Community for Kel-Tec Shooters banner

Happy P3AT Owner's

6K views 47 replies 43 participants last post by  RichardR 
#1 ·
I am tired of people coming to KTOG.org to say what junk their gun is, so this thread is for every one that loves their P3AT. How many rounds do people have through theirs and how do you carry? What ammo do you like?


My P3AT is has over 1000 rounds and never had problem. I carry it everyday in a pocket holster. Last time i shot it, it was covered in pocket lint and it still function fine. I have shot a mix of FMJ and Hollow Points. Carry ammo is Gold sabers.

Dan

 
See less See more
1
#3 ·
Good for you!

You're one those who told me that I'm the problem back in 08.

And as a "Grand Whatever," you are miss-leading new gun owner's about a known issue which could have life protecting consequences. Why don't you do the right thing and tell people about this issue and to reseach the pistol BEFORE they depend on it.

I do like KT and just wish I too could have the dependable reliabilty that you expect and have, BUT I DON'T. I don't want another pistol, I want my P3AT and do appreciate KT's customer service. BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM.
 
#4 ·
I have one, my business partner has one. We have put close to 1000 rounds through them in the past month for the simple reason that we are going to be selling them soon and want to be able to say to customers that we use them and can rely on them. We have mostly shot PMC ball ammo but have tried other brands as well. The ONLY time we have had a problem with was when we wanted to see how far we could push them. After 287 rounds in mine and 313 in his we started to have some FTE issues. The guns were filthy. Looked like we poured black sand into the chambers. After wiping the rails off and applying a dab of grease we both fired another 100 rounds. We plan on doing another long term test this weekend after we both have been walking around with them in our pockets for over a week. Just go to the range and see how many rounds they go before they have a failure. Since they are for CC if they fire 7 rounds out of the pocket then I will consider the gun more than proven. I have been looking all over the net for people reporting problems. I have found a few but in comparison of people who report nothing but good they are few and far between. I can find the same amount of people reporting problems with ANY brand of auto pistol. One guy telling me not to buy because he can't seem to figure out what the problem is with his gun does not go very far with me as to being the reason to avoid the p3at. Now if there were 50 people here saying this I may think there was something up or something wrong with the p3at in general. So far I haven't seen that, on any board.
 
#5 ·
My 2nd Gen has been perfect since bought in 2005. I only have about ~300 rounds through it, but I also only shoot it 4 or 5 times a year to stay comfortable with it. I have other range guns to practice with.

:)
 
#6 ·
Mine is my summer gun. Carried in an Uncle Mike pocket holster. It has only eaten about 100 rounds of mixed ammo, and has done it with out a hic cup. I think the good ones just don't get written about. Sort of like the media, "Good news doesn't sell."

life is short, be happy and shoot your P3AT
 
#8 ·
I bought my P3AT in 2009 and had some issues right away. I tried to do a f&b but apparently did not do a good job because I still had FTE issues. I finally sent it to kel tec and they resolved the issue and returned my gun in 2 weeks. It now shoots flawlessly and takes any ammo I put into it. I carry it with a Cobra IWB holster, hogue jr grip, CT laser, and coron DPX ammo. I couldnt ask for a better gun.

I heard that the reliability issue tends to stem from the amount they output. I guess since they crank out so many, tiny imperfections that could influence the ejection of the casing become more prominent when casts arent left to cool properly. These casts carry nicks and burrs which in turn cause FTE's and other problems. The design is great, its just possibly the demand has slightly diminished the quality (on a few pistols) and they have caused problems to a few customers. All in all, I think its a great pistol that serves the exact purpose for which it was designed for, nothing more and nothing less.
 
#9 ·
Bought mine in 2005, I've run around 500 rounds thru it with-out a single jam. Pretty accurate, at least as good as I am...which ain't saying much. ;)

Jack Fuselier nickel plated the slide for me 2 years ago, I carry with just a belt clip...either in my front pocket or in the waistband. Great pistol with a great value. I've never had a jam of any kind with any of my 4 Kel Tecs (wife had one FTE with my PF9 on her first shot, limpwristed it). I use any ammo I want without problems.

 
#10 ·
I have two! The first was a problem child with multiple issues and was the reason I found this site looking for help and assurance. Well I got what I was looking for, folks here helped me get the gun running 100% without a trip back to Kel-Tec (however, did need some replacement parts). Liked the first one so much a got a second one in HC that was/is without issue. Second one will always be special to me.

Bill K.
 
#11 ·
I've had 5. 2 1stgen, 3 2dgen. The only 'problem' was FTE with a 1stgen that I bought used and KelTec fixed the extractor on that and it ran like new. Never a malfunction with any of the others. My only complaint back then were the smilies and KelTec has even fixed that with the P3AT I have now, bought last year. Maybe I'm lucky, or more so than the almost invisible few that have had problems.
You can read most of my ballistic testing reports at USRange.org. Just clik the WWW thingy at the sig line to go there and chek the Ballistics and Ammo section.
I feel sorry for the one having a problem getting his fixed. Didn't say anyone else fired it, did he?? (Maybe I missed it.) Unless some others verified the 'problem', then what??
og
 
#12 ·
Second_Life said:
Good for you!
You're one those who told me that I'm the problem back in 08.
And as a "Grand Whatever," you are miss-leading new gun owner's about a known issue which could have life protecting consequences.  Why don't you do the right thing and tell people about this issue and to reseach the pistol BEFORE they depend on it.  ...    BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM.
I don't even know you but as someone who never thought I had an issue with limp wristing on FTEs and FTFs on a P40 that I've had for years and thousands of rounds, I was quite surprised that it was exactly the problem.  I now shoot with a firmer grip and haven't had either issue for over 300 rounds.  KT stopped making a fine pistol because of user error.

I don't care what KT says by the way.  They hear this all the time because the guns are so light, and probably are expressing some empathy with the owner.  I don't even think they need to send out these extractors or other parts.  Perhaps they just hope the shooter will improve their skills in the mean time.

I have a Beretta 96 (called by leos an Italian Hammer because if you couldn't shoot it you could beat someone to death with it.)  With the limpest grip possible that thing still cycles because there's huge mass there to provide inertia.  Without that mass in the gun, your body is providing that inertial mass.  Any break in wrist will affect cycling.

I've only had my P3AT for about 18 hours.  But I believe after 50 or so rounds it will run good ammo with no issues at all.   My experience with these flyweight autos, and I expect that to be the case this evening when I shoot it for the first time.
 
#13 ·
These little guns are susceptible to user induced failure as they are right on the edge of the smallest and lightest they can be and still function, but people never see themselves as the problem, it's always gotta be someone or something else.

I now own 5 handguns that a lot of people think are factory jammomatics: a Kahr PM9, a Kahr CW9, a P3AT, and 2 Model 21 Berettas in the "Lady Beretta" custom line.  I've never had a single bobble with any of them and neither has my wife who shoots some of these regularly...as in weekly.

I've got around 1,000 rounds through my P3AT, several different types of ammo for breakin and Hydra Shoks and Gold Dots for carry.  I now use my own reloads exclusively for range ammo as it got too hard and too expensive to buy the commercial stuff and I have shoot everything from cream puff reloads to full on hot loads, again with absolutely no problems.

There is no known factory problem with these little guys.

ETA: The Kahr CW9 I bought very cheaply as the owner stated it was a jammomatic and couldn't make it run properly, therefore he let it go cheap. I took it home, cleaned it thoroughly and lubed it properly then went to the range. I now over over 1,000 flawless rounds through it.
 
#14 ·
I've only had mine for a couple of months. Apparently it isn't even broken in yet but I've run several flawless magazines through it without any problems. WWB is the only ammo I've tried with it. It's the only gun that I've ever stuck with carrying. Most are too big and uncomfortable for me to carry all the time. A 380 in my pocket is better than a 45 at home.
 
#15 ·
I lost track but it must be 500 or 600 rounds, easily. Yesterday I went to the range for the first time in a few months. Last time my gun was cleaned was the last time I shot it so it had some noticiable lint and dirt here and there from pocket carry, I thought what the heck I'll see what happens, I shot 100 plus rounds with one glitch which I attribute to me. The gun has overall been very good to me,  The only real problem I've had was when I failed to put the allen screw back in correctly it caused the FP to bind and cause FTF. But you guys helped fix that  :)
 
#16 ·
Tina Marie went to the range today to tune for the best feeling springs. 445 rounds and no issues except for the one caused by me testing the 16# spring. FTE with range ammo on 11 out of 100. This is not the guns fault, it was not stock when it failed. However I decided on a 15# spring and shot 215 trouble free rounds with this setup. Much much better feel to it now. I think it will go way longer than the 6k factory lifetime rating with the heavy springs. Also the brass is not sailing 20 feet across the range anymore ;D
 
#17 ·
I've only had mine for a couple of weeks, but I think it's a great gun. Aside from the extreme concealability and ingeniously small size, I really don't think it's any wonder gun or the greatest thing since sliced bread and Skippy peanut butter. Mine is just a kind of an ugly little guy that does his job really well, which is all I ask of him.

I took the time to clean it and lube it before I used it, I worked the slide a bunch and cycled a bunch of rounds through it. I loaded it up with ammo that I new to be good from my experience with my Bersa (Remington FMJ and Federal Hydra Shok JHP) and ran 100 rounds of FMJ and 50 rounds of JHP through it. No fluff and buff, no trigger jobs, no nothin' other than a a stock pistol, time-proven yet basic range and self defense ammo, and a very firm grip. I broke it in like I would any other automatic pistol, and it responded like any other automatic pistol.

I can't say that I've had an life changing event because of it, and really no epiphanies either - other then just how well this little guy conceals and carries in a front pants pocket. I can't speak for why a few others have had problems with these guns, but I can speak for why I think I haven't: I've left it the heck alone and allowed it to operate as conceived and designed. Maybe some guns won't ever have a problem with owner "enhancements" and flirtations with ever more powerful ammo, but I think when you get in there and start monkeying around with it, and you're not quite as good a gunsmith or ballistics expert as you fancy yourself to be then you're flirting with disaster - or at least extreme aggravation.

I think that due to it's uniquely small size, little things that would mean nothing on a larger gun become significant in a P3AT: more sensitivity to bullet shape, powder loads, pressure, and firing technique. On top of this, this small size it is famous for can also be it's down fall as it is operating just this side of acceptable size and weight of gun in relation to the realities of the .380 round. You can't escape the laws of physics, and these laws are even harsher for small guns. I think if Keltec has any problems, it's in the realm of acceptable tolerances on their guns and maybe they need to tighten-up the specs: this would mean that less guns would pass muster, but less "lemons" would hit the street. No doubt, though, that this would then raise the price. And if the price is the issue, then don't harp about the occasional lemon. This is a fact in any business, and its why a Rolls Royce costs much, much, much more than a Hyundai, or why a Wilson custom 1911 costs much, much, much more than a Springfield 1911.

You get what you pay for. I wanted a gun that packed a big enough punch for self defense, but that I could just drop down a front pants pocket and got be-boppin' on my way. In my mind, such a gun does not need to be a beauty queen or made from exotic materials - it just needs to work, and I don't think tht such a gun should cost much more than what Keltec currently charging for the P3AT. (It's not like it's made from unobtanium or has a built in GPS system for greater target acquisition - it's a basic pocket pistol for crying out loud). The P3AT performs its primary function in a way that not other gun can, and it does this very well. However, I also realized that I might need to go through a few trips to the factory to get it there. However, the ingenious design, price point, and unique ability to be carried without print makes it worth my time to be just a little patient with this gun.

However, as flawlessly as it has performed thus far I don't foresee any future problems. It's just another gun and a very useful tool, but it performs its intended function very well and has reached the status of most frequently carried handgun in the Ogre arsenal.
 
G
#18 ·
I am still new to Kel Tec having just got mine in February and shot it only 50 rounds so far... however I am very happy with it. I did not plan on keeping this p3at as I have large hands and I thought the pistol would be too small for me to shoot well.

Then I took it to the range and ran a box of ammo down the tube. Only 1 FTE which I blame on the cheap ammo as the chamber we very dirty when the FTE happen. Further more this pistol is design to shoot at close range and I was at a rifle range shooting at 25 yards... still I was able to put most shots on a rifle target. Not a tight group but on paper and at 25 yards I was impressed. I have truly grew attached to this pistol and plan to keep it for a very long time. Wanting to buy another KT in 9mm just haven't decided on which model.

Sign Kevin - Another pleased Kel Tec owner!
 
#20 ·
I bought my P3AT last spring and have several hundred rounds through mine with no issues. The only thing I have done to it was a minor fluf and buff and add some blue loc-tite to the extractor screw. I carry mine frequently when the weather is warm or I can't easily carry a j-frame or larger semi. I load it with God Dot hollow points.
 
#22 ·
Mine has lived in my pocket for a few years. Probably only 300-400 rounds most of them being break in. I just don't shoot much anymore and have other guns that are more fun to shoot. It has a purpose and it serves it quite well.
Mine was great right out of the box. The only time it ever failed was when my 100# niece shot it. I showed her how to clear it and taught her what limp wristing was and she was fine after that.
There have been a couple other threads talking about the good ones but it has been awhile so another was due.
 
#25 ·
Here is my pistol.  I think it looks great and I love its simplicity. It has a CT laser on it, a finger extension, a pachmayr tactical grip glove (which I really like), a belt clip (which I like better than any holster), and Corbon DPX running through it.  I love it...

 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top