The KelTec PR57 has been designed from the beginning as a devoted hid carry pistol for self-defense. It combines previous and new options, with KelTec characteristically beginning contemporary in its pursuit of excellence at a cheaper price level. AmmoLand coated the pistol on the Shot Present final yr. The PR57 seems to have been promoting properly.
What potential for accuracy does the PR57 have? On the Web, solutions have been sparse. Some reviewers word it’s straightforward to make hits on 100-yard targets with the pistol and an optical sight. The rotary system seems to be conducive to accuracy.
This correspondent watched gross sales and bought a KelTec PR57 a bit under the prompt retail worth of $399 at KYGUNCO. As well as, a Viridian RFX11 1×16 Inexperienced Dot optical sight, 4 extra stripper clips, and an outside-the-waistband paddle holster by Rounded Gear had been ordered straight from KelTec. The equipment value about $240 with delivery and dealing with.
The typical of 10 measurements on a Lyman Digital Set off Pull Gauge was 3.8 lbs. After a brief take-up, no stacking was detected. There’s about 5/8 inch of journey earlier than let-off. It is sort of a very mild double-action revolver set off. The KelTec achieves this as a result of the hammer is partly cocked by the slide. The set off completes the cocking motion after which releases. It’s a 1 and 1/2 motion. It’s easy, however takes apply to acquire the most effective accuracy. The security is the lengthy set off pull.
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With manufacturing facility sights and a relaxation, 5 five-shot teams at 25 yards averaged 2.65 inches. The teams had been plagued with flyers. One four-shot group was 7/8 of an inch. The pistol might shoot higher than the getting old eyes of the shooter. The pistol shot about 3 1/2 inches excessive at 25 yards.
The Viridian optic was mounted. 5 five-shot teams had been fired from a relaxation whereas sighting within the PR57. At 25 yards, the common group, heart to heart, was 2.01 inches. 5 five-shot teams, fired at 100 yards, averaged 7.6 inches from a relaxation. There was appreciable vertical stringing, which was attributed to an unsatisfactory relaxation. 23 of the 25 pictures match right into a 5 x 8-inch field at 100 yards. The pictures had been fired intentionally, a few minute per shot.
With a hasty relaxation place, utilizing a conveyable bench as assist for the fingers, 5 pictures had been fired at 100 yds at about 3 second intervals. An virtually centered group of 9.5 inches was the outcome. One shot is within the black.
The remainder used for the preliminary testing appeared to contribute to vertical stringing. After a Caldwell Pistolero relaxation was ordered and obtained, one other check group was fired at 25 yards. There was wind from the left at about 10 mph. The outcome was a 5-shot group of 1.15 inches at 25 yards.
The inherent accuracy of the PR57 is superb, far exceeding strange necessities of a carry pistol.
The set off has an extended however easy pull. The inventory sights on the instance shot excessive, however the entrance sight could be changed. Finally, somebody will supply substitute entrance sights of varied heights. The pattern examined requires one other .026 inches of entrance sight to be 3/4 inches excessive at 25 yards. A file might be used to make the ultimate adjustment.
It’s a flat taking pictures pistol. With the Viridian optic, the dot is .3 inches increased than the rear sight. Adjusted to a half inch excessive at 25 yards, it’s .78 inches excessive at 50 yards and 1.4 inches low at 100 yards. Goal lifeless on out to 100 yards. At 150 yards, the trajectory is 8 inches low. Constant hits on man-sized targets are doable with this pistol to 150 yards. With a hasty relaxation, hits at 50, 75, or 100 yards will not be tough.
5 rounds had been examined for velocity with a Garmin XERO C1 Professional radar chronograph. All ammunition used within the testing was Fiocchi Vary Dynamics 40 grain FMJ bulk pack. The velocities had been: 1625.4 ft per second (fps), 1607.6 fps, 1613.6 fps, 1628.5 fps, and 1621.9 fps. This provides a median of 1619.4 fps, and 233 ft-lbs of vitality on the muzzle. That is about half the vitality of sizzling 9mm load, twice the vitality of a median .32 acp, and 1.5 occasions the vitality of most .380 ACP masses.
Accuracy is a perform of ammunition, the pistol, and the taking pictures platform. The Fiocchi masses on this PR57 have a lot better accuracy than most shooters are in a position to obtain. An optical sight improves sensible accuracy for getting old eyes.
After carrying the PR57 for greater than a month, it’s straightforward to get used to. The feel of the grip could be abrasive to reveal pores and skin. This correspondent seems to be ahead to a holster with higher safety for open carry. Loaded with 21 rounds, the PR57 weighs 19 ounces, 11 ounces lower than a Glock loaded with 17 rounds of 9mm. Recoil is way lower than a Glock 17, greater than a .22 LR from a Colt Woodsman. There’s appreciable flash and bang, which can be optimistic for many self-defense conditions.
21 rounds is sufficient for many conditions. It’s greater than most revolvers with two reloads. In the event you carry one other 20 rounds in stripper clips, they’re much less cumbersome than many single magazines. Reloading with a 10-round stripper clip is about as quick as reloading a revolver with a velocity loader.
The stripper clips for the PR57 should be loaded from the highest on the correct aspect. The rounds could be pushed into the fastened journal with both thumb, however the pistol is held in another way with the correct or left hand.
KelTec has achieved a exceptional outcome. A carry pistol with a 21-round capability, lighter than most pocket pistols, compact, easy to make use of, simply concealable, and extra highly effective than a .380. Accuracy is almost nearly as good as devoted goal pistols. With an optical sight put in, long-range hits are simply achieved.
Reliability was good when utilizing the stripper clips to load the pistol. If loading a single spherical at a time, make certain the cartridges are pushed all the way in which to the rear of the journal. Throughout the first 45 rounds of break-in, two failure-to-feed malfunctions had been skilled. This correspondent believes the cartridges, loaded singly, weren’t correctly pushed to the rear of the journal. No additional malfunctions had been skilled.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a navy officer, was on the College of Wisconsin Pistol Staff for 4 years, and was first licensed to show firearms security in 1973. He taught the Arizona hid carry course for fifteen years till the objective of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has levels in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Division of Protection after a 30 yr profession in Military Analysis, Improvement, Testing, and Analysis.
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