[Guest]

I went to the range yesterday, while there I decided to put a few rounds through my P3AT as I hav'nt fired it for a couple of months. I shot one magazine of 100 GR round nose with no problem. Halfway through the second magazine the trigger did'nt engage. I pulled the slide partially back and released and tried the same round, nothing happened again. I racked the slided which ejected the chambered round and chambered a new round. Still only a smooth trigger pull and no bang. I went home and dissassembled the frame leaving the hammer block and trigger pin in place. Nothing was missing or broken. I reassembled it, chambered a snap cap and pulled the trigger, everything seems ok now. I've reset the trigger on the snap cap numerous times and the pistol operates fine. When I can get back to the range I'll see if this happens again. Anyone else have this happen to them?

 

[doubloon]

You said nothing was missing or broken but did you check the firing pin for presence and functionality?

You should be able to take something like a bamboo skewer and push the firing pin forward from the back ... see it pop out in front. If it's broke or missing you've got a problem.

 

[CJP32]

This did happen to me when I was shooting Buffalo bore in my P3at. I did a little searching and ending up finding that my trigger pin had moved out of place. If you look at the bottom of the trigger you will see a metal pin. When it happened to me the trigger felt "slack" most of the time but would sometimes work properly. I had to replace the trigger and pin to fix the problem, I tried removing the frame to tap the pin back in place but it wouldn't go.

I'll search for my old thread and post a link if it's still here.

CJ

 

[TxCajun]

I went to the range yesterday, while there I decided to put a few rounds through my P3AT as I hav'nt fired it for a couple of months.  I shot one magazine of 100 GR round nose with no problem. Halfway through the second magazine the trigger did'nt engage.  I pulled the slide partially back and released and tried the same round, nothing happened again. I racked the slided which ejected the chambered round and chambered a new round.  Still only a smooth trigger pull and no bang.  I went home and dissassembled the frame leaving the hammer block and trigger pin in place.  Nothing was missing or broken.  I reassembled it, chambered a snap cap and pulled the trigger, everything seems ok now.  I've reset the trigger on the snap cap numerous times and the pistol operates fine.  When I can get back to the range I'll see if this happens again.  Anyone else have this happen to them?

Check this article:
http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/triggerpin.htm

On older guns, this sometimes happened.  I think KT redesigned the trigger pin a few years back and the problem all but disappeared but it could maybe still back out.  Then again, you didn't say how old the gun is. If the pin is just slightly backed out, the problem can be intermittent and therefore puzzling.

 

[CJP32]

Dang you beat me to it TX, I just found that link

CJ

 

[Guest]

The trigger pin appears to have backed out some. My previous experience with backed out P3AT trigger pins wasn't intermitant like this one. I tried driving the pin back on a 1st generation P3AT that this pistol replaced (under warrenty) but the pin wouldnt stay put. I think I sent it back to Kel-Tec and they gave me a new grip. Are there any fixes besides installing a new trigger or sending it back to Coco?

 

[Guest]

I put a small drop of blue loctite in mine [being sure NOT to let any seep elsewhere]. Not sure if this is the reason, but I've never had mine back out.

 

[Guest]

A new trigger and pin from Kel-Tec seems to have solved the problem. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[lop]

just an fyi, at the top of this section there is a "FAQs & VIPs (Very Important Posts)" posted. It has tons of info in it, including your issue. I used a little super glue on mine and i've had no problem since then.
http://www.ktog.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1229552538/0#0

Lop

 

[Guest]

I put some locktite on the base of the pin before driving it home, I'll see if that will retain the pin better.

 

[frankmako]

the loctite should fix the problem. if not call the mother ship and get a new pin.

 

[sviking]

You should be able to take something like a bamboo skewer and push the firing pin forward from the back ... see it pop out in front. If it's broke or missing you've got a problem.

Or, even better. Make SURE it's unloaded and grab a pencil. Rack the slide to reset the trigger, point the gun straight up and drop the pencil down the barrel, eraser end first. Pull trigger. My P3AT will launch the pencil up right out of the barrel and then some. I KNOW the firing pin definitely works!

 

[Guest]

See Reply #7, A new Trigger and pin did solve the problem. I put 30 rounds through it without a hiccup.

 

[Victor_N_TN]

One of the very first Kel-Tecs I ever saw was one a friend brought to me to fix. I looked up online and found the disassembly instructions. When I got to the firing pin, it was bent and looked like a short banana. I straightened it as best as I could with a brass hammer and it worked. When he came to get it I advised him what the problem was. I had even scanned it on my PC. I printed it off for him. A couple of weeks later I replaced it with a new one.

I was impressed with the light weight of the little pistol. After that one, I found that several of my friends had them. Now I have one of my own.