Hey guys, I'm new to the board and only own one other KT, a P-32; today I picked up a new parkerized P3AT and when I got home to clean it I found the barrel to be pitted and have a cut line half way down the barrel going all the way around the inside of it. I checked my P-32 barrel and found it to be perfect, smooth and not a single flaw, I sent an email to KT but there is a 2-3 day wait for responses due to volume so I figured I would ask here. I tried to search the forum for pitted barrels but nothing came up; has anyone else had this before? Should I be concerned? I have not fired this gun yet, and the cut in the barrel looks like machining marks but it's only in the rifling so I'm thinking it is machining while they were cutting the barrel out but I know nothing about the pitting could it be from t he parkerizing? Thanks for any help/responses.
Re: new p3at concern If you purchased it new. I would recommend you bring the pistol back to the store and have one of their gunsmith check it over before sending any round down range. OT
Re: new p3at concern My PF-9 had the same anomaly in its barrel. I too found it when cleaning it. It was a superficial thing. I cut a piece stainless steel pot scrubber and used a tight fitting dowel to push it through the bore. Two passes and the line was gone. I have well over 2000 rounds through mine without a single issue.
Re: new p3at concern I'm no expert but that ain't good! Kel-Tec recently replaced the entire upper of my HC P3AT for a barrel having just an itsy bitsy teeny weeny defect in a single barrel groove. I did not see the defect in my barrel until I inspected it with a magnifying glass. :-[ I know the horse is out of the barn but that should have been caught before you forked over your hard earned money. Inspecting the barrel and a few other quick inspections should be SOP before laying down your money. Bill K.
Re: new p3at concern Thanks Bill, I traded some stuff for this gun. And you're right I should have looked closer but I guess I just didn't think I would encounter anything like this. As I stated in my OP I have only one other KT and the barrel is perfect, I don't see anything else wrong with it and I have been cleaning and inspecting it since last night. I let it sit overnight with a good slathering of Weaponshield on it and this morning did a light F&B on it but still have not fired it. I have an email to KT but without pics so when I hear from them I will send some pics if they want but I think they will make this right.
IMO, if it was me, I would go ahead and put a few magazines down it, and see what happens. I do not see anything indicating that the barrel is going to give way, and would be interested to see if running some actual ammo down it smooths the rest of the crud out. If you were closer, I would say we go and shut the indoor range down, turn on the heat, and have a little fun...... That is how sure I am that it is not going to self destruct. Be sure to let us know what KT says.
Agreed. Although some are better than others, none of these little pistols have match grade barrels. Whatever it is, I seriously doubt what you see there in the rifling makes any difference in how the gun shoots. You could go ahead and put some rounds through it. It can be sent back any time, should you decide to.
My P-3AT had some minor pits, but it always shot fine NIB and with about 2650 rounds through it now it is still going strong. Yours is way too pitted in my view, I would either return it to where it was purchased or ask Kel-Tec to replace the barrel. Bobo
Re: new p3at concern I think that could be parkerizing. The horizontal lines in the rifling might be something, but it's hard to tell if it is an indentation or a build up of parkerizing. I think I might do this... ...but I certainly would do some clean, lube, shoot, repeat before deciding what to do. After shooting and cleaning, it would be easier to tell what, if anything, is the problem.
Not only did I try a bore brush but I tried a Tornado brush and some steel wool, it got a minute amount better but it's pitted threw and threw. I've owned this gun for 24 hours and spent 4 hours scrubbing and oiling, it ain't coming out. I have sent the email and someone on another board gave me the number for KT CS so I'll call Monday AM, I believe they will replace it, this one is pitted pretty bad. I'll keep you guys up to speed with what they say. Thanks for all the help so far.
I dont believe I would shot it that barrel looks pretty bad to me. I cant believe they would send something out like that.Hope they get on sending you a new barrel so you can put some lead though it.
Hell yea! I got 150 rounds of WWB and 20 Critical Defense and it's all going through it the first range trip. What do you guys think of the PDX-1 95gr 380's? I found them at Cabela's for $15.99
So I got an email from Ericka at Kel Tec today giving me an address to send the barrel and slide in to them and as soon as they get it they will send a new set out to me. I'll be sending it tomorrow 2 day mail so I can get it back ASAP cause I really want to shoot it.
So I sent it Guaranteed overnight with USPS and it was supposed to be there at noon yesterday and it didn't arrive until today around 9:30am and it's in a PO box until tomorrow when they pick it up. So I went to the post office to let them know I paid $18.50 to have it there by noon and it didn't get there and they gave me a full refund right there...cash. so I got it shipped there for free and in speaking with Sharon at KT today if they are just swapping the barrel and slide it should go back out same day and they 2 day air it to me, which is great cause I'm moving on the 19th and wanted this to be handled before then. We'll see what comes back but KT CS is very good in my book.
So I spoke with Sharon @ KT again today, they got my barrel and slide and the barrel was being swapped out for new and the slide re-parkerized. I then got a call from Mike a little while later and said it is on it's way back to me via UPS 2nd day air, great! This makes their turn around time for me, hours; by far some of the best CS I have ever dealt with also Mike said the gunsmith hand picked a barrel for me so it will be perfect. I'm very pleased and can't wait to get it back now.
