By R.K. Campbell | Contributing Editor
When it comes to justifying another handgun purchase it seems the inner self doesn’t have much of a defense against another .22 caliber pistol.
When the handgun in question cost about $200 retail we really can’t resist.
The Kel Tec P17 is a lightweight handgun that offers good features while competing for our hearts and minds with the likes of the SIG P322 and Taurus TX 22 compact handgun. The P17 has been in production for almost three years and is finally becoming relatively easy to obtain. Kel Tec’s rimfire handgun accommodates 16 rounds of ammunition in its magazine providing 17 rounds total with one .22 Long Rifle round in the chamber. The P17 weighs a feathery 11 ounces unloaded. The pistol is manufactured from polymer component with as few steel parts as possible.
In common with other Kel Tec firearms the P17 is of clamshell construction with the operating mechanism contained in the center of the two halves. Bolts and screws hold the handgun together. The slide is very light and contains the majority of metal used along with the barrel. The slide is a stamping with the breech block pinned in place. A topstrap wraps over the muzzle end of the steel barrel. A fiber optic front sight is mounted on this topstrap. The rear sight offers a wide range of adjustment, and the sights provide a good sight picture.
The breechblock is perched on two rails that rise from the magazine well, and the barrel is 3.8 inches long, and it is threaded, as many modern Kel Tec barrels are. This allows muzzle brake or suppressor use if you wish.
Kel Tec’s rimfire pistol features a recoil spring covered by a flush fit barrel nut. A tool is provided with the P17 to allow disassembly. The grip pattern is the usual Kel Tec alligator grip pattern. This design offers good purchase when firing even with wet or sweating hands. The pistol offers a light rail for mounting combat lights or lasers. The trigger guard is large, square, and accommodates gloved hands. Disassembly is quite simple. It is Glock like in this simplicity.
One of the best features of this feather light handgun is a 3.1-pound trigger letoff. I would not wish to pull a five-pound trigger against an 11-ounce handgun.
The trigger breaks clean and while this is an inexpensive handgun the trigger is well designed and executed. Kel Tec’s P17 features an ambidextrous safety, and it’s positive, offering a sharp click as they indent into place. The pistol features a cocked indicator on the rear of the frame beneath the sight assembly. The safety reveals a red dot when in the fire position. The pistol features a paddle type magazine release. This allows a very thin and simple grip frame.
Kel Tec delivers the P17 with three 16-round magazines. These polymer magazines are relatively tall single stack types, and they are easily loaded.
Keep in mind, the .22 Long Rifle cartridge is dirtier, less robust and less reliable than centerfire ammunition. Just the same, an inexpensive handgun like this one should be as reliable as possible with the least expensive bulk ammunition. Most of the testing was accomplished with standard 40-grain round nose High Velocity variants.
All .22 Long Rifle ammunition is high velocity these days save for a few standard velocity target variants. CCI Blazer, Remington Thunderbolt and Winchester Wildcat were the primary loads used. I sacrificed a single magazine of CCI Stinger 32-grain to confirm reliability.
During the first few magazines expended there were occasional short cycles I will write off to break-in malfunctions. All .22 caliber handguns have some recoil, but it simply isn’t very perceptible. The P17 actually moved a little when fired! This is due to its light weight. The pistol is a great deal of fun to fire. The P17 was used in firing at paper targets and in firing at small targets on the berm and steel plates. Within the limits of barrel length, sight radius and light weight, the P17 is an accurate design. While fun shooting is its primary role the P17 would prove useful for keeping pests and reptiles away from a garden or homestead. A lot of folks like to carry a handgun, any handgun, on hikes and when walking long trails. Weight is at a premium. The P17 offers a lot of pistol for very little money and the weight penalty is negligible. I like this friendly little gun and I think you will too.
Accuracy testing
Most 40-grain HV loads run 930 to 980 fps in the Kel Tec’s 3.8-inch barrel. I rested the pistol in the MTM Caseguard K Zone firing rest and fired several five-shot groups at 15 yards.
Using the three loads mentioned earlier in offhand fire, the pistol provided useful accuracy with a small five-shot group of 2.4 inches and the largest at 2.9 inches.
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Kel Tec
Caliber: .22 Long Rifle
Weight (empty): 11 ounces
Capacity: 16+1
OAL: 6.7 inches
Barrel: 3.8 inches
Height: 5.3 inches
Width: 1.2 inches
Trigger: 3 pounds
