Kel-Tec PMR-30 pistol

Kel-Tech have developed a new pistol which chambers the .22 Magnum (WMR) rimfire cartridge. The small size of the .22 WMR has allowed Kel-Tec to squeeze 30 rounds into the double-stacked magazine (a new original design), yet maintain a comfortable grip size.

The PMR-30 has a unique hybrid blow back / locked breech recoil system. In order to accommodate a wide range of ammunition, the pistol automatically adjusts between locked breach and blowback based on internal pressure. I look forward to seeing how this system works.

One problem with the .22 Magnum is that because it was designed as a rifle cartridge, the powder load is slow burning. This maintains high pressure in the barrel for a longer period of time. This high pressure can prevent extraction during recoil because the gas pushes out against the brass and presses it into the chamber wall. Shooting Log report that the PMR-30 has a fluted chamber to prevent this type of extraction problem. The gas enters the flutes and counterbalances the pressure against the case wall and also acts as a lubricant.1

The PM-30's frame is aluminum. The slide and barrel are steel. Interestingly, the barrel is fluted.

Regarding the .22 Magnum performance compared to the FN 5.7x28mm round, read this article.

Specifications
Caliber .22 Magnum (.22WMR)
Barrel length 4.3"
Slide and Barrel 4140 Steel
Frame 7075 Aluminum
Magazine capacity 30 rounds
Trigger pull 3.5 to 5 lbs
Weight (no mag) 13.6 oz.
Length 7.9"
Height 5.8"
Grip Width 1.1"
Muzzle Velocity (40 gr) 1230 fps
Expected Availability Quarter 2, 2010
MSRP (Price) $415

Oleg Volk has taken some photos of the pistol...

30 Rounds is a lot of ammo!!!!

UPDATE: Bill pointed out that the Grendel P30, which was manufactured in the early 90s, was designed by George Kellgren, the founder and chief designer at Kel-Tec. I suppose the PMR-30 is an improved P-30.


  1. I stand open to correction on this point. 

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Steve Nov 23rd 2009 handguns Tags: , , , 63 Comments

63 Responses to “Kel-Tec PMR-30 pistol”

  1. Bill Lesteron 23 Nov 2009 at 11:34 pm link comment

    Steve,

    This isn’t a first. George Kellgren, founder and chief designer of Kel-Tec, had the P-30 under his first company’s name, Grendel. It was also a 30 round .22 WMR.

    http://jtjersey.com/Grendel/GrendelP30.jpg

  2. Steveon 23 Nov 2009 at 11:38 pm link comment

    Bill, thanks. have updated the blog. I knew about the P30, but not about the connection with Kel-Tec.

  3. Jesseon 24 Nov 2009 at 12:43 am link comment

    Why not 22lr? I’d buy a 22LR pistol that held 30 rounds and looks like this but 22mag is expensive enough that I find myself asking the question why now just shoot 9mm.

  4. War Wolfon 24 Nov 2009 at 1:07 am link comment

    As jazzed as I am about this offering from Kel-Tec I think I would be even more jazzed if it was offered in .22LR instead. The simple economics of .22 WMR make it just as expensive (if not more expensive) than shooting 9mm. That said, I will probably buy one anyway when it launches because it looks cool and any flavor of .22 is my absolute all time favorite caliber.

  5. CORNELIUSon 24 Nov 2009 at 1:22 am link comment

    Where are the fasion police when you need them?

  6. ABon 24 Nov 2009 at 2:26 am link comment

    30 rounds, most 22 mags come in 50 round boxes, so you’d have to buy 3 boxes to have 5 reloads with nothing left over. heh

  7. subbyon 24 Nov 2009 at 2:35 am link comment

    I wouldn’t be surprised if a .22lr is coming out later. Why not? They bullets are almost the exact same size. I also read this in wikipedia.
    ” A .22 WMR round will not fit into the chamber of a .22 LR firearm but is possible to chamber and fire .22 LR rounds in a .22 WMR firearm”

    So maybe their dual compatible?

    Now saying that THIS IS GREAT! 30 rounds! WOW, Kel tec is always coming up with some crazy new and useful thing. I guess those oldies with arthritis have just found their new pistol.

  8. Carlon 24 Nov 2009 at 3:06 am link comment

    I agree with Jesse that a .22lr version would probably have a much bigger market than the 22wmr.

    I suspect the 22lr is more difficult to double stack in greater numbers though…

    The screwed together frame (which looks like plastic i my eyes…) looks kind of cheap to me. But I suppose these savings are reflected in the price.

  9. subbyon 24 Nov 2009 at 3:40 am link comment

    Look what I found. Apparently the Grendel P-30 came in an 8 inch barrel version as well as forearm and buttstock! Awesome!

    http://www.gunandgame.com/gallery/files/1/8/4/0/2/r-31.jpg

    Also the magazines for this pistol were zytel.

  10. Erwoson 24 Nov 2009 at 3:57 am link comment

    Totally agreeing with Jesse here. I’d sell my Neos and buy one of those in a hot second if it were .22LR.

  11. dogon1013on 24 Nov 2009 at 5:17 am link comment

    Why not just shoot 9mm? because you can’t fit 30 rounds of 9mm in a flush fit magazine. Plus some people may have a problem with the high recoil of shooting 9mm.

    The PMR-30 does not have fluted chamber as mentioned in the blog post (that is never mentioned in the press release…just fluted barrel).
    The old Grendel P-30 does have a fluted chamber.

  12. Annjaon 24 Nov 2009 at 5:56 am link comment

    wonder if there will be a way to run a can on this, muzzle extension by tornado anyone?

  13. Matt Groomon 24 Nov 2009 at 6:46 am link comment

    The PMR-30 does NOT have a fluted chamber.

    @ Jesse:

    Why not a .177 cal pellet gun? If You don’t care about muzzle energy, and cost is a primary concern, then a pellet gun is the way to go. Except most 9mm ammo costs twice as much as .22 WMR.

  14. Geoff Hon 24 Nov 2009 at 8:59 am link comment

    Jesse, 22LR would be nice as well. I think the draw of this gun is a high-capacity magazine in something that is more powerful than 22LR. I agree that the ammo cost is going to be a big deterent to popularity. Some people might like shooting 22WMR over 9mm for the lower recoil as well.

  15. Avtomaton 24 Nov 2009 at 12:11 pm link comment

    Will keltec ever be able to make a gun that looks nice? yes, I know that looks has nothing to do with functionality, but my goodness their guns look cheap-ass (I’ve carried a P-11 [first-gen], P32, and PF9 so I ain’t bashing the quality)

  16. Bill Lesteron 24 Nov 2009 at 12:13 pm link comment

    What’s wrong with having purely a fun gun with more OOMPH! than a .22LR? I had the opportunity to shoot the old AMT .22 Mag years ago and it was a blast with 1/3 the capacity of the new K-T.* Twenty-two magnum revolvers are also a lot of fun but I hated the slow loading/unloading of my old Ruger Single-Six so chambered. Accuracy will probably be improved in a dedicated WMR barrel. (The Rugers are optimized for the slightly smaller .22LR’s bullet diameter.) Water-filled milk jugs are in great peril at 100 yards with this cartridge.

    The PMR-30 can also serve more “useful” purposes. Since it will weigh significantly less fully loaded than an empty Ruger Single-Six Convertible**, this new K-T would be a handy trail or fishing companion for popping tin cans, snapping turtles, etc. The extra power of the Magnum would be comforting if you came across a rabid raccoon. Farmers and ranchers will appreciate the ballistics and capacity as they come across coyotes, prairie dogs, or other annoying pests. If it proves to be reliable, this could also be a good addition to someone’s GHB. FMJ’s don’t destroy much meat on a squirrel, JHP’s can do surprisingly well in ballistic gelatin for anti-personnel use. And you can carry a lot of ammo for little weight.

    If this pistol has a street price in the $325-350 range, I’ll probably buy one.

    *That is when the AMT wasn’t jamming.

    **I just weighed five rounds of Winchester 40-gr. JHP’s. The average was 66.8 grains. 66.8 x 30 = 2004 grains or ~1/3 lb. for ammo. The PMR-30 weighs about 14 oz. with an empty magazine. The lightest Single-Six Magnum weighs 32 oz. empty.

  17. Jesseon 24 Nov 2009 at 1:25 pm link comment

    I guess I shouldn’t have said there’s no reason for 22mag. If you are hunting small game 30 rounds of 22mag is amazing and if for some reason you are unable to handle anything stronger having 30 rounds of 22mag would be better than the 6 you’d get in a revolver. However the self defense applications are still limited to a very niche market which leaves me thinking the primary application for this gun is a trail gun. I don’t really need a trail gun.

    All that being said if this is priced cheap enough there is a part of me that might get one for the kitche factor but it’s a low priority below a few other guns I’d rather get. However if they made it on 22LR it’d be on the top of my list so I could fill those mags over and over at a cost of $15 for 550 rounds.

  18. Anonon 24 Nov 2009 at 1:42 pm link comment

    I don’t know why everyone is complaining about the looks, I think it’s one of the best looking rimfire pistols to date! Kind of like a Five-seven mixed with an H&K Mk. 23. I think its sleek and trendy looks will sell well to those on a budget in the modern ‘tactical’ market. Let’s just hope it feeds well.

  19. Jimon 24 Nov 2009 at 4:16 pm link comment

    I gotta be honest, I thought this was a Five Seven mock up made out of Legos.

  20. Juleson 24 Nov 2009 at 9:25 pm link comment

    I wonder if this means we’ll also see a new version of the Grendel R31 carbine? In any event, I’ve been intrigued by these guns for some time as I’m unaware of another .22WMR design -pistol or rifle- that offers anything like the magazine capacity of the Grendel P30/R31, or the new Kel-Tec PMR-30. Of course there’ll always be those who wonder why anyone would shoot a hi-cap gun in this chambering, but personal experience suggests it’s always possible to find a happy niche for anything legal!

  21. Bill Lesteron 24 Nov 2009 at 11:29 pm link comment

    Jim should get some kind of award for Post of the Week! Very funny! :)

  22. danielon 25 Nov 2009 at 4:10 am link comment

    Actually, that was speculation on the fluted chamber based off of the Grendel.

    We have since found out that the PMR-30 uses a unique hybrid locking/blowback system to handle the problems brought by the high pressure of the .22WMR

  23. Heathon 25 Nov 2009 at 2:46 pm link comment

    That’s actually pretty interesting little piece. I’d consider one to carry as a dispatch weapon for when I am out predator hunting. It like the idea of not running out of rounds quickly.

  24. ambion 25 Nov 2009 at 6:38 pm link comment

    Why?
    Why not continue the trend of pocket guns? Why not build a 22 mag/22lr the same size as a p-11 or p3at while attempting to maximize magazine capacity in this way?

    Everyone on here is right. If it looks like a target 22, and its built like a target 22, and if it has this excellent capacity and long barrel then it should ideally be built in 22 long rifle or not at all. Why? Because I assume most can’t afford to shoot 22 magnum all day at the range like we do the affordable 22LR cartridge. Aside from that, I think that the person who said that this would make a great trail gun had it right. If this were small enough to carry I would be all over it like a dog in heat.

    This is just me, but if i were building a gun with this excellent capacity it would be for concealed carry. It would be the size of the P-11 or smaller. It would come with two barrels of different lengths. Maybe even different calibers. One barrel for compact carry and the other for target practice. Most pocket 22s out there have a very small capacity. I think this technology should be brought to the pocket realm.

  25. Liberty4Everon 26 Nov 2009 at 5:13 pm link comment

    I think I’d like the P-30 more if it was a .22 LR instead of a .22 WMR, partly for the ammo cost (about 75% savings), and partly for the reduced noise and muzzle blast. The .22 Winchester Magnum RIFLE ammo is made for rifles. The slower powder is largely wasted in a pistol, unless people want the hassle and expense of pulling bullets and developing loads optimized for a pistol. There is plenty of pistol .22 LR ammo already. Still, I think a .22 WMR pistol with 30 rounds is fairly awesome, even though I think the performance wouldn’t be all that much better than .22 LR, as demonstrated by the NAA Mini-Master with a 4″ barrel.

    .22 LR 40 gr 900-930 fps:
    http://www.naaminis.com/mmlrvel.html

    .22 WMR 40 gr 1050-1100 fps
    http://www.naaminis.com/mmmagvel.html

    It’s more difficult to design a .22LR double stack magazine, but I think Kel-Tec is going to work on it.

    I was a bit disappointed by the errors in the original post, which claimed it was the first 30 round .22 WMR pistol when George Kellgren had already done it in the P-30 many years ago, and then claiming the PMR-30 had a fluted chamber when it was the P-30 that had the fluted chamber. It looks like the autor would have either heard of the P-30, or not.

  26. Roper1911on 02 Dec 2009 at 1:44 pm link comment

    George Kellgren Is the founder of KelTec, he also Partnered in Intratec, (Formerly Intradynamic USA.) and Grendel, The PMR-30 is just a P-30 with an aluminum frame.

  27. Matt Groomon 02 Dec 2009 at 2:09 pm link comment

    Yes, the PMR-30 is just like the P-30, except for the fact that it’s completely different in every single way except the caliber and the magazine capacity.

  28. Heathon 12 Dec 2009 at 5:58 am link comment

    I know it isn’t supposed to be released until the 2nd quarter of 2010, but when it becomes available I’d sure appreciate a heads up from anyone who sees it on the market. I want to get one of these to carry as a dispatch pistol when I am predator hunting.

  29. Steve Myleron 18 Dec 2009 at 2:12 pm link comment

    WOW!!!! Is this still the good ole US of A???? first of all 9mm is double yhe price of 22MAG. This caliber is very effective spitting out at around 2,000ft/sec muzzle. The rail is most useful and if I can carry 30 hand selected rounds of my favorite 22MAG, this is my…..oh yeah, and my wife’s gun too. I have around 14,000 rounds of 22LR ammo in stock. I am buying 22MAG cheaper by the day…..good stuff going for about $9.00/50 I am a dealer but my customers already want this as I will sell my first few and then keep ours. Great weapon………mix it with a S&W500 if you are up North and don’t need to waste ammo and game!

  30. Stewart Pon 02 Jan 2010 at 5:49 am link comment

    I personally cannot wait for the PMR03 to arrive. In the first few months many will be optimizing fast burn relaods for this pistol and in a very short time this pistol will be a match contender for FN57 pistols. I own a 57 and am completely satisfied with it. It to has a 30 rd mag capacity(upgraded by ProMag) ofcourse. It is very laser like accuracy to the point of predicable bordom. I would expect this PMR30 to become just as good after a few months of tweaking with bullet weight and powder load. Unfortunately, the unique multi function bolt/ breach design may hinder the potential optimized performance. I will keep my fingers crossed in hopes of a tweaked up pistolafied .22WMR(P) that comes very close to the 5.7×28mm velocity and FtLbs delivered.

  31. Stewart Pon 02 Jan 2010 at 5:52 am link comment

    Oh and one more thing, Hey Kel-Tec if your reading this, make regular dove-tail rails for the sights with sight options. I personally would like some Trijicon sights for mine.

  32. Big Shrekon 07 Jan 2010 at 3:07 pm link comment

    Funny, someone tried to link one of my old gallery pics :)

    Yep, the P-30/P-31 are completely different, more of a Buck Rodgers look :D

    I’m WAITING with a big grin for these to come out…I actually sent Keltec an email about a .22WMR possibility last year but they never responded…now I know why ;)

    Definitely going to be first in line to get one, and then test it side-by-side with my P-30 & P-31’s :D

    If KelTec does as well on the PMR-30 as Grendel made theirs…I’ll be their biggest cheerleader EVER on a TON of gun boards :D

  33. D'Arcy D.on 07 Jan 2010 at 7:09 pm link comment

    Keltec has put excellent value for money weapons in many American hands, and I thank them. The first Keltec I held Bit my finger open because I have large hands and I almost wrote them off…. Then I saw a guy shooting a PLR – 16, Shot one, Got one, never looked back. Quality and function are excellent! Thank you KelTec. I had a automag in 22 wmr and loved it, but it was a “stove piper”. I have been looking for a good 22wmr Auto pistol since and have already called my dealer to see when I can get one of these.
    People need to actually SHOOT a 22wmr with some of the modern loads before comparing it to a 22LR. The barrel on the PMR-30 is minimal length to start getting the potential of the WMR round. Like a previous poster said, once the manufacturers start tweaking powder burn rates for the pistol length barrel and people the shooting public find out how great a deal this is…. You’ll be standing in line. Order now.

  34. Windy Wilsonon 09 Jan 2010 at 9:31 am link comment

    And the California version will be available –
    Sorry, that’s politics.
    maybe when I visit Las Vegas I’ll get a chance to try one out at a range.
    @#$%^&*! California politicians.

  35. Heathon 09 Jan 2010 at 12:20 pm link comment

    So has anyone heard when this pistol will actually become available?

  36. Stewart Pon 09 Jan 2010 at 4:03 pm link comment

    Just decided that this will be my new SHTF gun for my wife along side my FN57 in my everything goes to hell pack. SHould be very reliable and very easy to get ammo for. Hell, most all .22WMR is cheap by relative standards these days, and still no shortage. Unlike .45, .38, 9mm, 5.7×28 and .223,.. etc… **(ammoengine.com)**. I’ll be selling my 1964 Baretta Model 75 6″ target 22LR with 2 mags to get this new mini whopper. It’s in 99% Excellent condition. (stewart.perthou@yahoo.com) The PMR should be tons of excellent shooting fun and it just needs to have tweaked Pistolized fast powder loads for this thing with more of a pointed lead nose half jacket and steel core. And if your one of those folks that thinks a .22 is a mostly a joke to take the kids shooting with, do think of the fact that like my tiney FN57 pistol, it will penetrate 48 layers of kevlar and I have 31 rounds whith which to do it, vs. a .45 with 8 or 10 rds which are only likely to crack a rib at best. I do love my .45 and is is accurate to the point of boredom (the only reason why I keep it) but it is old tech, and limited to the amount of service it can provide me. It is far to heavy to carry, and most certainly would obliterate small to medium game. Again the FN57 is very similar in size to the 1911 but far lighter even loaded. Now for comparison, the PMR is even yet Smaller and lighter but with some punch. A perfect combination. A must have for a mulitiude of purposes.

  37. Stewart Pon 09 Jan 2010 at 4:09 pm link comment

    Just found this posted by Caleb.
    “One of the best rounds for .22 magnum from a pistol is the CCI TNT 30 grain load. It uses a faster burning powder and generally acts like a “quality” pistol bullet when fired from a pistol.”

  38. JamesPMullinon 20 Jan 2010 at 10:43 pm link comment

    Looks like i’ll have to put off buying a Glock Gen4.A 30 shot 22 mag has got to come first.I’ll team it up with my PLR16 loaded with M855s.For the 22 mag i’ll try Hornady 30gr VMAX.Now all they have to do is make the economical version for 22lr.Got to find one of these pistols fast! Jim

  39. Heathon 21 Jan 2010 at 5:59 am link comment

    Their PMR-30 handout lists it as being available in the 2nd quarter of this year.

    http://www.kel-tec-cnc.com/images/PMR30-handout-v3-31.pdf

  40. Greezeron 21 Jan 2010 at 2:01 pm link comment

    This is an excellent self defense handgun for people who are recoil sensitive and handicapped folks. Obviously its not the ideal self defense caliber but some people simply cannot handle the recoil of larger calibers and the 22 Magnum ammo isnt that expensive. As a police officer I would love to have a subcompact in 22 magnum for a get off of me type gun and Personally I think the 22 mag is better than the 25 and 32 for self defense. Yes I understand the cost of 22 LR ammo is cheaper but there is more to be looked at with this gun.

  41. Stewart Pon 22 Jan 2010 at 2:26 am link comment

    Old Geezer is right. Honestly, 30 rounds of 22mag versus 7-8 from a compact carry 9mm, hmmm, lemme think, I wouldent want to be on the wrond end of those. See the great equalizer here is capacity, capacity, capacity, and this gun has even more than what is normally considered as high capacity, by about 33%.

    (pulled from an earlier post)
    One of the best rounds for .22 magnum in a pistol is the CCI TNT 30 grain load. It uses a faster burning powder and generally acts like a “quality” pistol bullet when fired from a pistol.
    Havent tried it yet as we dont even have the gun out yet, but the combination already sounds like a good start.

  42. Carlon 22 Jan 2010 at 3:23 am link comment

    I’d submit that a “recoil sensitive” person is just someone who doesn’t shoot and train enough.
    Disability is a fair point though.

  43. Stewart Pon 22 Jan 2010 at 5:13 am link comment

    Even a recoil (girly man) could shoot a FN57, it kicks no more than a 22WMR

  44. Stewart Pon 22 Jan 2010 at 5:14 am link comment

    Oops, sorry Greezer, I mis typed you name and missed the “r” in there.

  45. Carlon 22 Jan 2010 at 8:54 am link comment

    Honestly, 30 rounds of 22mag versus 7-8 from a compact carry 9mm,
    A 7-8 shot 9mm is much smaller than this.

  46. Stewart Pon 23 Jan 2010 at 1:44 am link comment

    this will siut its purpose just fine. It is not a carry weapon, nor is it a home protection gun. It is a darn cool plinker, and for that I’m sure it will do very well. Sitin on your porch, and blowin away pop cans at 50-100 yards, while chattin with your buds is cool! It would also make a great camping gun to go shoot the same way. Right now I use a single 6 shooter in Wmr. This is for when shootin is relaxing and you take your time and enjoy life’s finer bits.

  47. SilentHon 23 Jan 2010 at 2:12 pm link comment

    Don’t look now but I smell assault pistol.
    22 Magnum is the perfect choice for a 30 round hell-raiser.
    I own a model 41 in 22LR and it’s quite tame.
    For those watching their dollars, get a BB gun.
    I’m looking this one over, but I haven’t seen any performance and reliability reviews. Even the Model 41 doesn’t like dirt and can hang once in a great while, but you can’t spew more than 10 with it anyway.

  48. Hedonisticon 17 Feb 2010 at 6:57 pm link comment

    Kel-tec announced it with release date so it will be like the RFB if we start a pool I’ll take Feb-u-tober 30th.
    I hate Kel-tec after my experience with them but I’d jump on this in .22lr if its average in the reliability department.

  49. Stewart Pon 18 Feb 2010 at 3:16 am link comment

    This is definately NOT an assult pistol. Perhaps there is some confusion here with the FN57 pistol. THis in nothing close to that in any way save for the round capacity, but nothing more. NOt even close.

  50. Liberty4Everon 18 Feb 2010 at 12:36 pm link comment

    I don’t use “assault” to describe an object. In that context, it’s meaningless.

    However, I’m not so sure that a comparison between the FiveseveN pistol and the PMR-30 isn’t somewhat warranted. They’re different, but not completely different ball games, and certainly not completely different games. I don’t dislike the FiveseveN pistol at all, but I think it’s suffering from excessive marketing hype.

    When in doubt, do some gelatin testing.

    http://olegvolk.net/gallery/d/35616-1/22WMR_dynapoint_Maximag_9955.jpg

    http://olegvolk.net/gallery/d/35619-1/FN57_40gr_9963.jpg

    Those look fairly comparable to me.

    You admitted the two were similar in round capacity, but I don’t think that’s right. The Kel-Tec PMR-30 has a 30 round magazine, which is 50% more rounds than the FiveseveN (assuming that neither uses extended magazines).

    However, the FiveseveN does compensate for the lower capacity by costing an additional 200% more than the PMR-30!

    StewartP wrote:
    This is definately NOT an assult pistol. Perhaps there is some confusion here with the FN57 pistol. THis in nothing close to that in any way save for the round capacity, but nothing more. NOt even close.

  51. SilentHon 18 Feb 2010 at 1:48 pm link comment

    It is true this is no FN57, thank goodness, or the price would be three times as high and the diet even more expensive.
    As to the use of the word assault, I think any weapon that can rain this much lead in a short time or do as much damage or keep em pinned down as long has assault capabilities, regardless of whether body armor is effective or not. Hope that clears up the context thing.
    The only confusion here would be that caused by the scramble on the receiving end to find better cover.
    Not even close? A head shot by an FN vs a PMR, hmmm, neither would be desireable.
    As for reliability, it better be AA1 or they can keep it.

  52. Stewart Pon 19 Feb 2010 at 1:48 am link comment

    Okay guys I can tell you two don’t even owns a FN75. I do and it only cost $800 new and it has full grip 30rd (not 20) mags from promag. And it’s worth every penny. I dont believe all the hype conversly, it seems you all do. It is the most accurate long distance shooting pistol I have ever owned. And I own a lot of guns period, and I am a very proficient shooter in general. ( I dont miss) I build rifles and pistols that cost $1000 each and shoot them as well. Now when some one tells me they think a 22wmr is very similar to a 5.7×28 over all, I have to ask if they have lost their marbles? So…”Have you lost your marbles man?” I have a 22wmr pistol and cant even come close to the groups I make at 55yards (NOT FEET) with my 57. Not even close to even comapre. See I actually shoot what I talk about so I know. I dont speculate on here. What you are trying to show me up there are two different tests. One FN57 out of a pistol, and the other 22WMR out of a rifle. Buddy you cannot add apples and oranges and get strawberries. It aint gonna happen. The PMR is a plinker all day and nothing more. If you brought that to a gun fight, I’d be statistically safe at 55yards with a heavy leather duster on, thile my 57 would cut you up in to swiss cheese even if you had 48 layers of kevlar vest to protect you. There is no comparison period. Everything I stated is based on facts and not misguided suppositions of what I guess something to be.

  53. Stewart Pon 19 Feb 2010 at 2:01 am link comment

    And one last point about your bogus tests visa vie Oglevolk listed above. There is no such round as a Balistic tip JHP. The name itself implies an oxymoron of non existance, yet upon further review, I find that the 5.7×28 was not contained either (unfortunately) because it was actually designed not to pass the target cavity so as to inflict the most damage whilst bouncing off every bone in your upper torso. PMR is a plinker and my biker jacket would be sufficient to stop it dead. End of argument. And to prove it, when the PMR comes out I will buy one and take it to the gun range along with my jacket, and desperately try to shoot holes in it at 55yards. Then I will gladly come back here and report the facts as usual.

  54. Carlon 20 Feb 2010 at 12:11 am link comment

    How well a pistol works at 55 yards seems like a moot point since it’s a defensive last-ditch weapon.

    I’ll be looking forward to your test shooting yourself with a .22WMR wearing your magic biker jacket, Stewart!

  55. Stewart Pon 20 Feb 2010 at 1:57 am link comment

    Yah funny. But no! A good defensive wheapon is one that is as effective from 55yards down to zero. That is the NATO standard not my own. I would tend to trust elite forces input in regards to weapon design and function. The PMR30 has none. As for test firing on my self that’s just bad eyesight on the previous posters part. I am willing to prove what a weak round the WMR will be, when fired from a pistol. To prove it I will “try desperately to poke holes in my biker jacket at 55 yards and then will do it with ease using my 57. My point is the 22WMR falls out of the air at that distance and all I’ll be shooting holes in, is the dirt with a light thud. If any one here is hoping for FN57 like performance they will be very dissapointed indeed. the PMR30 is only a plinker with a big manly ammo capacity foir boys who can’t afford their real toys. Go home!

  56. Matt Groomon 20 Feb 2010 at 11:05 am link comment

    I take it that Stewart P really, REALLY likes his FN Five Seven. More power to ya, but I’ve got a question: If 55 yards is the standard range for a PDW, why is it in Yards, not meters? What is that 50.29 Meters?

    A 22 mag fired out of the PMR-30 would have as much muzzle energy as a .22LR fired out of a rifle. So, if you feel perfectly safe standing, say 56 yards away from someone who’s pouring a 30 round magazine out of his .22 rifle directly at you, because the bullets will “fall out of the air at that distance” then have at it, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

  57. Liberty4Everon 20 Feb 2010 at 1:00 pm link comment

    Stewart P: “What you are trying to show me up there are two different tests. One FN57 out of a pistol, and the other 22WMR out of a rifle.”

    Nope. The gelatin tests were done as the inevitable head-to-head comparison of the FN FiveseveN and the Kel-Tec PMR-30. It was done by BrassFetcher who has a lot of credibility in the field of terminal ballistics testing, and it was photographed and posted online by Oleg Volk, whose firearms credentials are unimpeachable.

    I’m sorry you don’t like the results, but you should deal with the reality.

    I think the PMR-30 has better terminal ballistic performance with heavier bullets, as is the case with .22 LR out of a pistol. Someone should make a long 60-80 gr .22 WMR for pistol use. I may make that a reloading project. The short barrel will not allow for much velocity, so the energy will come from the mass. The longer bullet should penetrate very well for 2-3 inches and then tumble very well, again, based on gelatin tests with .22 LR pistols. A heavy bullet .22 WMR should be a very effective little round.

    I wouldn’t spend $900 for the FiveseveN even though it is an interesting pistol, and I wouldn’t buy the expensive ammo either, but I would pay $300 for the Kel-Tec PMR-30 and I’d buy .22 WMR ammo. I suspect many other gun owners feel the same way, based on the initial PMR-30 buzz.

    There will be a .22 LR version if Kel-Tec can work out the 30 round magazine. The shorter cartridge makes it more difficult than the WMR magazine. I’d love to have a .22 LR version of the PMR-30 pistol with a 30 round capacity. I’d *really* love it if the .22 LR version had a significantly longer threaded barrel.

    There are as many Kel-Tec haters as there are fanboys for FN, Kimber, etc., but Kel-Tec is making some very innovative and interesting weapons, and I like that about them. I like the innovative FN weapons too, but I never get around to buying them because the others seem to have a more favorable fun/$ ratio.

  58. SilentHon 20 Feb 2010 at 2:17 pm link comment

    With all due respect, I wouldn’t bring only a knife to a gunfight any more than any one of you would.
    The fact is, this looks like a capable piece of machinery. Yes it isn’t an EFN 57, nor is the FN a 50-BMG. If you shoot the PMR within it’s limits, it would be downright terrifying out to 50 to 75 feet. Rest assured that I would have 50 yards plus WELL covered when the need existed. Thats what the other hip/shoulder is for. Where is it written that one gun has to do it all?
    Right now I want this gun, I’m just not interested in an early serial number. I’m allergic to stove pipes. I want to see a tech eval before I buy. The last thing I need is another AR-7.

  59. Stewart Pon 21 Feb 2010 at 3:53 am link comment

    Okay I say yards only because My brain doesnt wsork in meters. But it you like 50.59 meters then fine by me. I dont dislike the PMR at all, but caution anyone thinking this be a PDW. The balistics referred to above are two seperate tests. A non existant 5.7×28mm round fored froma pistol and a .22WMR of same weight fired from a rifle for which the .22WMR was specifically designed. Now, if I fire my 5.7×28 ammo from my AR57 with ‘11 barrel my velocity jumps drastically, and consequently and obviously far outperforms the .22WMR in accuracy and trajectory evey time. These are only pure facts. And so to support these facts go back to the top of this blog and find the five links one of which is specifically related to the performance of 5.7×28 vs. .22WMR. I can sum it up very easily. To come close one must completely redesign the .22WMR, with a boat tail bullet, and use very fast burning powder. Neither of which is currently being done. If those two conditions were met then the PMR30 could truly be worthwhile. But for now the gun is useless as there is no ammo correctly suited to be fired out of this gun. The ammo and gun are a machine that have to work in unison. I dont see how this is suppoded to work on this gun with the wrong ammo to start off with.

  60. Stewart Pon 21 Feb 2010 at 4:40 am link comment

    It’s also impossable to get rifle like velocity from a.22WMR out of a pistol. Because the powder never fully combusted and never built up the correct back pressure. Seriously, when I say the bullet falls out of the air I mean it. I have some WMR sitting around and I’ll take my revolver and my 57 and my biker jacket. I will shoot 6 rounds each this weekend. I will come back and report exactly what I find. I will test at 50.29 meters or 55 yards as thats how my gunrange is measured off. based on my past experience I will bet good money I wount even be able to put a single hole in my jacket using the .22WMR. The 57 will do a fist sized group dead center in the back of the jacket. Now, if I by chance am able to get 5-6 rounds of 22 on the jacket, I’m also betting that the jacket will actually deflect most of the energy to below a leathal level or not penetrate at all. Thats because the WMR never had time to get a full burn of it’s slow burning powder out of a short barrel. Whereas the 57 utilizes fast burn powder and a different bullet. I’ll bring some CCI minimags just for fun to show that the 22LR has more poop than a WMR out of a pistol. The mini mags may certainly penetrate the heavy leather jacket fairly effectively. IN order to be fair about all this, I really should get my hands on PMR30 and just fire both guns together.

    Supposedly KelTec compensated for the slower burning powder to allow for fully realized WMR potential. IN which case it could be the new standard in crazy cool s..t to own as a guy! And most likely very soon banned in various states as the new “cheap copkiller” gun. Balistically speaking, 22WMR is naturally a vest penetrator like the 57 is, but this new PMR might make gunhaters really wake up to whats been under their noses all along. I’m gonna get mine quick like in the first few weeks out, because they will be banned for sure, then they’ll start going after all the rest because no gun is safe and all they do is kill people. Just you watch! Obama and Billary are already drafting a United Nations unilateral gun ban effectively gutting our 2nd amendment rights and forcing all Americans to relinquish our pistols and semi-auto rifles. “Because they are not made for hunting by the nature of their manually operated, automatic design.” WTF?

    First right wing whacko comes and tries it on me will get a new understanding of “Castle Law.” BTW look it up in your state as almost all states allow the invocation of “Castle Law” to protect ones residence and family. It basically means you are justified to kill and not back down or retreat to the interior of you residence if you or your families lives are threatened. Check your local laws and regulations for specifics in regard to this. I do know in my state if my mortal life is threatened on my property, I can shoot whomever the guilty party is, graveyard dead. He doesnt have to be in my front door in my house to die. I will get in serious trouble at first until my counsel brings up the long forgotten about, The Law of the Castle. or “Castle Law”. Then I’ll be let off free as a bird. No jurry or judge can change laws for single cases. Thats supreme court and senate/congress stuff. However, just to be safe, I’ll make sure the guilty party really does deserve to die first. Like some misguided law or military person (just following orders) comming to my door with gun drawn asking for my guns. Aint gonna happen. Google that guy in Louisana who refused to give up his guns to law enforcementeven when they had their guns drawn on him. He said if he went to get his guns for them they would be loaded and pointed right at them. They left, while he finally complied with their request.

  61. Stewart Pon 21 Feb 2010 at 5:08 am link comment

    Mybe after all this the PMR30 is small enough to stick in my pants and sneak it on board the Mother ship just in case. Because I know the Dems are banning my concealed carry permit also in 2012.

  62. theamazingrandoon 21 Feb 2010 at 4:24 pm link comment

    I have no idea how various 22WMR loads compare to the 5.7 in real life. I’ve shot a lot of 22mag rounds through my Single Six, though; and I wouldn’t ruin my leather jacket trying to make a silly point. The Kel-Tec should produce somewhat lower velocities than my Ruger, of course, but the 22WMR is still quite potent at 50 yards.

  63. Godon 23 Feb 2010 at 10:34 am link comment

    Hey guys,

    I am a chemical engineer, I like the old school heavy stainless steel guns but I think I’m being like a few other old folks on this forum. Its a gun with low recoil, NO Reason for it to be heavy. I guess it’s out with the old and in with the new. This polymer material is great…I’m going to put one in the collection. I’ll kill my first chupacabra with it.