[Stuart]

Bought a P-3at and I love it. I am surprised how accurate it is. I shoot better with it than my P-11. I have several questions that I am sure have been asked before. I never have any luck using the advanced search on this forum. Would someone give me the links for the following.

1. Since there is no slide lock, how do you do a simple cleaning? I'm not talking about a field strip. Is there a trick to hold the slide back while cleaning the barrel and lube the rails?

2. What is the best mod to improve the sights. I just painted the front sight with white nail polish. I know this is not a target pistol, but it is nice to be able to quickly acquire the sights. They are so tiny.

3. I accidently pushed the mag release a couple of times shooting my first mag. I adjusted my grip and did not have anymore problems. I have read about people filing down the mag release button. Is this advisable? Do you remove the button before filing or leave it in the grip and carefully file it down?

Thanks Stuart

 

[Packer]

Bought a P-3at and I love it.  I am surprised how accurate it is.  I shoot better with it than my P-11.  I have several questions that I am sure have been asked before. I never have any luck using the advanced search on this forum.  Would someone give me the links for the following.

1.  Since there is no slide lock, how do you do a simple cleaning?  I'm not talking about a field strip. Is there a trick to hold the slide back while cleaning the barrel and lube the rails?

You can use a large eraser or the bottom of a Bic lighter shoved up into the mag well. OR, you could do the slide lock mod.

2.  What is the best mod to improve the sights. I just painted the front sight with white nail polish.  I know this is not a target pistol, but it is nice to be able to quickly acquire the sights.  They are so tiny.

You can use Testors fluorescent model paint from WalMart. I like the dayglo orange for the front sight and Dayglo green for the rear.

3.  I accidently pushed the mag release a couple of times shooting my first mag.  I adjusted my grip and did not have anymore problems.  I have read about people filing down the mag release button.  Is this advisable?  Do you remove the button before filing or leave it in the grip and carefully file it down?

Thanks  Stuart

Yes, you can flile, sand or cut with exacto or razor blade. It doesn't take much. Removing the mag catch is a major operation requiring frame removal. Best to minimize it while IN the grip.

Packer.

 

[TxCajun]

To clean the gun, just pull the assembly pin and push the slide off the front end.  Takes about 3 seconds.

You can file the mag button if you need to.  Just tape around it to protect the grip.  File, test, file, test...  Don't overdo it. You can always remove more later if you are still bumping it.

 

[Stuart]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Packer, the eraser or butane lighter will be in the way when I try to push the swab thru. I forgot about Testors paint. Thanks.

TxCajun, I field striped and cleaned the pistol before shooting. It was not easy to get that pin out. I had to pry it out with a knife (and acquired a few scratches too.) It was also hard to get the pin back in. My P-11 is easy to take apart. I just want to be able to swab the barrel and feed ramp and lube the rails after each shoot.

Thanks again, Stuart

 

[JFB]

Have you tried a case rim to pull the Pin.

I use one hand to press slide/barrel back 1/4".
use fingernail to pull pin head away from slide the little clearance it has (0.03&quot then slip case rim under, tilt case slightly and it is out.

 

[Packer]

The eraser or Bic lighter are to hold the slide open while you hold the grip down and remove the pin.

Packer.

 

[TxCajun]

The pin removes easily if the slide is slightly retracted.

 

[charles1198]

I know some folks have used zip ties to keep the slide open when they are doing a quick cleaning at the range. That seems to be a hassle.

Once you get used to it, it's one of the quickest guns to strip and clean. Disassembly only takes a couple seconds...why not just do it right?

I used some sort of day-glo enamel paint for my front sight, and coated over that with clear nail polish. It's still there over 3 years later.

The pin should come out once you retract the slide 1/4-1/2" and pry a little on it. You can tape the head of a flathead screwdriver to minimize scratches.

 

[markster]

+3 on just using the rim of a bullet to pull the pin and take the slide off. 10 seconds at the max will git er' done!

 

[rjhauser]

fingernails work too, after time.....
8)

 

[markster]

Hey RJ, what's ur countdown for? Is that the actual number of days til your vacation to go over to your friends house to see the virtual collection?

 

[RAT76]

I can't get a case rim under my pin if I only pull the slide back a tad.  However if I pull it back and hold open with lighter the pin is in an area with more room under the pin head.  AND I have a free hand to squeeze the grip.

I think newer guns are harder to get the pin out of.  I know on mine the grip itself holds the head of the pin quite tightly, and I really have to pry to get it out.

Jim, who is very happy he finally figured out how to do this with only two hands.

 

[markster]

Your fingernail may not be strong enough to pry back the pin enough to get the rim of a case behind it but you could use a fingernail file, a butter knife, letter opener, anything with a thin profile and then use the bullet. The plastic around the pin is designed to hold it like you referred to.

Remember when you take your slide off, there is a little piece on the pin side just above the rear of the mag well that can fall out. Make sure you don't lose this.

 

[fwm]

Re: P-3at questions: cleaning

I understand his reluctance to field strip for cleaning.

My 3AT is also hard to get apart. The clearance between the assembly pin cap and the slide is such that I have to work in a high carbon steel knife blade under the pin and work it out. And that is with the slide held back. I simply lay a small strip of paper on the slide under the knife blade to prevent scratching.

However, I feel you should do this every time you clean. It makes it much easier to do with a bic, or in my case block of oak, to hold the slide back, work in a knife balde with one hand and hold down on the case surrounding the pin with the other. This way, while the gun is new at least, you can inspect for damage to the rails, damage to the frame from contact with barrel and slide movement, and make sure the springs are clean and intact. This way you can clean up and lube initial wearing in points before any damage is done.

In my opinion, in the long run it will be more difficult to attempt to clean the barrel in the gun than to simply pull it out. And by pulling it out, you KNOW there is not still a round chambered ;D

 

[adamsesq]

Your fingernail may not be strong enough to pry back the pin enough to get the rim of a case behind it but you could use a fingernail file, a butter knife,[glb] letter opener[/glb], anything with a thin profile and then use the bullet. The plastic around the pin is designed to hold it like you referred to.

Remember when you take your slide off, there is a little piece on the pin side just above the rear of the mag well that can fall out. Make sure you don't lose this.

DING DING DING We HAVE a winner!!! Letter Opener is what I used until mine was loose enough to use casing (after all, don't we all clean our weapons while sitting at our desk trying to avoid work?) I was also just pulling the tension off it, not racking the slide back all the way. If you rack it back all the way (and hold it) as shown in the picture above there should be enough room to use a casing, leaving the brass marks also shown in the picture above.

The ejector (Part 115) does not "fall" out. It is proven that it is alive, it JUMPS out. It does not "fall" to the ground. It runs and seeks any avenue that it can to try and make its way back home to Florida. Once it is gone you have no choice but to call KT Service and ask them to send it back to you. If you explain how yours was not properly contained and is trying to return home to them, they are generally nice enough to return them to you free of charge most of the time.

 

[RAT76]

+1 on the "runs away".

They are ungrateful little ....................

You try & give them a good home and look what happens.

Jim, who has managed to keep his ejector from making it out the door.

 

[Packer]

The 115 is a very cunning animal. It must always be watched and constrained. They have been known to escape from locked containers.

It's all some sort of Elf magic.

Packer.