posts from the OP either? or was this just a drive by kel-tec hating?

[Paladin1]

any further info on this- any posts from the OP either? or was this just a drive by kel-tec hating?

No, no, and yes.

[Biggin]

Calm the fire calm the fire.


Catastrophic failures may occur in any handgun (or rifle). Keltec is not immune to it nor are 1911s or revolvers. Usually it is the fault of the shooter because he/she loaded a non +p gun with +p rounds OR he/she double charged a hand load. I would not totally condemn Kel-tec because of this plus it is all hearsay. The OP has failed to provide any evidence that the "annealing was weak" or whatever he said and hasn't even provided proof that this gun actually kaboomed.


I will throw this into the "useless" pile for now.

[Czechnology]

I will throw this into the "useless" pile for now.

Thanks Biggin, I'll be sure to ring you up the next time you're needed.