Kel-Tec P3AT...anyone have one?

[Old-Duckman]

I just picked up a Kel-Tec P3AT last week. It is a tiny .380 Auto pocket gun.

I have medium size (glove) hands and I can completely cover the gun with my hand. It holds 7 rounds. 6 in mag, one in chamber, no slide lock, no safety (just double action only, looong trigger pull) Weighs just 11 oz fully loaded.

I have just found my "carry everywhere" piece. I hardley notice that it is in my pocket.

So far have only shot about 30 rounds through it but it is fairly accurate, for what it is. And, it performed flawlessly.



Nice link to many availalbe pocket guns comparo chart.

I've carried in the truck and in my bike jacket for years but this is my first "everywhere" gun.

Any other Kel-Tec owners here?

[printman]

Have the Kel-Tec P-11 9mm   holds 10+1 

Good close range concealment gun

Would like to try the 320 for its size

[Old-Duckman]

Have the Kel-Tec P-11 9mm   holds 10+1 

Good close range concealment gun

Would like to try the 320 for its size

Yeah, I like the 9 too.

It's size does not seem to be too much bigger than the .380 and you get the punch of the 9mm and cheaper ammo to practice with.

The extra 8 ounces may be a bit much after awhile.

The .32 is barely smaller than the .380  0.1" in length and 2 oz. less in weight...not worth it IMO for what you give up in fire power.

Check out the link in my original post, it is a really nice comparison chart on most availalbe pocket guns...Just about everything you would want to know at a glance. Pictures of each gun, grouped by caliber, each has a 4"x4" square superimposed on it and four fingers as well.

[ducatiz]

I have one of the original P3AT's with the older style extractor.  I prefer that version rather than the "paper clip" type they use now.  Please let me know how that one works for you.  I used to carry the P32, picked up a P40 and have carried the P3At ever since it came out.  .380 is far superior to .32 in every way and with a good round, it approaches 38 spl performance.

I have put about 500 practice rounds though mine.  It performs flawlessly, except for 1 or 2 stovepipes in the first 50 or so.  I use MiliTec lube, which is a bake-on dry type lube.  I've found the KelTec's are sensitive to the type of lube since the steel slide is riding on aluminum rails.  Militec requires you to apply it and fire it so it cooks on. On top of that, I put a drop of Eezox every couple of weeks.

I carry mine with the belt clip, which is best for me.  I also bought the finger rest since the butt is so short.  Maybe you have smaller hands but I get just more than 2 fingers on the butt and need the extra bit of the rest.  It feels more solid when firing too.

The only other thing I would suggest is some hi-viz paint for the sights.  I used orange in the back and red in the front, which is a good contrast (not that you sight these guns when firing, but it helps in practice so you develop the muscle memory for actual use).

There are PLENTY of good .380 rounds around.  There used to be none, but once CorBon put out their hot HP, several others followed.  I like the HydraShoks which perform very well but are not as hot as the CorBon.

Have you checked out the Ruger LCP?  It's a copy of the P3AT.  I might swap mine for the LCP as Ruger has much better manufacturing. 

[Goldeneye]

I have the P-32.  Bought it before the .380 version was available.

My gun has been very reliable.  I would suggest at least 100 trouble free practice rounds before relying on it for defense...

I'm gonna look into the baby nines and .380's now that they are available from Kel-Tec... 

[silentbob]

I have a KelTec SU-16CA.  I fired 3 rounds before the extractor failed.  I sent it back to KelTec for repair.  I got it back and got 5 rounds through it before if failed again.  I'm going to trade it in for something that actually goes bang when I pull the trigger.

[Old-Duckman]

Yeah I hear ya about breaking one in. The owners manual says 200 to 300 rounds for break in.

I used to be a gunsmith 20 odd years ago and when I field stripped the gun after 30 some rounds I found an area where the hammer was gauling the slide. I lightly smoothed the gaul marks on the slide and stoned the burr off of the hammer which was causing the gauling.

I would guess that after the 300 break-in rounds that would have smoothed itself over...?

One nice thing is that the Kel-Tecs are guaranteed for life. For that reason, I did not want to do anything real apparent to the gun.

Lube: Since it is a steel slide on an aluminum frame, I used the Dupont/Tefon dry lube that I use on the Monster chain. So far I haven't shot it since I cleaned and lubed it. If I have a problem I'll check out the Militec (thanx for that info...I've been away from the gun, buying/reading about, scene for many years).

I just ordered this holster today http://www.pocketholsters.com/Kel-Tec_Pocket_Wallet_Holster/kel-tec_pocket_wallet_holster.html

Read some good things about it and like the fact that they are entirely hand made.

I agree that the Ruger is a nicer looking. If I had known about it before I bought the Kel-Tec, I probably would have sprung for the exta bux and bought the Ruger. It appears to be a direct knock-off of the Kel-Tec but has a slide lock. Some guys on the Kel-Tec forum think that Kel-Tec makes them for Ruger...??

So far I am happy with it and it is nice to, basically, always have a self-defense weapon just an arms movement away...God Bless America and the 2nd amendment !!!!

[ducatiz]

I agree that the Ruger is a nicer looking. If I had known about it before I bought the Kel-Tec, I probably would have sprung for the exta bux and bought the Ruger. It appears to be a direct knock-off of the Kel-Tec but has a slide lock. Some guys on the Kel-Tec forum think that Kel-Tec makes them for Ruger...??

The P32 has a slide lock but for some reason they deleted it on the P3AT, which I don't like.  I prefer it to lock open so I know when I am out of ammo.

That being said, I've lived without it.  It just means at some point, your pistol will go "CLICK" on an empty chamber!

I seriously doubt KelTec makes the Ruger.  Ruger is the #1 investment casting company in the USA, they make parts for everyone from GM to Frigidaire to Bally.  They have so much production capacity, it is unreal.  Moreover, I seriously doubt KT would make a superior gun for a competitor.

Plenty of gun companies make knockoffs of other companies' guns (I.e. Taurus copies both S&W and Beretta guns). 

[acalles]

I have a KelTec SU-16CA.  I fired 3 rounds before the extractor failed.  I sent it back to KelTec for repair.  I got it back and got 5 rounds through it before if failed again.  I'm going to trade it in for something that actually goes bang when I pull the trigger.

when I got my PF-9, the second round I fired the firing pin was stuck to my shirt with a bent pin return spring..

I was pissed, emptied it, set it in the box and finished the day with my 92FS.

I got home, had cooled down about the failure on my new firearm, looked threw a big box of springs I have.. and found one almost identical to the spring it had before. put it in, found the reason it fell out in the first place (the screw for the extractor holds the pin in, and was loose) fixed it and now it works flawlessly. I've probably put 700 rounds threw it with out a single failure since then using all kinds of different ammo.

moral of the story.. check every nut, bolt, screw, pin, ect for tightness before firing a new weapon (which I should have done, more then just swabbing the extra oil off and cleaning the barrel) .

[ducatiz]

when I got my PF-9, the second round I fired the firing pin was stuck to my shirt with a bent pin return spring..

the firing pin was stuck to your shirt???

how do you like the extractor on that gun?  i have the old version P3AT with the long (glock type) extractor.  I didn't like the look of the new one -- just a thin piece of spring steel.

[acalles]

yeah, pin flew right out the back.  I saw stuff fly out when it fired, so I cleared it and when I looked down I saw the pin stuck to my shirt, just hanging on.. and the spring was on the ground bent in half.

Its not the first firearm failure I've had (that was a slam fire on my walther G22 that felt like someone punched me in the jaw, left half my face black, and ear ringing with plugs in not to mention what it did to the rifle) so I didn't panic or anything.. not that it would have gone off with the pin stuck to me 

the extractor on it works very well, its actually pretty strong and gets a tighter bite on the rim then any extractor on any other handgun I have. just make sure that screw is tight 

ohh, one more thing, these little guns make +P+ really hard on your wrist, but the fire ball is most impressive!

[ducatiz]

yeah, pin flew right out the back.  I saw stuff fly out when it fired, so I cleared it and when I looked down I saw the pin stuck to my shirt, just hanging on.. and the spring was on the ground bent in half.

Its not the first firearm failure I've had (that was a slam fire on my walther G22 that felt like someone punched me in the jaw, left half my face black, and ear ringing with plugs in not to mention what it did to the rifle) so I didn't panic or anything.. not that it would have gone off with the pin stuck to me 

let me tell you about the time an AP9 blew up in my hand -- LITERALLY.  not a kaboom, but a KABOOM!

the extractor on it works very well, its actually pretty strong and gets a tighter bite on the rim then any extractor on any other handgun I have. just make sure that screw is tight 

ohh, one more thing, these little guns make +P+ really hard on your wrist, but the fire ball is most impressive!

sheesh, i'd barely try +P.  I can't imagine it is that much better -- ballistically -- than Hydra Shok or CorBon JHP's.  Can't be pleasant to shoot.

Then again, it's a mousegun on steroids.  rofl.

[Old-Duckman]

the firing pin was stuck to your shirt???

how do you like the extractor on that gun?  i have the old version P3AT with the long (glock type) extractor.  I didn't like the look of the new one -- just a thin piece of spring steel.

Actually the "thin piece of spring steel" is basically a helper spring that rests on top of a typical machined extractor.

BTW I ordered the Guru's pocket holster from pocketholsters.com http://www.pocketholsters.com/Kel-Tec_Pocket_Wallet_Holster/kel-tec_pocket_wallet_holster.html Looking forward to using that instead of just carrying it bare in an empty pocket.

[acalles]

let me tell you about the time an AP9 blew up in my hand -- LITERALLY.  not a kaboom, but a KABOOM!

Geeze..
I've seen the energy in a rimfire (.22lr stinger that blew up) I hope I don't get to experience a center fire failure like that.

sheesh, i'd barely try +P.  I can't imagine it is that much better -- ballistically -- than Hydra Shok or CorBon JHP's.  Can't be pleasant to shoot.

Then again, it's a mousegun on steroids.  rofl.

more like a mouse gun on meth.
It wasn't like a .45, very snappy instead of a push. it would be worthless to me as a defensive ammo, plus its supposed to be really hard on the frame. that small a gun isn't "pleasant" to shoot anyway.

I was thinking it might be like running stingers threw a .22lr pistol.. not enough barrel for all the powder to burn up.. hence the big ball of fire.

Hydra Shoks are what I keep in it (after function test of about 100, no problems).. and I target with the cheapest winchester white box 100 round crap I can find.

[ducatiz]

Actually the "thin piece of spring steel" is basically a helper spring that rests on top of a typical machined extractor.

ohhhhhhhh

that makes more sense.

get the finger rest for your magazine as well.  it makes a huge difference.