KelTec question

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

BoneDigger

Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2006
Messages
272
Location
Tyler, TX
I need some avice folks... I am looking at buying a P32 or a P3AT. I haven't shot either one, but I gather that the following is true:

1) The .380 has slightly better ballistics, but not significantly better than the .32.
2) The .380 is a handful to shoot, given the lightweight nature of the gun.
3) The .32 suffers sometimes from rimlock.

I have a line on a P32 with a chrome slide for $260 plus tax. Or, I can get the P3AT with a standard slide for $275 plus tax. This will be a summer carry gun, or a BUG, not a range gun.

Questions:
1) Is the chrome slide better than a typical slide, or is it basically a non-issue?
2) How bad is the recoil on the P3AT?
3) Is the rimlock issue a real problem, or just an occassional issue that can be overcome?

I appreciate any help, as I am hung-up on this one. I realize the .380 has a larger bullet selection, but I'm not sure that it's worth dealing with the heavier recoil over just "slightly" better ballistics. I don't reload, so it's factory ammo only for whatever I buy.

Todd
 
The recoil isnt that bad with the p3at, i usually shoot between 50 and a 100 rounds everytime i shoot and dont feel any pain.
 
380 vs 32

I personally carry the p3 .380. Expect 2-3 more inches in penetration and a couple of more LBS of impact.

Pros and cons
conns
.32 more expensive ammo, less penetration, risk of rimlock(can be fixed).
pro
holds 1 more round of ammo, slides lock after empty,little less recoil

.380
conns
1 less round in the original configuration 1 more round extension can be added to the mag, slide is non locking,little more recoil.

pro
more penetration, ammo availability and price, no rim lock due to round design


The chrome vs blued holds an advantage of wearing and corrosion resistance. If you plan to carry a lot out of a holster get the chrome if not a blued will hold fine but be warned kel tecs bluing is not very thick. I have a blued version for over 2 years now and bluing at the critical points where the pocket rubs the gun is starting to show but not a significant problem.

I would stick to the one you can shoot accurately enough. Both guns will be good choices and the rim lock issue can be fixed very cheap. But I always tend to go for the gun that will make the bigger hole:D

Oh forgot to mention stick to the second generations guns. They tend to run flawless with less problems than the firs generation.

You can find a lot of good info here:http://www.ktrange.com/phpbb2/index.php or here http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/index.htm
 
I've owned both but now only have the P3-AT. Can't say that the recoil on the .380 is any worse than the .32. On break in, I shot 150 rounds in one session without any excessive fatigue. As for the Chrome slide, It won't matter on performance but will retard rust if you sweat a lot. However, there are plenty of aftermarket options for the slide if you find you need to coat it. I would just get what is either available or cheaper.

BTW - Never experienced rimlock with the .32.
 
Get the .380. When firing a mousegun, get the most potent thing you can chamber. Add to your "slights list": "Slightly bigger entry hole" I have had one for 2 years now as a BUG. After the "Fluff and Buff" as recommended by www.ktog.org, my pistol has been 100% reliable.
Personally, I wouldn't touch a .32ACP and I certainly wouldn't carry the P3AT except as a BUG, or somewhere where I had access to something more potent.
 
Don't do a fluff and buff before testing the darn thing (P3AT). Mine's been fine and I didn't do anything to it. I use hydrashocks and winchester whitebox.
 
Hey Dan, the Gun Man, what's Blue Wonder Armadillo? I'm not totally impressed by the blued finish on my P3AT. What does Blue Wonder do to the finish? Thanks.
 
I have A 1st gen. P32. I've been very impressed with the accuracy of this little gun. The only issue I had with rim lock is when I used shorter hollow points. I never had a problem with FMJ. Rim lock kits are available from Kel tec if you prefer HPs. Personally, I load a cor bon HP in the chamber and keep the mags loaded with FMJ to avoid rim lock. Preferably, one of the hotter european loads such as Fiocci or S&B. I also have a ten round. mag. which adds more size to the gun, but doesn't make it too big for the pocket. I don't think there is a wrong choice between the P32 and P3AT. As far as ballistics are concerned, shot placement will be the more critical factor when using small caliber ammo. I've heard others say they can get faster ,more accurate follow up shots with the .32, but since I've never tried the P3AT, I can't comment on the validity of this. BTW, I'm not sure if the 10rd. mags are available for the P3AT yet.
 
I own a P3AT. The recoil is slightly 'sharp' due to the low weight of the gun, but the overall strength of the recoil is low (its a 380 :p).

NOT something that is anywhere near a 'handful'. All-in-all, I love the little thing. :D
 
Greeting's sig 228 My Friend-

As too the Blue Wonder Armadillo, its kind'a a polymer based wax that
protects blued metal surfaces from rust and corrison. In other words,
"its like putting a raincoat on your firearm". Just apply with a soft cloth,
dipped in warm water and rubbed across the wax; as needed, or at
least every three months. This stuff is kind'a like the engerizer bunny,
as it last, and last, and last~! Available at most sporting goods stores
or gun shops. Good Luck~! ;) :D
 
Given the choice between the P-3AT and the P-32, I'll go with the .380 everytime. I have a couple of both, and always carry one of the .380s. Both are reliable.
str1
 
Don't do a fluff and buff before testing the darn thing (P3AT). Mine's been fine and I didn't do anything to it. I use hydrashocks and winchester whitebox.
Click to expand...

VA Rifleman makes a good point. Mine required some superficial Fluffing and Buffing out of the box. Zespectre's required even more when he bought it used. I have seen many that don't require a thing.

While I like Kel-Tec's design, I really wish they'd spend 5-10 more dollars per gun on Fit and Finish. I have seen so many examples where this would make the pistol something shootable right out of the box vice the TLC that many examples require. For the record, after the light F&B, my pistol has been 100%reliable.
 
Let me qualify my response by saying I've shot neither. I did shoot a kel-tec 9mm once, though, and recoil was managable.

I just ordered a kel-tec p32 yesterday.
Reasons being:
1. A hair lighter and half a hair smaller means to me that I'm a hair more likely to have it with me when I need it. If size were not an issue, I would carry a sub-compact 9mm (kel-tec or otherwise) or even a J-frame .38. If I'm in a situation where I need to pull a .32 OR a .380, it's already a below average day for me and I see little difference between the two from that standpoint.
2. I do like the slide open after my last round.

I plan to carry the hotter European stuff in FMC (better penetration and low chance of rimlock)--either Fiocchi or Sellier& Bellot. Does anybody have a cheap source for either of these in .32 acp?
 
I carry the P3AT because it just drops into my tight jean pockets. Firing it makes my S&W 642 seem darn near tame...and I seek wearing my dockers more often and carrying the 642. My P3AT is also my "church" gun...something that goes with my tux, walks, picnics, etc. If I go into an "unsafe" area or a crime prone setting, e.g., shopping mall, downtown Tacoma/Seattle, fairgounds, etc., I pack a .45 ACP auto...or the 642 as a minimum.
 
I am a new keltec owner. I got the .380 new and took it to the range this weekend. I shot WWB FMJ and the WWB silvertip JHP. Both fed fine. Only issues were
1. one light strike during rapid fire that was probably my fault since I probably did not rest the trigger or something.
2. two times it did not feed the first shell into the chamber after I dropped the slide when there were 6 in the magazine. It did not do it if I was a bit more agressive when I released the slide.

Other than that, not issues at all. I cleaned and lubbed it good, but no fluff and buff. After shooting it was filthy.

Regarding shooting, this is not a fun gun to shoot and it is not very accurate, or at least it is not easy to shoot accurately for me. The recoil is not heavy, i.e. it does not move your arm up or push you back, but it abused my hand and wrist with snap. I shot about 50 rounds total.

I also dislike the trigger. I have to pull the trigger back almost all the way before it fires. Is the Normal for the pistol? I suppose it is safe from NDC since it would take a very purposeful push to fire with this trigger.

Am I glad I got it? Yes, it does exactly what it is suppose to do. It shoots and is small small small and does not cost a mint. I can carry it in my pocket or pack pretty easily. I will run 50 to 100 more rounds through it and keep practicing with it, but I would rather be shooting something else. I did not expect a 7 ounce .380 that cost $250 to be anything different. It is for protection and in a pinch, I will be happy for the snappy pistol, but it won't get much range use. Maybe 18 rounds a trip is all.

On the same day I also shot my 1911 and ohh what a pleasure.
 
I plan to carry the hotter European stuff in FMC (better penetration and low chance of rimlock)--either Fiocchi or Sellier& Bellot. Does anybody have a cheap source for either of these in .32 acp?
Click to expand...
to the OP get wichever you want and shoot it alot practice,practice,practice.
www.sportsmansguide.com is where I get my fiocchi and S&B the fiocchi is hotter S&B is like domestic stuff but its cheep like $8 a box Fiocchi is $11 somthing BTW the fiocchi 60 SJHP chronoed 1000fps out of my seecamp.
Expect 2-3 more inches in penetration and a couple of more LBS of impact
Click to expand...
where did this data come from most sources I've seen the 32 will penatrate more
This is from WWW.brassfetcher.com thanks JE223
Shot 10 - Fiocchi 60gr SJHP, factory, 854 ± 0.500 ft/sec. Perforated entire 16.0 ± 0.031" block and recovered at 0.304" diameter
Cartridge : Federal 90 grain Hydra-Shok Personal Defense (Load # PD380HS1H)

Firearm : Recoil-operated pistol with 2.75" barrel length.

Calibration : 8.1 ± 0.05cm and 582 ± 0.500 ft/sec impact velocity.

Shot 1 - Penetrated 12.5 ± 0.031"
 
the fiocchi is hotter S&B is like domestic stuff
Click to expand...

The ballistics at Sportsmans Guide lists Fiocchi USA FMJ 73gr. at 980 fps and 155 ft-lbs. (their 60 gr JHP lists higher, but I'm concerned about rimlock) while they list S&B FMJ 73gr. at 1,043 fps and 177 ft-lbs--significantly above the ballistics of any American load I've found listed. Am I missing something? Is the Fiocchi 60 gr. long enough to avoid rimlock?
 
I've never had a problem with rimlock, if your careful when loading mags. shoot I'll have to chrono some S&B didn't seem as hot SOTP
 
I just was in the same dilemma, and I ended up buying a P3AT because:

Significantly cheaper ammo (=more practice)
Slightly more powerful ammo (I can't think of a better power/size ratio available)
Recommendations on here (do a search for polls I did in the past on P32 & P3AT)

The P32's advantages are:
Can get 7 or 10 round magazines (P3AT has 7rd also with +1 mag extension)
Slightly lighter & slightly smaller
Less recoil
Slide locks back when empty (P3AT doesn't)

The rim lock issue is only with jacketed hollow point ammo, which to me seems silly to carry in a caliber this small out of a mouse gun. I personally opt for FMJ b/c penetration is the key issue for such a small gun with a smaller caliber, IMO. That said, ammo was almost twice as expensive near me for .32 ACP, which tipped me over the edge toward the P3AT.

Chrome slides will be more durable in terms of finish and holster wear. However, there are other options, like Ala Dan said. Plus, in an inexpensive deep cover mouse gun, I don't care that much about the finish, so I just got a blued version.

Either way you go, even if you get a lemon, Kel-Tec gives you a lifetime warranty and they're renowned for great customer service. That was the most comforting factor for me as I was wrenching with this same decision a few weeks ago. Either way, you'll get a good mouse gun with great customer service.

Good luck, and let us know which one you get & how you like it! :)
 
I have 2 .32 k/t's and both have been flawless from day one. I've known quite a few people who bought the .380 and had "issues". I think the .380 is pushing the envelope for their little pistol. Yea, the .380 does better with some h/p loads, but at a cost of decreased penetration. The .380 does not have a slide lock and if you don't count your rounds you are going to have a click. Do that enough and you will damage your firing pin. A good friend bought a 2nd generaltion .380 and it was nothing but jam, jam, jam. Sent it back to k/t and it's still jam, jam, jam. He traded in a perfectely good p32 for a piece of junk that doesn't even make a good paperweight. What good is customer service when they ship new guns that don't work??? I'd be willing to pay a little extra for a .380 that I knew was relaible, but their q/c really sucks. Yea I know I'm gonna catch hell from you guys that have the .380's that worked 100% out of the box and you may be the majority. I can't say for sure, just input from my buddies, too many issues with the .380.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

I
  • Locked
TCP vs. P32 Recoil
Replies
4
Views
1K
wrench
W
The_Shootist
  • Locked
Recoil: P32 vs P3AT
Replies
7
Views
2K
flatrock
F
D
  • Locked
Why I chose to keep my P-32 instead of getting a P-3AT
2
Replies
29
Views
2K
Newton
N
Badger Arms
  • Locked
In Praise of the KelTec P32
Replies
15
Views
1K
Wilson 17&26
W
Tallball
  • Locked
32acp or 380acp?
2 3 4 5
Replies
110
Views
8K
Mark 40
Mark 40
Back
Top