New Kel-Tec PMR-30 Purchase, for just one purpose...

[rgkitchen]

Is this how it performs after a warranty trip back to Kel-Tec? I've been telling everyone who I show my PMR-30 to that I'm a Beta tester. It has been upgraded three times, and each time it came back better than before. According to your profile, you're only 150 miles from Kel-Tec. Give 'em another call, tell them what you're doing, and see if they'll let you visit and get all the newest upgrades.

Since your PMR-30 was delivered with the old barrel, you probably have the old slide as well. Is the bottom of your slide flush all the way around? The upgraded slide has a very slight reveal at the barrel end (see my photos on the newest upgrades). I don't know the purpose of this reveal, but I have had no feeding or extraction errors with this slide/barrel combination except for the rare last shot left behind I have previously mentioned.

I really want to see your gelatin results. Did you try any .22 mag solid points? Brassfetcher said that the solid bullets tumbled and were more damaging than the hollow points which didn't expand at all. Looking forward to your results.

[jgreenberg01]

Is this how it performs after a warranty trip back to Kel-Tec? I've been telling everyone who I show my PMR-30 to that I'm a Beta tester. It has been upgraded three times, and each time it came back better than before. According to your profile, you're only 150 miles from Kel-Tec. Give 'em another call, tell them what you're doing, and see if they'll let you visit and get all the newest upgrades.

Since your PMR-30 was delivered with the old barrel, you probably have the old slide as well. Is the bottom of your slide flush all the way around? The upgraded slide has a very slight reveal at the barrel end (see my photos on the newest upgrades). I don't know the purpose of this reveal, but I have had no feeding or extraction errors with this slide/barrel combination except for the rare last shot left behind I have previously mentioned.

I really want to see your gelatin results. Did you try any .22 mag solid points? Brassfetcher said that the solid bullets tumbled and were more damaging than the hollow points which didn't expand at all. Looking forward to your results.

I was going to just send them the gun via UPS, but maybe it is worth a trip down there... although it's close to a 3 hour drive. I'd do it if they could fix it all in one day, but I suspect that they can't/won't. I'll call them after I do the chrony tests and see what they say.

As far as the gel tests went, we used the HP bullets and only a 9" block. We fired 2 shots and both of the rounds zipped completely through, creating a wound channel not much bigger than the bullet diameter.

[jgreenberg01]

I was at the range doing the chrony testing for the videos I'm doing, and as I am shooting the PMR-30, something hits me in the forehead. Apparently the front sight didn't want to play any more and decided it wanted out...



I'll have the videos up early next week - it's taking way longer than I anticipated, sorting through literally hundreds of pictures and matching them up to the correct videos is a bigger task than I imagined.

[Buffman]

Early Next week. Slowpoke :P

THey sound like they'll be worth it. I realize i need to start slowing down on some of my videos to provide more pictures..

[jgreenberg01]

The videos won't have all that many pics. Not all of them are usable and some are dups, but the hardest part is that you can't tell what gel block pics belong to what rounds. The videos all start with the name of the round. Pics just have file names like DSC001234 - not very helpful, especially when there's a LOT of them.

Time stamping is next to useless because, as it turns out, all the cameras had different times. Math. I hate doing that. Live and learn. At least now I know how to be better organized now for the next round of tests...

[rgkitchen]

I was at the range doing the chrony testing for the videos I'm doing, and as I am shooting the PMR-30, something hits me in the forehead. Apparently the front sight didn't want to play any more and decided it wanted out.

Yep, an early problem with the fibre optic on the front sight. I was at the indoor range when mine popped out (back in December), so I was able to recover it. Superglue took care of the problem. My upgraded slides do not have this problem. There is a Youtube video of a PMR-30 firing, and you can see the fibre optic work its way out and disappear in five shots.

[stevelkinevil]

Oh man I did not like reading this, not because I want that ugly arse pistol, but because I really want a RFB :ponder:

[jgreenberg01]

I just got my PMR-30 back from KT. They replaced the slide, the barrel and polished the feed ramp. They also have just announced that their previously recommended rounds, CCI Maxi-Mag 40gr HPs are part of the problem - they claim that the issues are peculiar to just that round and other ammo doesn't keyhole.

I can't make it to the range again until next Monday, but I will post a video update right after that. For what it's worth, their customer service has been excellent... now let's see if the gun works!

[SeaHawkDriver-B]

I'm glad you guys are doing all the Beta testing for me. I've been tracking this pistol for over a year fully intent on buying one when I get back stateside. I was hoping that Kel Tec did a better job at a rimfire pistol than say the Sig Mosquito, or the Walther .22 variant. Both of which have HORRIBLE FTF reputations. Apparently not so much.

Lets hope they get their problems ironed-out by sometime next year and I'll consider picking one up. Until then, I'm not touching one. My pistol stash is mostly Glocks, HKs, Steyr, Sig, and FN's... so a pistol that FTF is not something I"m used to, and will quickly find its way in the trashcan.

Greenburg, next time I'm in Jax, lets hook up for a range shoot. Curious where you go and who your suppliers are for good guns and ammo. My inlaws stil live there and I'll be building a house out there somtime in the next 2-3 years when my next tour of duty comes up.

[jgreenberg01]

Let me know when you're heading this way, we can send some rounds downrange. And Shooters is where I get my guns and accessories (but not ammo) when I buy locally. They typically hook me up price-wise.

[jgreenberg01]

I just got the PMR-30 back from Kel-Tec and they replaced the barrel, the slide and they polished the feed ramp. I figured that between the repair and the recent press release from KT announcing that the key-holing issue was specific to the round that they had recommended, the CCI Maxi-Mag HP 40gr, all would be well.

The release can be read here:
http://www.keltecweapons.com/news/pmr-3 ... ons-update

The good news:

While the accuracy isn't perfect it is GREATLY improved. The key-holing issue seems to be resolved and the FTF problems are pretty much gone.

The bad news:

A new issue arose that you should watch the video to see.

Ammo tested:
Winchester Supreme JHP 34gr #S22WM
Hornady V-Max 30gr #83202
Federal Speer TNT HP 30gr #p765
CCI Max-Mag HP 30gr #0059

[blueorison]

d. dude, that sucks. Glad you are giving a full spectrum report. Keltec has a ways to go. I'm still really impressed with their stuff, very intelligent designs. What needs to catch up is their QC and problem solving.

[panzermk2]

Great vid Jeff. I am so liking my new to me Sig Mosquito.

[Nickf150fx4]

Great video :thumb:

[jgreenberg01]

In case anyone wants an update: I never got around to sending the PMR-30 back to Kel-Tec, but I needed a .22 for a dueling tree competition. Out comes the PMR. Had intermittent trigger issues meaning I'd pull the trigger and no bang - the hammer wouldn't drop. It made it 49 rounds and on the 50th, the trigger simply gave up completely.

Now it's on its way back to KT.

I know this is just one gun of thousands they made and I assume it's the exception, but WOW, I've never had to send a gun back to the manufacturer and this is twice already for the PMR-30! I'll post an update when I get it back... again.

[LA-LI-LU-LE-LO]

That sucks, I was looking forward to purchasing one, but I've been reading that they have lots of problems. Hopefully they fix it soon.

[jgreenberg01]

I finally got around to sending it back for repair after the trigger completely stopped working. They have had it for 55 days now and as of 4 days ago they said it will be another 2 weeks before they can look at it. I reminded them that this is the second time it was sent in for repair, but that doesn't change its place in the cue.

I was really hoping to report that the gun was back and functioning 100% by now... but that is yet to be seen... in 2-ish weeks?

[taseal]

What's going on with this? any updates?

[jmz5]

Great vid Jeff. I am so liking my new to me Sig Mosquito.

I had an early one, it was a POS that only liked mini-mags.

[jgreenberg01]

I'm pretty much over this gun. I think I have some of that In The Red powder around here somewhere...

[blueorison]

Man, you did a lot of work and spent a lot of ammunition.

I'm sorry, bro. 3rd time's the charm?

[SHEEPDOG]

Great video. Thanks for all the time and effort.

[Mister Freeze]

In all the years, guns, and rounds I've been shooting, I still haven't had that many failures of any kind. Collectively.

[jgreenberg01]

In all the years, guns, and rounds I've been shooting, I still haven't had that many failures of any kind. Collectively.

Same here. That one video has more failures than all my other guns added together. And that was after the SECOND repair...

[Grantness]

Dude.... :facepalm: I think that definitely qualifies as an EPIC FAIL. I imagine the Benny Hill music, while funny, is masking a deep fiery rage :furious:

Any chance we'll get to see some gel tests in the future? I've always been interested to look at a side by side comparison between 5.7 & .22 magnum.

[JoJo]

Wow! Anybody want a deal on the KelTec 32 that I hide in my car? I thought I wanted to play with their 223 pistol but now I will pass.

[jgreenberg01]

Dude.... :facepalm: I think that definitely qualifies as an EPIC FAIL. I imagine the Benny Hill music, while funny, is masking a deep fiery rage :furious:

Any chance we'll get to see some gel tests in the future? I've always been interested to look at a side by side comparison between 5.7 & .22 magnum.

A) I already did it although it was a half effort on the .22wmr side, and
B) Yes, I plan to do it again

The original is in here (just click on the .22WMR box):

[Grantness]

Thanks, I must have missed that. :thumb: Excellent work!

[ShockedNKansas]

All these fail videos need to be attached to the comment section of that tool's comparison article between the Keltec and FsN over on CheaperThanDirt.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=13234" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[taseal]

Man, I don't know what to say. I was looking on the keltec forums, and it's rare, but not too often like you.

wonder why keltec couldn't make it right...

[Captan Harold D]

What's the latest on the Keltec PMR 30? I personaly don't know much if anything about it, but a neighbor called me tonight and was inquiring.... He said that they were in short spply and going for cinsiderably higher than the MSR. I told him from what I read here that he might want to forgit about buying one. Comments would be appreciated.
Thanks.
CHD

[jgreenberg01]

My local gun store that discounts everything is selling them for well over MSRP so I would imagine that answers part 1.

As for the reliability, you can see my personal experience above. Of course this is just one person's experience and I simply may have a lemon...

[Rapier1772]

I have actually heard a lot of people claiming to love theirs but I've also heard a few haters as well. It seems to be one or the other, nothing in between. I think it is hit or miss, you get a great one or a lemon.

[africa1]

Current live auctions on Gun Broker have a PMR 30 with 9 bids at $905 and 57 with 13 bids at $1476.

[Rapier1772]

Post moved to discussion thread.