Anyone with comments on Ruger LC9 vs Kel-Tec PF9

[Mark W.]

looking for a lighter weight EDC for the wife and while the LCP and Kel Tec P3-AT both come up as possiblities in .380 I'm not sure her hands are suited to the small grip.

Her current EDC is a Astra A90 DA/SA 9mm 18+1 beast. She has no problem with a std pressure 9mm 124gr HP in the heavy Astra.

We will do a lot of shopping before we buy but I thought I would ask if anyone here has direct experiance with these two handguns and how they compare.

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[rauder99]

I have a PF9, and I love it for the carry aspect (its so thin, that it disappears in a "IWB" carry senario), although it kicks pretty hard due to the high geometry of the slide. Actually, both of these guns are pretty similar in that regard, and to be honest, my wife WON'T shoot the PF9 for that reason. If you want a gun that is fairly inexpensive and seems to last, but is strictly a carry gun, not a got-to-the-range-and-shoot-1000-rounds gun, (people either love the PF9 or they hate it...no real middle ground), all I can say is that I have had a good experience with mine. However, If you want a gun that she will shoot ALOT, then I would look for something with a low geometry like an M&P or something (and plan to spend more) that will more effectively transfer the recoil. Hope this helps & makes sense. I am not an expert of any kind, just an average shooter who owns one...
Rauder99

 

[Squidly]

I have a PF9, and I love it for the carry aspect (its so thin, that it disappears in a "IWB" carry senario),...

+1 PF9. It disappears in my front pocket. LC9 a little heavier, easier to shoot. Also disappears.

 

[Mark W.]

wife has the same sized hands as mine and we are planning on getting the +1 mag extensions which will allow her all three fingers on the grip. I was also advised to look into the houge grip for the PF9 so I'll see about adding that.

I doubt if she will shoot it even 50 rds a month. Having it with here (purse carry) is very high on my list. And being compact and light wieght will help that goal.

 

[Glock23gp]

I don't own either but just thought i would throw out there the hundreds of posts i have read and had friends tell me how terrible the LC9 trigger is. If you lean towards this gun might want to keep that in the back of your mind. I would head to a range that rents pistols and try them side by side, i did that when i bought my Shield 9mm

Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2

 

[rauder99]

I actually just put the pachmayr grip for the LC9 on my PF9 ($12 at wholesale sports) and it feels wonderful. I highly recommend it.
Rauder99

 

[jonn5335]

I can't speak for the Kel Tec but I have shot and fondled a LC9 a lot and I'm not a big fan of it. The LC9 has a horrible long,heavy,gritty, doa tigger and just when you think it's about to go off you still have another 1" of trigger pull left. I don't get the point of a doa hammer gun that it not truley doa? Things I also don't like about the LC9 that others may not care about are the magazine disconnect and the internal lock. The LC9 is'nt the most accurate gun either for close up cc purposes it may be up to snuff but I was very dissapointed with the accuracy at even 10 yards. I am not a ruger hater I do own several ruger firearms but I think they dropped the ball on the LC9.

 

[Mark W.]

Wow guys just the kind of actual experiance feedback I wanted.

 

[twowheels]

i've got an lc9 and yes it has a long heavy trigger that stacks badly but you can get used to it and shoot one fine at lc9 distances with a little practice. mine ran very reliable for about 400 rounds and then it started having ftfs. i called ruger and they sent me a new slide with, they said, an upgraded fire pin system. i've only run it once since its return and it was 100% but i need more time with it to trust it again. it does carry very nicely. i have no experience with the keltec.

 

[Nimbus]

I have commented on my Keltec several times. I have a bunch of 9mm handguns but the Pf9 is my daily carry weapon. Mine has been 100% reliable so I feel very confident with it as a carry gun. When I first bought it I wasn't crazy about the recoil but the longer magazine with the grip extender helped a lot. It's so blooming inexpensive getting it dirty & throwing in my briefcase or glove box doesn't bother me.

The first time I fired it I told my wife that the recoil was so bad if I was ever held up I was going to hand it to the bad-guy & say "here...use this"! LOL

Everytime I go to the range it comes along & gets 50 to 100 rounds shot through it. It's been as reliable as any other handgun I've owned. Just don't be limp wristed with it. Lock up your wrist & let er rip!

I use other carry guns on long trips especially to a known crime area. Then my P228 or FH FiveSeven feel much better.

Buy it...you'll like it!

 

[ddc]

I have a PF9. I put a couple of magazines through a LC9 a while back but it's been a little too long to make a direct comparison to the PF9. All I can say is a very general "they seem very similar in retrospect".

My PF9 experience is that recoil is brisk but not objectionable with standard pressure American Eagle 115FMJ. However with Gold Dot 124+P JHP my hand felt abused after a couple of magazines.

Accuracy is more than adequate at 7 yards, have not tried longer distances.

Trigger is not my favorite but usable.

Reliability has been excellent; it's never missed a beat.

I have carried it on occasion and do appreciate the lightness.

However I have since picked up a Rohrbaugh R9S and the PF9 is getting a little dusty.

 

[Allfat]

I have a PF9 that I used as my primary carry for a while. I moved up to a larger gun for my EDC, but the PF9 gets the nod occasionally when I want deeper concealment. I had trouble with mine at first, but a call to Keltec and they shipped parts for me to replace and it has been 100% since. I was getting failure to extracts very frequently, so they sent me a new extractor and spring, installed it myself and no problems.

I compared it to the LC9 when I was shopping for it, but the trigger on the LC9 broke way farther back than the PF9 does and it was really uncomfortable for me to shoot. I almost could not pull the trigger back far enough to get it to break.

If you are in Silverton, I am not far from there. We could maybe meet up sometime if you or your wife wanted to try mine out. Let me know if you are interested.

 

[matt2680]

I've had both and don't own either anymore. The LC9, for me, was just never quite right. Out of the box i had ftf issues and had to return it to Ruger for a little service. To their credit, Ruger CS is second to none. Even after i got it back though it just didn't feel good to me. Like many have already stated, the extra long trigger pull is the reason. Liked the size and shape but the trigger killed it for me. Sold it.

Now the PF9. The stock trigger is a bit short and dug into my finger after a few mags. An upgrade to the Northwoods trigger kit made a huge difference. The new trigger is longer wider and takes out a little bit of the travel on the back end. After the new trigger and adding a pachmyer sleeve on the grip the PF9 was great the only reason i don't still have it now, is because i have a Ruger SR9C for my everyday carry gun and the PF9 just never got any love. If you are concerned about the kick of the PF9 i would recommend you check out the SR9C. With the 10rnd mag and finger extention it is a very capable carry gun.

My 2 cents

 

[Xunal]

I had the PF9. Was not a fan.
I had 4 of my female friends shoot it....not one of them liked it. At all. Even when I told them to think of it as a carry weapon, not a plinker.

Mine was not reliable, even after swapping out the barrel (which broke), and a bunch of the internals.

I've also heard bad things about the LC9, but aside from playing around with it at a friends house, I've no experience with it....although he sold it after deciding he didn't like it.

Wouldn't recommend either....there are great options out there, but I don't think either of these two are it.

 

[stompah]

The trigger on my lc9 isn't gritty but is very long. That itself is an accuracy killer. I hope if the bad guy is far enough away that it becomes an issue I am able to leave the situation.

My lc9 goes bang every time. Haven't heard the same for the pf9.

For me the recoil is surprisingly mild on the lc9. I thought it would want to jump out of my hands but its very tame even with the surprise of the trigger breaking late

If I had to do it again I would have kept my lcr and bought a speed loader.

 

[Crazyeye24]

I have never shot the keltec but I have an LC9. For me its a great little accurate gun that is easily concealable and is super light. I don't really care for the long trigger pull, but if you practice with it a lot you will get use to it. I can't stress enough that the trigger pull almost made me want to get rid of it but the accuracy of mine as well as my ability to get use to the trigger has kept me from selling it.

 

[Don H]

Checkout nutnfancy's take.

 

[Don H]

Part 1/2 of Nutnfancy on the PF9 as EDC

 

[Don H]

Part 2/2 of Nutnfancy on the PF9 as EDC

 

[pinne65]

I've had a PF9 for a couple of years and I like it for what it is - shoots pretty good (better than me) and is easy to conceal. You can carry it IWB, in your pocket or wherever. I took me a bout 100 rounds to break it in. But since then no problems feeding or ejecting.It's a little rough on your hands. And I usually don't shoot more than 100 rounds with it when I practice. I like it - but don't love it. I have no experience with the LC9 though...