[shecki]

This looks like an awesome forum. I am interested in this gun. To be honest, I have extremely little hands-on experience with handguns. I have done TONS of reading up, though.

My main question...


I see a lot of mentions of polishing and buffing..."polishing around the feed ramp" etc.

Can anyone point me in the right direction of a site or anything that explains what this project consists of? Is it no big deal or is it something that takes a couple hours...or?


Thanks in advance.

 

[adamsesq]

Welcome! Take a look at an early morning post by Tx on this thread:
http://www.ktog.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=104;action=display;num=1168026978

You will see a single post that has all of the links to look at for a new P3AT owner including the Fluff and Buff/Polishing info. If I knew how better I would cut and paste it here for you but its easy to find.

-Scott

 

[Packer]

  Welcome to KTOG, shecki! If you have little experience with firearms then you may need a little primer on how an automatic weapon cycles.

  The energy from the cartridge is used to push the slide back far enough to eject the fired round and then chamber the new one. In large automatics, this is usually sufficient to do the job.

  But with this light little KT, it must rely more on YOU and how stiff your wrist is. You see, if anything absorbs the energy necessary for cycling, then the gun will not function properly.

  The recoil must operate against a firm surface. That is your stiff wrist. If your wrist flops up and down with the recoil--THIS little gun will malfunction. This is called "limp wristing" and here are some tips to prevent it:

It is nearly impossible to limp wrist this gun from a very firm, push-pull grip:  
 
1. Place strong hand on grip with finger alongside trigger guard.  
2. Cup weak hand as if you were going to drink water from it.  
3. Rotate weak hand 45 degrees toward your body.  
4. Place palm against front of strong hand fingers, with thumbs nearly parallel.  
5. Line up on target and push forward with strong hand while pulling back with weak hand.  
  This will lock your wrist and prevent limp wristing.  
 
 Single hand grip:  
 
1. Line up on target.  
2. strain hand forward as if you were trying to get the gun closer to the target.  
  This will lock your wrist and prevent limp wristing.  
 
  If you are using one of these grips, and you get malfunctions, it is NOT limp wristing, but the gun that is causing them.  

Packer.

 

[Bobo]

shecki,

Most new P-3AT's don't need an F&B.

Clean it, lube it, shoot it.
Repeat every fifty rounds for about the first 200 rounds.

Make sure you keep the extractor screw tight. Apply blue Loctite to the upper threads if necessary. Most new P-3AT's don't have this loosening problem.

If you have any problems let us know and we'll try to help. If together we fail Kel-Tec will make it right.

After the first 200 rounds you should be able to go 100 rounds or more before clean and lube. Many on this forum have gone 100's of rounds without clean and lube after the initial break-in. Since this gun is intended for protecting life and limb I keep my clean at all times.

Welcome to the forum and the KT world!

Bobo

 

[JFB]

..I have extremely little hands-on experience with handguns....

Even though you didn't ask for a recomendation, I would not recomend a P3AT as a first handgun (or even first pistol).
This gun is at the edge of weigh/size to power and thus there is no built in weight to make it ultra reliable.  It also has no safety and thus requires intense trigger disipline.

I would highly recomend this gun to someone who has experance with pistols.

I would recomend a revolver as a first handgun. After that, a heavy pistol in a mild caliber, before the P3AT

 

[Bobo]

JFB is right about the P-3AT as a first gun.

If you've never shot before, a larger .22 caliber gun would be better to start on. Once you get used to safety, breathing, sight picture, trigger control, etc. with the "easier" gun, then try a big gun in a larger caliber second, then the P-3AT third.

Just my un-asked-for opinion also...

 

[JFB]

Kind of a funny statement ain't it.

You need to work your way up to the smaller gun :-/

 

[fatman]

For new shooters I also usually recommend a revolver if that would be acceptable for the use they intend. Many times, if they require a really small lightweight gun, no revolver would be satisfactory. In these cases I often recommend the Kel-Tec P32. The size and weight are about the same as the P3AT but many people find it is not as sensitive to operator induced malfunctions as the P3AT and thus for new shooters may prove more reliable

The most important thing for self defense is that the gun be reliable in the hands of the person who will shoot it. The second most important is that the person shooting the gun practice enough to be able to get reliable center of mass hits at combat ranges. If you can reliably place your shots in the center of mass the .32 ACP cartridge of the P32 will be effective. Whether you select the P3AT or the P32 use the techniques suggested by Two Pistol Packer in order to master your pistol.

 

[rcmodel]

+1 on a revolver for a first handgun.

A .22 revolver, or a .38 Spl. revolver, with at least a 4" barrel.

Either will give you the best chance possible of learning to shoot really well, without worrying about gun problems, recoil, and muzzle blast spoiling your time at the range.

rcmodel

 

[Wilson]

A .22 revolver, or a .38 Spl. revolver, with at least a 4" barrel.

The first gun of any kind my wife shot was when she was required to take her shooting test for her Texas CHL. The instructor handed her a Glock 17 and gave less than 2 minutes of instruction. Her's wasn’t even the lowest score in the class. Each time she renews her license, she always uses a G 17.

Wilson – who’s suggesting a heavy Glock for home then a light carry Kel-Tec isn’t a bad idea either

 

[shecki]

wow...lots of great replies. Thanks to all for the tips. Honestly, at first I was 100% set on getting a 38 snubby as my first handgun. I think they are best concealed for beginners, from what ive heard and read. Im about to take the CC training course in my state next saturday. The instructor seems like a good guy and will let me choose amongst his handguns to practice and test with. I know most people wouldnt recommend taking this course with so little experience, but I feel I'm a fast learner and have lots of respect for the weapon.

As for my gun, I wanted something very small and concealable, for when I finally get the CC permit in a couple months. And frankly, I wanted something that could fit in a pocket holster. Do you guys think a 38 snub could be practical as a pocket-carry gun?

I plan on going to the local range and renting a couple different guns to see how they feel.

The advice of getting the p32 seems good, too.

Thanks again guys.

Sheckman

 

[adamsesq]

Do you guys think a 38 snub could be practical as a pocket-carry gun?

Absolutely. On the top 3 for a first weapon. IF given a choice I would recommend something that could also take .357M, but that would not be a must have requirement if I were you.

And the class is a really good idea for you. You don't have to have lots of experience to get good experience.

-Scott

 

[rcmodel]

Just be aware that many new shooters start out with way too much gun before developing good shooting habits & practical accuracy with a .22 or mild centerfire handgun.

IMO: A .357 snubby is just about the last handgun on earth to try to learn to shoot well with.

It is human nature to duck & cover when a powerful explosion goes off in your hand, a couple of feet in front of your eyes. There is nothing you can do about it.
It's a protective Reflex hard-wired in your brain.

Once you develop a flinch, jerking the trigger, and closing your eyes before the gun goes off, it takes hours & hours of training to break those bad habits again.

If you can only afford one gun to start with and learn to shoot with, I would strongly suggest a .22 or other gun with at least a 4" barrel. Once you master sight picture, trigger control, and other important aspects of good pistol shooting, trade it in on a small powerful gun if you must.

Or keep it for range practice when you get tired of the muzzle blast, recoil, and missing the target with the little powerful gun.

You will never know how well you can learn to shoot if you start out with a too powerful / too short gun.

rcmodel

 

[adamsesq]

IMO: A .357 snubby is just about the last handgun on earth to try to learn to shoot well with.

Agreed wholeheartedly. But a .357 that also shoots .38s allows you to learn and spend a lot of time with .38s. You don't ever have to go the .357 route if you don't want to.

And a .22 with a 4" barrel is an awesome way to learn but not real practical as a pocket SD gun.

I love you comment about an explosion going off in front of you. After my wife had shot an hour of .38s in her revolver she grabbed the wrong speedloader and dropped in .357s. After the first shot she slammed it down on the table and walked out of the range. It took some coaxing to get her back and while she still doesn't "like" the .357s, she sure can shoot it and is what she keeps by her side.

-Scott

 

[Troubleshooter2]

I plan on going to the local range and renting a couple different guns to see how they feel.

Excellent idea. Where are you from? Maybe a local member could meet with you at your local range and let you try some of there weapons?

 

[shecki]

I'm from North Carolina...going to one of the ranges in Raleigh. I see what you guys mean about the smaller guns. All tips appreciated. I think I'll really get a good idea come next Saturday.