P-3AT is jammamatic

[Bart Noir]

It will not fire a full magazine without at least 2 failures to extract (FTE). This is with both Blazer aluminum and PMC and Mag-something brass cartridges. The extractor only gets a little bite on the rim and often pulls loose. So this is totally unacceptable as a self-defense gun. The shells also seem to be a lot more scratched and roughened on the half that is farthest in the chamber, than I remember with other guns. So the barrel may not be very well polished in the chamber.

Since I had already planned to send in for the $20 chrome update, the problem will be fixed. They will replace the barrel and slide with new parts, and I will get to check reliability again.

Accuracy is good for that small of a gun. Trigger has sharp edges that will get sanded. The grip chafes when it twists in recoil and to fire boxes of ammo, I wore a thin leather glove.

Bart Noir
Don't trust your life to a gun you haven't tested! That goes for revolvers too.

 

[gbundersea]

Bart,

If the trip back to Cocoa doesn't take care of it, you might want to see this page. It shows how the extractor can be modified to feed everything reliably. Some even have gotten Wolf steel-cased ammo (shudder) to work flawlessly in the P-3AT.

My own P-3AT worked very well, as detailed on this KTOG thread. Before shooting it, I gave it the full Goldenloki Fluff & Buff. I intentionally let it get dirty, and put various brands of ammo through it. The Winchester WinClean produced a few FTE's, but only when the gun was very dirty.

Be sure to let KT know of the problems you're having, and chances are they'll have it resolved, in addition to doing your upgrade. If not, a small amount of time and energy should be all it takes to have a perfectly reliable pocket pistol.

 

[Safety First]

Bart, try speer 90 gr jhp, they have excellent track record with most of us who have the P3at..good luck

 

[Bart Noir]

Greg, I'll call them before I ship. But, since they are supposedly going to replace the parts as a normal step in the chrome slide update, I'm not sure they will do anything different. I think they should know about it, for their own quality control records. And since 20 buckaroos is a low price for the upgrade, never mind new barrel and slide parts, I will be satisfied if it all works after the upgrade.

Now, about that sight site. That is one nifty idea. Has KelTec tried to buy it yet? Anyway, I may well buy one from you after I get the chrome slide. Will that glue work on the chromed surface? And what is the sight made of? Knowing how tough some plastic can be I would buy one even it isn't metal but would like to know.

Bart Noir

 

[Arub]

It is claimed that after a certain serial number all 'fixes' are in. Would you mind providing the alpha character and fist two digits of the serial number on your particular model?

Thanks. This is a credibility check for Kel-Tec in general.

 

[gbundersea]

Bart,

Thanks for the compliments! Kel-Tec is well aware of the sight, and would certainly be welcome to make an offer. However, folks have long expressed a desire for something like this, and I think it's just such a small, niche item that KT doesn't want to be bothered. If they had, they would've done it long ago.

Though I was only able to get blued slides for testing, I don't foresee any problems mounting it on a chrome slide. I should be hearing feedback soon from the first customers who've already mounted it to their chrome slides. The sights are on there, but they're waiting the recommended 5 days before firing the pistols.

The sight is made of black Delrin. The advantages of plastic are low weight and the fact that if necessary, you can sand it should the sight cavity on a particular pistol be smaller. We've found there can be a few thousandths variation in the width of that cavity on different pistols.

Take a look at the P-Sight installation instructions for lots of details if you haven't already.

Arub - The serial# of my P-3AT is H09xx. The only thing I found that didn't seem to be "current" was the assembly pin. Mine started backing out during heavy shooting. I emailed KT, and 2 new pins arrived in my mailbox about a week later.

 

[alamo]

It will not fire a full magazine without at least 2 failures to extract (FTE). This is with both Blazer aluminum and PMC and Mag-something brass cartridges.

Don't use aluminum cased ammo in any Kel-Tec. Per Marty, head gunsmith at KT:


"Kel-tec advises not to use aluminum case ammo in any weapon we have designed, the cases are unsupported on the bottom and have been known to have ruptured in the Kel-Tecs."

 

[goalie]

I am glad my has been 100% right from the box, even if Matt Payne did outshoot me with my own mouse gun!!!!

 

[mini14jac]

Mine didn't start having the failures that you describe until after I sent it back to Cocoa.
If the extractor is taking a chunk out of the rim, it's doing it's job.
That indicates that the shells are gripped too tightly in the chamber.

You probably will need to polish the chamber with a pencil and some fine sandpaper.
If you're sending it to Florida, I'd wait and see what happens after that.

After I did the pencil-sandpaper trick, my exctraction problems cleared up.

 

[Wilson 17&26]

Reimburse up to $20

If you are in need of repair in addition to the $20 HC Exchange, Kel-Tec will reimburse you up to $20 for shipping (Texas to Florida 2nd day is only $14). Be sure to describe the problem in your letter and ask for the reimbursement. Some folks ask for an extra magazine instead of the money.