Somewhere, but where, I read about a trick to keep the slide open on the P3AT. Any ideas, or have I been dreamin' ?
I made a wooden MAG. to keep the slide open. That way I can use a snake to clean the barrel. With out disasemling. Charlie.
It's easier to disassemble and clean, IMO. Come to think of it, I find it just as easy to disassemble all my handguns than it is to try and clean them while still assembled.
Go to Home Depot or such, get 2 paint stir sticks (free)..Glue the 2 together..cut to length if you want...Insert in the mag well , just enough to hold the slide back..Boresnake away...
The thing is, if the bore is dirty enough to need cleaning, the rest of the gun is too. The slide rail lube will be dry and/or dirty as well. Take the slide off and clean the dang thing, then apply new lube to all the friction points. To do less is a waste of your time! (If you want a dependable SD gun.) rc
Not alway's does a pistol need the deep clean...For the times you shoot a mag thru it and intend to put it up but would like to run a boresnake thru the bbl a few times, this does the trick for me..As I mentioned earlier, no cost and the 2 paint stick stirrer's glued together are almost mag size... Don't like it? Don't use it... I enjoy the last rd slide hold open on my P32, just to run a boresnake down the bbl every so often and this enables me to do the same with the P3AT..
+1 RC i'll go even farther and make a confession. i have never really cleaned my bore (just wipe it and the chamber out). the soot and abrasives on the frame is what i worry about.
KT handguns are VERY susceptible to dirt and grime. Even one mag through is enough to cause reliability issues. In addition, the frame is aluminum and the slide steel; the paste that is made with oil and powder residue will gall the aluminum frame shortening the life of the gun. :'( KT's run better with clean grease and oil. Just because the gun is on the cheap doesn't mean it's a cheap gun or disposable---no Saturday Night Special here. My P3AT has never jammed. I keep it clean and well lubed. The surefire way to make it jam would be to not thoroughly clean it ever time I shoot it. Powder and primers may not be corrosive anymore but powder fouling is still a wear agent. If you love your guns, you'll keep them clean and freshly lubed.
I agree with RC and the Preacher, as usual... But I can see using that method at the range. If your done shooting and might not clean the gun right when you get home. Or if you shooting several hundred rounds at a time and want to freshen the barrel. Come to think of I need to clean my duty gun, I shot a mag or two for qualification and haven't gotten to it yet. :-[ CJ
Now this was to hold the slide back to remove the assembly pin. As easy as it is to take apart this thing and as dirty as they shoot why not field strip to Snake the barrel. JMO of course.
+1 RAT76 hard to see ,but there is a blk bic in the port here; BTW folks ,remember to support the grip when ya remove that assembly pin. It'll save ya a lot of grief...
Thanks, guys !!! It is the lighter trick that I (vaguely) remember. Totally agree that it is easy to field strip to clean it. I was just looking for an easy way to keep the slide open if I want to show the gun to somebody; makes both of us feel safer; after all, a gun is always loaded, isn't it. Had guns for 60 years no AD/ND, knock on wood.
+1 to disassembling to clean everytime. It really doesn't take that much more time. If your 3at is used for SD then it is worth disassembling and cleaning and relubing all. I do wish the 3at had a slide open lever but one of those sacrifices you make for a gun this small. BTW cool trick with the lighter and the home depot stick. I'll have to remember that. Would it make sense to have the magazine stay open by inserting something in the bottom of the magazine follower (I think that is what it is called)that gets "squeezed" and keeps the mag open?
