Last night I took my P3AT apart to clean it. In the owners manual that came with the gun it said to lay the gun down and pop out the disassembly pin which I did with tape covered flat screwdriver. Then to move the slide forward off the frame, but to be careful as the "ejector" would now fall out. I did this, but nothing fell out. I cleaned and lubed the thing. When I was re-assembling it the slide did not want to go on then I read the part about making sure that the recoil rod/spring assembly and barrel being perfectly centered on the slide. Then everyting went together OK. After I check functionality with some snap caps and everything seems to OK. This part about the "ejector" has me puzzled? Is that something with older versions of this gun and the manual has not been up dated? Inquiring minds want to Know??
Look at the "exploded parts list" in the manual. Part number 115. It is what the empty shell hits to flip it out of the gun. They have been known to jump out then, with a 30 inch fall to the ground, travel 87 latteral feet and get under all kinds of things. It is common enough that I did not look up the number. It doesn't alway fall out, but out of habit, I pull it out and set in with the take down pin (usually in a little pocket of my gun cleaning takle box that is reserved for 'small parts that fly away'. Next cleaning, pull it out and check it out. A little grease will hold it in place. For what it's worth, I often use a spent shell to pull that pin out. Keep a little finger preasure on both sides of the plastic frame so that it doen't deform to much. Shoot, clean, lube, repeat. Lop Oh, and welcome to KTOG
The first time I cleaned my gun I couldnt find it either. So I put it back together and shot it. All seemed fine. The second time I cleaned and after doing some more research I found it! LOL Now I just remove by hand mine never has fallen out.
Thanks for all the replies!! I thought for awhile there I had done something wrong in disassembly/reassembly. This gun is fairly new and only has a little over 100 rounds through it.
The first time I fieldstripped my P3AT I took out the ejector and coated the inserted portion with Shooters Choice Hi Tech grease. it won't come out even if I turn the gun upside down and shake it, but it can be pulled out with my fingers. Seems like a good way to keep it in there to me.
I have had my p3at about 6 months now, during the second cleaning and lube, the ejector fell out during cleaning, Luckly I realized something was wrong right away. I always wash and blow everything out over a clean bucket in case something like this should happen to make it will be easier to find. I went back to the bucket when I realized I had a problem and there it was. I now keep a small dab of grease on it and double check to see its in place when assembling the slide. I just posted another problem I had with the firing pin, extractor and BH screw yesterday. I'm learning everything about the little gun 1 piece at a time.
Glad to see the comment about Kel-Tec now making the ejector a press fit! I thought something was wrong when mine didn't fall out. Tried wiggling it and it was pretty tight in the frame. I experienced this in the cleaning prior to the first range trip and was halfway expecting shells not to eject or some other issue. Mine is a new one with a recent birthday from the factory. Press fit explains it now. Thankfully I won't be digging mine out of thick carpet 87 feet away from the disassembly location after it fell and flew across the room!
Nice to know when things change! I think the P3AT is one of those pistols you really should know the interals for. I'm trying to learn all I can before I purchase one. Luckily with sites like this I can glean some great info. Thanks guys!
