Limp wristing (I think) Kel-Tek P40

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Shadow 7D

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So I found the P40 and got it at a good price.
And yesterday my stars aligned and my wife said that I could go to the range..

After shooting a number of pistols the last one I planned to shoot was the P40 because I know it's rep of being a bruiser, My wife said I was flinching, she could see it from the car. She also said that the pistol "flew over (my) head" every time I shot it. I was using modified weaver / isosceles stance, left foot forward, push/pull thumbs down hold. I was shooting 180gr Aguila FMJ, the brass was landing on the range cover, it was about 6 or 8' back, and yes I was in front of the firing line, and yes you can do that at the range as long as nobody else in on the same range, or very few people are on the range and everybody is firing from about the same distance forward.

So I know that I have issues with this gun, and I would like to learn to shoot it well, as long I don't blow my wrist out. My main issue was that had 3 failure to feed out 2 magazines. I was surprised at how accurate it was in slow fire, but every time it tried to do a quick three it would FTF the second or third round.

After those problems, I was little disheartened at how poorly I had shot the P40, I did two mags through my MKIII, and even though my hand was shaking like a leaf, both bullseys and modified weaver, I still managed to put both mags inside of the 8 ring at 10 yds.

I need help, is there any practice or exercise to help with the control / limpwristing?
 
Do you know how to punch someone in the face without breaking the bones in your wrest?

The same muscles you use to lock your wrest when throwing a punch are used to lock your wrest when controling a hard kicking handgun.

You must absorb the recoil through your forearm while keeping the wrest locked.

But you are not along.
Kel-Tec had a lot of problems with P-40 service returns that turned out to be shooter limp wresting.

They finally just gave up and stopped making them.

rc
 
RC, most of the people who I've trained with advise not to punch the face because you will injure yourself, rather aim for the chin or side of the head for a KO.

I was wondering if there is a better grip or gripping technique, I think that maybe if I somewhat cock my wrist and flex my forearm I may get better control. That would be pushing with the top part of my firing hand, instead of holding my wrist in natural alignment.
 
7D,

The best form is to have as little gun movement as possible. Bending your arm is not the way to do it.

Hold it rock solid. Some say, hold it like someone is trying to steal it.


Dave
 
If you own a kel-tec firearm, you really, really need to know about, and use,KTOG and the KTOG forums. Here is a link to the home page, and this link is to the forum 'home page.' Note that they have a subforum dedicated strictly to the P40....

I found the help there to be invaluable as I 'sorted out' feed problems on my P3AT. Between those forum tips and spare parts from Kel-Tec (free), I have a reliable (but minimal) pocket gun I can carry with some confidence.

FWIW, I suspect your P40 needs a variation on the "fluff and buff" routines you can read about on the site, and that the P40 can suffer the same problem as other of the Kel-Tec designs for cartridge feeding. I had to sort this out on my P3AT. For now be sure you carefully remove and seat magazines slowly and carefully--do not slam them home. Doing so damages the magazine catch, and you need to get a spare for replacement.

For shooting technique, use google to find a video--possibly on YouTube--that demonstrates semiauto gripping techniques. Here is a link to a whole series of "semi-auto" instruction videos. Look further--maybe at Shooting Times--and you may find links to videos by Jerry Miculek (the foremost revolver shooter, but also a great instructor for semi-auto handguns as well).

Pistols like these Kel-Tec ultralights simply cannot be 'limp-wristed,' and they do require special attention. If you are willing to learn the tricks to keep a Kel-Tec running, then the pistols are a good value. Most people may well be better served by, for example, a Bersa.

added on edit: For off-range hand conditioning, get one of the finger-exercisers. It does sound like you also need to build up your hand muscles--and possibly calluses.

Jim H.
 
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Do you have the actual 40 caliber mags for the P40? Originally when KT sold the conversion kit to 40 for the P11, they used the 9mm mags.
Don't know if they sold the whole gun that way.
Much later they came out with different mags just for the 40, they are on their website. I bought 2 of these mags years after I got the conversion kit.
I haven't fired my P11/P40 in quite some time as it is no fun at all in 40, but I don't recall any feed problems with the newer 40 caliber specific mags.
 
Yeah, as best as I can tell I have P40 mags, I thought I was keeping my arm and wrist straight, I will have to watch the vids, thanks, I was thinking of video taping myself the next time I shoot, and not, that gun is not what I would call pleasant.
 
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