P-3AT Questions...

[Kentucky Rifle]

This seems to be a very popular pistol. Lots of posts. I was in my regular gunshop and watched a VERY excited man open the one someone had ordered for him as a gift. I asked if I could hold it. (I consider it very ban manners to just go over and pick up someone's pistol without asking first--and yet, it's something I see all the time. It almost ALWAYS gets the conversation started on "the wrong foot".) This new owner was only too happy to give me a look. Honestly, the P-3AT seemed no larger or heavier than my P-32. Does anyone know if the guide rod is plastic? (My P-32 never had a single malfunction until I tried a metal guide rod. (In fact, more than one.) Also, I was reading a Kel-Tec ad in a gun mag. It gave the price for P-3AT's with hard chrome slides. I've never seen one with a hard chrome slide. Has anyone else? Just curious about this stuff.

Thanks,
KR

[JohnBT]

It's only a hair wider based on putting one halfway in my old Hedley P-32 holster. It would've been a tight fit and I was afraid of scratching a NIB gun I had no intention of buying.

They've been saying springtime for the past six months on the hardchromed slides and I've been patiently waiting. I did the slide exchange on the P-32, but decided not to this time around. I'd also like a P-3AT with a centered front sight. Half of the guns I've seen(okay, 4 out of 10) have the front sight cut off-center.

John

[K-Man]

Kentucky Rifle,

You might want to check out www.ktog.org, if you haven't already. There you'll find a lot of information concerning the P3AT. Yes, they're a very popular gun to carry, 9 out of 10 holsters I make are for the P3AT.

The two are very close in size, with most of that difference in width of barrel/slide size. You can put a P32 into a P3AT leather holster, but really not the reverse. As John mentioned, it would be a very, very tight fit. Some other styles of holsters, such as the Uncle Mike's, would allow you to put either gun into the same holster.

I've seen a couple of pics of folks who have the chrome slide on their P3AT, but I don't believe they got it from Kel-Tec. If I remember correctly, Kel-Tec was advertising at the SHOT show that chrome slides would be avail around the end of March. I'm anxiously awaiting to get one, too.

Prices for the P3AT vary widely also. Local to me, they ranged from $275 to $350. Some gun shops could not even get one, while others had four or five.

[tiberius]

Yes, there is a steel guide rod on the P-3AT.

[Higgins]

I thought about one of these until I read a number of posts on ktog.com about the "smiley face" problem people were experiencing. People were reporting indentations on cartridges in the mag from the barrel ramp impacting the tip of the rounds when the barrel recoiled. This created concerns about bullet set back and potential kb's. Some people had come up with their own fixes for this.

Sounded like a new model glitch that needed to be worked out (a la new model cars in firs 1-2 years). I'm still interested in getting one, but figured I'd wait until this problem was resolved. So, anyone know if this issue has been resolved in newer P3-AT's from Kel-tec?

(BTW, I'm not trying to cast dispersions on Kel-Tec. I really like their products and think they are clever designs and quality stuff and hope they took care of this glitch-like problem so I can feel comfortable getting a P3-AT).

[azrael]

Kentucky Rifle,
they have somewhat "fixed" the smiley problem....I own 2 p3at's myself (I love being able to write off a pistol on my taxes )

Both of them I took to a gunsmith friend of mine to put the "mojo" on...both have been fired in excess of 600 rounds with no worries

Give one a try...Kel-tec also has the best customer service that I have ever seen..

[kokapelli]

I have two P-3AT's. I did what they call a "rampectomy" over at ktog.org to correct the smiley problem. Took about 10 minutes per pistol and no more smilies! Both of my P-3AT's are very good shooters at 7 yards and have been 100% reliable with most popular brands of ammo except wolf.

[9x19]

JohnBT,

If your holster is molded to fit the P-32, the P-3AT may be a tight fit becasue the side of the slide, on the forward portion, is not milled the same on both models. Kel-Tec left a little more metal on the P-3AT slide.

[azrael]

the p3at is .020 bigger than the P-32

[M2 Carbine]

The 32 and 380.
The 380 is the black one.

[Kentucky Rifle]

My P-32 is gray too.
So ALL P-3AT guide rods come metal? No plastic, then buy the metal conversion rod? The only malfunctions I've ever had wth my P-32 were after I installed metal guide rods. (I tried three.) I want to make sure everybody got a metal rod that was installed by the factory. (And thus, WORKS!)

Thanks,
KR

[GigaBuist]

I intended to shoot the crap out of it, after watching it digest 100 rounds of PMC ammo with only 2 failures to eject (which I figured would work themselves out) I was geeked.

Then I bought some American Eagle ammo. Wouldn't eject -- it extracted, but every other would would fall of the extractor before it cleared. Hmm. Not good.

So, I checked out the Keltec Owner Group (KTOG) webpages/forum and found out that it's a kinda common problem. Some nifty KT owner got an idea for a fix, and they sent him a few free extractors, he ground them down, it worked. Many other users tried the same thing.

So, I called up Keltec today, stated my problem, then was informed I had the wrong number and that I transposesd the last two digits. Nice guy. He then asked if I was a dealer, becuase he's looking to buy a Colt Commander. Kinda makes you smile. Anyway, I dial the right number, sit on hold for a little bit (listening to country music -- I can deal with this) -- get a rep on the line, explain the problem and that I'm willing to try the trick out myself and I'll pay for the extractor if they'll send it to me. No charge, sending it over -- don't need to grind it either I guess -- they're using the new design. Got the serial # real quick (H29XX) and we're good to go. When I asked what size punch I'd need to remove the pin holding it in she knew it right off the top of her head. Wonderful!

Now, keep in mind this design is under a year old -- and I may very well have a pistol that was made just a few months after they went into production. Problems will arise with these early models, but KT seems to be willing to bed over backwards to send out replacement parts, fix the guns themselves, and openly invites tinkering with the design.

Given that it's low cost (I consider $260 pretty low cost) I'm willing to do a little work with the Dremel to polish things out. Is it necessary? Probably not -- but I'm going to do it. I enjoy doing it, and I enjoy knowing that I've had a hand in making this gun reliable for me personally.

On the other hand, I would never, ever, tell somebody to purchase one as their "first" gun by a long shot. Maybe 2 years from now that'll be a different story, but certainly not now. The P-32 might be dead nuts reliable by now, but the P3AT just isn't. If you're the kinda guy going "Well, I really want something for those few pocket carry situations, and I'd kinda like to have a really small BUG other times" -- and you like to do a little work on your own and learn about the designs -- go for it!

Yes the QC is a little lacking, the design isn't 100% "there" yet I guess, but the cost is good and it shows promise. Just my two cents.

[GigaBuist]

One more thing.

Grey color == Okay
Black color == Good
Blue color == WTF? It looks like a TOY!

Seriously... if you value the life of your target in SD at all, do not pull out a blue gun. If they actually WOULD retreat/drop weapons upon the sight of a gun you've lost that chance with the blue one

[azrael]

Gigabuist,
look at the KTOG.ORG message board a bit and you will see a PINK ONE!!! no kidding

I am thinking of dyeing mine that color

[Lone_Gunman]

I called Kel Tec about a week ago to find out when chrome slides are going to be available, and they told me it would be about a month.

[dsk]

Not trying to hijack this thread, but.....

I asked if I could hold it. (I consider it very ban manners to just go over and pick up someone's pistol without asking first--and yet, it's something I see all the time. It almost ALWAYS gets the conversation started on "the wrong foot".)

A couple years ago I ordered in one of the then-new Colt Series 70 reproductions. I had the case open as I was doing the paperwork. I failed to notice the loud-mouth who was BS-ing a mile a minute to another employee come over. He saw my gun, said "hey look, one of the new Colts!", picked it up, and proceeded to finger-f*** it. Before I could put my pen down and tell him to put it back he slipped while retracting the slide, and the pistol went BAM! against the metal counter, putting a small ding in the finish. He apologized, but I was stuck taking a brand-new gun home with some idiot's trademark on it.

[Carbon_15]

are all the .380's black framed. Can you get the colored frames like on the P32?