Kel-Tec PR57, a clip-fed carry pistol!

January 17, 2025 - 1:36am

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Pistols

Italiano

SHOT Show 2025 – Kel-Tec presents the PR57 pistol: chambered in 5.7x28mm and designed for concealed carry, it boasts some quite unique features including a rotary barrel lock-up in front of the slide and a stripper clip feeding system

Kel-Tec PR57, a clip-fed carry pistol!

Kel-Tec PR57 semi-automatic pistol - right side

New from Kel-Tec CNC Industries at the 2025 SHOT Show, the Kel-Tec PR57 semi-automatic pistol is yet another extravagant yet functional creation offered by the Florida-based company; aimed at the concealed carry and personal defense market, the PR57 is chambered for the snappy 5.7x28mm caliber and offers quite the array of unique features.

For starters, the PR57 doesn't feature a detachable magazine; like the Grendel P10 pistol dated back to 1988, itself a creation from Kel-Tec's founder George Kellgren, the Kel-Tec PR57 features a 20-rounds internal magazine within the grip that can be topped off via the ejection port using two 10-rounds stripper clips issued with each pistol.

The lockup system of the PR57 is also peculiar: Kel-Tec's pistol features a rotary barrel system, with two twin return springs and guide rods, and a set of eight locking lugs engaging the slide at the front, very close to the muzzle. Along with the top ejection system design, this sets the PR57 apart in apparence, allows it to offer a very low bore axis and dramatically reduces its overall weight: the PR57 is pistol weighs in at merely 13.86 oz (393 grams), making it nearly 40% lighter than the next lightest 5.7x28mm pistol on the market.

Kel-Tec PR57 semi-automatic pistol - left side

The Kel-Tec PR57 pistol is built on a polymer frame with a slide stop lever located on the left side and a MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny rail for tactical accessories integral to the dust cover; thanks to the unique feeding system, that's all there is in terms of controls, other than the trigger, making the PR57 extremely easy to operate.

The PR57 is double-action only, with a 4.5 lbs (20N) pull and no external safety, and the trigger also dubs as the disassembly lever: just push it forward to disengage the slide from the frame.

The black steel slide is rounded in shape, and features a set of fixed front and rear sights and slide serrations milled all through its upper circumference; the slide is also optics-ready, and a single optics plate for micro red dot sights is issued with each sample.

MSRP on the US market is set at $399.