How does everyone here feel about their Kel-Tec pistols?

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Not thrilled

I sent my 2nd P3AT back to Kel-Tec 3 weeks ago. It failed right out of the box. So far I've heard nothing about its state of repair. $30 + to ship it back was painful. My opinion, at this stage of the game, I have no confidence in a Kel-Tec gun. However, I keep buying them, in the hope I'll get one of the "I've put 400,000 rounds through mine with no failures or wear of any kind" Kel-Tecs that I seem to hear so much about on the discussion boards. I guess they don't sell those in Ohio :)
 
If I go to a forum dedicated to a certain pistol and 50% of the threads are dealing with problems....I don't need one of those pistols regardless of how attractively priced they are. The fact that the other 50% is a lovefest isn't enough for me.
 
My first 3AT self destructed so I sent it back and Kel Tech sent me a new one with my old S/N stamped on it. Today at the range the double action mechanism failed with under 100 rounds through the new pistol. I am quite mad and no longer have any faith in the 3AT. On my way back from the range I went out and bought a new baby Glock 27 in 40 caliber.
 
Small Autoloader Suggestions Please!

I started a thread here a while back to see what reccomendations people have for small autoloader pistols. I think the consensus so far has been overwhelmingly for Kel-Tek's. See my thread here:

Small Autoloader Suggestions Please!
 
FunYet, shipping a pistol from Texas to Florida via UPS 3-select including insurance is under $13 and upon request Kel-Tec will normally reimburse up to $20 for warranty repairs. Contact Kel-Tec 800-516-9983 and request your reimbursement.

I have many First Generation P-3ATs including a few used ones I have picked up dirt-cheap. Within 2 hours I have had them all 100%. However, I did buy a SG P-3AT that is currently vacationing in Florida. I’m sure Kel-Tec will send it back in great shape.

Kel-Tec pistol are priced economically enough I not only don’t mind but enjoy playing gunsmith. I would never dream of tearing into a $500 pistol but when I can get one for less than half that, I can afford to play. I now buy and dress-up Kel-Tec mouseguns (under $200) as birthday and Christmas presents for family.

Sorry the P-3AT didn’t work out for you but be we tinkers appreciate all your past purchases :)

hcb-p-3atwmag.jpg
 
Lbmii, Kel-Tec P-32s and P-3ATs are not double action pistols like the P-11. They have no second strike capability. The slide partially c0cks the pistol and a full trigger pull is required to have sufficient energy to ignite the primer (there is a way around this if you like). A partial trigger pull will result in only a tiny indention on the primer and the slide will have to be pulled back ¼†or so to partially rec0ck the pistol before it can fire.
 
Wilson,

I believe the 3AT is referred to as a DAO type pistol with no second strike ability. I guess it should be called a partially cocked or 1 1/2 action rather than single or double action. My Mossberg 590A1 DA is a similar 1 1/2 action but is referred to as a double action.

Yesterday my 3AT developed a problem where it will go to its' partial cocked position when the slide is racked but the trigger does not move the hammer all the way back to the full cocked position. Instead the trigger moves back with little resistance till it gets at the end of its arc where the hammer then falls from the partial cocked position.

Let me really stress to everyone; the Kel Tec 3AT should not be relied on for self-defense. There are simply too many fundamental problems with the design.

I have had two catastrophic failures on two seperate pistols of the trigger mechanisms that have rendered the pistols useless. The first trigger failure occurred within 500 rounds and the second occurred within 100 rounds. These trigger mechanism failures came without any warning.

I have had to modify the feed ramp to prevent extreme jams where the unfired round is partially chambered and bent crooked and the fired spent casing is stovepiped. This type of jam is very hard to quickly clear.

By definition the 3AT is for self-defense. For self-defense one needs reliability and the 3AT does not deliver.
 
IMHO, any mechanical device can fail at any time. There are just as many people who have had similar experiences with all other types of firearms from the whole gammut of manufacturers. Even the most expensive firearm from the most reputable dealer will fail. Following this logic, no firearm should be relied upon for self-defense.
 
Yes everything can break but somethings break more often. Reliability is measureable. Somethings need to be more reliable. A pistol for self-defense should be reliable.

I have decided to replace my 3AT with a 40 caliber Baby Glock 27. Now I have to figure out how to conceal it.
 
If the trigger pin has slipped, here is a good web page http://1bad69.com/keltec/triggerpin.htm or it could be the trigger spring is off the trigger bar, which is less likely. Regrettably when pistols are made this light and small, they will be more temperamental. That’s the reason none of the major manufactures will participate in the featherweight pistol market.

Call Kel-Tec 800-515-9983 and they will fix it.
 
love mine, i have the .32 caliber ( p-32 ) have had no problems with this weapon and have shot many rounds and never have had one problem, i love my .32 so much i put it in a sandwhich baggy and was baptised with it. hay! i'm a gun nut :D
 
OK I sent my 3AT back to Kel Tec. I will give it one more chance, if it flunks again one of you just might get a free 3AT.

Wilson, It does look like the trigger pin has slipped or broke. I cannot move it, it seems to be some sort of glue all around it.
 
It’s Loctite or a variation of it. IIRC, it requires a temperature of 220 degrees to release. When I’m installing silver triggers, it’s quicker to cut the old polymer trigger off with a dremel cutting-wheel and pull the exposed steel pin with pliers.

Be sure to include in your request for warranty work reimbursement of shipping cost or an extra magazine in lieu of a check.
 
Never a Problem with my P-32

...which is why I haven't gone to the P3AT - not when I can slip my Bersa Thunder into my shorts pockets (P-32/Bersa my summer carry guns). :D

1300 rds thru my P-32 - Cor-Bon/Federal/Remington/Winchester/ball/JHP's - NO problems!

The P3AT on the other hand just seem like too much of a problem! 50% of the posts I read about say it sux or has some sort of a problem with it. I just can't bring myself to buy a gun of dubious reliability that hurts to proactice with, despite its concealability advantages.

So I keep practicing with my P-32.
 
P3-at

Mine's great out of the box.

It is 100% reliable when using good defensive ammunition. Just don't use cheap target loads.

I suppose it might be 100% with ALL ammunition if I give it a "fluff 'n buff" treatment.

g
 
Grrrr!!!!!! Disappointed

After FOUR weeks my P3AT came back to me. I now have problems with light-strikes (with all brands of ammo). The problem that I sent it in for is still a problem (failure to feed/failure to eject). So I guess the light-strikes are my free, bonus problem. I see no evidence that the problem was even addressed. The work order simply says the feed ramp was polished, no more info. I've said it before and will say it again (and probably mean it this time :) ) No more Kel-Tecs for me. I now am stuck with a POS I can't even sell or use in trade (in good conscience). I suppose I could send it back and ask them to actually fix it but I'm not willing to pay any more shipping charges. Quite bummed.
 
FunYet, you can in good conscience sell it. Just sell it to someone who knows how to fix it. I’ve recently purchased two P-3ATs for pennies on the dollar. One had an excess of red Loctite that gummed up the trigger axis and the other had a feed ramp that looked like stair steps. Neither took two hours to fix and now they are 100%.

Light strikes on all ammo are usually the result of a bur or debris in the firing pin channel. There have been a few cases of the firing pin spring being too strong. If it’s the former, cleaning the channel with a tiny drill-bit should do it. If it’s the latter, clip a few coils from the firing pin spring, which will let it hit with more force (don’t worry about AD as the P-3AT has a hammer block).

Oh, Kel-Tec will normally reimburse up to $20 shipping for warranty work on new pistols. I can ship from Texas to Florida 3-day-select via UPS with $300 insurance for under $13.
 
FunYet, I'll give you $100 + shipping for that crappy KT, to use as a teaching implement.
 
Kel_tec Love

I have a P-11 I took in on trade at the last gun show. At one time I owned a P-11 in 9mm, a .40 S&W and a P32. I sold them to a buddy about two years ago as a package for he and his wife.

After shooting the one I jujst traded into I remembered why I had bought one in the first place...it is a reliable easily concealable handgun with good capacity. I don't think I'll ever be without one, just for the sheer convenience of being able to drop it in my pocket for a run to the store if I can't strap on the old Glock.

All in all Kel-Tec seems to try to make a good product.

I'm very interested in one of the SU-16 rifles. What a great car gun that would make....

Spoon
 
How does everyone feel about their second gen P3AT's? I found one for a great price and my first gen (hard chromed) runs pretty well. Anyone experienced or had a problem with the "ding thing" under the slide? Apparently, there's either a bulge or hole as the 2nd gens come from KT. Doesn't sound too good in my book and other people on the "KT" forums have had problems, but "glossed" them over with their ever glowing love for their pistols. Fine, their right, but I guess that's to be expected from such a biased medium... :rolleyes: So, from some unbiased "real world" owners... Any thing good/bad on the newest version of the P3AT?
Thanks,
-ScottD
 
I carried a P-11 for a couple of years. It was durable and accurate, but when I'd shoot it in an IDPA match (which I'd don once in a while), I always did horribly on the first string -- as I got reacquainted with the trigger. I didn't have that problem with other guns. After that, I shot about the same as usual, and didn't do anything to shame myself.

I got to thinking that the first IDPA string would probably be a lot like a real-world situation, with no chance to warm up. I traded it for a very nice .22 rifle set up for NRA Indoor 50'. (Beautiful gun that will put all five shots into a smaller-than-1/2" hole at 50' with ME shooting from a rest. Makes me wonder what someone who was really good could do with it.)

I have a P3AT and its shot accurately and reliably. A shooting friend bought one and raised hell about how inaccurate it was. I was shooting small groups with mine, and he tried it, and it suddently became inaccurate, too. (Some folks shoot some guns well, and not others.)

For carry, I've moved to a Kahr P9 -- I prefer it to any of the small, concealable 9s. (I tried a PM9 and didn't care for it at all...)
 
Really uneven in my case...

I owned an early P11 which was a lemon. Sent back twice for a litany of ills and never did perform adequately.

Owned a P32 and put 1,000 rounds through it before I sold it. It was as accurate and reliable as night and day.

I just sold my P-3AT because I simply could not shoot it accurately and I never really-really trusted it.

I think I'm just about through with Kel-Tec products for the time-being.
 
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