Kel Tec p-3at: The good?

[351 WINCHESTER]

OK guys, so kel tec got the bugs out of the p3at - finally. They improved their quality control too?

I'm gonna take you up on it and try one, but she better work or I'm gonna be mad.

 

[HisSoldier]

Please do let us know. I've been trashing the P3AT for months now, and I may have just gotten a bad one, but I have read the same complaints from others as well. I like the little gun and hope they get their act together. Good after sale service is not as good a philosophy as good design and quality control.

 

[TimboKhan]

If all I shot were DA revolvers it wouldn't be a big deal but its probably just a thing of habit. A more glock like reset doesn't seem like too much to ask for.

You know, I have a couple DA revolvers I shoot, and I just can't see how people can compare the Kel-tec trigger to that of a revolver. Perhaps it is because it is much smaller than my revolvers, but the DA pull on those revolvers (and, in fact, the DA pull on all of my DA autos) is just signifigantly better.

 

[MCgunner]

If you don't like the P3AT trigger, don't even bother with a 642 Smith. It's a DA, it's for defense, learn to shoot DA and you'll be fine. Everyone gripes about the P11's trigger. Well, it's 10 lbs to a good Smith's 13 or so average. Yeah, it's long, but it's butta smooth with a little stage at the end. I like it a lot. The P3AT has about a 7 lb pull and you won't find a revolver extant that light. The throw is shorter than my P11.

With a DA, you're just pulling the hammer. With a revolver, you're also cycling the cylinder. I find my P11 much easier to control than even my M10 Smith that's, well, has a self trigger job from 40 years of cycling. I like my revolvers, but I don't trash the autos, either. They have their good points and I fail to see how that P11 has a bad trigger just because it's a little longer throw. That's a good thing for carry as it's safer than, say, a Glock. We're talkin pocket carry gun here, not PPC revolver, much less bullseye gun. People who think a 3 lb SA is the perfect pocket carry scare me.

BTW, I'm going to pick up a P3AT, just on hold for monetary reasons. I need one.

 

[TimboKhan]

well, my DA revolvers are a Smith 66-1, and a Taurus 805. I will admit that my DA shooting skills aren't super-great (but they aren't horrid, either). You know what, MCgunner? Your pretty much right. It is a pocket gun, and a light trigger on such a gun would be a little sketchy. Thats why I say it's bad, but still recommend the gun, but you just said it a whole lot better than I did.

You know, one thing that I never mentioned for some reason is that if I take my time and really focus on the front sight-bump, the Kel-Tec isn't inaccurate. The sights are bad, but that doesn't mean that the gun isn't accurate.

 

[wuchak]

If you are shooting properly trigger reset should never be a problem. You should not be trying to time the reset before you start your next trigger pull. You should be letting your finger go completely forward and off the trigger. Todd Jarrett says, "Now trigger control. There are all types double-action, single-action, safe-action, LDA systems on the market. We are going to show you some quick and simple ways to press that trigger to the rear each and every time. The key thing is never try to go to reset when shooting any type of mechanical trigger. You will find that you will be able to shoot any product on the market built today or tomorrow." http://shootingusa.com/PRO_TIPS/JARRETT4/jarrett4.html

Todd knows what he is talking about, his record: Todd Jarrett has been shooting in competition since 1983. He became a full time Professional after winning his first USPSA National Title in 1991. He’s won the Nationals a total of Nine Times—Five times in the Open Division, Four times in Limited. He’s the only person to ever win the “triple crown”, shooting to championship wins in Limited, Open and winning the World Shoot in the same year. And he’s won the Steel Challenge twice. Add all the wins and Todd Jarrett has claimed more than 500 major titles in IPSC competition.

If anyone can find an equally accomplished shooter who recommends only letting the trigger go forward far enough to reset before starting the next pull I would like to see it.

I have the P-3AT and love if for all the reasons already given. My P-3AT is blued. I treated it with Militech-1 and I wipe it down after every couple of days of carry, or after a particularly hot sweaty day, with a cloth saturated in Breakfree CLP that I keep in a ziplock bag. I have never had a problem with rust.

If you get the +1 mag extension check that the mag catch is fully engaging with it installed. It's very common for it to only partly engage and then release under recoil. If this is the case you will need to sand the grip butt down a little until it fully catches.


Crimson Trace will be releasing a laser for it soon. It is much slimmer than the excellent ArmaLaser that is currently available. The Crimson Trace will also be activated by a pressure switch on the grip which unlike the ArmaLaser does not require your finger to be inside the trigger guard to have the laser activated.
http://forums.crimsontrace.com/index.php?topic=33695.0

 

[MCgunner]

I have a M85UL Taurus that is VERY smooth, much better than the 642s I've tried. The Taurus DA is pretty awesome. I also have a couple of Taurus 66s with good triggers, but that M85 is the best DA revolver trigger I've ever felt out of the box, so I can see where you're coming from.

My P11 is a little bigger and maybe easier to shoot than the P3AT, don't know yet, hope to find out soon. But, I can group 3.5" off sand bags at 25 yards and to POA with my carry load. WWB shoots a little high, but quite accurate. I practice with it or equivalent handloads and can mow down the 6" plates off hand at 25 yards about as well as with my revolvers. It's sort of amazing that the little gun could be that accurate, but it is. I don't expect the P3AT to match it, but what you guys are saying, I'm very likely to be happy with it.

 

[romma]

If the gun goes bang when I pull the trigger (which I assume I'll need it when I do), I don't care what the trigger pull is like... I am using it to stop a BG from killing me or a loved one.

It is not a target pistol, but a design to carry as often as I feel I need to...

 

[HisSoldier]

wuchak, I agree the ArmaLaser is good, it just didn't seem to work for me with the long trigger pull of the KelTec. I couldn't see the dot in daylight, which I figure goes with all lasers, but the fact was I shot better groups with just the sights. I found that even under heavy cloud cover I spent way too much time trying to find the dot, when I could have snapped a shot off with the rudimentary sights. After drilling and filling the three dot sights I saw absolutely no justification for the laser. My friend has a S&W lightweight snubby with SA trigger, and the Crimson Trace laser served that gun very well indeed, I could hold the gun way out to my side as far as I could reach and point the laser at the target and hit it every time!

 

[wuchak]

HisSoldier, I like your 3 dot mod on the P-3AT. I think I will do the same to mine in the future.

 

[Soybomb]

If you are shooting properly trigger reset should never be a problem. You should not be trying to time the reset before you start your next trigger pull. You should be letting your finger go completely forward and off the trigger.

Interesting link, I didn't know he shot that way. The competitive shooters I know usually shoot off the reset and personally I just can't imagine what taking my finger on and off the trigger with each shot would do to my shot times and accuracy. To each his own!

 

[MCgunner]

I usually shot my P90 or P85 in IDPA, but a couple of matches I used my KT because I carry it a lot and wanted to shoot it and see how I would do. Yeah, it slowed me down, but not the trigger. It's harder to get that short sight radius on target for the first shot, just part of being a pocked PDW. I normally shot slow expert times and with the P11 I was in the fast sharpshooter times beating a few experts. That ain't shabby and the little gun did impress some folks with its accuracy. My accuracy tends to be better than my speed, anyway.

In the sunny south and doing what I do for money, IWB and a service size gun is simply not an option. I can IWB when we go somewhere and usually do, but just around the shop/house, town (whoppin' 12K population) I just pocket carry and I feel quite well armed with the P11. The P3AT remains to be seen, but I think I'll like it for everyday pocket wear. I'm not high on .380 as a caliber, but put it in the right spot and I know I wouldn't wanna get shot with it.

 

[jon_in_wv]

Wow, you guys want the smallest, lightest, most concealable .380 on the market and complain that it doesn't have the sweetest trigger and the prettiest checkering?? The p3At is what it is guys. If you want all the bells and whistles you shouldn't be buying a 280 dollar gun. I have a P32 and I'm VERY happy with it. I plan on getting a P3AT too. I think the trigger is fine and the purpose of the gun is to put holes in a bad guy. The quality of the checkering doesn't have much bearing on that.

 

[Daemon688]

If the gun goes bang when I pull the trigger (which I assume I'll need it when I do), I don't care what the trigger pull is like... I am using it to stop a BG from killing me or a loved one.

It is not a target pistol, but a design to carry as often as I feel I need to...

That's where I'd have to disagree. The way I think of it......the trigger has a direct impact on how accurately I can shoot a gun. If I can make tight groups all day with a nice trigger. However, under extreme stress my groups are going to open up much wider. So, the fewer variables interfering with making an accurate shot, the better. This is also the reason why I will not carry a DA/SA gun and stick solely to DAO or SAO.

 

[romma]

the trigger has a direct impact on how accurately I can shoot a gun

Agreed Daemon, for me, moderate practice once in a while overcomes the trigger and seems to work well enough to stay inside the ten ring...

 

[jon_in_wv]

I have to agree with Daemon also. I carried a P11 for some time and while it is fine weapon the trigger pull made it difficult for me to shoot accurately with any kind of speed. It took a lot of concentration to shoot a good group at 7-10 yards. My M&P9C on the other hand has a much better trigger and larger sights. I can shoot if instinctively and quickly and shoot great groups at that same distance without even trying that hard. The P32 and P3AT I shot both had really decent triggers. It didn't take much practice to master the short smooth pull of my P32. Its a lot easier than a revolver or some of the other TDA pistols.

 

[Halo is for Kids]

The good:
-Light.
-Slim.
-Easy to carry.
-Inexpensive.
-Fairly accurate.
-Reliable, sort of...

The bad:

Looks like I have to send the gun back to Kel-tec. Mine has developed the slide peening issue at 335 rounds. I saved the box tops to keep track.
-200 Winclean.
-50 WWB FMJ.
-40 Speer GDHP.
-25 Remington Golden Sabre JHP.
-20 Federal JHP.

No failures while shooting, just some slow cycling with the Remington HPs. I like the GDHP better than the federals so that is what I carry.
Here’s the pics: