Kel-Tec P11
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 79 mm
- Weight, empty
- 415 g
- Introduced
- 1995
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Kel-Tec P11 is a compact, lightweight, double-action-only 9x19mm semi-automatic pistol introduced in 1995 and designed by George Kellgren. Built around a steel-reinforced polymer frame, it uses a short-recoil, locked-breech tilting-barrel action derived from the Browning system and weighs roughly 14.4 ounces empty. It feeds from double-stack magazines holding 10 rounds (12-round magazines became available after the 1994 assault weapons ban expired) and famously accepts Smith & Wesson 59-series magazines. Its small size, low weight, and low price made it a very popular concealed-carry and law-enforcement backup pistol.
The P11 was one of Kel-Tec's first pistols and helped pioneer the small, cheap, polymer-framed concealed-carry pistol category years before the market flooded with subcompact 9mms; its designer George Kellgren also founded Grendel and Intratec before starting Kel-Tec.
Originally shipped with 10-round magazines to comply with the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban; higher-capacity magazines followed after the ban sunset in 2004. The P11 is compatible with Smith & Wesson 59-series double-stack magazines. Sources differ on the exact 1994/1995 introduction date.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Kel-Tec CNC Industries
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- United States
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1995
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 79 mm
- Overall length
- 149 mm
- Height
- 119 mm
- Width
- 25 mm
- Weight, empty
- 415 g
- Weight, loaded
- 575 g
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Short recoil
- Firing mechanism
- Double action only
- Trigger
- Double action
- Capacity
- 10
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Polymer
- Slide
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Effective range
- 50 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Locked breech tilting barrel
Double action only trigger
Steel reinforced polymer frame
Accepts smith wesson 59 series magazines
Fixed sights- Belt clip option
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 560 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 415 g | 765 g | Among the lightest tenth |
| Overall lengthAmong 559 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 149 mm | 191 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 569 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 79 mm | 105 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 571 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 10 | 15 | Holds fewer rounds than about 80% |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Kel-Tec P11
How much does the Kel-Tec P11 weigh?
The Kel-Tec P11 weighs 415 g (14.6 oz) empty and 575 g (1.27 lb) loaded. It is the 3rd lightest of 560 9x19mm Parabellum pistols in the catalogue.
What caliber is the Kel-Tec P11?
The Kel-Tec P11 is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the Kel-Tec P11 hold?
The Kel-Tec P11 holds 10 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Kel-Tec P11?
The Kel-Tec P11 is 149 mm (5.87 in) long overall, with a 79 mm (3.11 in) barrel.
Who makes the Kel-Tec P11?
The Kel-Tec P11 is made by Kel-Tec CNC Industries (United States). It was designed by George Kellgren.
When was the Kel-Tec P11 introduced?
The Kel-Tec P11 was introduced in 1995.
How does the Kel-Tec P11 operate?
The Kel-Tec P11 uses a short recoil action, and its firing mechanism is double action only.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
74%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/kel-tec-p11' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "kel-tec-p11", "name": "Kel-Tec P11", "manufacturer": { "id": "kel-tec", "name": "Kel-Tec CNC Industries", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1991, "website": "https://www.keltecweapons.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "510f94db90ac830742510a5176f9b1dc25a2e3bbf433e5f56f499b8b623d8511" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 1995, "barrel_length_mm": 79, "weight_empty_g": 415, "action_type": "short_recoil"}