Being new here to the forum I've been reading past post in the FAQ's section and noticed a lot of the issues have been with past Gen 1 and some Gen ll dating back to 2006 and most being from that date to around 2009. Have most of those early issues been addressed and corrected by KT on the newer models? Basically I guess what I'm asking, has KT vastly improved their product over the early models to improve the reliability? I know that before I ever shot a new one I would do the F and B and lubed the gun before I ever fired the first round through the gun. Any replys from newer model owners would be appreciated!
welcome to KTOG while you are waiting for replies here is a similair thread from last week http://www.ktog.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1283009557
I got one for Christmas last year. I took it apart and gave it a CLP bath then let it sit for a few months before it's first range trip. When I finally got it to the range, I put 150 rounds of various ammo straight through it with zero malfunctions/hiccups/problems etc.
Yes, all the old issues have been addressed and they are more reliable! A good cleaning and lubing before the first range trip is wise -- for any gun. A F&B may not be necessary, but won't hurt and it will shorten the live fire break-in time. Also, a lot of dry firing (with Snap Caps) before your first live shoot will significantly smooth out the racking and trigger action as well as help out your trigger control. Bobo
Thanks to all for the replies and link! I'm one of those who are bothered by even 1 glitch, and I had a new Glock 26 that jammed when I first got it, and it was either me doing something wrong or the ammo, or the fact it was a brand new gun or all of the above, but that one time stuck in my mind for a long time until the gun finally convinced me it wouldn't happen again. I will definately do everything I can to make sure it performs 100%, and I appreciate all who contribute to this forum and their tips and experiences are one of the main reasons why I'm going to go with a pocket Kel Tec.
^ All of the "jams" I've ever seen from Glocks were caused by the user not seating the magazine fully/properly. Could that have been the cause?
imo current production keltecs is as good or better than many times more expensive pocket pistols. this does however not mean that one can expect thousands and thousands of rounds between the stovepipes. 9 oz guns will simply never have the reliability of a 9 pound ak-47, its a price we pay for the concealability.
Hi, This is just my perspective, but regarding reliability, I think many shooters are expecting too much. I still remember back in the 70's, 80's, and even into the early 90's when if you wanted a reliable handgun you used a revolver. I did IPSC competition shooting with a Browning Hi-Power, and 1911A1 just before the pistols became really tricked out, and both pistols needed work to function reliably with anything other than FMJ ammo. Typically most out of the box pistols needed some work on them to be reliable (think fluff & buff plus). It was expectd that your pistol might jam and you had to be ready to clear a jam aven then. This started changing in the 80's though with pistols like the Glock 17, and Ruger P-85. Modern Kel-Tec P3AT's are much better in terms of out of the box reliability with JHP bullets than say my Colt 1903 in 32 ACP I had back then. Things still stay the same i n some ways though FMJ ammo still is the most reliable feeding and penetrating ammo. Best Regards:
[quote author=Picatinny_Pete link=1284092731/0#7 date=1284653483]Hi, This is just my perspective, but regarding reliability, I think many shooters are expecting too much. I still remember back in the 70's, 80's, and even into the early 90's when if you wanted a reliable handgun you used a revolver. I did IPSC competition shooting with a Browning Hi-Power, and 1911A1 just before the pistols became really tricked out, and both pistols needed work to function reliably with anything other than FMJ ammo. Typically most out of the box pistols needed some work on them to be reliable (think fluff & buff plus). It was expectd that your pistol might jam and you had to be ready to clear a jam aven then. This started changing in the 80's though with pistols like the Glock 17, and Ruger P-85. Modern Kel-Tec P3AT's are much better in terms of out of the box reliability with JHP bullets than say my Colt 1903 in 32 ACP I had back then. Things still stay the same i n some ways though FMJ ammo still is the most reliable feeding and penetrating ammo. Best Regards: [/quote Pete makes a very valid point. Those of us who were raised on revolvers and Glocks have no experience with "breaking in" a semi-auto pistol. While the production of the Kel-Tec has no doubt come a long way from where it was, many of us expect to pay our money for a pistol, do a quick cleaning of the pistol, and be able to go straight to the range and shoot it with little or no problems. There may be some who can do that, but from my observation of the threads on this forum, it's not the reality of these little guns. This may also explain some of the frustration from some who have limited experience with the Kel-Tec brand. I speak from personal experience on this issue. my .02. your mileage may vary.
Since posting this question and reading many of the replies and past posts, it probably would have been better phrased to have ask, "have the newer P3AT's shown greater improvement from the older models, when it comes to reliability?" It seems that the answer to that question is "Yes" and they have done it in a way that they have been able to keep the price down and still be able to produce a dependable product! I've done the research and have made the pruchase of a new P3AT, and with the information gathered here on this forum, I'm sure once I get it fluffed and buffed and cleaned, and find what ammo it likes, that it will be a comfort to carry knowing it will be ready should I need it. Thanks to all on a great owners forum!
