The Little Pistol That won't Shoot.

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toolmanroberts

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Oct 21, 2010
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I have had a Kel-Tel P32 Pistol for several years and it had never given me any trouble till I took it apart for a lube and cleaning. When I was putting it back together I got something jammed and nothing would move. I sent it back to Kel-Tec with an explanation of the concern. During the repair they replaced a few parts and returned it to me not charging me a penny. Now for some silly reason the ammo that it used to shoot will not shoot reliably any more. Now it will only fire about 6 out of 10 rounds. They cycle through the gun without a problem but when the firing pin hits the primer nothing happens except a click. If I cylce those rounds threw the gun again that didn't fire the first time will usually go off by the fifth time. So I again sent the gun back to Kel-Tec explaining the problem. They replaced more parts and sent it back to me, This time with a letter telling me not to use the ammo that I was using and just use ammo from the list that they sent. Hornady, Federal,and Winchester, were some of those that they said will work. I have used winchester ammo and it does work just fine but why won't the Seller and Bellot and Remmington ammo work anymore?. There are not a lot of ammo choices for a 32acp in the area that I live. What do you guys think Should I send it back agaian saying that I will not accept it like that? Or is that just to picky? I do use the gun for concealed carry. It would be really nice if it fired every time I pulled the trigger.
 
Sounds like they lightened the hammer spring and those hard primers on S&B are not lighting up so easily. You might also have some debris in the firing pin channel. I can tell you for a fact from being at the factory in person, they only use Federal Ammo for all testing and service. Contact Rick Mueller the Production Manager and discuss your problems with him. He will get your problems resolved. Bill in Cust Service is just a yes man and not all that savvy as Rick.
 
Toolman,
I have owned a KT3AT and it was a nice little gun, no problems with it after replacing an extractor. Had to sell it and some other guns a few years back to pay for baby food and diapers. :)

Personally, I would not accept the pistol in its current condition. I would express to them the fact that it was reliable with the ammo you were using and see what they say. I would insist on an explanation and return it to make it right. I found their customer service was pretty good and hopefully they will accomodate your reasonable request.

Good luck!
 
9mmforMe said:
Toolman,
I have owned a KT3AT and it was a nice little gun, no problems with it after replacing an extractor. Had to sell it and some other guns a few years back to pay for baby food and diapers. :)

Personally, I would not accept the pistol in its current condition. I would express to them the fact that it was reliable with the ammo you were using and see what they say. I would insist on an explanation and return it to make it right. I found their customer service was pretty good and hopefully they will accomodate your reasonable request.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
S&B imported ammo is not cleared by Kel Tec because of saami specs

http://www.saami.org/
 
Don. I think you nailed it. I just talked to Rick Mueller @ Kel-Tec. He told me that he will send me a heavier firing pin spring, and he thinks this will solve the problem. I sure hope so. Time will tell. I will give an update when it is installed.
 
My P32 was iffy with S&B, so I just stopped using that ammo. It's been 100% since. The newish Prvi Partizan is great stuff, and their JHP is long enough to avoid "rimlock".
I'm curious how a heavier FP spring will give you a harder strike on "hard" primers?
 
jonnyc said:
My P32 was iffy with S&B, so I just stopped using that ammo. It's been 100% since. The newish Prvi Partizan is great stuff, and their JHP is long enough to avoid "rimlock".
I'm curious how a heavier FP spring will give you a harder strike on "hard" primers?
Click to expand...
Force = Mass x Acceleration that's how.
 
toolmanroberts said:
Don. I think you nailed it. I just talked to Rick Mueller @ Kel-Tec. He told me that he will send me a heavier firing pin spring, and he thinks this will solve the problem. I sure hope so. Time will tell. I will give an update when it is installed.
Click to expand...
A heavier firing pin spring would help with a striker fired pistol, but it would be detrimental in a hammer fired pistol.

I have had problems with S&B ammo and their hard primers in a lot of pistols and won't use it anymore.
 
"A heavier firing pin spring would help with a striker fired pistol, but it would be detrimental in a hammer fired pistol."

Donron, your F=MA equation doesn't fit, as the P32 is hammer-fired.
 
I use only Sellier and Bellot, Geco, and Privi Partisan .32 acp in my Kel-Tec as American made rounds cause function problems with my particular gun.
I also only use FMJ bulleted ammo.

So far the gun has been reliable but that doesn't mean it will remain that way as the round count goes up.
 
billybob44 said:
Still makes no sense: Heavier SPRING=LESS speed. He did not say heavier fireing PIN.
IMO, the only thing that would solve this problem would be a heavier HAMMER spring..
Click to expand...
He misstated hammer spring, that's all. Don't get all excited there.

I only use FMJ is all my Autos. I don't believe in the hollow point hype and myths.

They feed better and penetration is what I want and if it goes clean through the better. Two holes to leak out of.
 
"He misstated hammer spring, that's all."

And you know this...how???

"I don't believe in the hollow point hype and myths."

That's OK, but you do know that the Earth is not flat, and the Sun doesn't revolve around the Earth, right? ;)
 
Yup and every year you guys shoot a bunch of that hyped up, jacked up and priced up stuff though paper and water bottles and the manufactures just love it.

That's why our military uses FMJ with success. In the highly unlikely event that you actually have to really shoot a human aggressor with that super duper stuff, let me know how that works out for you ok!:scrutiny:
 
"That's why our military uses FMJ with success"

Uh...news-flash...our military uses FMJ 'cuz international law says they have to. Dig a bit and you will find that SEALs and other SF units regularly train with and use JHP, a practice allowable when the intended targets are not part of a recognized military or national force.
Donron, you really need to get out more. Most of use use JHP in our defensive weapons because IT WORKS. The reason we use a lot of it is 'cuz we practice to ensure that our weapons are reliable and that we can hit our targets.
 
jonnyc said:
"That's why our military uses FMJ with success"

Uh...news-flash...our military uses FMJ 'cuz international law says they have to. Dig a bit and you will find that SEALs and other SF units regularly train with and use JHP, a practice allowable when the intended targets are not part of a recognized military or national force.
Donron, you really need to get out more. Most of use use JHP in our defensive weapons because IT WORKS. The reason we use a lot of it is 'cuz we practice to ensure that our weapons are reliable and that we can hit our targets.
Click to expand...
Take it easy there tiger, no need to start a bar fight. Round nosed bullets have been filling graves long before you were born, especially that 7.625x25 Tok.

Psssst. Let me share a secret with you, FMJ works too!

I want them to make hollow point 00 buck pellet Shot Gun shells just to see how many nuts will claim they are better too. I would be willing to bet they would sell a bunch of them to the paper killers at least.

No offense intended and just remember we all have different opinions about things and one is no better than the other friend.
 
Oh, and one more thing, FMJ do feed better cause they are the 'spec' round and there is not funny flat places or short round to get hung up on something.

Any who, thanks for not just tossing it in the trash and bitching about KT's
cause it seems that any gun that is reasonably prices is a 'POS' if it malfunctions and not worth the effort to fix, where as a custom kimber is 'just picky and it still isn't fully broken in'

I find that it tends to shoot as well as me, as long as I mind me cleaning and feed it well.
 
Indeed. Indeed!................................The loudest sound in a gun fight is CLICK!:what:
 
And no matter what gun you have in your hand, it won't be big enough when the shooting starts!
 
We do all have different opinions- but the USA military's use of rounds not designed to expand is in accordance with international agreements. This is easily documented FACT. In FACT, a ruling had to be made over US snipers' use of match hollow-point boat-tail ammo. The ruling was that, since the open tip was an aerodynamic performance feature, not one designed to enhance expansion, these bullets were allowable in warfighting.

Against thin-bodied prey, when using medium and light rifles, expanding rounds are ALWAYS more effective, so long as they penetrate adequately. This is why state hunting regulations invariably demand the use of expanding ammunition when hunting American White-tail Deer, the common game animal closest in size to humans. While any (safely functioning) firearm is better than none, to suggest that non-expanding or fragmenting FMJ (and there are versions that do at least one of the two) is more effective in duty handgun or any centerfire rifle caliber is honestly just plain ignorance.

Will you need to use a firearm to defend yourself or others?
Probably not.
Should you need a firearm for defense, will what you own work?
Probably.
Is non-expanding FMJ ammo more or as effective?
Only perhaps in a few weaker handgun calibers with poor penetration.



John
 
DonRon said:
No offense intended and just remember we all have different opinions about things and one is no better than the other friend.
Click to expand...

I mean no insult or broken beer bottles here but in something as matter of fact as ballistics there is no room for opinion, and in this case one is better than the other, friend. ;)
 
jonnyc said:
Uh...news-flash...our military uses FMJ 'cuz international law says they have to. Dig a bit and you will find that SEALs and other SF units regularly train with and use JHP, a practice allowable when the intended targets are not part of a recognized military or national force.
Click to expand...

Now I'm not trying to rag on you in particular, I just find it kind of funny how when stuff like this comes up the example is always "SEALS" or "SF units". There are a lot of people in the military issued and allowed to use JHP's that aren't anywhere close to being a SF type unit, how come they never get brought up as an example?:(
 
Sticking with the topic

This is a good example of THREAD VEER, a malady easily prevented by--
1. Reading the original post
2. Not posting anything that is not directly concerned with/related to 1.

In the original post, toolmanroberts stated a problem. Others made observations --some on-point, others not --, suggestions were offered, and before long, the matter was resolved. The relevant stuff was over and done by post #5. Ah, but THEN some participants began raising issues really completely unrelated to the original premise.

Perhaps the thread should have been closed at that moment. Anyhow, it is now.

Johnny


Note: The hu-ha over the "heavier firing pin spring" is a result of someone's use of the wrong term. I dunno if it was spoken by a KT representative or if the OP simply used the wrong phrase. The firing pin spring and the hammer spring are two different parts, neither of which is a striker spring, a part not not utilized in the hammer-fired P32. If clarification is needed, please see the P32 Owner's Manual, with its excellent parts drawing and accompanying parts list.
 
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