[Kestrel]

I have always steered clear of these, because my impression of them was that they were cheap, unreliable junk. After talking to some folks, I'm willing to be open to the idea that I may have been wrong about them.

Are they completely reliable, now? I saw some references to a "fluff and buff" and "removing the kink". What are these referring to? Any guidance on buying one of these? What do they run?

Thanks for any help,
Steve

[mtnbkr]

Mine has gone over 500rnds with only 4 failures. Those 4 happened in the first 150rnds with a single brand of ammo that I haven't used since. I consider mine to be 100% reliable.

I've done nothing to my gun other than to swap the recoil springs for a stronger set just to see what it would do. It was 100% before and has been 100% since. The benefit of the stronger springs is that my brass lands somewhere near me now instead of in orbit.

Edit to add: Around here, they run $199-$260 depending on options (hard chrome, color, etc) and vendor. I bought my hard chrome model for $230, which was the going rate at the time. They've come down a tiny bit at some shops.


Chris

[Daniel T]

Try www.ktog.org for tons of info.

I paid $219 for my hard crome P32. The blued version was $199.

[BamBam]

Steve,
As mentioned, check out the KTOG board. We are having trouble with a troll right now but he usually likes to attack the P-3AT.

The P-32 is my daily carry. I did have to send it back to the factory but have about 1,000 trouble-free rounds through it since then. Factory service is top-notch and they pay shipping.

Anything with a serial number over 90,000 should have all current design improvements.

I recommend the HardChrome. If you buy a parkerized or blued, you can get it upgraded to HardChrome for $20 if you ever want to. Ship K-T the barrel and slide and they ship you back HardChrome replacements. No FFL needed since you don't ship the receiver.

BamBam

[G33InMyPocket]

My wife's P32 had to go back to the factory on day one because the assembly pin kept coming out. Shipping back to the factory was free and since then it hasn't had any failures. Same with my P3AT,problem with extractor,but a trip back to the factory and everything seems fine. I guess the bottom line is if you have a problem with it just send it back and it should come back working fine. Rhey were both $269 each .

[G33InMyPocket]

The KTOG board might scare you. Lots of people complaining about them. But i guess if you do the math there are over 100,000 P32s out there and only 100 people complaning.:rolleyes:

[Felonious Monk]

Both of my P32's are fantastic little guns.
Very easy to "home 'smith", either IF it bobbles (unlikely) OR you want to tweak it.

Buy one. You won't be disappointed. If you are, you can usually get a very fair price if you want to sell it.

The high demand for them is NOT because they suck! :rolleyes:

[Kentucky Rifle]

All I did when I got it was to remove it from the little blue soft case (nice touch), lube it, and shoot it. The only problems I've ever had was when I attempted to install metal recoil rods. I tried two and neither worked. So, I just ordered some spare plastic rods and recoil springs and keep them in my range bag. I've never had to use one. I've also never had a rim-lock. However, I keep my P-32 stoked with Fiocchi FMJ non HP. No pins back out and it's been perfect from the start. I do find that I shoot the P-32 pretty well. It seems easier to shoot than all my other small guns.
Plus, it most certainly has less felt recoil. All in all, it's a good deal. A sweet-shooting, inexpensive little pistol I'm glad I bought.

KR

[treeprof]

My wife and I each have one. Her's has been utterly reliable. Mine has not, and has had to make a few trips back to the factory. And it needs yet another. I don't trust mine, and will keep it only as a back-up to hers once it's made reliable again.

[P-35/53]

I have two of them and have had no problems. One has more than 300 rounds thru it , the other 250. Flat , light easy to conceal in a pocket holster it is my always gun. I only bought the second one in case I had problems witht the first but that never happened. One of my guns has the chrome slide the other is the regular slide.

[Voodoo]

...but lost faith in it due to reliability issues. Sold her off. Though it is no longer available in Kalifornia (without a PPT), I have no regrets in getting rid of her.

[DMK]

My dad's got one. He loves it and carries it everywhere. He and I shoot together quite often. I've never had any problems with it when I shot it, I've never seen him have any trouble with it and he's never mentioned having any trouble with it (and he would if he did!).

It's actually a pretty good little shooter once you consider it's intended use and get used to the sights, grip and trigger. I've never been a big fan of DA triggers either.

[WhoKnowsWho]

Have one which is an everyday carry when I don't carry my Para. I think I have around 400 rounds through it. No problems at all, except learning to let the trigger go all the way forward. I was used to the short reset of a Glock or 1911 trigger.

[XavierBreath]

I carry one as my BUG and any wear gun. No problems. I F&Bed it right after purchase and installed a trigger stop.

[Kestrel]

Thanks for all the help, guys. I got one of the .380 models. It was practically the same size as the .32.

Steve

[WonderNine]

Oh darn. I was hoping when I opened this thread I'd see a photoshopped "tex-mex" version P-32. :D

[Kestrel]

Well, my Keltec has to go back. I haven't even shot it, yet. When you rack the slide, the hammer is kind of semi-cocked. When you pull the trigger, the hammer snaps forward, but is not completely cocked all the way back. If you rack the slide, pull the trigger a little bit back until it lightley clicks, then let the trigger forward and then pull the trigger, the hammer goes the rest of the way back to a full cock and then fire.

So far, this thing has confirmed my suspicion of a cheap piece.

Steve

[BamBam]

Steve,
Did you clean and lubricate it?
I've also heard of P-3AT problems clearing up after 50 or so rounds.

K-T is running a little long on their turnaround right now (2-4 weeks). Be sure to contact them before you send it in so they can tell you what to do to get your shipping costs reimbursed.

Good luck,
BamBam

[Kestrel]

No, I didn't clean and lubricate it. You would think the trigger and hammer mechanism would at least work, without doing that or any break-in.

I'm probably going to return it. I don't think I could completely trust these things, now.

Steve

[WhoKnowsWho]

You could try taking it back to where you got it and see if the other models do the same thing. Maybe you are pulling the trigger funny. If you got a lemon, and it's a good gun shop, they should let you exchange it once they see it.

[Kestrel]

I've already talked to them - I can return it. No, I'm not pulling the trigger funny - there aren't too many ways to pull a trigger like this... It's a lemon.

Steve

[Tamara]

I wouldn't be so ready to declare it a "lemon" without even firing it.

Both the P-3AT's we got in at the shop yesterday have this same weird trigger reset. Either all of them are lemons, or this is something in the nature of the design. I'd bet it's the latter.

[mtnbkr]

I wouldn't be so ready to declare it a "lemon" without even firing it

Don'tcha know, when a Kel-Tec malfunctions, it's a lemon. When a $1000 1911 malfunctions, it needs to be broken in or "tuned".

:rolleyes:

Chris

[Kestrel]

mtbkr,

I have a $1000 rifle that jammed a few times the first time I fired it - just needed a little tuning... ;)

Tamara,

The funny thing is, when you rack the slide, sometimes the trigger would cock and fire the hammer, sometimes the trigger would just drop the hammer from its' semi-cocked position. It can't be the nature of the design, or it wouldn't fire the round, if it doesn't cock the hammer all the way back.

Steve

[Tamara]

Did you try it with live rounds? Might there be an inertial aspect to the mechanism? I don't know, I'm just asking... Every P-3AT I've handled has been like that, but I haven't fired one yet. They might all be defective, or there might be something I'm overlooking.

[TarpleyG]

I have a P-32 and it does what you describe. It is almost a striker-like configuration like the Glocks. Mine fires everytime I pull the trigger so take it to the range before dismissing it. Also, go over to KTOG and ask Flyer what he thinks.

GT