New Kel Tec P3AT report

[Wilson]

I had requested that Kel Tec contact me regarding the possibility of upgrading to a Hard Chrome slide since they were replacing it

Kel-Tec hard chrome slides have been scarcer than hen’s teeth since APW moved from Florida to Alabama (environmental reasons). Kel-Tec can sell as many P-3ATs as they can manufacture, so there are practically no extra slides in inventory. Now that they have to ship the slides out of state then wait for return shipping, they could end up without product to assemble. From what I hear only one or two small batches of slides have been hard chromed this year. In the last few weeks Kel-Tec has improved the appearance of the basic blued slide in hopes of pacifying customers with plain Jane production.

[Wilson]

he distinctly heard a -click- and no more shots

Likely operator error. The P-3AT hammer is only half-c0cked by the slide. A full trigger pull is needed to add sufficient energy to ignite the primer. Therefor the trigger must be fully released after each shot. Otherwise you get a click from a half-c0cked hammer and only a dimple in the primer (no ignition).

[Wilson]

I only cleaned the gun one time at around 200 rounds.

I guess I’m old school but I clean and lubricate all my guns after each range session. I find that featherweight pistols such as the P-3AT function much smoother when cleaned a lubed.

To assist with cleaning my Second-Generation P-3ATs I have cut a big rubber eraser to the size of my open beach. I stand the eraser on end then open the P-3AT breach, turn it upside down on the erases. Once the breach is propped open with the eraser I can insert a small screwdriver with electrician’s tape wrapped around the shaft under the head of the assembly pin. I keep two fingers on the polymer grip on either side of the assembly pin to prevent the assembly spring from dislodging as I push down on the screwdriver handle with the other hand. The pin is the easily popped up and out so the P-3AT can be cleaned. Cleaning and reassembling usually takes 15-20 minutes.

Sorry if I got to off thread too far.

[TxFire]

I will say that this slide looks VERY nice for a blued slide. I only had the other one for a couple of days prior to sending it back and can't recall if it looked this nice or not. If this gun works out for me, maybe I'll send the slide off to be refinished some day. This is planned to be the gun that goes running with me so it will see more than the ordinary amounts of sweat. I can't wait to get to the range.

Anyone have a good source for the Cor Bon DPX ammo in .380?

[casselthief]

he distinctly heard a -click- and no more shots

Likely operator error. The P-3AT hammer is only half-c0cked by the slide. A full trigger pull is needed to add sufficient energy to ignite the primer. Therefor the trigger must be fully released after each shot. Otherwise you get a click from a half-c0cked hammer and only a dimple in the primer (no ignition).

thank you for that explanation! very interesting.

[Rex B]

My P3AT is my daily carry. I keep it in the zip-pouch that came with it, and it looks like a wallet.
I use Corbon PowerBall ammo. I have put 50 rounds through it as fast as I could reload it. Got plenty hot, but no jams.
Did the same thing with my P32, and it FTE'd on the 48th round. That was due to powder residue accumulating in the chamber/breach area.
Keep them clean, and you can count on the first 20 or so down the pipe. That should be enough for most social situations.

Rex

[MathisMan]

There were some 3at's made with an incorrect hole in the slide for the recoil rod , and the spring would pop out the front . Hence the new slide . I have a second gen that runs great , the best way I have found to cause a FTE is hand it to someone that hasnt got any practice shooting one . It is LIGHT , and they will limpwrist it 9 out of 10 times .

A customer was looking at mine the other day oohing and ahhing over its diminutive stature . He got in his truck and went and bought two . One for soninlaws xmas and one for him . Well he calls me yesterday and they both FTE EVERY ROUND ! So I tell him how to practice the push-pull two handed grip , and then when it runs right , start shooting with one hand . He calls me back in an hour to tell me he figured it out and can now shoot them both at once ! LOL . looks like son in law is getting a tie this year, maybe .

[Rex B]

I have seen a lot of people report that these FTE due tolimp wrist, and that they are painful to shoot. I don't have either problem, never did. And I don't have the strongest grip by any means. I can shoot mine for an hour with no ill efects.

[TxFire]

I had zero failures on mine until the recoil spring out the guide rod hole at about round 38-40. I found it pretty nice to shoot. I performed the fluff and buff on the new parts tonight and plan to get to the range this next week.

[TxFire]

Well I went to the range yesterday to break in or break the Kel-Tec depending on the circumstances. I also bought some Gold Dot's to run through it also. I shot some where aroung 150 total through it. That was a variety of CCI blazer, Winchester WB, Remmington UMC, and the Gold Dot's. There were a few FTE's (5-8) didn't count. They were dispersed through out the ammo, but I belive the Blazers were flawless. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to their occurance either. It seemed to run better towards the end of the session also, maybe break in???

Lessons learned:

1) I need to go to the range MORE OFTEN!!!
2) The Kel-Tec can get punishing, 150 is alot of shooting through that little gun.
3) For me at least it is a VERY close range gun. Practice may improve that some.
4) The orange paint placed on the Front sight causes it to disappear against a red target.
5) I really need to get to the range MORE OFTEN!!!!
6) As usual the Glock ran FLAWLESS!!!

[AR Traveler]

Sounds similar to my experience but I had more FTF. The Blazers did run flawlessly and I think it was because of the rounder profile vs the hollowpoints or the flatpoints with the winchester stuff. I usually keep mine with a CorBon +p hollowpoint in the pipe and the magazine filled with Blazer. Thanks for the update:)

[Rex B]

I've switched to Corbon PowerBall ammo.
It has a slick plastic nose with the same profile as FMJ ball ammo, so feeding should be a non-issue.

[TxFire]

I had no failure to Feed, only failure to Eject. The round would extract from the chamber but not eject. It would lodge in the ejection port still horizontal. But like I said, as I approached the end of the range session it was flawless w/ blazer and Gold Dots. So hopefully it was a break in issue. I'll take it out again sometime soon, hopefully.