[Rustynuts]

Just picked up a brand new P3AT. Thought it was pretty difficult to rack. Got it home to fluff and lube up and what pours out as I remove the slide? A piece of the BARREL!!! WTF!!!

Naturally it's Friday and I can't even call until Tuesday now. Pissed off big time! >

 

[adamsesq]

I wouldn't even worry about KT. Back to the deal for an exchange is what I would do and the dealer is probably open tomorrow morning. And yes, that bites.

-Scott

 

[Guest]

ur lucky you didn't shoot it, hard telling what would have happened.. :

 

[Rustynuts]

Mail order naturally, no way to swap out! Damn right it's lucky I didn't just head to the range and fire! Could have ruined my day big time. Doubt if it would have KB'd though. Maybe just a frozen slide?

 

[rjhauser]

depending on the state, some allow for exchange....some do not.

but many will make it right. that does suck though.

 

[wheelguy]

First time I have seen a post on this problem - a rarity. But, given the variation in KT quality - one should always try it before you buy it. I went to 4 shops before finding one that I could repeatedly rack smoothly. So far, it feeds any ammo and has given me no trouble.

 

[Bobo]

If I were you I would call KT right away. They will probably drop a new barrel in the mail. They may ask you to send your old one to them.

I'm confident they will make it right.

I wonder if that's why the original owner sold it?

It shouldn't matter much money-wise to you, just a bit of time waiting for the new barrel.

 

[Hutch01]

Good Lord! I've never seen that before.....

I'm not at all sure what would have happened if you had just stopped by some place on the way home and shot it without examining it first.

It sucks, big time and I don't blame you at all for being upset. I'd go to the dealer first and see what they say...

 

[Rustynuts]

Dealer was Bud's Gun Shop and I live in Florida, so I can't just pop in and demand a replacement. The gun still racked, albeit with difficulty, so I can't really blame the shop.

I noticed the barrel also had a small ding right near the business end opening. Almost looked as if it even caused a VERY tiny eccentricity inside. I'm betting the barrel got very mistreated, run over, juggled, dribbled, used as a shim, etc., then put back in the bin without QC'ing! I'll try to photo the ding, but it's pretty small and may not show.

 

[Rustynuts]

The ding is tiny, so I doubt it was any cause of the lug failure, but could be an indication of abuse the part saw. On the frame block, I saw some peening type damage were the barrel lug would ride. Should I get this looked at too? (it was tough to pic, kind of the blurry shiny edge just in back of the black metal part in focus). Looks a little chewed and sticks up a little.

Next - is that brown stuff in the slide pic RUST?!! Or is it part of the finish under the blueing? I see a lot of the brown stuff all over the slide!

 

[rjhauser]

just send the whole thing back.

that way you are sure it is checked ok.

 

[Packer]

+1 Ask KT Service (1-800-515-9983) for a call tag. You definitely shouldn't have to pay for shipping this.

Packer.

 

[Guest]

just send the whole thing back.

that way you are sure it is checked ok.

I had two barrel lugs break off (about 2 years ago)and they never questioned it ever.  this is the first one that I have read since breaking off..

by the way the two that broke on me were on my P32..

 

[Packer]

  Rusty: Your Pic size is too large and it's distorting the thread. Please fix this:

Go to Photobucket. Just above the "Browse" box click on Max Image Size options. Set that to 640 x 480.

Now delete, re-upload and repost pics.

Thanks,

Packer.

 

[Vincent]

Sure gives you something to check everytime you strip your own gun.....gonna go check mine NOW!! ;D

Vince

 

[Rustynuts]

Photos resized! The nick in the barrel end is hard to see. It's the bright spot right in the middle, left hand side.

This bites the more I think about it. Wonder if the dealer knew something was wrong and decided to pass along the problem?

 

[TxCajun]

You might email pics of the broken lug to the KT service dept. Mention that you never shot the gun. Then when you call them, ask them to look at the email. After seeing that pic they should issue a call tag. Besides this one and Jocko's 2, I think I saw this happen to a P11 or P40 a few years back. Fortunately, this is very rare. It is a bummer but they will fix you up. You can ask the service department for their advise, but under the circumstances, I might send the whole gun in, especially if it's on their nickle. :-/

 

[Rustynuts]

I asked this in another thread, but didn't post a photo. Does my barrel look chromed to you? Or is it stainless? Don't see any blueing there, pretty shiny!

 

[TxCajun]

chromed slides come with chromed barrels,
parkerizeded slides come with parked barrels,
blued slides come with plain steel barrels.

 

[Rustynuts]

More pics of the fracture area. The entire lug area seems to have some pretty deep milling marks, almost look like big fingerprints!). Any one of these "grooves" could cause a stress riser and possible failure point, esp. if it hits at just the right spot. I'm no metallurgist, so I can't really tell if the fracture is from overstress, poor casting/inclusion, etc. I took several under different light so you can see the surfaces

2 of small piece

2 of barrel lug

Mill marks of "good" lug