The Ruger 22/45 is a pistol that I often see questions about because it is billed as a “1911 trainer.” The question often posed is, which is better—a 22/45 or a conversion kit for the .45 which will allow it to shoot .22 LR? My own opinion on that one is that I’d rather have two guns than one and a half, but does the Ruger fulfill the function of being a 1911 trainer?
In my left hand I hold a mil-spec government model M1911A1 and in my right hand I hold a Ruger 22/45, model P-512 which is blued steel with a 5 ½” barrel. The M1911A1 weighs 39 oz. empty and the Ruger weighs 34 oz. so the heft is slightly different, and this is empty weight. Add 8 or 9 rounds of .45 ACP to the GM and it is significantly heavier. Another difference which is immediately obvious is that although the two pistols have the same barrel length, the Ruger is two inches longer than the GM due to the difference in the actions of the two pistols. (More on that later.) The sight radius of the Ruger is 1 ¾” longer than the GM.
The “trainer” aspect of the 22/45 comes into play with its controls and ergonomics. The safety and slide release are in the same locations on the 22/45 as they are on the GM. The safety sweeps down to go off like the GM, and like the GM, the safety will not move if the hammer is not cocked. Like the GM, the magazine will drop free when you push the magazine release. This works better once the gun is broken in and the magazines have had some use. The handle on the 22/45 is designed with same angles and shape as the GM although the handle of the 22/45 is slightly narrower than the GM with standard grips.
The trigger is an important area of comparison. The 22/45 has more take-up in the trigger before it breaks than the GM, about 1/8″ compared to the 1/16″ or less of the GM. The trigger break on the GM is somewhat heavier than the 22/45. I estimate that the trigger pull on the 22/45 is no more than 3 lbs. whereas the GM is about 5 lbs. I have found that in rapid-fire drills, the difference in take-up on the two triggers is noticeable and I have to remind myself to let out the trigger of the 22/45 just a bit further to allow it to reset.
Once you get inside of the two pistols, any resemblance between the two disappears. The 22/45 barrel and receiver is milled from a solid piece of steel and uses a blow-back bolt. The frame snaps and pins onto the barrel/receiver. Unlike the simple elegance of the M1911 trigger and sear assembly, the trigger and mainspring latch assembly of the 22/45 is a complex contraption that would make Rube Goldberg smile. In my opinion, it is the weakest design element of the 22/45. I won’t go into detail here on how to disassemble and reassemble the 22/45, but I will say that if you acquire one of these pistols without a manual, write to Ruger and get one because it will be next to impossible to guess the chicanery of the reassembly without the manual.
So how does it perform? The 22/45 is a tremendously accurate pistol. Since the barrel is fixed in place, there is no lock-up to affect accuracy. You will find your target work gratifying. It is reasonably reliable, especially if kept clean, but it can suffer jams when the breech begins to fill with that waxy junk which coats the bullets of most .22 LR ammunition. This is particularly true when it is new. It is a fun and economical gun to shoot and is an excellent trainer for youngsters as a first pistol. Generally, it costs less to buy than the 1911 conversion kits. The only problem reports I have received on them is that the sights can at times come loose and a drop of Loctite is often recommended on the screws which hold the sights in place.
Is it a trainer for action shooters who are using .45’s at IDPA and IPSC matches? Beyond the first shot, I would say not. No .22 LR can come close to approximating the recoil of a .45 and if a person is shooting rapid fire action shooting, the 22/45 would not train well for double taps and speed drills where quick recovery of the sight picture is required. But for basic marksmanship and learning the manual of arms for an M1911, the 22/45 is the next best thing to Old Slabsides.
I Purchased a Para-Ordnance C7.45SS LDA Para Companion back in August of last year. I was excited about shooting it. The day after my purchase I went to the range. If I had an axe I probably would have used it. This gun was having all kinds of problems. Stove piping, failure to eject spent rounds, slide would not stay open on last round fired if you could get to the last round! I figured it just needed to be broken in. Well, after 1100 rounds… So, I said screw this. The next day I called Para to complain. I’ve got to tell you after talking with them and calming down they were really nice. So, off the gun went to get repaired. To my shock I got it back in 2 days! I sent it overnight. What a turn around time.
Here’s what I know and here’s what they did. First Para-Ordnance recommends that for the lube you use Tetra Grease. I had to use it because I wanted to adhere to what the manufacture recommended. You know, I did not want any figure pointing! Wrong…That crap caused more problems than good. I now only use Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil! All I can say is it never misses a beat. Yeah, she gets dirty after a real heavy fire but perfection! So, anyway, Para replaced the extractor and tuned the new one, polished the throat and adjusted the slide stop.
I got the pistol back and decided, OK, time to change a few things. So, I ordered a set of 5% extra power mag springs from Wolff Gun Springs. I am using Chip McCormick mags. Then I got my Dremel out and got every stinking burr I could find and cleaned up all the rough edges. I polished the ejection port, breach, just about everything I could where the bullet makes contact. I also polished the extractor and the upper part of the magazine well contour part for ultra smooth insertion. In addition to what Para did, I installed a new barrel bushing, guide rod, spring and slide stop. I was not too happy with their looks. All were purchased from Para pro shop. The gun is 99.9% stock less the springs for the Chip McCormick mags. Para uses the Shooting Star mag which, as you know, is the same as Chip McCormick mags.
All along I have been shooting either S&B ammo or Winchester win clean ammo 230, but I was always having some sort of issue.
Now I can report that with what Para did and what I did, and changing to the Mobil 1 lube – oh, and by the way, Todd Jarrett who is the guru shooter for Para personally told me that he uses Mobil 1 in his gun! – and after a brutal session at the range 300 Rounds of Winchester win clean and S&B ammo, about a 50/50 mix , I only had 1 failure to eject a round. It was around the 120 mark. Turned out to be a lump of crap where the bullet sits in the barrel. I simply ran a dry nylon brush down the barrel to remove dirt. I never broke the weapon down to clean it! I reloaded and kept shooting. Again around that 120 mark I cleaned with dry nylon brush. This test was make or break. I said, “If it does not fire reliably, then I’m selling it on the spot!”
To my utter joy, the gun works flawlessly. Now I can say I really enjoy the LDA trigger. I have over 1600 rounds fired. Of that with all of the new improvement and parts, I have enjoyed 500 rounds of trouble-free firing.
I’m not an expert in any way but I really think that the initial parts from Para were junk. The new parts that I PAID EXTRA for were – how to say – cosmetically better looking and made a much tighter fit. There should be no stupid burrs. The worst original part was the guide rod spring which, when out of the gun, could make a right hand turn on its own! After my home polishing and burr cleaning job, and changing lube and mag springs, I think this is a fine weapon. I think in my case Para probably makes a great gun out the box; I just got one a wee left of center. But I really can’t complain too much.
That’s my story hope it helps someone else!
The C7.45 LDA combines the proven authoritative power of the .45 ACP cartridge, the 7+1 capacity of a full-size single-stack pistol and the "Light Double Action" trigger system. Barrel length is 3.5 inches. The Para Companion is crafted of weather-cheating stainless steel with double-diamond checkered cocobolo stocks.
Many moons ago, when I started into action pistol shooting, the Para Ordnance P14 was the choice of many shooters. It was a double stack 1911 that held up to sixteen rounds of 45ACP, fit in standard 1911 leather, and most parts from John Browning’s original design fit it. Then the polymer craze hit the world of run-and-gun and Para fell out of favor, somewhat.
A couple years back at the SHOT Show, numerous people were again gathering at Para Ordnance’s booth. What was all the buzz? This time out it was a double action only, P14. Let’s see, a 1911 with a smooth, light trigger pull compared to other DAO’s, and what more could the world of law enforcement and stock service shooters in IDPA ask for? Overall this was a great pistol, and the LDA P14 sold well. Those of us that are diehard single stack 1911 shooters only wanted to know one thing, where was a single stack?
Para-Ordnance LDA 7.45 Pistol Modification
Well that question was answered in mid to late 2001 with the LDA 7.45, and at the ’02 version of the SHOT Show several versions of it appeared. This was way too cool, a true DAO 1911 that had a heritage of duty use and competition wins. That left this humble correspondent with one question: when can I play with one? Thanks to Kerby Smith, come mid-April there was a LDA 7.45 waiting for me at my shop.
Like a kid on Christmas Day I tore open the packaging and was thrilled. Lo and behold, this LDA was the LE version with the bobbed hammer (to allow standard 1911 leather to fit) and night sights. This was great, and I even had a supply of .45 ammo in my trusty SUV, so it was off to the range.
Para-Ordnance LDA 7.45 Modification
After a few quick rounds to check the trigger, it was time to shoot. Like other Para’s I have owned and shot, the LDA 7.45 ran like a champ. On the initial outing there was no real accuracy work done; just a shakedown cruise and I was not disappointed. It shot and shot. Ammunition from Cor-Bon, Winchester, PMC, International Cartridge, Remington, Triton and several reloads were shot. They all ran and shot to point of aim. Not bad for right out of the box.
When we took the LDA 7.45 out for another session, it was time to see just how well this beast could shoot. Again we shot ammo from the previously mentioned manufacturers and we added Federal since I have found the 185gr. HiShok to be a superbly accurate loading. The LDA 7.45 did not let me down, and it easily shot sub-three inch, nine round groups at twenty meters off hand. Not bad for a double action only handgun.
I thought the LDA 7.45 was such a fine pistol that I sent it off to Novak’s to have them do a modest bit of work on it; this was a keeper. Being a no frills, KISS kinda’ guy, I kept it simple: Novak Night Sights, a bevel/carry job, install an arched S&A Magwell for my blindingly fast reloads, install a tactical safety – in this case an Ed Brown – and refinish the beast as needed. For a carry/competition pistol, these are options that fit my, and for that matter, many shooters needs. The bevel/carry job was a must since Para Ordnance’s have many sharp edges that can leave their mark when clearing malfunctions and on clothes. Of course, Novak’s can add many other options to your Para LDA or any number of other handguns.
The S&A mag well is so well blended that the seam can not be felt and it is barely visible. The Para factory grip safety was re-contoured to remove all the sharp edges at the speed bump and the extreme tip that can catch on clothes. Dustin installed the Novak Sights so that they flow into the slide and just appear to be an extension it. Properly fitting and reshaping the tactical ambi-safety was done tastefully, and looks like they were made on the LDA. Other than the Novak sights, the most important item, at least to me, was the bevel/carry job that was done. There was not a sharp edge to be found, not even at the top right corner of the hood; which when clearing a stovepipe can be a painful experience. To enhance the LDA’s function, the barrel was re-crowned, a bushing fitted finger tight, and a reliability job was done: tune extractor, polish feed ramp, polish face of the slide.
Performance wise, the LDA ran like a champ. The average group size dropped to around 2.5” offhand at 20 meters for nine rounds, which is more than adequate, provided the pistol always goes bang. This kind of accuracy will keep them all in the A zone of an IPSC or the “0” ring IDPA target, and in the worst case scenario, all in the thoracic cavity of someone bent on hurting you. Follow-up shots, thanks to the sharp sight picture of Novak sights, were quick and accurate.
Thanks to the bevel-carry package, the pistol is smooth in and out of the holster, be it Kydex or leather. Clearing jams was not painful, and outerwear flowed off the LDA when concealed – all strong points of a fine tool.
The final touches of my Novak LDA was to add some skateboard/anti-skid tape in place of checkering and a set of Aluma-Grips. The anti-skid tape is inexpensive and I was trying to keep the cost of my custom LDA down. Anti-skid tape is also replaceable when my Army Regiment ring (75th Inf. Ranger) tears it up, and its black. The Aluma Grips came engraved with the IDPA logo and they too are black. Because the grips are made of aluminum they will give a degree of protection should you have a case failure. They also have sharp edges to aid in gripping the LDA under bad conditions, be it from rain, sweat, snow, or while wearing gloves.
Overall the Novak LDA is a fine tool. It shoots and looks good, and it did not break the bank, and this keeps the Smith financial manager (read my wife) happy. The total of the work done at Novak’s was less than $700 including return shipping, and the pistol was around $600 for the LE version of the LDA 7.45. You can run up a larger tab, or less of one depending on your tastes. For that matter, if you or a shooting bud holds an FFL, overall cost will be less. Anyway you cut it, the LDA is a must have kinda’ pistol.
When the Para-Ordnance LDA pistols first appeared several months ago I was somewhat skeptical of the concept, thinking it yet another “interesting solution to a nonexistent problem”, as some have referred to DA triggers in semiautos. After all, isn’t one of the things that makes the 1911 pistol such a perennial favorite among both defensive and competitive shooters that short, sweet, crisp single action trigger? You betcha! On the other hand, isn’t that trigger one of the things that gives police administrators and bureaucrats, as well as many novices, the heebie-jeebies when looking at guns for general issue/personal use? While no-one’s likely to challenge the 1911’s several marvelous qualities as a pistol, many will tell you that it’s a gun best reserved to use by expert shooters. Being a graduate of Gunsite and other courses with skilled instructors, I would amend that to those persons who’ve taken the time to be trained in the proper use of firearms, period. Of course, I carried a cocked and locked 1911 in one form or another for several years and am comfortable with the concept and the gun.
So I was, as I noted, skeptical when they unveiled this 1911 with a long, looooooong trigger pull that was supposed to warm the flinty hearts of those who believed that only DA/SA (double action/single action) or DAO (double action only) pistols were suitable for cops, or the public at large. On the face of it, it makes sense for Para to try to find a way to bring such a thing to the market. In this age of liability and lawyers on the make, many folks would never be able to bring themselves to carry an SA pistol, even a classic such as the 1911, and if you’re in the business of selling guns then you have to find a way to get the business of those who’re convinced that a gun is only safe if it’s DAO. This is what they have set out to do, and so the LDA, or Light Double Action, also referred to as “Lightning DA” on their web page. Why LDA? Well, because as soon as you say DA most 1911 fans cringe and mutter to themselves “long, heavy, grungy, gritty, uck, uck, uck…..” and turn away. They (and I) made a somewhat justifiable association with DA triggers and BAAAAAADDDDDDD triggers. Some guns that are sold seem to have as their sole justification for existence the fact that they’re DAO, which is, of course, no justification to exist at all! So Para had first to let us know that while their trigger was DAO, it was a LIGHT trigger (is this the 1911 version of ‘less filling/more satisfying’, or beer advertising brought to guns?) and so more palatable to those in love with the SA trigger. AND it still features the thumb safety and grip safety of the original 1911A1, making it easy to secure against unintended discharges, and fast into action from the holster. I first examined one at the IDPA 2000 Nationals when Kerby Smith let me check out the gun he was using for the match. Nice overall feel to the trigger pull; relatively light and acceptably smooth. But then I watched him struggle through the match with the thing and was NOT inspired with confidence. Turned out it was magazine problems, and not the mechanism, but still it engendered doubts. I thought no more of it until I went back to work the 2001 Nationals this year and got to re-examine the LDA guns. Let me tell you, this time was a whole different ball game!
First, Todd Jarrett was there for his first Nationals, and brought his personal LDA pistol with him to shoot the match. While chambered in 9mm (gamer! gamer!) and thus classified in ESP (enhanced service pistol) instead of CDP (custom defensive pistol, which is where 1911s belong – ooo-ah, SIR!), it’s representative of what can be done with one if the shooter takes the time to do some simple tuning.
The basic idea behind the LDA seems to be that you have a trigger with a long arc of movement that has a relatively low level of resistance to pressure from the shooter’s finger both through the stroke and, most critically, at the point of release. If I recall correctly, the LDA’s is rated at about 5-6.5 pounds, factory stock. But the pressure isn’t the key to the idea, it’s the combination of the length of the stroke and the sudden “surprise” trigger break that makes it special.
A long trigger is going to be less susceptible to unintended firing, at least in theory, since the shooter is going to have to make a more deliberate effort to fire it. When you couple this long pull with a release that’s not too heavy you could achieve, in theory, a DAO trigger pull that’s got the best of both worlds – easy release (basic 1911 SA) with a longer pull not amenable to mistakenly firing the gun (the rationale for DAO, and what sold so many guns to police departments for S&W for so long).
An aside – (Here is where some of you will point out that the Kahr has had such a trigger for several years now. Yes, the Kahr pistols do have light triggers that feature long, light sweeps and “surprise” breaks, but they’re NOT 1911s and not in .45, still the fight-stopper of choice for many armed professionals and defensive pistoleros. The Kahrs are nice guns, and I say this after having some misgivings about the particular character of their triggers when first I tried them. I learned to appreciate them after getting to shoot them more extensively, and now recommend them. They’re well made, and after firing several in both 9mm and .40 caliber I have to say that they do work well. But they’re still pocket guns and, with the exception of the new polymer frame, rather heavy for pocket carry.)
Jarrett’s gun has been featured in advertisements by Para Ordnance for some time now, and much is made of the fact that this world-champion shooter is winning major matches with this gun. Okay, that means it can’t be all bad, but I always kinda’ figured that Todd could win matches using a cap gun, if he practiced with it long enough – he’s REALLY good! (Okay, not THAT good….hey, call it artistic license)
Picking up Todd’s personal pistol, I cocked it and dry-fired it a few times to see what was so different about his gun versus Kerby’s. It was obvious from the first stroke that it was MUCH lighter in pull weight and VERY smooth throughout the stroke and at the release. According to Todd, the pull weight on it is about 1.5 pounds – yes, one and one-half pounds! I could see quickly why he was doing well with it! I asked if it was reliable, and he said he’d been shooting it in competition for several months with ZERO malfunctions or repairs.
Loading it up, I engaged the steel plates in the Para demo bay there at MISS (Mid-south Institute of Self-defense Shooting, John Shaw’s shooting school in Mississippi, where the last 3 Nationals have been held – http://www.weaponstraining.com) and found it exquisitely easy to shoot. As long as I watched the front sight and didn’t yank on it, hits came smoothly and quickly. Nice gun – maybe this concept has something going for it. Todd then took it apart and showed me the various places where he’d smoothed and polished the parts, and talked about the springs he’d changed. I didn’t take notes, just listened, but the gist of what he was saying was that the work he’d done wasn’t very complex or difficult, and could quite quickly be done by anyone of moderate skill and experience. Based on watching as he pointed things out, I would have to agree, though I’d leave it to a gunsmith since I have difficulty using tools smaller than a 3-pound sledgehammer. Oh, I can use them, but what happens isn’t pretty!
We then fired several other LDA’s that were provided by Para for demo use, all in .45. It was obvious that none of them had had the magic done to them that Todd’s had, but they were acceptably easy to shoot anyway and accuracy was good. They all had just a tiny bit of “grit” at the point of release in the trigger stroke, but it wasn’t enough to make them hard to fire, and would have gone away just like it should in any gun, with use and some polishing as time goes on. The fact that it’s the LDA means it doesn’t have the obnoxious firing pin plunger safety that Colt first offered in their Series 80 guns, and which Para adopted in modified form in the rest of their SA models. (I had Novak’s take it out of my P13-45 LW and liked the trigger much better after. The lawyers can carry what they like – I’ve personally handled too many guns with bad plungers in them that hung up the trigger or made it awful EVER to allow one in MY defensive guns.)
I mentioned something about “yanking” the trigger, which I found was quite easy to do if I allowed myself to think about other things than “front sight, press”, but only for the first few shots. Anticipating a long trigger that’s also HEAVY, like most other DAOs are, many shooters will give it a yank at the outset, and thus reduce the accuracy they could achieve. Once the LDA trigger is practiced, the shooter learns that he only has to initiate the pull and then follow through smoothly. Of course, 1911 SA fans know this by heart, but this has been a shortcoming of DAO guns all along, including revolvers, in the hands of those who haven’t yet been shown the light.
Fit and finish were good, natch, and the single stack configuration has taken care of the biggest problem that Paras have always had, in my opinion, which is magazine reliability in the double stacks. With the single stacks, you load up your Wilson mags and carry on as usual. Para does offer it in double stack versions, but I leave those to the folks who like carrying over 3 pounds of loaded gun and mags on their hips all day and spending money on Wolff mag springs. What is that they call that? Masochism? A chiropractor’s retirement fund? FWIW, my hands are large enough that I like the feel of the double stack frames, but I still expect them to feed and fire EVERY time, so I gave up on the P13-45 after a time. Just my opinion, of course. But back to the primary topic, the LDA trigger. Is it a good thing? Yes, very much so. Even with the super light release weight of Todd’s gun, the long stroke made it unlikely that a shooter would touch it off inadvertently, and certainly NOT as he might if it were a single-stage SA trigger set that light. Once the trained shooter has his finger on the trigger, the tactile feedback that he gets is going to allow him to gauge his pull speed and pressure. The stock guns, with their heavier stock pull weights, would be quite easy to manage even for folks without strong hands, and that can NOT be said of many DAO guns now on the market. In addition, the triggers can easily be reduced in pull without compromising the basic “safety” or intent of the DAO design. It does require resetting after each pull, so you can’t hit a shell that doesn’t fire twice by just pulling the trigger again, but shouldn’t we all be practicing malfunction (tap, rack, assess/bang) drills for that anyway, REGARDLESS of the weapon type?
I hate to use the word “revolutionary” about guns and their design features, but this LDA trigger is a significant development in the evolution of the 1911 design. When set up cleanly and broken in, it’s smooth and very easy to shoot, and it provides that mystical “surprise” trigger release that we all talk about. Out of the box, it would do to carry, if the ones I shot were truly representative of general production. If I had one nit to pick on it, it’d be that it requires a fairly long forward return stroke to reset, and I don’t think that’s something that can be gunsmithed out of it in the short run. However, shooters like Todd Jarrett have made it plain that the reset, as it is, is NOT an obstacle to really fast and accurate shooting. So that may well be just a personal caveat that would go away with time spent with the gun. Final word in this review? The Para Ordnance LDA trigger works very well – smooth and manageable and BANG! – it’s there! Additionally, the 100,000 rounds Todd’s put through his personal gun pretty much proves that it’s reliable in its’ present form. For anyone craving a .45 like John M. Browning intended, but saddled with a bureaucratic mandate, or personal desire, for a DAO pistol, this could well be the answer.
Well, yeah, it’s a little plastic mouse gun, kind of like a miniature Glock, but it’s soooooo cute. But beyond cute, it is so light, so thin and so small. It’s a real pocket gun that rides light but shoots surprisingly well. .32 ACP is not my favorite load, but when you’re looking at a full pistol that weighs only a bit more than a Officer’s Model magazine loaded, some trade-offs can be considered. The ideal application for this pistol is as a backup or as a “deep concealment” piece for those situations and wardrobes for which a larger pistol would be out of the question. This is a gun that is ¾” wide and weighs just over 9 ounces loaded.
The P32 is a locking-breech DAO pistol. The locking breech action is unique in its caliber class. Most other autos in this class are straight “blow-back” actions which are thought to have greater recoil. Like the Glock, the slide must be racked to pre-cock the pistol and it does not have “second strike” capability. It has no external manual safety. The sights are nominal but snag-free – a little triangle on the front which you line up with an inset notch at the rear for a 3 ¾” sight radius. Designed for concealed carry, there are no snags to catch on the edge of a pocket. The barrel is approximately 2 ½” long. The magazines are 7-round single stack made by Mec-Gar. The magazine release is at the traditional junction of the trigger guard and grip. Magazines will drop free if you hold the pistol just right and fully depress the magazine release
The polymer grips come in black, purple, ivory, olive green, gray, light blue, and dark blue. The actual receiver is aluminum with steel parts and inset into the polymer grip. The user can remove the receiver and put it into a different color grip if he or she so desires. For instructions on how to change the polymer grips, click here. The slide and barrel come from the factory blued, but Kel-Tec offers a hard chrome “upgrade” for a very reasonable price. A number of gunsmiths are also specializing in doing hard chrome finishes on P32’s.
Range Report
Kel-Tec P32 Pistol
Reliability – I shot 100 rounds, a box of Winchester SilverTips and a box of Fiocchi hardball. In that 100 rounds, I had four extraction failures and one light primer strike. This was not a performance which inspired confidence. At first, the gun was fine. It was only after I had run five or six magazines of ammo through it and it was getting warm and dirty that it began to act up. I shot 50 rounds or so slow fire, aiming carefully to test the accuracy and get used to the trigger. During this period of slow fire, the gun had no problems. Then I decided to “stress” it by firing fast strings, and using one-handed holds with odd angles of grip to try to make the gun act up. This is when I began to experience problems.
The single light primer strike could have been caused by crud clogging the firing pin hole. The same is possible with the extraction failures. Accumulation of powder residue in the chamber could have facilitated the failure. The extraction failure is troubling however, because it is a jam which can only be cleared by removing the magazine and pulling out the spent cartridge. If you had to do this in a fight, you would be toast. As I was leaving the range, I saw an Ishapore Enfield on the wall and, for a moment, I was tempted to trade the Kel-Tyke for the rifle right on the spot, but it didn’t look to me like the Enfield would fit in my pocket very well, so I resolved to figure out the problems with the little gun and fix them, but it doesn’t look like I’ll be retiring the Kimber any time soon.
When I bought the gun, I field stripped it, lubed it and put it back together, but that’s all. I didn’t do a detailed chamber and barrel cleaning, and this is a used gun. This evening, I got out the bore light, dental probes, 10x loupe, and Break-Free. I examined everything closely.
I kept the four cases which had jammed (all extractor failures, no feed failures) and looked at them under the loupe. They all showed the same mark, that the extractor had gotten fully into the extractor groove on the case and then been pulled forcefully over the lip, taking out a little piece of brass on its way. The extractor is moving freely and doesn’t seem to bind and it has good spring tension. I took one of the failure cases and repeatedly cycled it through the gun. Each time, the extractor went into the groove as it should and then pulled the case out properly, but it did require a tug the first couple of times I did this.
I examined the bore and noticed that there were small spots of lead adhered to the wall of the chamber. These were removed with vigorous brushing and a dental probe. I then polished the chamber with fine steel wool (I prefer it to sand paper even though it doesn’t cut as fast).
So, the observation is that I could see no indication of a malfunction of the extractor, and it’s not in the serial number range which had the out of spec extractors (a group of P32’s in the 55xxx serial number range had out-of-spec extractors which should be replaced), but I could see a build-up of crud which, coupled with the concentric milling marks in the chamber, could have caused the case to stick in the chamber. I am also reminded that the gun functioned fine through the first 5-6 magazines, and only began to act up after it got very warm and quite dirty during the rapid firing.
I also removed the firing pin, cleaned the channel and checked the firing pin. It is quite smooth and does not need polishing. I did manage to shoot the firing pin across the room and only Lady Luck permitted me to find the pin and spring. I didn’t remove the extractor, but it looks to me as if it functioning properly. Consequently, I am not at all ready to give up on the gun, and if I can’t resolve all the problems, I am sure that Kel-Tec can. By all reports, their customer service and commitment to support their guns is second to none.
Sights – Impossible. I just can’t hardly see them with my glasses on. This is a function of my not-so-new eyes and the dimness of the indoor shooting range, but for all practical purposes, these sights are simply useless to me unless I happen to not be wearing my glasses. Without the glasses, the sights are perfectly clear. Point shooting will be the order of the day for me to use this pistol.
Accuracy – Really pretty good. At seven yards, I shot a ragged hole with some fliers. The pattern fell at 4 o’clock, about 6″ away from center. I suspect that the off-center pattern was probably caused by the way I was seeing the sights. I would like get someone else to shoot the gun, someone with better eyes.
Trigger – The trigger is smooth and long, about 6 lbs. with no “catches.” My biggest problem with these kinds of triggers is that, being used to the short, beautiful trigger of the M1911, I sometimes fail to let the trigger go far enough forward to reset. The trigger of the Kel-Tyke doesn’t seem to break until you get it all the way back to the frame. I suppose this is for safety, but I’m not wild about it.
Comfort – Little guns hurt my hands. This one is no different. I noticed some discomfort on the underside of my trigger finger after about 50 rounds. Otherwise, shooting the gun is not all that bad. The little gun absorbs much more recoil than you might expect.
.32 ACP?
Well, it is better than throwing rocks. My idea of the optimal personal defense firearm is the M-60: full-auto belt-fed .308 NATO. Now that’s a gun. It will disperse a crowd quickly, is reasonably portable, and can cut down trees for firewood if needed. In the nominal, just barely adequate category would be the AK-47 and M16. The M1911 pistol in .45 ACP is OK if you’re good with it. In my own, highly subjective and intuitive system of combat ballistics, .32 ACP is wishful thinking. Still, I certainly would not want to be shot with one. One commentator characterized the Kel-Tyke as “a nostril gun… You stick it up their left nostril and pull the trigger…” The value of guns such as this rests primarily in their deterrent value – to discourage the evil doer from his course of action. Most people don’t want to be shot with anything be it .22 or .44 Magnum. Interestingly, if the controversial Marshall and Sanow statistics are to be believed (and they will remain controversial until we see their data), the “one shot stop index” of the .32 ACP is surprisingly close to the .380 and .38 Special snubnose, with most of their loads falling in the 60-69% range. The .32 ACP loads tend to fall in the in the 60-63% range of “one shot stops.” For an excellent survey of .32 ACP ballistics, see Golden Loki’s site at http://www.goldenloki.com/ammo/gel/32acp/gel32acp.htm .
A friend of mine who recently acquired a P32 and works in a context in which perfect concealment is of paramount importance said, “You know, I have this weird feeling that this is the gun that’s going to save my life because I’ll have it with me.” The “carryability” and “concealability” are so outstanding that some compromise in power may be justifiable. Nevertheless, I would hate to have to take one to a gun fight.
Golden Loki’s Site – This one is really the best I have found, even better than the Kel-Tec User’s Group, for technical information, how to’s, reliability tuning and ballistics. He also has info on quite a few other interesting guns and cartridges. http://www.goldenloki.com
The Kel-Tec Owner’s Group – This is a well-done and full-featured site which includes articles, the KTOG e-mail list, and web-based discussion forum. http://www.ktog.org/
I have enjoyed shooting sports for many years. Being a retired law enforcement officer & firearms instructor, I’ve shot almost every type of handgun made, but thought the “only” automatic I could depend my life on was a tuned .45 ACP. That was before I purchased a KAHR P9 polymer.
The instruction manual advised to fire a minimum of 200 rounds to ensure positive functioning before “depending” on it as a carry gun. I dutifully collected every type of odds and end 9mm I could scrounge up, (about 300rounds including different foreign military & U.S. commercial manufacturer, reloads, HP, etc.), and headed for the range. I expected to spend the better part of the morning clearing jams trying to “break in” another new pistol, but boy was I wrong! The KAHR ate every thing I fed it. Right out of the box it printed dead on at 25 yds., never jammed, complained, or hesitated. It is light, flat, easy to carry, deadly accurate, and fun to shoot. I tried everything to get the gun to malfunction. No dice. At under 16 oz., 7 +1rounds, & tack driving accuracy, it is my preferred carry gun. 1,000 rounds have added no visible wear. The consistent double action trigger is the best for an old double action revolver man. I’ll take the Kahr P9 over a Glock any day.
I recently purchased a Kahr P9 and have would like to share my experience thus far with Kahr and their gun.
I bought the gun after comparing it to the Sig P232, Beretta .380 (the model number escapes me at the moment), and the Llama MicroMax. It was actually my intent to purchase a .380 pistol to round out my collection. After carefully examining the guns, I came to the following conclusions:
The Llama was an interesting little gun being set up like a miniature 1911 Government Model. It is certainly cute, but I wasn’t comfortable with fit and finish and the price indicated a lower quality gun than I was interested in. Besides that, it was awfully heavy for such a small gun.
The Sig P232 is a jewel of manufacture and finish. The stainless version was tempting (I have already owned a P232 in blue finish). What finally turned me off was the weight of the gun. Being of all-steel construction it is heavy for a small pistol.
The Kahr was lightweight, well-made and 9mm. A better load than .380, and inexpensive ammo to boot.
So, I bought the Kahr. Living in California I waited the mandatory 10 days, provided proof that I owned a State-approved gun safe, and picked up the gun and took it home. Upon close examination that evening I noticed a significant surface anomaly that looked like a crack in the left side of the frame just about where the beavertail would be on a 1911. I looked at it with a magnifying glass and couldn’t decide whether it was a deep scratch or indeed a crack. I called Kahr and they politely requested that I send the gun back to them for inspection. So, I did just that…
I received a call from Larry Meyers at Kahr a couple of days later. Larry stated that he had inspected and test-fired the gun and was confident that the defect was not a crack, but rather a scratch caused during assembly. I accepted the explanation but told him that I paid $57.00 for shipping and insurance and felt that Kahr should help me out with the cost. No problem. Larry and I struck a deal whereby Kahr would install a set of MeproLight sights and deduct my shipping expenses from the price of the sights and installation. I got my gun back the next day. Sights installed, old sights returned and the scratch buffed out of the frame. Great service!
I took the gun to the local range to work it out. Kahr recommends a break-in period of 200 rounds of ball ammo before attempting to use JHP ammo. I cheated.. I put 100 rounds of CCI Blazer through the gun then ran 4 magazine loads of Miwall JHP ammo without any malfunctions. The gun was surprisingly accurate and the DAO trigger was smooth and easy to control. Much better than the Austrian guns that I own, lacking the trigger take-up and stageiness of the Austrian pistols.
The Kahr P9 is lightweight, being of polymer frame with a stainless steel slide. The gun is slim and in my opinion quite attractive. Recoil when shooting wasn’t uncomfortable at all. I like this gun. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a lightweight pistol that packs a 9mm punch.
I recently obtained a Kahr K9 Elite 98. I was asked by a friend to give a review on this gun to share with all of you. I am not a wealthy man so I was only able to come up with three different loads for this little test, loads were as follows: 100 rounds of 124 gr. Fed Hydra- Shoks, 100 rounds of 115 gr. Win. Silvertips, and 200 rounds of 115 gr. UMC FMJ. Targets used were home made by no other than myself. They are a simple six inch outer ring , a four inch inner ring, and a two inch center dot made on my computer.
First I started with the UMC ammo to warm up. Firing double taps from the seven yard line, a total of thirty rounds ended with twenty six rounds in the two in. dot and the remaining four in the four inch circle. No malfunctions. Next I moved to the ten yard line to repeat this exercise. Results: seventeen rounds in the two inch dot, eleven inside the four inch ring, two within the six inch ring, no malfunctions.
So far this little gun is surprising me as it shoots as good and as easy as many handguns twice its size. Moving on back to the fifteen yard line I decided to take each shot just one at a time for I am not all that and a bag of chips as a marksman with a pistol! Taking my time I was able to keep 11 rounds in the two in. dot, and the rest in the four in. ring. I was pleasantly surprised when I looked at the target.
I then proceeded to fire ninety-five rounds at pop cans and such to have a little fun at anywhere from five to fifteen yards (leaving fifteen rounds for shooting groups from the bench but more on that later). It’s amazing how easy it is to hit things with this little gun. As for the hollow point ammo, I tried the Hydra-Shoks first. At seven yards twenty one rounds were in the two inch dot and the rest were in the four inch ring. At ten yards, twenty were in the two inch dot, nine in the four inch ring and one in the six inch ring. Because I wanted to shoot at least three five shot groups from the bench later I only fired twenty five of the Federals at fifteen yards. They shined here as well with twelve rounds in the two inch dot, and the rest in the four inch ring. So far still no malfunctions.
Now to the Win. Silvertips which are said to be an excellent load for small 9mm handguns. Well my gun was not real impressed with them. At seven yards I had two in the two inch dot, seventeen in the four inch ring and the rest in the six inch ring. The ten yard line was a little more pleasing though. Seven in the two in. dot, twenty in the four in. ring and the remaining three were in the six in. ring. I know that seems kinda’ backwards but there it is. I also fired only twenty five rounds of the Silvertips at fifteen yards for the same reason as the Hydra-Shoks. Holy cow! Did that ever stink! eighteen rounds in the four inch ring, two(!) in the six inch and five completely off the target. Whew! Oh well, to the bench.
I fired three five round groups with each brand of ammo (I almost didn’t even try with the Winchesters but for the sake of completeness…). I figured I would just shoot groups at fifteen yards but a friend I had with me to load mags challenged me to “just do it” at twenty five. Sooo…I did! Hard to say no to a challenge from someone you usually compete against. Well needless to say I was SHOCKED! Pleasantly so. The Federals were king once again, averaging 2.5 inches. The UMC ammo averaged 3.8 inches, and the Silvertips a slightly disappointing 4.5 inches. All in all the K9 is one fun gun too shoot! Reliability was 100%. I believe I’ll hang on to this one for life. I have owned the following at one time or another, S&W (1), Glock (3), Berretta (3), Ruger (5,do love them Rugers though), and a couple of Stars. Only one other handgun has impressed me so much as to become a keeper and that’s my beloved CZ75. I highly recommend the K9. I will carry it to protect my family when we are away from home (when my CZ isn’t). I can’t give the K9 a better compliment than that!
I hate Glocks. Let me say that again, I hate Glocks. They are an overrated, plastic, ugly handgun. I never even wanted one. I am a 1911, Revolver, and Hi Power kind of guy, that’s it. Three years ago Missouri joined the ranks of States that allowed its owners to Conceal Carry Handguns. I went through my training and obtained my permit. I ordered a fine High Noon holster for my Kimber and all was great in my world. I carried that combination for several months and was very happy with my choice. Then, it got hot….and humid. I understand most people can carry a 1911 concealed in warm weather, but for me it was not going to happen. In shorts and a t-shirt you could not only tell I was carrying but I am sure you could tell the caliber and brand by the bulk sticking out of my pants. At 5’10” and 170 lbs., I don’t have a large enough frame to hide that in summer attire.
I had to have something smaller. A good friend of mine is a retired LEO with the Missouri Department of Conservation and suggested a “Baby Glock”. I read up on them and took the plunge, against my better judgment. When I picked it up I have to admit that I was impressed with how well it shot. It was ugly, no doubt but it did shoot well. I started trying all sorts of ammo through it, hoping in the back of my mind that it would find something that it did not like. It did not, I tried White Box all the way to 9mm+p+ and all shot great. I have about 2000 rounds through the G26 now and have not had a single FTE or FTF. I am impressed! I carry this handgun in a High Noon Down-Under and it conceals very well. I ride bikes with my son, play baseball, and even spent some time last summer at the beach with no signs that I was carrying a handgun. The finish still looks great and even the plastic still seems to be holding up fine.
I still carry my Kimber much of the time. But when the summer comes and the weather gets hot I have to admit I do not feel guilty at all when I slip my G26 on and head out for a day in the sun and humidity. I feel the ammo I carry will stop any problem when placed in the right spot and my ugly little Glock is up to that challenge.
Do I still hate Glocks ….yes, all of them but mine. It is not for sale.
GLOCK 26
Caliber: 9x19mm
GLOCK 26
Caliber – 9x19mm
Action – Safe Action System
Length (slide) – 6.29 in. 160 mm Height 2) – 4.17 in. 106 mm Width – 1.18 in. 30 mm Length between sights 3) – 5.67 in. 144 mm Barrel length – 3.46 in. 88 mm Barrel rifling – right, hexagonal Length of twist – 9.84 in. 250 mm Magazine capacity 4) – 10 / 12
Mass (weight)
Empty without magazine – 19.75 oz. 560 g
Empty magazine – 1.98 oz. 56 g Full magazine 5) – ~6.35 oz. ~180 g Trigger pull (standard) – ~5.5 lbs. ~2.5 kg Trigger travel for discharge 6) – 0.5 in. 12.5 mm Number of safeties – 3
I got interested in the Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 special some while back when they started disappearing from the market place at l50-l65 bucks in blue finish. Did not get one then as the price was attracted to a lot of people and first money talked.
I did purchase a Charter Bulldog Pug in 2 1/2″ stainless finish with the chopped hammer with heavy front shroud. It came in a neat little triangular plastic case with a lock of sorts for the gun. Paid $250 that included Kentucky State tax at a gun show from a FFL that I have known for quite some time.
Finally made it to the range to run the standard of two hundred rounds through it of different brands and loads.
Before I left for the range work however, I dug out my Dremmel tool and gently worked the outer edge of the trigger guard and then sanded and worked the rough edges off the neoprene grips. Mounted the grips back on, then I was ready to shoot. (This was suggested by Charles R.)
A minute ago, I was already at the range but I had to tell you about the gentle preparation to the piece that the factory should have taken care of before it left them.
Set up targets at five yards away with 3/4″ orange dots for the Bulls eye to give me a competitive edge (it damn well helped me see the target). After I loaded up the first five rounds of 240 grain lead, hoisted the piece and set the sights on the target, I was anticipating the great pain that runs down my strong hand, through the arm and shoulder, and the jarring of the teeth that I get when I shoot my .44mag Ruger. Blast away, first two shots were in the orange and side by side. No pain, no tremendous jolt to this old body at all. And I pulled the only dumb trick that I ever pulled on a firing range. I turned that revolver around and looked down the barrel to see if I really had it stoked with .44 special and not some smaller mighty mouse. After I realized what I was doing by looking down the snoot, I beat myself up real bad for pulling that dumb trick. I know that all want to get to the end of this story. I put four boxes down that 2 1/2″ tube and it was a delight to do so. Shot 180 gr. up to 240 gr. I could ould tell the difference with the lighter load. One of the five yard targets, I held a close pattern of 3″ and better. When the targets moved to fifteen yards (I put them there, they did not have legs) it was another story. My targets were six inch pie plates, with the orange dot and I just held the hits on the plate with a few strays (poor bystander).
The finish is of brushed stainless. I got a deal from a vender at the same gun show on a holster, Galco SW 1003 in black and it fits perfect for my CCDW carry. I am still looking for a pocket holster to fit the Bulldog though.
Do I like it? Yes I do. Do I recommend it? Yes it do. There is omething about this piece. It hits hard, but does not have the recoil that I expected it to have. By the way I lent it to my friend who is a pawn shop owner. He took it home and shot it. Came back to the shop and ordered two of them the next day. Sold one when he got the two in. I am glad that the Charter Bulldog Pug is back on the street. Charco 2000, Inc., 273 Canal Street, Shelton Ct., 06484, no phone, no email.
