P3AT or P-32

[unreal45]

I am looking for a gun to carry when i am unarmed
i like the kel-tecs but i cant decide between
the P-32 and P-3AT

P-32
proven track record
one extra round
last shot hold open

P-3AT
BIGGER caliber
(are all the bugs out of this BUG ?)

 

[Lennyjoe]

I went with the P3AT. Size is great, fits in the pocket just fine, 6 +1 rounds of a stronger caliber and easy to conceal. I carry it in an Uncle Mikes pocket holster. Also picked up a spare mag for $21.

I have it stoked with Federal 90gr Hydra Shock pushing 200ft lbs of energy at the muzzle (advertised from Federals website) I havent chrono'd them out of the P3AT yet.

 

[megatronrules]

I have a p3At thats been flawless from round one it now has 300 rounds through it trouble free,my brother now has it as his summer carry gun I gave it to him so he'd have a CCW this summer nice guy I am huh?

 

[AndABeer]

I own both and prefer the P3AT. I have experienced rimlock with the P32. Not much chance of that with the .380. Seem to shoot the .380 better too.

 

[Kimdo]

P-3AT for me

It has never failed to go bang with fmj ammo, (300 rounds). Havn't tried anything else. Had a few casings land on my hat before I added a pinkey extension. No problem since.
Accuracy is great for the crude sights and short sight radius.
I just sent it back to KT for a chrome slide upgrade and will try some HP ammo when it returns.
I truely think that this may be the "Ultimate BUG Gun".
(Just sent it yesterday and I miss it already.)
Kim

 

[tbeb]

Never owned either. When I owned a .32 ACP and a .380 ACP, both equally reliable, I carried the .380.

 

[W Turner]

Went with the .380 due to the possibility of a rimlock condition in a .32. This actually happened to my wife's gun and she swore off semi-autos as her CC piece right then.


Mino

 

[MR.G]

Had a Kel-Tec .32 and got rid of it because of the rim lock issue. Replaced it with the Kel-Tec P-3AT .380. About the same size and weight, but a better caliber in my opinion.

 

[Dave R]

Traded my -32 for a -3AT. Glad I did. I shoot it just as well. The extra round and slide lock were a worthwhile sacrifice for me.

 

[denfoote]

I own both and prefer the P32!!
My P3AT is going to be sent back to the womb because the assembly pin keeps coming out!!!
I'll reevaluate it when I get it back!!

 

[SSGAUTEN]

I have a P-32 with over 300 rounds through it, with NO rimlocks. I take a little extra time when loading my magazines. Each round in the magazine is a rim thichness in front of the previous round in the magazine. Picture a stairstep with the first round in the magazine as the bottom of the stairs with the steps going up and to the right.

There are a lot of pro shooters who shoot the .38 Super which is also a Semi Rimmed cartridge, and have no problems with rimlocks.

IMHO, the problem lies with the shooter rather then gun or ammo.

 

[wally]

Kel-Tec sells a "rim lock spacer kit" for the P32 with a new follower, foorplate and spacer to shorten the mag so JHP rounds can't move forward to cause rim lock. Get it and a spare mag then use one mag for FMJ, the other for JHP.

OTOH is JHP a good idea where penetration is likely to be inadaquate in the first place with an under powered round?

--wally.

 

[Obiwan]

Both rounds are kind of marginal for defense....so I would go with the bigger one.

No...that is not an invitation to an argument...so don't go there!

 

[dsk]

Those of you who experienced P-32 rimlock issues:

Did it happen with FMJ or JHP ammo?

 

[emc]

For my P-32, the rimlock occurred with Cor-Bon JHP ammo. Winchester Silvertip and FMJ have been flawless.

FWIW,

emc

 

[SapperLeader]

I carry a p-32 loaded with fmj and have never had issues with rimlock. I really like the smaller size of the p-32 as a bug, but never carry it as my only gun. My brother is going to start carrying in the fall, and were looking at the p-3at for times when he "can't" carry anything larger(or more likly "wont ").

 

[wally]

Having a few UMC FMJ and Federal Hydrashok left over at the end of a range session, I alternated one FMJ, one JHP, etc. That's when I discovered Rim Lock which was before I'd learned about www.ktog.org.

--wally.

 

[Clark]

RIMLOCK?
I got some ammo stuck in the magazine once.
Later I read that it is called 'rimlock"

It reminds me of the joke:
Patient says to the doctor, "It hurts when I do THIS."
Doctor says to the patient, "Don't do that!"

Like wise, when you load a 32acp magazine, don't slide and tip the round in your fingers past the round under it.

Duh!


Anyway, I have both the P32 and the P-3AT
I have fired hundreds of overloads and hundreds of factory through the P32.
So far I have fired two wimpy +P overloads through the P-3AT, and it doesn't look good for overloads. As a result, I predict the P32 will be the champion of penetration and the P-3AT will be surpreme at wound channel diameter.
thread about my P-3AT overloads

 

[W Turner]

The rimlock situation I encountered was with JHP's. Some people carry FMJ's with no problem and that is their load of choice. Thats fine by me, but I can always hold out hope that the JHP will expand, I know that FMJ won't.

As far as underpenetration goes, any shots fired with this pistol will be contact distance, so, the muzzle velocity will be at it's peak anyway. They will penetrate deep enough to do some good. Even if it is to be so uncomfortable for the other guy as to cause him to break off the attack as opposed to slamming him into the next wall.


Mino

 

[akanotken]

P32 on the way

I had been thinking about the AT vs the .32 debate, but then a 32 deal came up that I could NOT refuse

I wasn't convinced enough to hold out for the .380

Lots of folks prefer .32 for superior penetration (it's why the silvertips are so popular). Lots of folks like the muzzle energy of the .380.

At the distance that this would be used, I'm not sure one was a CLEAR winner over the other for me.

 

[Clark]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.


akanotken,
There is wisdom in your statement, but there is alure in the latest whiz bang

60 gr Gold Dot test
The P32 32 acp with 20,500 psi SAAMI max pressures will make 168 foot pounds
The P32 32 acp with overloads and reasonable pressures will make 267 foot pounds

110 gr test
The P32 32 acp with welded up feed ramp and recoil that shears off the ejector will make 450 foot pounds

90 gr Gold Dot test
The P-3AT .380 with 21,500 psi SAMMI max pressers will make 213 foot pounds
The P-3AT .380 hot rodded to case bulging pressers will make 267foot pounds
The P-3AT .380 hot rodded near case bulging pressers will make 250foot pounds

The P-3AT cannot have the feed ramp simply welded up, becuase the chamber walls are too thin.

What does it all mean?
The P-3AT is hotter with factory ammo.
The P32 can be handloaded more powerfully, but the P-3AT makes a bigger hole. The guns are the same size to carry. Which do you want?

 

[mtnbkr]

Rimlock

I've owned and carried a P32 for nearly 2 years. In that time, I've carried hardball and hollowpoints. I've never had a rimlock, even after running with the gun in my pocket. I believe it all boils down to care while loading the magazine.

I forgot, I had what might have been a rimlock at the range once. All I did was slap the slide with the palm of my hand and it went back into battery.

Chris

 

[wally]

I had what might have been a rimlock at the range once. All I did was slap the slide with the palm of my hand and it went back into battery.

Trust me, that was not Rim Lock.

I say, why take the chance. Buy an extra mag and the rimlock preventer spacer kit from Kel-Tec if you want to carry JHP in your P32. Its not listed on the website, but the nice lady on the phone knows about it.

--wally.

 

[Wilson 17&26]

For pictures and explanation of rimlock see http://1bad69.com/keltec/rimlock.htm
Wilson

 

[dsk]

Okay, so apparently the rimlock issue is confined to using JHP ammo, unless somebody makes a JHP round with an OAL similar to ball ammo.