[Haku]

I was shooting 380 AUTO 70 GR. POW'RBALL 1100 FPS/ 188 FTLBS POW'RBALL at the range with my 3AT. After the second round the inside guide rod spring came out the front of the gun. I want to see if the gun would fail so I shoot the rest of the magazine full of power ball, with the spring still sticking out the front of the gun. Even with this I have yet to have a misfire with my 3AT. My question is, is the POW'RBALL ammo to hot for the 3AT? After shooting that magazine I field stripped the gun and put the spring back in. I have shot 150 rounds of ball ammo with no problems after. Is the gun ok you think?

 

[JFB]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

looks like you need part #199 :

The washer is made of nylon 66. It is a light press fit into the slide's guide rod hole and a tight slide fit around the guide rod. By installing one, the space available for the recoil springs at full recoil is reduced, thus they will more than likely cause the springs to go solid and kink if not fitted proper.

why the washers? years ago, the cnc machines producing the slides were set to drill the slide's hole for the recoil springs too deep. the metal around the recoil rod would get hammered (peened) out to the point the clearance around the rod would open and allow the inner spring to pop through.

KT will replace any slide where this has happened, however, some preferred to fix (or prevent) this with the insertion of one of these washers.

I have them in my slides (which did not have the deep hole) for P3AT and P32, but I hand fitted them and the springs to prevent the springs from kinking.

I also have one in a P3AT slide where the hole for the guide rod was drilled completly through and it has held up for the little testing I have performed. I trust the "fix" enough that this slide is my normal carry (since it was HC)

I would recomend a search of the P3AT section with the words "washer, jfb, peen" but you must go back longer than one year. You might want to also limit search to post by jfb since this will contain the technical details of why the washer

 

[Haku]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

The instruction manual that came with my gun does not list part 199 is it new?

 

[JFB]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

IT IS NOT A KELTEC PART

It is offered by one of the members of this site.  He has a post in the trading post.  When you have posted here for a while, the trading post will become available


:-?
I searched for the post where the washers are for sale, CLICK HERE

 

[Cremator]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

As shown above, it's not the ammo.  It is a wear problem.  People actually carry and shoot ammo much hotter the the Pow'rball.  That is what I carry by the way, and no problems to date.  I would send it in to get the slide replaced.

 

[Haku]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

I am going to call Kel-Tec tomorrow and find out how to send it in for repair :'( Like losing my best friend I carry it daily. I guess I will have to break down and carry the LCP that has been in the safe for awhile. :-/

 

[Haku]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

How do I ship it back UPS????

 

[Sangueffusor]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/shipping.htm

Basically, box it up, write the label as CNC Inc., 1475 Cox Road, Cocoa FL, 32926 (omit "Kel-Tec" as that turns it into a STEAL ME label), and take it to a UPS store: the package contents are 'machine parts', 'high speed hole punch', 'long range drill' (pick one) and are to be insured for $250-300. Enclose a letter describing your problem(s) and your return address. Finally, send it UPS ground, and enjoy paying $10-12 instead of $50, because air shipping is not required by law.

 

[princemorr2003]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

jfb washers re listed in trading post

Dan

 

[tweed]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/shipping.htm

Basically, box it up, write the label as CNC Inc., 1475 Cox Road, Cocoa FL, 32926 (omit "Kel-Tec" as that turns it into a STEAL ME label), and take it to a UPS store: the package contents are 'machine parts', 'high speed hole punch', 'long range drill' (pick one) and are to be insured for $250-300. Enclose a letter describing your problem(s) and your return address. Finally, send it UPS ground, and enjoy paying $10-12 instead of $50, because air shipping is not required by law.

so wouldnt it be just as easy to call customer service it might speed things up.

 

[Haku]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

I did and sent the slide back to them. They said they would send a new one back to me. I did not take the firing pin and ejector off so I hope they send the new slide with that insalled :-?

 

[torrent]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

More than likely your new slide will come with all the parts installed and ready to go back on the gun. Also, it wouldn't suprise me if there wasn't a little baggy of parts inside the envelope as well. That's the kind of service I got. The lady told me to strip the slide and only send it back. If you need any parts PM me your address and I'll ship some out to you, or you can call KT and they will do the same thing.

 

[ccoorreeyy]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

KT seems to be real good at sending parts out pretty fast to fix their guns. It's almost like a thank you for taking the time to fix our gun when they throw in a few extra parts. Very nice.

 

[CDW4ME]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

I've got a 2nd generation gun, bought a while back, that hasn't been shot very much but I'm seeing a slight protrusion developing around the recoil spring hole. I wouldn't have noticed it if it wasn't for this thread. I'm going to take a closer look at the thickness of the hole.

 

[bro61]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

I've got a 2nd generation gun, bought a while back, that hasn't been shot very much but I'm seeing a slight protrusion developing around the recoil spring hole. I wouldn't have noticed it if it wasn't for this thread. I'm going to take a closer look at the thickness of the hole.

Mine started getting a very slight protrusion after about 100 rounds. I have over 400 through it now. The hole has not enlarged. The protrusion hasn't gotten any worse. The thickness of the steel is good, so I'm not worried about it.

 

[Haku]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

Can you believe that KT still has not sent my slide back? I am P380less :'(. At least I still have the P32, Tomcat, LCR, S&W36, and a glock 23 to carry.

 

[JFB]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

5/16-4/18 = 4 weeks :-/

 

[Haku]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

I called they said 6 to 8 weeks total, will see. :-X

 

[cassfam]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

This is what's great about this site. The peening problem is sonething I haven't run across on this site before, and have not had occur on my P3. If not for checking threads, and running into this one, I wouldn't have known to check for protrusions around the guide rod hole. Gotta love a group that's nice enough to share so many things, and has a good time doing it. KTers as a group are are the kind of people you want dating your sister. Well, not me personally, and if you knew my sister, you'd underestand. But you know what I mean. And the ladies are the same way, except for obvious differences.

 

[Haku]

Re: POW'RBALL Ammo Cause The Spring to come out fr

I still don't have my slide back from KT :'( But I was at a gun store yesterday and purchased a new Bersa Thunder .380 for $279.00. My wife said she wanted it to CC. Now that she shot the gun she wants my Ruger LCR or my P32. Well I told her I will buy her a new P32 and she can have that one. Now I got like 10 handguns. Well I guess the more the marrier ;D