P32 or P3AT - which is more reliable?

[jon_in_wv]

One thing Kel-Tec bashers always conveniently overlook is the fact that KT sells a LOT of guns. They sell many more than many of the other manufacturers so OF COURSE there is more written about them on the gun boards. I did a quick search of the internet and I came up with these numbers. In 2005 Kel-Tec produced 39,784 P3ATs and P32s. This is more guns than the total production of Colt Mfg, Springfield, and all the .45 custom shop COMBINED!
To put it in perspective, lets say Kel-Tec and Colt both had a defect rate of 1 gun in 100. And every time a customer got a defective gun he posted it on a gun board somewhere. This would 605 (KTs total pistol production for 2005 was 60,563) negative posts for the year compared to 160 for Colt. In reality not every person who experiences a problem is going to post, but of the ones who do they likely belong to more than one public forum and would probably post on all of them. A person searching the internet would think the Colts are vastly superior to the Kel-Tec even if the rate of defects was the same.
Also, with higher production, quality almost always suffers. Kimber America was the 7th largest pistol manufacturer in 2005. Many Kimber owners will tell you that quality has declined with the higher production numbers. The design of the Kel-Tecs is actually ingenious. If they were hand built at smaller production numbers (and the higher cost involved) they would be stellar weapons. This is why shops like Wilson, Les Baer, and NIghthawk Custom only squeeked out about 1600 hundred guns each in 2005.
Seecamp, a competitor of the Kel-Tec 32s/380s only produced 1,396 guns in 2005. North American Arms made 1,449. I wonder what would happen to quality at those plants if they were trying to keep up to Kel-Tec!

 

[makarovnik]

The P32 has been around longer has milder recoil, is almost as powerful and has a last round lock open. I'm not sure I trust that paper thin barrel on the P3AT either. They really are both good guns though I obviously prefer the P32.

 

[kokapelli]

I had two reliable P-32s and purchased a P-3AT when they came out.

I liked the P-3AT more than the P-32s and I ended up selling both P-32s and purchased a second P-3AT. When the 2nd generation P-3ATs came out, I purchased one of those two. I now own 3 P-3ATs.

These are very concealable, comfortable and reliable guns that Keltec has figured out how to make inexpensively.

One of my P-32 pistols did have to go back to KelTec, but the three P-3ATs have been totally reliable and for me are more accurate than the P-32 and do not have the possibility of rim lock.

380 ammo is more readily available and in more brands than 32 cal.

 

[Javelin]

I bought one of the first P3ATs and needed to send it back in for a "fluff and buff". Those guys at Kel-Tec are great though, had my firearm back to me in less than a week! It is flawless now.

 

[kubmiester]

I have both a P-32 and a P3-AT. Both have been completly reliable without one jam and I've put about 400 rounds through each. The .380 has slightly more kick, but nothing that causes a problem. I put finger extensions on both which helps a lot.

 

[sisco50]

My P3AT is 4 months old and has been perfect so far. I did smooth out the edges on the trigger with my Dremel tool after the first 50 rounds. I found it too rough on the old trigger finger. It is no problem now even if I choose to shoot 100 rounds at the range as I did last weekend. That is a lot of shooting for a pistol that small. It is meant for carry and not target practice. However, I did want to break it in get familiar with it while looking at reliability at the same time. My particular P3AT is reliable, accurate and very concealable. I have nothing bad to say about this mouse gun. I prefer it over the .32 cal for the slightly better ballistics and availability of ammo. I don't think you can go wrong with either as far as a CCW goes. When I purchased my first one I figured I had nothing to lose for the price I paid if it was not up to par with my expectations. It was a hard chrome slide version for $259 NIB. Hard to beat that when you compare other guns with much higher price tags. I would never trade my Glock but I only own one of them due to price. I can buy 2-1/2 K-Ts for the price of one Glock. For a lot of people price is a factor.

Oops! Sorry, I just realized I was rambling on and on. Bottom line is try it; you will probably like it.