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Introduced in 2010, the Kel-Tec PMR-30 was designed and marketed as a lightweight, high capacity, semi-automatic handgun chambered in .22WMR. The design as created by Kel-Tec’s Chief Design Engineer, Tobias Obermeit, and was loosely based on a prior design by Kel-Tec founder and engineer, George Kellgren, who also designed the Kel-Tec P11, and Kel-Tec SUB2000 rifle models.
The PMR-30 pistol was marketed as a pistol made for plinking, target shooting, self-defense (especially if you were/are recoil sensitive), small game hunting, pest removal, and a trail or camp gun. The 30-round magazine (which plays a role in the PMR-30 name) makes it ideal for this kind of work, and also makes it the highest capacity rimfire pistol currently on the market.
The PMR-30 frame is built on a lightweight frame made from a combination of a glass reinforced nylon material called Zytel and aluminum. The slide and barrel are crafted from steel. The unloaded PMR-30 weighs in 13.6 ounces and a fully loaded model comes in 19.8 ounces.
The PMR-30 was built on a unique action that is a combination of blowback integrates with a locked breech platform. This design accounts for the wide range of pressures that are generated among various 22WMR ammo makers.
Kel-Tec designers also incorporated a few other interesting design options, including the following:
A magazine heel release – Instead of the traditional American push button magazine release mounted on the side of the frame near the grip, The PMR-30 was designed with a magazine release that is built in the magazine heel at the bottom of the grip. This is a design that is seen more commonly on European based handguns. Kel-Tec designers felt that a heel release would reduce the chances of an accidental magazine release that can be seen on the more American based button release systems.
Integrated accessory rail - The pistol features an integrated 1913 based accessory rail that will accept most rail-based lights or lasers.
Optics Ready – The PMR-30 comes optics ready with a removeable plate on the top of the slide so an RMR or red dot sight can be mounted.
Currently the PMR-30 is only chambered in 22WMR, which is more commonly known as .22 Magnum or .22 Win Mag. While the 22WMR is a formidable rimfire round, the bulk of the ammo on the market is made to be shot from a rifle. As such, most 22WMR ammo being shot through the PMR-30 pushes the velocity of a 40-grain bullet down around the 300 – 350 FPS (Feet Per Second).
However, some ammo makers are seeing the value of the 22WMR round for self-defense and are not offering 22WMR rounds that are specifically made for use in a pistol or revolver. Those handgun specific 22 WMR rounds are optimized for the shorter barrel of a pistol or revolver and push a 40 grain 22WMR bullet up to speeds around the 1300 to 1400 FPS mark.
If you just purchased a PMR-30 and haven’t shot it yet, here’s a friendly warning. These pistols are unbelievably loud for a rimfire and will absolutely require hearing protection.
Even though the PMR-30 sounds loud and looks ferocious at the range, the pistol has little to no recoil and is an absolute blast to shoot.
Here are some of the more common question we see about Keltec PMR 30 holster options:
Not in our experience. While the Ruger Mark III is vaguely similar is size and frame to the PMR-30, it’s not close at all to the exact dimensions of a PMR-30. From a frame and look perspective, the PMR-30 is one of the most unique looking pistols on the market.
Yes, we do. Any of the holster models that you see listed below are made to fit the Kel-Tec PMR-30 pistol.
We offer holsters made to fit the PMR-30 with an RMR or red dot style optic mounted on the top of the slide. To accommodate the red dot optic, MTR Custom offers an optional slot that is cut out of the holster where the RMR rides. Most any of the holster model listed below are available in a version to fit that set-up. If you decided to place an order, you would want to make sure that you selected the “Add RMR cutway” option to the holster under the “Lights and Lasers” drop-down menu.
Through MTR Custom, any of the holster models that you see below can be configured to fit a Keltec PMR 30 with most any of the mainstream tactical lights mounted to it (including the Streamlight TLR-7). When ordering the holster, you would just need to choose the “Streamlight TLR-7” option from the “Lights and Lasers” drop-down menu.
We do offer magazine carriers for the 30 round PMR-30 magazines through MTR Custom. Any MTR Custom magazine carrier listed on this page can be done to fit the PMR-30: https://www.gunnersalley.com/magazine-carriers/.
Sorry about any confusion. So, all the holsters that are pictured below show images of various sample holsters that we used for image purposes. Those pictures are designed to give you an idea of what the holster looks like, how it’s worn, etc. Even though the pictures may not specifically show a version of that holster specifically made for the PMR-30, all the holsters pictured below are available in a version made specifically for and molded specifically for the Kel-Tec PMR-30 handgun.
Any holster displayed below comes in a version to fit a Kel-Tec PMR 30 pistol.