Kel-Tec is having production problems with the PMR-30. Gun Nuts reports ...
Speaking of Kel-Tec, they have currently suspended production of the Kel-Tec PMR-30 (of which they weren’t really producing a lot of guns anyway) due to keyholing issues with the gun. For those not familiar with the term, keyholing is what happens with the rate of twist in the barrel doesn’t stabilize the bullet in flight.
I’d just like to say I hope Keltec fixes these problems with production and key holing. I want one anyway. It’s like I know an item like this exists and I have to have one. I’m not going to enter it in Camp Perry shoots, it’s not a bench rest gun. Will it kill an intruder? Will it shoot every time I squeeze the trigger? Thirty times between reloads? Will it make me feel secure when I pick it up? If so, I want one!
Come on Keltec, how hard can it be with this high unemployment rate, to find enough skilled workers to do the job? Create some jobs and make more money. Get with the program, and be sure to keep it here in the USA, and you’ll do good. -GBA-
23 
0i disagree with those who question the adequacy of the 30 as a self defense weapon…ok…i’ll agree that one bullet from this weapon does not have the stopping power of a 9, 40, or 45…but neither does it have the weight nor the recoil…it holds 30 rounds…in a close-quarter confrontation, if i can put 5 shots in your face, balls, or chest in 1 second, you’re going to have second thoughts about continuing your attack…this isn’t about shooting once and the waiting so see what happens…it’s basically horizontal carpet bombing…i read on one site where it said that the recommended ammo for this gun was rated at 1850 fps…geez…my point is with the weight and lack of recoil, i can put 3 times as many shots on target in 1/3 the time compared to a nine…oh, i almost forgot–and with MUCH less damage to my eardrums should i be forced to use it in a confined area like, oh, say, the front seat of my car in the process of a carjacking…
19 0Does anybody know when production/deliveries will resume at a normal rate?
I placed my order on 06 March 2011 (earlier than I previously stated, after looking at my receipt) and was told to expect 4-6 weeks of waiting. No big deal. Now here it is in December, over nine months later and still not even a clue as to when I might actually get it.
The customer service people at Kel Tec are of no help with no information. This is my first interest in and purchase of a Kel Tec and could very well be my last (that is, if I even ever get it). Kel Tec needs to take a page from Ruger on 1) firearm development/testing/distribution and 2) customer service.
What use are all of these unique, interesting and fun new items from Kel Tec (PMR, RMR, KSG, RFB) if they will never reach practical production and distribution?
Thanks in advance for any info/updates 
13 0I received this response from Kel-Tec on 12-9-2011:
“We are still shipping hundreds of PMRs a week (but lots on backorder) and divide them evenly between our 30 wholesalers every month, but they have long backorder lists that need to be filled before they can fill newer orders. Since we ship to wholesalers, then they to dealers, there’s no way for us to know where or when they will ship the firearms. If you’ve placed an order or are looking to, it will depend on which wholesalers your dealer uses (or hopefully, multiple), if they still have backorders to fill before filling newer orders, as well as how many the wholesalers have on order with us. However, we are shipping them weekly.”
Sounds like they have NO idea when anyone will get one.
7 0Interesting reply from Kel-Tec. It is the exact word for word response I got this morning from them. This is the first site I have seen numbers or to hear about the production halt. A friend has one and it has never had an issue and I am sure that he has put clsoe to a thousand rounds through it without any issue.
Nice gun but just who do they think they are by limiting production and not being honest with their customers. They need to remember that we can dislike them just as easily as we like them. Just be honest and up front with your customers and we will be more loyal.
8 2Tony,
If you want to order a PMR30 check B&H Gunrack in Florida . Man says he is getting 40 PMR30′s a month . I ordered one 3 weeks ago & he says I will have one within 45 days . B&H is only around 35 miles from Kel Tec . If he is getting 40 a month this might be the reason the other gun distributors can’t get any . Will let you know it he’s telling the truth about the one I have ordered .
0 0I think I paid $350 for my PMR so, you did good at $299. I order another one at that price.. I went to a gun show and was offer $450 for mine and knew if I tried I could get $550 for it since everyone has such a hard time getting them.. People were willing to pay more to get right then… Mine was only a week old and hadn’t been shot yet but I didn’t want to wait for another plus I don’t have FFL and don’t want my name as registered owner on a gun someone else has.
0 0Thanks for the info guys.
I ordered mine from budsgunshop.com and they seem to at least be delivering some PMR-30′s now. I’ve been checking my position on the reserve list the last few months and I was down to number 35 a few weeks ago. I move down about 12 spots a month, so hopefully I only have to wait a few more months. Buds has got to be one of the top ten retailers in the nation so I wouldn’t have thought that getting preferential distribution would be a problem but I guess it is. Who knows…
But I’m in no hurry, I’ve still got a few new guns in the safe I haven’t even had time to shoot yet (including one I am really excited about – the Ruger SR22 pistol) so I can keep waiting a little longer. Besides, I only paid $299 including shipping and I don’t feel like going any higher than that. I’ve seen them selling for $450 – $500 elsewhere when they were in stock. Just curious, what did you guys pay at B&K Gun Rack?
0 0Absolutely, I bought my PMR through B&KGun Rack and had my gun in hand inside of 10 days…. I am very pleased with it… Only requirement is you have to pay for the gun first before they will order it.. I sent a check by mail (Sanford/Orlando, FL) and got a confirmation by email or phonecall (can’t remember which) whereas B&K got my check the next day . Love the gun as all my friends do too !!!!
0 0First I must apologize for not reporting promptly. I’m sorry; there, I said it. Anyway, I got on a list in April or May, and I waited and on the first weekend last month, at the RK gun show in Kingsport, TN, I picked up my Kel Tec PMR 30 (I couldn’t wait the two weeks till the show made it back to Knoxville). You probably would like to know how it performed.
A friend of mine bought one a month earlier (July) at the R K gun show in Knoxville and we took it to the farm and shot a hundred rounds. She had three misfires with the first clip, but it was loaded with the Walmart white box Winchester. She then switched to one of the recommended rounds, CCI Maxi-Mag 22 WMR HP 40 grain, and didn’t have another problem. I might add that there were only 25 rounds in each of the loaded magazines; 30 rounds are pretty hard to fit in the new magazine.
Then last month, after I received mine, we both took our PMR’s back to the farm and tested them with recommend ammunition, including Federal’s 50 grain Game Shok. Hers had no problems and mine had one failure to feed on the fourth round of 40 grain CCI and then after that, no problems with the remaining 96 rounds. Yes, I also only loaded 25 rounds in the magazines; I’ll try 30 next time.
I love my PMR. There were no key holing issues and it was easier than most handguns to shoot accurately. I’m sure most of that support came from the awesome trigger. It shoots well and it feels good. It fit my hand better than I expected, but until we got ours, all I had to go by was a picture. Also, it was easy to hit the target with rapid fire.
Now if that wasn’t enough, Kel Tec wants to make it even cheaper to practice with your PMR. I emailed Kel Tec’s customer service and asked about a rumor I read about a 22 long rifle conversion kit for the PMR. They said it was true and that it also was to have the 30 round magazine. Can you imagine how familiar you can become with this pistol with rounds that may cost 30% or less than the WMR rounds. He also wrote that it is scheduled to be available January, 2012. Of course reality would dictate that to be a “wait and see”, but I will wait again and I will not cry… unless it’s tears of joy. I’m a satisfied, happy customer.
7 0I was reading some of these comments and wanted to address T.J.’s comment about Oaks Dist. If you go to Keltec’s website, as I did, and look under their downloads section, you’ll find a list of their distributors of which Oaks Wholesale of Rockledge is listed. I assume this is the retailer you bought your gun from since I am a native Floridian and know Rockledge is outside Cocoa. Well, if you read the Keltec website you will note the manufacture suggested retail price is $415 for the PMR30. Also, Keltec claims they have no control over where their weapons go after they provide them to these distributors. Personally, I bought mine from B & H Gun Rack, Merritt Island, FL (also next door to Cocoa), who was one of the few distributors who responded to my emails, and paid $350 for mine. They, too, can get these guns from Kel Tec on a regular monthly basis. Now, when I went to Orlando’s Gun Show in June, I spoke with many retailers about acquiring the PMR30 and they told me due to these distributors not being able to provide enough PMR30′s to other retailers, they are forced to buy them through one or two middle men thus increasing their cost forcing them to sell the guns above the $500 mark. Kel Tec on the other hand apparently doesn’t think their PMR30 is that popular since they claim demand for the gun is low so they are not producing as many as they could. I think that there is alot of mis-communication going on and it could be corrected if Kel Tec could provide monthly production records and where the specific numbers of the different weapons they produce are being shipped in relation to their list of distributors… However, that information is usually not provided by any manufacturer.
To me, it’s a shame since I love my PMR30 and the only problem with it is not the jamming (there is unique way you have to load the magazine to avoid jams) and not key holing (which is not having rifling disappear from the barrel but is the shape the bullet makes when it goes through a paper target)which is caused by a variety of reasons but the PMR30 problem is it is using rife ammo (which the powder burns at a slower rate as pistol ammo) and thus makes the bullet behave improperly as it travels down and out of a short pistol barrel…. no, it’s not these problems … it seems to me that it’s mis-information or not enough information between the factory, distributors, retailers and buyers and back again. The feedback… is keeping the factory from producing more PMR30′s according to their latest website posting. They think demand is down. Then you read about this key holing description where people think the gun’s barrel is unsafe because losing its rifling by just firing it… The pistol is not losing its rifling… it’s just the problem when you use a slower burn rate (rifle powder) that is still exploding and pushing the bullet as it leaves the short barrel which could be causing the back of the bullet to be push at a different angle than straight ahead.. . Kel Tec believes the answer is in the number of turns of the rifling in their barrel will help correct the key holing problems making the gun less accurate. Of course the obvious solution is to provide pistol ammo in a 22 mag round but Kel Tec is not in the ammo making business , therefore Kel Tec’s gun’s design is trying to use rifle ammo without having a keyhole problem which is what the blowback/lock down system is all about. It just doesn’t work all the time apparently. Regardless, it is a great idea to have 22 mag pistols… and until the ammo factories make a pistol round for these guns, it’s up to the engineers to discover how to make this slower burning powder work in a short barrel gun…
7 1I have 00039, and have run over a thousand rounds through it. I took out seven nutria rats at once with it’s right out of the box accuracy and dependabilty. I also admit to not cleaning it as often as I should and carrying it with me everywhere I go, tucked between the seat, under the arm rest, shoulder holster while I bush hog on my tractor.
I’ve owned alot of guns and I’ve told my wife all I want for Christmas is another PMR-30 so I can pull two at a time blasting up to 60 rounds.
Unlike some of you, I dont count misfeeds, I just clear them and keep shooting, man up, get real most semi auto pistols jam once in a while, and if my pistol is keyholing, I like it, best shooting pistol I’ve ever owned and mine aint for sale at any price. I’m no engineer or want to be but I’s bet 22 Mag would penetrate deeper than any old 9mm, which makes a big difference if your shooting through a car door or the breast plate of a wild hog.
8 2Hear hear Bob… I feel the same way you do.. I would love to have another PMR-30 to blast the bad guys or a herd of stampeding hogs away.. My new Bersa 380 has more jams than my PMR30 as well as my Beretta 96. Jams happen… As far as keyholing goes, turningn the bullet sideways (which creates the key hole paper cut in the target (thus the term) makes me feel even better when shooting the bad guy since the length of the bullet is three times as big as the diameter of the 22 round so it should be even more effective at knocking the bad guy down… and I have 29 more rounds to shoot him with.
6 2I bought & paid for my PMR30 July 10th of 2010 & haven’t gotten it yet . Kel Tec shipping & distributors aren’t doing a very good job of filling orders as they should be filled . Should be done by oldest orders but in reality it’s who hollers the loudest & which gun dealer buys the most from a distributor . Wouild love to have one of their new shotguns but would probably be dead & buried before I would get it . Kel Tec is only producing 500 to 550 PMR30′s a week & sending them to 30 distributors . They were 7000 behind when production started . Then they had barrel problems & heat treat problems . Production has been a Chinese firedrill from the start . Who knows what the shotgun production will be like .
5 0Does anybody know when production/deliveries will resume at a normal rate?
I placed my order back in April and was told to expect 4-6 weeks of waiting. No big deal. Now here it is in December, over nine months later and still not even a clue as to when I might actually get it.
The customer service people at Kel Tec are of no help with no information. This is my first interest in and purchase of a Kel Tec and could very well be my last (that is, if I even ever get it). Kel Tec needs to take a page from Ruger on 1) firearm development/testing/distribution and 2) customer service.
What use are all of these unique, interesting and fun new items from Kel Tec if they will never reach practical production and distribution?
Thanks in advance for any info/updates
0 0Tony, I have called several times & also e-mailed Kel Tec & you won’t get a straight answer to any question . It’s like talking to one of our politicians up in Washington . They say one thing but are doing something else . They say now that they are shipping to their 30 distributors on a rotating basis ??? Before I was told they shipped each week 15 to 20 guns to each distributor ??? They will shut down for two weeks this month for Christmas & start back production on Jan. 3rd . You know if mine has been ordered & paid in full since July 10th of 2010 you have a long wait . Good luck but Santa Claus ain’t brining a PM30 this year .
3 0I paid for a PMR-30 in May 2011 from Woodburyoutfitters in Ohio and recived it in August. I promptly took it apart, cleaned it, used Rem-Dry lube on the moving parts and the gun has functioned flawlessly with any type of ammo I have used, with no key holing issues. I am very happy with it. I bought 2 additional mags from Kel Tec for a total of 4, and I put a light on the rail. I hope enough of these guns sold will bring down the price of the ammo a bit. It is a very accurate gun.
4 022 Mag is small but high velocity. And with 30 rds in and 30 or more in reserve you can dissuade more than a few bad guys. I love the weapon and have never had a problem using the proper ammo.
4 0Hear ! Hear ! Cynical Man !…… The 22 mag does not have the stopping power of a 9mm, etc… but it doesn’t mean it isn’t a great self-defense gun. The amount of ammo is definitely a plus.. You don’t have to count your rounds like I would have to do with my .357 revolver or .380 Bersa but, if you read about hitman, their upclose and personal weapon is a 22 to 25 caliber…. I assume because they are easier to silence… but it shows they are also deadly. The rule is one shot in the head, another in the throat and the last in the chest… and you have a guaranteed kill… Horrible thought to break it down like that but years spent in Military school’s do give you a different education than most. In reading up on the 22 mag round used in rifles, I found that it is used for the taking of deer, coyote, etc.. down to smaller varmints like prairie dogs… at vast distances so at close range, whether you get a keyhole shot in them or not, it’s gonna go right through a person’s head like it’s not even there.
5 1HAVE YOU CONSIDERED MAKEING A 20″BAREL AND A FOLDING STOCK WITH A 30 RD MAG?
3 0Disappointing to say the least. According to Kel Tec’s website, they’re looking at a new unfluted barrel with a faster rifling rate. You can read the full news release at http://www.keltecweapons.com/news/pmr-30-status-update-iv . One of the poobahs at KTOG said the keyholing problem arose suddenly and recently. Odd to say the least.
I really want one of these little pistols but between the inadequate production, documented jamming problem, a Kboom! or two and now keyholing, I’m losing a great deal of interest. The PMR is a great idea but satisfies no one doing nothing more than looking cool in Oleg Volk’s photos. Kel Tec…get your act together.
2 0Oh, yeah, just after my long explanation as to the distributors, factory and key holing issues, I forgot to tell you.. If you want the PMR30, B & H Gun Rack got mine inside a month for $350. They claim they get enogh PMR30′s to fill all their back orders each month after you provide a $90 deposit. I got mine a week after I posted my deposit with them.
2 0I hate to see such design, created by some great engineers who obviously have a touch of artistic talent, being ruined by manufacturing issues. A real shame
2 0Why is it most major distributors don’t have these pistols, but at the 2011 SHOT show KelTec told me to contact Oaks Dist, which is in the same town as KelTec(kinda fishy?) Could get me what I needed, and they can, and have offered the pistols to my shop, as many as I need(, 5, 10, etc)
At $400 each (wholesale), I have invoices to prove it. Sounds like double dipping, and screwing the dealers and consumers. I have sold several, cause people were willing to pay more, and none of my customers have reported keyholing issues. Sounds like a load of crap. Another way to keep the demand and prices high.
1 0They have NOT “suspended production”. If you actually read the company’s statement, (which easily could have been included here) they say they’re delaying SHIPMENTS until they get the new barrel twist rate set up. Nothing says they aren’t still producing guns to be shipped out with updated barrels in a week or 2. Plus, they’re estimating only a 2-week delay, and that was a week ago. Why are you trying to make it sound like the PMR-30 has been shelved? Given that they’re selling guns as fast as they can make them, why would they shut down the entire assembly line for 2 weeks (about 800 guns) just because they’re updating the barrel design?
1 0unfortunate to hear
hopefully the simpler barrel making will bring the price down a bit once they start producing again
I still want one, but my funds wont allow it yet, maybe for the better with the issues Kel-Tec invariably has
thing about Kel-Tec is their products are very cool and reasonably priced, but you have to wait until they fix the bugs to get the best performance
they usually sort the issues out eventually though
1 0That sucks. I saw a pmr-30 a few months ago at a gun shop. Purchaser let me hold it. Very light. Very cool. Though definitely not a optimal self defense gun. Be a great trail/varmint gun.
1 0I have not been impressed with Kel-Tec’s workmanship or customer service. Exceedingly long wait times for minor issues and lot’s of minor issues.
They have some interesting designs but don’t really seem to produce them very well.
1 0Has anyone been able to get one of the new barrels? I’ve still not seen any of these pistol in a gun store.
1 0Keyholing also happen when there is no more rifling.
Skip to 3:38 to see the target.
http://rpginn.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1077&Itemid=39
1 0I do not know what you are worrying about. Kel Tec is perfecting a very difficult design; so that the customer is satisfied and that they can make money. Teasing the consumer is not a bad thing for Kel Tec. From everyone (the dealers) to which I’ve talked, I gather that they could sell every PMR 30 on which they could put their hands. Still, I do not think it is intentional and all the probable buyers can complain, but Kel Tec’s 22 magnum with the 30 round magazine will still sell and be very popular. If I were you and if it is possible, I would buy stock in the company. My name is on a list and I will be paying over $100 of the suggested MSRP… because, I want one as soon as possible and I will wait until it is possible and I will not cry.
2 1A shame Kel-Tec couldn’t nail it down on the first try. That’s what happens when you blaze trails like they are though.
They have a release on their website indicating that they anticipate a two week delay. Since that release is now a week old as of this post, I guess it’s a one week delay at this stage, assuming their experiments with the rifling are going as planned.
Back to the gun, they’ve decided to remove the fluting on the barrel and change the barrel design to reduce production time while maintaining the weight of the original design. More info available on their website.
http://www.keltecweapons.com/news/pmr-30-status-update-iv
As an aside, I remain impressed with the way the folks at Kel-Tec carry themselves. They’ve stayed in communication with the consumers through the PMR development and release. While some people will say their pocket guns have had issues, their reputation for customer service has generally been quite good too.
If I ever see a PMR-30 in the wild, I would like to give it a look.
0 0i would suggest to kel tec to have wilson combat produce the barrels and that would solve the problem with the riflting in the barrel and thus solve the production problems. people are waiting in line to buy and own thw pmr 30. in fact i would purchase one maybe two for myself and my wife.
sincerely Zeke Babson
6745 Center Road Bladenboro NC
MRCM-SW RETIRED US NAVY
MASTER MACHINIST
0 0Hey, has the been lifted by kel tec?
0 0grendel p30…
blaze trails?
0 0Try cci maxi mag 40 grain. I have had zero failures after 2 bricks!
0 0i just returned from the range with my new PMR. If, this is one of the “new and improved” models then Kel Tec needs to go back to the drawing boards. Failure to eject and stove piping was the order for the day. I re cleaned the gun as per the directions and was very careful to load the mags. Still had FTE about every 4th round. Key holing was also a huge problem. Groups where about the size of a 10″ paper plate at 7 yards. O, one more item…. I did use the recommended ammo. Winchester super X.
0 0If what you’re saying is true about kel-tec and the oaks dist. , that’s bs. We purchased or I should say have paid for two pmr 30′s back in Nov 10 almost nine months later and have gotten the run around from kel tec and the retailer. I’d just like the truth about where theyre going. I hope their satisfied by screwing consumers over.
1 1Let me get this straight: Kel-Tec is having production issues? *Shock*
1 1I love my kel tec plr16. If they can make a weapon system like that, I’m sure they can figure out the pmr and hopefully the rmr.
0 0That’s why they suspended production for this pistol? Not because it is prone to missfeed?
0 0Anyone out there know if their is a 22 mag round that is made for a pistol ? It would be nice it Kel Tec made it’s own ammo with several different types of bullets on same to pump up the power or waste of power (powder) from using a rifle round that has slower burning powder. But, then again, I just came back from shooting mine today with acouple of my buddies and they commented on the gun powder flash and sound of the gun. They said that alone makes it sound and look like a hiher caliber round…
0 1The only hope for that gun is fast powder’d ammo. Kel-Tec… neat ideas poorly and slowly executed.
0 1The original company had a 30 shot 22 WMR in the 1980′s. It had several issues. This is a unique pistol and I will buy one if they can make it work. It has the capacity to make it a great plinker once they get the bugs out. The .22 WRM is close in power to the civilian 5.7×28 without the cost and hunt to find bullets for sale. It also performs close to the 9mm in energy again without the cost or recoil. Producing guns using CAD is not the real world as if you give a shooter a 30 round 22 they are going to shoot it faster and harder the first day then a centerfire pistol gets in 6 months. Let us not forget that the Ruger mini 30 was to be a .308 but went with 762×39 as they could not fix the key holing accuracy issue. I have never trusted a .22 LR as a camp gun as more then once I have had to dispatch a rabid animal or needed the gun for a potential defense situation and a .22LR didn’t do either thing well. I still have my old S&W .22LR camp gun and it is a beautifully made pistol. I paid more for my .22 S&W then I could have bought a S&W .357 Mag for in the same year. My current camp gun is a Ruger .22 Mag single six and it has taken both deer and a black bear in an emergency. An extra 24 rounds in the magazine would free me up from the two extra cylinders I carry. I am waiting to see what kind of reliability this pistol can give as if it is a camp gun it needs to go bang every time in a less then a clean environment. For the folks that haven’t owned a .22 WMR in recent years you should take a look at the new ammo that is available. New types of .22 WMR include Critical Defense and speeds up to 2,000 FPS. The old WMR does better then a .22LR in a short barrel as far as speed loss per inch. In my experience the .22 WMR is a much better round then a .380 for penetration and wound channel in medium game. It also shoots long distance with less bullet drop. My only observation at this point is what idiot put those “lite brite” sights on a camp gun. Those sights are better suited for the poker table then camp as in no light situations they disappear and in the day time they cut the accuracy in half compared with target sights. I do appreciate the straight forward honest approach Kel Tec has with their customers. They have come a long way from the old clock spring 380 that broke with the first dry firing.
2 4You have killed bear in emergency situations with your Ruger six shot .22 mag? Do you have a death wish? I would like to hear that story sometime.
10 2
i would suggest to kel tec to have wilson combat produce the barrels and that would solve the problem with the riflting in the barrel and thus solve the production problems. people are waiting in line to buy and own thw pmr 30. in fact i would purchase one maybe two for myself and my wife.
sincerely Zeke Babson
6745 Center Road Bladenboro NC
MRCM-SW RETIRED US NAVY
MASTER MACHINIST
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED MAKEING A 20″BAREL AND A FOLDING STOCK WITH A 30 RD MAG?
I’d just like to say I hope Keltec fixes these problems with production and key holing. I want one anyway. It’s like I know an item like this exists and I have to have one. I’m not going to enter it in Camp Perry shoots, it’s not a bench rest gun. Will it kill an intruder? Will it shoot every time I squeeze the trigger? Thirty times between reloads? Will it make me feel secure when I pick it up? If so, I want one!
Come on Keltec, how hard can it be with this high unemployment rate, to find enough skilled workers to do the job? Create some jobs and make more money. Get with the program, and be sure to keep it here in the USA, and you’ll do good. -GBA-
Does anybody know when production/deliveries will resume at a normal rate?
I placed my order on 06 March 2011 (earlier than I previously stated, after looking at my receipt) and was told to expect 4-6 weeks of waiting. No big deal. Now here it is in December, over nine months later and still not even a clue as to when I might actually get it.
The customer service people at Kel Tec are of no help with no information. This is my first interest in and purchase of a Kel Tec and could very well be my last (that is, if I even ever get it). Kel Tec needs to take a page from Ruger on 1) firearm development/testing/distribution and 2) customer service.
What use are all of these unique, interesting and fun new items from Kel Tec (PMR, RMR, KSG, RFB) if they will never reach practical production and distribution?
Thanks in advance for any info/updates
I received this response from Kel-Tec on 12-9-2011:
“We are still shipping hundreds of PMRs a week (but lots on backorder) and divide them evenly between our 30 wholesalers every month, but they have long backorder lists that need to be filled before they can fill newer orders. Since we ship to wholesalers, then they to dealers, there’s no way for us to know where or when they will ship the firearms. If you’ve placed an order or are looking to, it will depend on which wholesalers your dealer uses (or hopefully, multiple), if they still have backorders to fill before filling newer orders, as well as how many the wholesalers have on order with us. However, we are shipping them weekly.”
Sounds like they have NO idea when anyone will get one.
Interesting reply from Kel-Tec. It is the exact word for word response I got this morning from them. This is the first site I have seen numbers or to hear about the production halt. A friend has one and it has never had an issue and I am sure that he has put clsoe to a thousand rounds through it without any issue.
Nice gun but just who do they think they are by limiting production and not being honest with their customers. They need to remember that we can dislike them just as easily as we like them. Just be honest and up front with your customers and we will be more loyal.
Tony,
If you want to order a PMR30 check B&H Gunrack in Florida . Man says he is getting 40 PMR30′s a month . I ordered one 3 weeks ago & he says I will have one within 45 days . B&H is only around 35 miles from Kel Tec . If he is getting 40 a month this might be the reason the other gun distributors can’t get any . Will let you know it he’s telling the truth about the one I have ordered .
Absolutely, I bought my PMR through B&KGun Rack and had my gun in hand inside of 10 days…. I am very pleased with it… Only requirement is you have to pay for the gun first before they will order it.. I sent a check by mail (Sanford/Orlando, FL) and got a confirmation by email or phonecall (can’t remember which) whereas B&K got my check the next day . Love the gun as all my friends do too !!!!
Thanks for the info guys.
I ordered mine from budsgunshop.com and they seem to at least be delivering some PMR-30′s now. I’ve been checking my position on the reserve list the last few months and I was down to number 35 a few weeks ago. I move down about 12 spots a month, so hopefully I only have to wait a few more months. Buds has got to be one of the top ten retailers in the nation so I wouldn’t have thought that getting preferential distribution would be a problem but I guess it is. Who knows…
But I’m in no hurry, I’ve still got a few new guns in the safe I haven’t even had time to shoot yet (including one I am really excited about – the Ruger SR22 pistol) so I can keep waiting a little longer. Besides, I only paid $299 including shipping and I don’t feel like going any higher than that. I’ve seen them selling for $450 – $500 elsewhere when they were in stock. Just curious, what did you guys pay at B&K Gun Rack?
I think I paid $350 for my PMR so, you did good at $299. I order another one at that price.. I went to a gun show and was offer $450 for mine and knew if I tried I could get $550 for it since everyone has such a hard time getting them.. People were willing to pay more to get right then… Mine was only a week old and hadn’t been shot yet but I didn’t want to wait for another plus I don’t have FFL and don’t want my name as registered owner on a gun someone else has.
I bought & paid for my PMR30 July 10th of 2010 & haven’t gotten it yet . Kel Tec shipping & distributors aren’t doing a very good job of filling orders as they should be filled . Should be done by oldest orders but in reality it’s who hollers the loudest & which gun dealer buys the most from a distributor . Wouild love to have one of their new shotguns but would probably be dead & buried before I would get it . Kel Tec is only producing 500 to 550 PMR30′s a week & sending them to 30 distributors . They were 7000 behind when production started . Then they had barrel problems & heat treat problems . Production has been a Chinese firedrill from the start . Who knows what the shotgun production will be like .
Does anybody know when production/deliveries will resume at a normal rate?
I placed my order back in April and was told to expect 4-6 weeks of waiting. No big deal. Now here it is in December, over nine months later and still not even a clue as to when I might actually get it.
The customer service people at Kel Tec are of no help with no information. This is my first interest in and purchase of a Kel Tec and could very well be my last (that is, if I even ever get it). Kel Tec needs to take a page from Ruger on 1) firearm development/testing/distribution and 2) customer service.
What use are all of these unique, interesting and fun new items from Kel Tec if they will never reach practical production and distribution?
Thanks in advance for any info/updates
Tony, I have called several times & also e-mailed Kel Tec & you won’t get a straight answer to any question . It’s like talking to one of our politicians up in Washington . They say one thing but are doing something else . They say now that they are shipping to their 30 distributors on a rotating basis ??? Before I was told they shipped each week 15 to 20 guns to each distributor ??? They will shut down for two weeks this month for Christmas & start back production on Jan. 3rd . You know if mine has been ordered & paid in full since July 10th of 2010 you have a long wait . Good luck but Santa Claus ain’t brining a PM30 this year .
22 Mag is small but high velocity. And with 30 rds in and 30 or more in reserve you can dissuade more than a few bad guys. I love the weapon and have never had a problem using the proper ammo.
Hey, has the been lifted by kel tec?
I have 00039, and have run over a thousand rounds through it. I took out seven nutria rats at once with it’s right out of the box accuracy and dependabilty. I also admit to not cleaning it as often as I should and carrying it with me everywhere I go, tucked between the seat, under the arm rest, shoulder holster while I bush hog on my tractor.
I’ve owned alot of guns and I’ve told my wife all I want for Christmas is another PMR-30 so I can pull two at a time blasting up to 60 rounds.
Unlike some of you, I dont count misfeeds, I just clear them and keep shooting, man up, get real most semi auto pistols jam once in a while, and if my pistol is keyholing, I like it, best shooting pistol I’ve ever owned and mine aint for sale at any price. I’m no engineer or want to be but I’s bet 22 Mag would penetrate deeper than any old 9mm, which makes a big difference if your shooting through a car door or the breast plate of a wild hog.
Hear hear Bob… I feel the same way you do.. I would love to have another PMR-30 to blast the bad guys or a herd of stampeding hogs away.. My new Bersa 380 has more jams than my PMR30 as well as my Beretta 96. Jams happen… As far as keyholing goes, turningn the bullet sideways (which creates the key hole paper cut in the target (thus the term) makes me feel even better when shooting the bad guy since the length of the bullet is three times as big as the diameter of the 22 round so it should be even more effective at knocking the bad guy down… and I have 29 more rounds to shoot him with.
I paid for a PMR-30 in May 2011 from Woodburyoutfitters in Ohio and recived it in August. I promptly took it apart, cleaned it, used Rem-Dry lube on the moving parts and the gun has functioned flawlessly with any type of ammo I have used, with no key holing issues. I am very happy with it. I bought 2 additional mags from Kel Tec for a total of 4, and I put a light on the rail. I hope enough of these guns sold will bring down the price of the ammo a bit. It is a very accurate gun.
First I must apologize for not reporting promptly. I’m sorry; there, I said it. Anyway, I got on a list in April or May, and I waited and on the first weekend last month, at the RK gun show in Kingsport, TN, I picked up my Kel Tec PMR 30 (I couldn’t wait the two weeks till the show made it back to Knoxville). You probably would like to know how it performed.
A friend of mine bought one a month earlier (July) at the R K gun show in Knoxville and we took it to the farm and shot a hundred rounds. She had three misfires with the first clip, but it was loaded with the Walmart white box Winchester. She then switched to one of the recommended rounds, CCI Maxi-Mag 22 WMR HP 40 grain, and didn’t have another problem. I might add that there were only 25 rounds in each of the loaded magazines; 30 rounds are pretty hard to fit in the new magazine.
Then last month, after I received mine, we both took our PMR’s back to the farm and tested them with recommend ammunition, including Federal’s 50 grain Game Shok. Hers had no problems and mine had one failure to feed on the fourth round of 40 grain CCI and then after that, no problems with the remaining 96 rounds. Yes, I also only loaded 25 rounds in the magazines; I’ll try 30 next time.
I love my PMR. There were no key holing issues and it was easier than most handguns to shoot accurately. I’m sure most of that support came from the awesome trigger. It shoots well and it feels good. It fit my hand better than I expected, but until we got ours, all I had to go by was a picture. Also, it was easy to hit the target with rapid fire.
Now if that wasn’t enough, Kel Tec wants to make it even cheaper to practice with your PMR. I emailed Kel Tec’s customer service and asked about a rumor I read about a 22 long rifle conversion kit for the PMR. They said it was true and that it also was to have the 30 round magazine. Can you imagine how familiar you can become with this pistol with rounds that may cost 30% or less than the WMR rounds. He also wrote that it is scheduled to be available January, 2012. Of course reality would dictate that to be a “wait and see”, but I will wait again and I will not cry… unless it’s tears of joy. I’m a satisfied, happy customer.
Hear ! Hear ! Cynical Man !…… The 22 mag does not have the stopping power of a 9mm, etc… but it doesn’t mean it isn’t a great self-defense gun. The amount of ammo is definitely a plus.. You don’t have to count your rounds like I would have to do with my .357 revolver or .380 Bersa but, if you read about hitman, their upclose and personal weapon is a 22 to 25 caliber…. I assume because they are easier to silence… but it shows they are also deadly. The rule is one shot in the head, another in the throat and the last in the chest… and you have a guaranteed kill… Horrible thought to break it down like that but years spent in Military school’s do give you a different education than most. In reading up on the 22 mag round used in rifles, I found that it is used for the taking of deer, coyote, etc.. down to smaller varmints like prairie dogs… at vast distances so at close range, whether you get a keyhole shot in them or not, it’s gonna go right through a person’s head like it’s not even there.
i disagree with those who question the adequacy of the 30 as a self defense weapon…ok…i’ll agree that one bullet from this weapon does not have the stopping power of a 9, 40, or 45…but neither does it have the weight nor the recoil…it holds 30 rounds…in a close-quarter confrontation, if i can put 5 shots in your face, balls, or chest in 1 second, you’re going to have second thoughts about continuing your attack…this isn’t about shooting once and the waiting so see what happens…it’s basically horizontal carpet bombing…i read on one site where it said that the recommended ammo for this gun was rated at 1850 fps…geez…my point is with the weight and lack of recoil, i can put 3 times as many shots on target in 1/3 the time compared to a nine…oh, i almost forgot–and with MUCH less damage to my eardrums should i be forced to use it in a confined area like, oh, say, the front seat of my car in the process of a carjacking…
The original company had a 30 shot 22 WMR in the 1980′s. It had several issues. This is a unique pistol and I will buy one if they can make it work. It has the capacity to make it a great plinker once they get the bugs out. The .22 WRM is close in power to the civilian 5.7×28 without the cost and hunt to find bullets for sale. It also performs close to the 9mm in energy again without the cost or recoil. Producing guns using CAD is not the real world as if you give a shooter a 30 round 22 they are going to shoot it faster and harder the first day then a centerfire pistol gets in 6 months. Let us not forget that the Ruger mini 30 was to be a .308 but went with 762×39 as they could not fix the key holing accuracy issue. I have never trusted a .22 LR as a camp gun as more then once I have had to dispatch a rabid animal or needed the gun for a potential defense situation and a .22LR didn’t do either thing well. I still have my old S&W .22LR camp gun and it is a beautifully made pistol. I paid more for my .22 S&W then I could have bought a S&W .357 Mag for in the same year. My current camp gun is a Ruger .22 Mag single six and it has taken both deer and a black bear in an emergency. An extra 24 rounds in the magazine would free me up from the two extra cylinders I carry. I am waiting to see what kind of reliability this pistol can give as if it is a camp gun it needs to go bang every time in a less then a clean environment. For the folks that haven’t owned a .22 WMR in recent years you should take a look at the new ammo that is available. New types of .22 WMR include Critical Defense and speeds up to 2,000 FPS. The old WMR does better then a .22LR in a short barrel as far as speed loss per inch. In my experience the .22 WMR is a much better round then a .380 for penetration and wound channel in medium game. It also shoots long distance with less bullet drop. My only observation at this point is what idiot put those “lite brite” sights on a camp gun. Those sights are better suited for the poker table then camp as in no light situations they disappear and in the day time they cut the accuracy in half compared with target sights. I do appreciate the straight forward honest approach Kel Tec has with their customers. They have come a long way from the old clock spring 380 that broke with the first dry firing.
You have killed bear in emergency situations with your Ruger six shot .22 mag? Do you have a death wish? I would like to hear that story sometime.
Oh, yeah, just after my long explanation as to the distributors, factory and key holing issues, I forgot to tell you.. If you want the PMR30, B & H Gun Rack got mine inside a month for $350. They claim they get enogh PMR30′s to fill all their back orders each month after you provide a $90 deposit. I got mine a week after I posted my deposit with them.
I was reading some of these comments and wanted to address T.J.’s comment about Oaks Dist. If you go to Keltec’s website, as I did, and look under their downloads section, you’ll find a list of their distributors of which Oaks Wholesale of Rockledge is listed. I assume this is the retailer you bought your gun from since I am a native Floridian and know Rockledge is outside Cocoa. Well, if you read the Keltec website you will note the manufacture suggested retail price is $415 for the PMR30. Also, Keltec claims they have no control over where their weapons go after they provide them to these distributors. Personally, I bought mine from B & H Gun Rack, Merritt Island, FL (also next door to Cocoa), who was one of the few distributors who responded to my emails, and paid $350 for mine. They, too, can get these guns from Kel Tec on a regular monthly basis. Now, when I went to Orlando’s Gun Show in June, I spoke with many retailers about acquiring the PMR30 and they told me due to these distributors not being able to provide enough PMR30′s to other retailers, they are forced to buy them through one or two middle men thus increasing their cost forcing them to sell the guns above the $500 mark. Kel Tec on the other hand apparently doesn’t think their PMR30 is that popular since they claim demand for the gun is low so they are not producing as many as they could. I think that there is alot of mis-communication going on and it could be corrected if Kel Tec could provide monthly production records and where the specific numbers of the different weapons they produce are being shipped in relation to their list of distributors… However, that information is usually not provided by any manufacturer.
To me, it’s a shame since I love my PMR30 and the only problem with it is not the jamming (there is unique way you have to load the magazine to avoid jams) and not key holing (which is not having rifling disappear from the barrel but is the shape the bullet makes when it goes through a paper target)which is caused by a variety of reasons but the PMR30 problem is it is using rife ammo (which the powder burns at a slower rate as pistol ammo) and thus makes the bullet behave improperly as it travels down and out of a short pistol barrel…. no, it’s not these problems … it seems to me that it’s mis-information or not enough information between the factory, distributors, retailers and buyers and back again. The feedback… is keeping the factory from producing more PMR30′s according to their latest website posting. They think demand is down. Then you read about this key holing description where people think the gun’s barrel is unsafe because losing its rifling by just firing it… The pistol is not losing its rifling… it’s just the problem when you use a slower burn rate (rifle powder) that is still exploding and pushing the bullet as it leaves the short barrel which could be causing the back of the bullet to be push at a different angle than straight ahead.. . Kel Tec believes the answer is in the number of turns of the rifling in their barrel will help correct the key holing problems making the gun less accurate. Of course the obvious solution is to provide pistol ammo in a 22 mag round but Kel Tec is not in the ammo making business , therefore Kel Tec’s gun’s design is trying to use rifle ammo without having a keyhole problem which is what the blowback/lock down system is all about. It just doesn’t work all the time apparently. Regardless, it is a great idea to have 22 mag pistols… and until the ammo factories make a pistol round for these guns, it’s up to the engineers to discover how to make this slower burning powder work in a short barrel gun…
If what you’re saying is true about kel-tec and the oaks dist. , that’s bs. We purchased or I should say have paid for two pmr 30′s back in Nov 10 almost nine months later and have gotten the run around from kel tec and the retailer. I’d just like the truth about where theyre going. I hope their satisfied by screwing consumers over.
Anyone out there know if their is a 22 mag round that is made for a pistol ? It would be nice it Kel Tec made it’s own ammo with several different types of bullets on same to pump up the power or waste of power (powder) from using a rifle round that has slower burning powder. But, then again, I just came back from shooting mine today with acouple of my buddies and they commented on the gun powder flash and sound of the gun. They said that alone makes it sound and look like a hiher caliber round…
grendel p30…
blaze trails?
Try cci maxi mag 40 grain. I have had zero failures after 2 bricks!
i just returned from the range with my new PMR. If, this is one of the “new and improved” models then Kel Tec needs to go back to the drawing boards. Failure to eject and stove piping was the order for the day. I re cleaned the gun as per the directions and was very careful to load the mags. Still had FTE about every 4th round. Key holing was also a huge problem. Groups where about the size of a 10″ paper plate at 7 yards. O, one more item…. I did use the recommended ammo. Winchester super X.
Why is it most major distributors don’t have these pistols, but at the 2011 SHOT show KelTec told me to contact Oaks Dist, which is in the same town as KelTec(kinda fishy?) Could get me what I needed, and they can, and have offered the pistols to my shop, as many as I need(, 5, 10, etc)
At $400 each (wholesale), I have invoices to prove it. Sounds like double dipping, and screwing the dealers and consumers. I have sold several, cause people were willing to pay more, and none of my customers have reported keyholing issues. Sounds like a load of crap. Another way to keep the demand and prices high.
Has anyone been able to get one of the new barrels? I’ve still not seen any of these pistol in a gun store.
I hate to see such design, created by some great engineers who obviously have a touch of artistic talent, being ruined by manufacturing issues. A real shame
I do not know what you are worrying about. Kel Tec is perfecting a very difficult design; so that the customer is satisfied and that they can make money. Teasing the consumer is not a bad thing for Kel Tec. From everyone (the dealers) to which I’ve talked, I gather that they could sell every PMR 30 on which they could put their hands. Still, I do not think it is intentional and all the probable buyers can complain, but Kel Tec’s 22 magnum with the 30 round magazine will still sell and be very popular. If I were you and if it is possible, I would buy stock in the company. My name is on a list and I will be paying over $100 of the suggested MSRP… because, I want one as soon as possible and I will wait until it is possible and I will not cry.
I love my kel tec plr16. If they can make a weapon system like that, I’m sure they can figure out the pmr and hopefully the rmr.
They have NOT “suspended production”. If you actually read the company’s statement, (which easily could have been included here) they say they’re delaying SHIPMENTS until they get the new barrel twist rate set up. Nothing says they aren’t still producing guns to be shipped out with updated barrels in a week or 2. Plus, they’re estimating only a 2-week delay, and that was a week ago. Why are you trying to make it sound like the PMR-30 has been shelved? Given that they’re selling guns as fast as they can make them, why would they shut down the entire assembly line for 2 weeks (about 800 guns) just because they’re updating the barrel design?
Disappointing to say the least. According to Kel Tec’s website, they’re looking at a new unfluted barrel with a faster rifling rate. You can read the full news release at http://www.keltecweapons.com/news/pmr-30-status-update-iv . One of the poobahs at KTOG said the keyholing problem arose suddenly and recently. Odd to say the least.
I really want one of these little pistols but between the inadequate production, documented jamming problem, a Kboom! or two and now keyholing, I’m losing a great deal of interest. The PMR is a great idea but satisfies no one doing nothing more than looking cool in Oleg Volk’s photos. Kel Tec…get your act together.
unfortunate to hear
hopefully the simpler barrel making will bring the price down a bit once they start producing again
I still want one, but my funds wont allow it yet, maybe for the better with the issues Kel-Tec invariably has
thing about Kel-Tec is their products are very cool and reasonably priced, but you have to wait until they fix the bugs to get the best performance
they usually sort the issues out eventually though
That sucks. I saw a pmr-30 a few months ago at a gun shop. Purchaser let me hold it. Very light. Very cool. Though definitely not a optimal self defense gun. Be a great trail/varmint gun.
The only hope for that gun is fast powder’d ammo. Kel-Tec… neat ideas poorly and slowly executed.
I have not been impressed with Kel-Tec’s workmanship or customer service. Exceedingly long wait times for minor issues and lot’s of minor issues.
They have some interesting designs but don’t really seem to produce them very well.
A shame Kel-Tec couldn’t nail it down on the first try. That’s what happens when you blaze trails like they are though.
They have a release on their website indicating that they anticipate a two week delay. Since that release is now a week old as of this post, I guess it’s a one week delay at this stage, assuming their experiments with the rifling are going as planned.
Back to the gun, they’ve decided to remove the fluting on the barrel and change the barrel design to reduce production time while maintaining the weight of the original design. More info available on their website.
http://www.keltecweapons.com/news/pmr-30-status-update-iv
As an aside, I remain impressed with the way the folks at Kel-Tec carry themselves. They’ve stayed in communication with the consumers through the PMR development and release. While some people will say their pocket guns have had issues, their reputation for customer service has generally been quite good too.
If I ever see a PMR-30 in the wild, I would like to give it a look.
That’s why they suspended production for this pistol? Not because it is prone to missfeed?
Keyholing also happen when there is no more rifling.
Skip to 3:38 to see the target.
http://rpginn.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1077&Itemid=39
Let me get this straight: Kel-Tec is having production issues? *Shock*