Help! New p3at, can't pull back the slide

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Just got my P3at in the mail today and the slide won't pull back more then 1/8 ". Am I doing something wrong?
 
How hard are you pulling? That sounds like a silly question but doing basic computer support, I can't tell you how many problems have been solved by plugging the computer in. :D

My father's P-32 needs a rather hefty amount of force to work but will come back about 1/8th of an inch with little effort.
 
Funny you said that because while I was waiting for a response I tried again (well a forth time). I pulled harder this time and noticed a little more movement. Raising my eyebrows at the now roughly 15lbs of pull had gained I tried once more with around 25 lbs of pull. This time the slide came almost all the way back. On third pull of around 30+ lbs the slide came all the way back.

***? Did they use recoil springs from a Glock 21 on these?
 
just handled one in a store two days ago. was NOT 30 lb pull.

it was a touch stiffer than my short-barrelled 9mm. not good at estimating poundage, but safely not THIRTY.

maybe if you get it all the way back once it'll loosen up whatver jam it has in there? is it normally shipped with a plastic insert or something that could have shifted and stuck it up?
 
I see no noticable grease or oil in it so maybe its a combo of new springs, no lube and pre-F&B. BTW I have handled the p32 and this is way way way stiffer. And I'm used to drawing some of the stiffer slides such as a beretta cougar. I got a poundage scale at home, I'll try later for kicks. Surely it will lighten up,.. wont it? :uhoh:
 
Spring weight.
I call it "weight to horsepower". You have a smaller gun and in this case a smaller and lighter gun, firing a cartridge with certain ballistics. So the spring has to among things "protect the gun". Hypothetically if the same gun was designed to fire a .22 lr or .25 ACP, it would be easier to retract.

Hence one of the big reasons many ladies, and those with physical problems do not use small center-fire pocket guns, they can't retract the slide, the recoil ( weight to horsepower again) hurts and make it very hard to hit anything. Oh - this also means they never practice.

Now granted the Beretta Jetfire is only a .25ACP, the tip up bbl means one does not have to retract the slide - making it easier to load and make safe. The slide is easier on the Jetfire, trigger pull is SA and very good. Similar features for the Bobcat , available in .22lr ( affords lots of practice due to inexpensive ammo) and in . 25ACP. The best kept secret - tho pricey is the Beretta .380 which is a beautiful gun, easy to shoot , easy to load and make safe with tip -up bbl feature as well.

Medium frame revolvers like a model 10 , are very popular for a reason with the ladies and those with arthitis, physical problems. 148 gr target wadcutters are easy to shoot, accurate and will do defense if need. OLder police trade ins are snapped up in a hurry for a reason. :)
 
Well I'm not some 95 lb homewife. :D If the slide is stiff thats fine I just want to make sure its normal and not something I should return to KT for service. I understand though that a featherwight gun such as this packing a medium sized rouns is going to need a tight srping, I just didn't realize it was that tight. I hope this doesn't cause FTEs,
 
I meant no offense, I apologize if I offended you. :)

I does suprise folks sometimes when the first rack a slide on some guns. I always hated it when folks suggesed to "the little lady" a little gun or a J frame snubby as first gun tho.

Many guys have been surprised when the Lady of the House picks the .380 Beretta from his safe as a Carry gun tho'. Someday guys will learn to hide stuff.

I made the mistake once - Colt Lt Wt Commander, had to find another - fast. Wifey really took a shine to my CCW.

A friend had to find a LtWt Commander fast as well for his then 68 y/o mom. "I like this one, I can work it, it makes big holes, I shoot it best [ she really was great shot with it] and I changed your diapers,and your are not too big to get put over my knees and spanked". :D

Women - be it wifey, moms, GF, sisters, daughters, SO's...gotta watch them all the time. :p
 
I noticed one big reason the P-3AT slide is harder to pull back other than the strong recoil springs - the back end of the hammer slide (just in front of the back end of the firing pin) is roughly a 90 degree angle. When the hammer hits it, you have to then pull it fairly hard to cock the hammer against this angle. I checked my P-32s and the angle is roughly 45 degrees which makes it much easier.

A gunsmith that works on P-3ATs has been cutting this angle to 45 degrees with no affect on performance and racking the slide is much easier. Not a job for an amatuer though.

http://www.gunsmith.fuselier.com

I have not done this but did polish this area with a dremel and rounded the angle some and it made it a bit easier.
 
One thing one a small pistol the grip surface is smaller so the "feel" of pulling slide back will increase, I purchased a Kahr sometime back very
small and I was also shocked when trying to pull slide back as i normally
do, had to change my method using an overhand approach, left hand on
top of slide, right on grip pushing forward.

I would also suggest lots of fp10 lube on the little fellow while you break it in.
 
The hardest part of the pull is overcoming the friction between the slide and the hammer.
Yup, you really have to grab on a pull the slide. Of course this makes me rethink a bit about doing this in a SD situation under stress...
 
I think part of the problem is that there is simply not much there to hang on to.

I also use the left hand over the top of the slide with right hand pushing forward technique.
 
It is a bear to rack the slide on these little beasts.

I've taught myself and others to use both hands when racking the slide.
As you pull quickly back on the slide with your weak hand, shove the grip away from you with your strong hand.
When you get it all the way back, let it go, so it will snap closed.
It will hang if you try to ride it closed.

You will get used to it, but the P3AT is probably the hardest auto to rack that I've owned.
 
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