Mine's NOT going back to it's daddy.

Another P-3AT going back to KT.

Bought it new today to use as a BUG. Cold and windy, but went to range anyway and put 12 rounds through it to be sure it was in working order. It seemed to be okay, no jams, recoil a little crisp, but manageable. Nothing really unexpected. Wind was bad so no real check on accuracy, but things looked good for the little bit of time that I put up with the cold wind.

At home I field stripped and swabbed the barrel.  Rem. UMC .380s had left some black.

I used a swab with cleaner only on the barrel, then brushed the ramp and wiped the factory grease off everything I could. Replaced with a little TW25B Mil lube on slide rails and other obvious metal to metal points.

In reassembly things got interesting. The gun needed babying to get the slide down to where the lock pin can be put in. The guide rod / springs were very difficult to get placed where they would stay aligned so the slide would come down the track without a stop to the point where the assembly pin will go in. Finally I got the slide in proper position and the pin went in as described in the manual.

Now the real problem. When the slide is pulled, the barrel is not dropping properly to go to reload position. Seems like some machine work is needed.

Having never fired a P-3AT before, and with little gun maintenance experience beyond field strip and cleaning, I’m gonna box it up and send it back to the Florida address to let them figure it out.   :-/

 

Re: Mine's going back to it's daddy.

adamsesq // Hope you are right .. I can follow instructions until we get to lapping or lathe work .. and I kinda like this gun already.

 

Re: Mine's going back to it's daddy.

The barrel/springs/guide are assembled exactly as asked. I have been through the routine more than several times now. The best back travel I can get from the slide is 1/4 in. from normal position. It stops solid, well short of full travel and releases normally to return to position.

 

Re: Mine's going back to it's daddy.

Trigger pulled? Yes .. I tried about an hour ago just to see what the hammer was like when I let it down .. didn't look any good to me. Hammer is returned to up and back position. Good call though but the dang slide still won't travel. The slide goes on and the assembly pin goes in .. The gun looks in normal configuration until I try to pull the slide as if to load a round.

I have tried with and w/o the mag in

I tried with a cartridge in

Yes the gun is unloaded now. Nothing I can think of will make the slide pull ,more than 1/4 inch to the rear from at rest position. It is like there's a safety stopping the thing.

 

Re: Mine's going back to it's daddy.

If it fired - which it did.  And your barrel is seated, square and the guide rod/springs are too, then the only thing that could prevent it from sliding back is the hammer.  (you didn't remove the frame (the serial numbered part) from the grip did you?)  Hold the hammer and pull your trigger letting the hammer fall very slowly.  Now, pull the hammer back again until it locks in position making sure it is full locked back.  Part #115 (the tiny little ejector along the left side of the frame) is still in properly or completely in line with the lines of the frame correct?  Now slide your slide on from the front and let us know where it is stopping if it won't go all the way on.

-Scott
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OK Frame has not been removed by me, .. the gun did fire two full mags. I have cycled the hammer carefully down and returned it to lock position where the trigger likes it. .. The ejector is in place it fits loosely, but the slignment is looking good to me. .. (I am good at finding it on the floor now.)

The slide goes all the way on the pistol. With or without the assembly pin, the slide will not pull back more than a quarter inch from normal position on the frame. The barrel wants to drop but the slide stops solid.

 

Re: Mine's going back to it's daddy.

The slide travels back 1/4 inch and stops like there's a safety on. (Best description I can give.)  Then I release and the slide goes back to normal ready or rest position.
In that process, the barrel assembly moves downward (possibly not enough), but I cannot push and make the barrel chamber go any further to allow any more travel.

Glad you found the CAMERA before anyone else did.   Read right typed wrong .. sorry!!!

 

Re: Mine's going back to it's daddy.

Assembly pin is and was in .. yes

 

Re: Mine's going back to it's daddy.

Am wondering if it needs machine work on the receiver part of the barrel .. light i have here is no the best, but it looks as if the barrel assembly dropped a hair more .. it might cure the problem. Maybe they did something to force the issue at the factory, hoping the break-in would wear and provide better clearance. I remember I had to cycle twice to get the mag to feed on the first shot. Otherwise the gun fired in a normal way.

 

Re: Mine's going back to it's daddy.

The rod can go through, not the spring(s). I see it poking out about 1/4 inch when I try to cycle the slide.