[ranger]

Ran my first box of ammo through my new P3AT today.

I was surprised at the accuracy I achieved with this tiny gun and its loooooonnngg trigger. I'm pulling shots slightly low and left, but it's still a pretty decent little shooter.

As for performance problems - I had several FTF's, and I polished the feed ramp after coming home. I'll try again next week.

I managed to recover 3 bullets (laying on top of the snow beyond the target stand), and interestingly, all 3 had smiley faces. As I was clearing the FTF's, it was obvious that they were hard-core smileys that were preventing a complete feed into the chamber.

My finger is a little sore, so I'll probably do a little smoothing there as well.

Generally speaking, I am pleased. I'll stick to the G23 for carry for a while. My confidence will need to go up as the FTF's go down (to near zero).

This is a great site. I felt very well prepared and instructed on fluffing and buffing to resolve the issues I'm having.

Thanks all.

 

[zeke]

Welcome to Ktog ranger. Don't be shy if you have any questions.

 

[Packer]

  Welcome to KTOG, Ranger! Nice report.

  You may need to work on your wrist for shooting this little hand cannon:

It is nearly impossible to limp wrist this gun from a very firm, push-pull grip:  
 
1. Place strong hand on grip with finger alongside trigger guard.  
2. Cup weak hand as if you were going to drink water from it.  
3. Rotate weak hand 45 degrees toward your body.  
4. Place palm against front of strong hand fingers, with thumbs nearly parallel.  
5. Line up on target and push forward with strong hand while pulling back with weak hand.  
  This will lock your wrist and prevent limp wristing.  
 
 Single hand grip:  
 
1. Line up on target.  
2. strain hand forward as if you were trying to get the gun closer to the target.  
  This will lock your wrist and prevent limp wristing.  
 
  If you are using one of these grips, and you get malfunctions, it is NOT limp wristing, but the gun that is causing them.  

Packer.

4900

 

[ranger]

I had a solid two hand push-pull grip for all shots. I don't think I was limp wristing it at all.

The feed ramp was noticabley rough to the touch. It's smooth as glass now (no material removed, just polished).

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'll update after the next range trip. I tend to shoot on Mondays.

 

[TheTink76]

The feed ramp was noticabley rough to the touch.  It's smooth as glass now (no material removed, just polished).

What polishing agent did you used to polish the feed ramp. I picked up a Dremel the other day along with a polishing kit. I was a little leery of using the polishing agent that came with the dremel for fear of it taking off material, not just making it all pretty, shiny, and smooth! ;D I plan to perform the fluff & buff this weekend. Wish me luck!

Total Kel-tec Noob,

Walter

 

[adamsesq]

What polishing agent did you used to polish the feed ramp. I picked up a Dremel the other day along with a polishing kit. I was a little leery of using the polishing agent that came with the dremel for fear of it taking off material, not just making it all pretty, shiny, and smooth!  ;D I plan to perform the fluff & buff this weekend. Wish me luck!

Total Kel-tec Noob,

Walter

Having used the compound that came with the dremmel I would tell you not to worry about that. I used that compound and tried and tried and tried and still couldnt take anything off. It is too fine if you ask me...

-Scott

 

[ranger]

I used 600 grit sandpaper wrapped around the shank of a standard Bic pen and used a reciprocal motion in line with the feed direction. It didn't take much effort to produce a very smooth finish.

 

[zeke]

The sandpaper using the in and out method is the way to go to smooth out any ridges our rough spots.

The compound that comes with the dremel kit is usually jewelers rouge. If your using it with a felt bob your not going to remove any metal just polish it up.

Start with some sandpaper then move on to the rouge from the kit if you want to make it nice and shiny.

 

[Guest]

Recently bought a 3at after lurking around in here for a long time.

After doing a lot of prep on the gun, I ran 50 rounds of cheap hardball. I was VERY happy with the ability of this little gun to stay in a six inch square at about 15-20 feet. Only one fail to feed, but three FTF's. (This was with "Indepdence" brand 90 grn FMJ.

After more cleaning and buffing and with a higher quality Winchester 95 gr FMJ wadcutter..... I ran 50 more rounds. GASP!!!! 17 FTF's and one stove pipe.

Back to this board to lurk some more......not sure how I had missed the post about the fireing pin spring and suggested tweaks.

So last night........tweaked it some more......I will post what happens with the next 50 rounds.

Over all I am pleased with the gun. I am already looking for all the mods I want to do.

If I can work out the FTF's, the 3AT will replace my lil derringer.

 

[Packer]

Welcome to KTOG NAS!

Before you mod anything, Please make sure that you are allowing the trigger to go fully forward after each shot. You must actually let the back of your finger touch the trigger guard.

Some pistols, like Glocks will let you short stroke the trigger, but this is not one of them.

Packer.

 

[TxCajun]

GASP!!!! 17 FTF's and one stove pipe.

I that failure to FEED or FIRE?

 

[Guest]

Sorry for the confusion..........what i had problems with was failure to fires------light strikes....
I have sinced tweaked it similar to what Glenn Higa posted on the teckwerks forum on this site.

We will see how she shoots Sunday afternoon.

The mods I was thinking of are just cosmetics......colors, finish etc........I would not try to modify the gun.....just tweak and tune.

 

[TxCajun]

As was said already, make sure you are allowing the trigger to return fully forward (2 clicks), otherwise you are snapping off the hammer block and it will light strike every time.

 

[Guest]

Shot again yesterday, being very carefull to make sure I was letting the triggger go all the way foward after each shot.

Grrrrr.....so many light strikes i stopped counting. I had already polished the pin, used a dremel wheel to cut off one loop of the spring, and ensured that the set screw was not laying on the flat part of the fireing pin. Had cleaned and lubed the pin/spring area. There was no noticable drag or friction in the spring/pin assembly.

Last night I cut off two more loops of the spring, cleaned and lubed etc... After putting it all back together I held the gun straight up, dropped a pencil (eraser against the pin) through the barrel and dry fired several times and the firing pin was able to shoot the pencil out easily every time.

While waiting for the next chance to shoot, I will ask Kel-Tec to send me a few springs.

Any suggestions or comments are welcome.

 

[Packer]

NAS: What ammo are you using?

Packer.

 

[Guest]

Remington hollow point.....not sure specifically what one......(box is at home and I am at work)......I re-tried several light srike rounds and some fired the second time around......

Any reccomnedation on a specific brand for range shooting?

Only two places for me to buy within 30 miles....
Walmart and a very pricey sporting goods store. I am not ready to buy bulk .380 until this lil gun can prove itself to me.

 

[Packer]

Remington uses fairly soft primers. You should not have to cut any coils to make it fire. Now Sellior & Bellot is NOTORIOUS for hard primers.

Are the primer dents centered or off center?

Packer.

 

[Guest]

A bit off center.

 

[Packer]

  Off center light strikes come from the gun attempting to fire from out of battery. The slide is not quite closing all the way. This can be caused by weak recoil springs. Factory recoil springs should be much longer than the guide rod. Or it could be something dragging and slowing the slide towards the end of its travel.

  Field strip, remove the barrel and springs and put the slide back on the frame. Slide it slowly and look for roughness in the action. Check for burrs or rough spots in the slide rails, on the breech face, on the barrel hood. Is the hammer slide rough? Smooth any rough spot with 400/600 sand paper.

  This pistol, unlike a Glock, needs copious amounts of lubrication--Especially on the slide rails.

Packer.

 

[Packer]

  I'm going to assume that you bought this gun new and it is a Second Generation model with a bolt sticking out of the right rear slide.

 The other possible culprit here is a too-weak hammer spring. If you bought the gun new, then it may have come that way. Order a hammer assembly (#271/275/276) and some new recoil springs from KT service: 1-800-515-9983.

Packer.