LCP vs Kel-Tec 3AT

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ejfalvo

ejfalvo

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I have decided to buy a 380ACP - I have 9mms, 40s, 45s (as well as 38/357Ms and 44Ms) and wanted something I can slip into a pair of shorts. All the hype surrounding this caliber has gotten my interest.

I would appreciate any input/advice from those members who actually have either firearm or who have experience shooting either one.

Specifically: reliability, fit/finish, accuracy, etc.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
 
I have both; I prefer the LCP. It has a slide release (not designed to hold open after the last shot) and I like the stiffer mag release.
 
I have a KT and my nephew has the LCP. I like both for different reason.
The Ruger is better looking, it has a better fit and finish and I do like the slide lock simply because I like being able to lock the slide back when I want to.
I like the KT grip/frame better because of the heavy checkering on the grip. I find if my hand is the least bit sweaty and I shoot the ruger it wants to ride in my hand more, with the KT it stays put because of the better checkering.

As far as function its a toss up between the two.

If Ruger made theirs with a better grip I would go with it or if KT made theirs with the slide lock that would be ideal. Its whatever floats your boat. (and whichever you can find, around here they both are still scarce)
 
I've run close to 500 rds. through my kel tec so far and have no problems. It is not the most pleasant to shoot but a comfort to have in the pocket.
I don't see the ruger as being worth the extra $75-$100 difference I see at retail and have not shot one so I can not comment beyond that.
 
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If you search you can probably find all kinds of old threads on this, its getting to be like the inevitable 9mm vs .45 ACP debates.

I prefer, and carry, the P3AT with the crimson trace laser grip.

The LCP is a pricey forgery of the P3AT with a non-functioning slide lock added for whatever reason(perhaps an attempt to differentiate their product from the one they copied? You be the judge). The LCP slide is also cast whereas the P3AT has a forged slide, is there any difference? I don't know but I seem to prefer forged. Finally you can buy the P3AT with a blued, parkerized or chromed slide. This was a selling point for me as I don't think a blued finish is very appropriate for a pocket pistol that will be subjected to sweat or rain or what not.
 
I have the Kel Tec as that is what my dealer had in stock first. I LOVE it! It has replaced my S&W 3913 for a carry gun. I carry it 95%+ of the time. It can easily be forgotten that you are even carrying :)
 
I recently picked up a NIB LCP. I was open to buying either it or the kel tec when I went in the shop. The price difference was $10, $230 and $240 with the LCP being the more expensive of the two. This dealer sells for a set amount above his cost. This indicates to me the gouging has been heavy on the little rugger. I would not pay over $100 more for the ruger but for $10 it seemed like a no brainer to me. The pistols are very similar of course but the LCP has much better fit and finish based on the exemplars I have seen of each. That and the slide lock were worth ten bucks to me. Also I figured if I wasn't wild about the LCP resell would be easier. Lastly I have a bit more confidence in the ruger. I'll add that I own and have owned other Kel tec products. I may be wrong and it is not based on the most solid evidence but those I know who have LCPs have had them run fine out of the box. The KT's seem to run but a fluff and buff is almost universally suggested and has been required for many to run right. I dont want to start a fire storm and freely admit that this is simply my perception that I cannot back up with solid numbers. It was my money and my gun though so I guess my perceptions get to count for something.

If the price difference was larger I likely would have picked up the P3AT and got out my dremmel.
 
At a local shop here, they're taking orders. When I was there a couple months ago, the wait list for an LCP at $330 was 66 people. Kel Tecs are not available, either. Now, I have been carrying a KT P11 for 13 years and love it, just put another hundred rounds through it, today. I just want the Ruger cause that'll give me 8 Rugers again since I sold my SP101. How's that for a reason? :D I also don't like the way the KT's ejector falls out when you pull the slide off. It could get lost knowing me. :rolleyes: I don't think there's a dimes difference in the two guns. I have a friend who owns one of each. I haven't gotten to shoot 'em yet, though, but I've handled and disassembled 'em both. Now, if I come across a KT at $220, hell, no brainer!
 
I got my P3AT about 4 years ago. It's in my pocket every day as a BUG or primary depending on what I'm wearing. It did make one trip back to Kel Tec because of an FTE problem when it was new. It has been 100% since.
About 1 1/2 years ago I got another one. I like to have more than 1 gun for every caliber I shoot just in case one gun poots out. The P3at was the only option for a nice little pocket gun at that time so I just got the second one for backup. It's the Parkerized one and it's been 100%.
The LCP might be nice--never shot one--actually never even picked one up.
I just don't need another gun that shoots 380 and my P3AT's do exactly what I got them for.
This reminds me--I need to do the monthly pocket lint cleaning--I know what I'm doing tonight:)
 
MC
A P3AT for a range gun?OUCH:D
I just shoot a couple mags thru mine every few months just for function check.
Other than that it just sits in my pocket collecting lint and and peanut dust (Yea--I feed the squirrels). I brush the lint out from behind the hammer every couple days and try to do a field strip and clean about once a month.

BTW--I've had my P11 about 5 years--not one failure. That's another good little gun:)
 
Back when mine was new had I had that FTE problem KT just sent me a couple extractors--no charge.
KT has great CS
 
I own 3 Kel-Tec pocket pistols the P11, P3AT and the PF9 (I also have a sub 2000 and a PLR-16).

I really like my Kel-Tec guns, the only complaint I have is the finish always seems to wear off around the end and top of my slide. I have never had any trouble with my guns, but I also don’t put 500 rounds a month through them.

It seems to me the Kel-Tec and the Ruger are almost identical twins as far as the feel and overall specs, just a few differences.

Good Luck finding the .380 ammo!
 
I like my LCP... been through the recal Ruger took good care of things. The only Ruger I own but very happy with it so far.
 
Bought the LCP. Paid $350 but dealer thru in a box (50ct) of Magtech FMC as well as a box of Magtech "Guardian Gold", 85g +P, so I think I got a deal.

Question: Ruger says "NO +P" ammo. IYHO, if I practice with regular ammo and load +P for defence, are there any issues? Ill assume no unless I need to use the LCP for defence. Then I dont care about the warning.
 
There is no real +P ammo for .380 because the standard does not exist....

Anyways, I believe the LCP has a few more features, most notably the slide lock, which allows you to chamber a round with more ease.

The P3AT manual states that you should never load a round into the chamber. You basically have to end up loading a round from a mag, and then replacing the round that you loaded into the chamber to get to 7. I think that is a pain in the ****.

So for the most part the pistols are much the same. Also the LCP has a loaded chamber view which the P3AT does not have.

I decided on the LCP, mine was post-recall, and I have not had any trouble with it. That being said I also think for the price (now about $100) difference you are probably not getting much more in the LCP.

I'm actually thinking of buying a P3AT because my girlfriend now carries my LCP. Nothing beats the size of both those pistols when it comes to portability.
 
Ha! Beating a dead camel!

Anyway, p3at all the way. It's the original. It's got plenty of accessories. It's got a nicer grip. It's got a lifetime guarentee.

HOWEVER, you may want to look at the pf9 first. It's the 9mm. If you decide to go with a p3at after then fine, but you need to see the size difference first. I got both, and the p3at is my church gun. The pf9 is fine for my pocket also, so it's carried more, but is heavier and bigger.
 
The tiny sights on my LCP are invisible, and useless, from dusk on, statistically the time you are most likely to need it. I haven't shot the P3AT, but the sights look the same. Okay for point and shoot, but I'd like the ability to aim, if the need arises.

I installed a CT laser to help remedy this, but I find it difficult to activate the laser in a fast draw and shoot mode, again this is typically how this gun would be used. Not good.

$330 for the LCP + $170 for the CT and you're quickly approaching the price of a Kahr P-380 (factory installed night sights are coming this fall), with a much better trigger, and real sights. I much prefer to carry my PM9 than my LCP. Even w/out the laser, I'm faster on target and more accurate with it and it delivers almost twice the energy.
 
Range time today - went well. Shot ~50 rounds - good out to 7 yards, dinner size plate. Perfect for my needs as a "pocket pistol on the train and to the office while in my suit".

(I know, I should carry a larger caliber - I have 9mms, 40SWs, 45ACPs, 38/357Ms, 44Ms) but I needed something that would disappear in a pocket or portfolio (My Kel-Tec P11 was too big) so the LCP seems to be right. On "non-suit days" I carry the XD 40 sub-compact.

Thanks for all the input - I appreciate it.
 
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The tiny sights on my LCP are invisible, and useless, from dusk on, statistically the time you are most likely to need it. I haven't shot the P3AT, but the sights look the same. Okay for point and shoot, but I'd like the ability to aim, if the need arises.
Click to expand...

I will have to say that I really do not even use the sights on the LCP, and I don't have the crimson trace laser grips either. For me it is not that the sights are invisable, I can see them just fine; however, I get better accuracy if I just look down the barrel and shoot. I don't like the sights at all so I will have to agree with most of your statement.

The only thing I will venture from is the last sentence in your quote. I don't think that you should be "aiming" the LCP/ P3AT more than about 7 yards for many reasons. The first reason being that a small gun like that is a last ditch resort. If you are expending your 7 rounds of 380 in a "firefight", you are probably going to die. You use this gun to shoot someone who is CLOSE. You should not have to aim this thing, because if you are having to take precision shots you are more than likely not going to succeed especially in a hairy situation.
 
Today I took my LCP to the range and fired 150 rounds. It worked flawlessly. It did get pretty hot though. I've lined up enough brass and bullets to shoot 500 rounds through my LCP. I want to be more comfortable with its capabilities. It is a very capable weapon and its surprisingly accurate. I have learned so far the extended magazine gives you much more control. I tended to pull my shots slightly left without it when shooting quickly. Still I could pretty easily keep all my shots on a target the size of a pie plate when shooting quickly and slowfire resulted in nice, tight groups.

The only thing I will venture from is the last sentence in your quote. I don't think that you should be "aiming" the LCP/ P3AT more than about 7 yards for many reasons. The first reason being that a small gun like that is a last ditch resort. If you are expending your 7 rounds of 380 in a "firefight", you are probably going to die. You use this gun to shoot someone who is CLOSE. You should not have to aim this thing, because if you are having to take precision shots you are more than likely not going to succeed especially in a hairy situation.
Click to expand...

This whole paragraph doesn't make any sense to me. The LCP is a weapon just like any other, how would the 7 rounds is holds be any different than the 7 rounds in the magazine of a 45? If you shoot your 7 rounds of 45 are you dead too? Is a 45 a "next to last ditch resort" weapon?
its just a smaller weapon, train like you would with any weapon. Only hits count.
 
I'd get the ruger because the mag catch is steel and it has a better extractor. I'm not in the market for either at the moment as their seems to be a "shortage" of .380 ammo amongst others.
 
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