Other than the merciless (pre-release model) review from ‘Hop’ at the TFB Channel, the KelTec P17 has been receiving rave reviews. 17 rounds, 3 magazines, threaded barrel for a sound suppressor, ambidextrous controls, 2 pound trigger, decent reliability, $169 bucks, not a whole lot not to like. The production model actually came out some 6 months after Hop’s famous review. What KelTec did was pull the pants down on Glock, S&W, Ruger and even Taurus. 3 of those makers were only ever able to put 10 rounds of the smallest cartridge on the market in a magazine at 3 times the cost. Competition is a good thing.

And even though the touted reliability is mixed with a lot of hyperbole, it ain’t bad. While a number of manufacturers can make a 99.9% reliable centerfire handgun, making a perfectly reliable rimfire is beyond the capability of engineers in the year 2021. Admittedly much of that could be the ammunition makers.