Wife bought me a new gun!!!

[Wingshooter]

Kel-Tec P3AT

So far, I have put about 90 rounds through it. The manual does say that it needs a break-in period of 50-100 rounds, and they are right. I had 3 FTE and 2 FTF within the first 60 rounds. The remaining 30 rounds experienced no failures. I do believe that I was guilty of limp-wristing during the 2 FTF. Once I corrected that, I had a lot of fun shooting it. I found it to be pretty accurate considering the sights. I like it.

The cool thing is my wife also said she wants to get her HCP. She really likes this gun and I plan to take her to the range with it. Who knows, if she gets her HCP maybe she'll want it back.

From 10yds...

Edited June 7, 2010 by Batman
Hit the Post button by accident before I was ready LOL

[Guest Billetproof]

Edit!!! You must have a Great Wife!!!!

She knew that I have been wanting a sma

LOL! Hit the post button while I was typing. Now I have to finish it....

[fastbs]

got one for my wife and after playin with it i now have one also. i had not heard great things about their reliability but after a quick feed ramp polish both have worked great.

[Wingshooter]

got one for my wife and after playin with it i now have one also. i had not heard great things about their reliability but after a quick feed ramp polish both have worked great.

The feed ramp does look like it could use a little polishing... I may do that. I plan to put a few more rounds through it this week.

[DWARREN123]

Sounds good. Luck on her HCP.

[MikeW]

Congrats..

For the size of the P3AT they are shooters IMO. I was shocked at how accurate mine was when I first shot it.

[Mike.357]

if only I could live long enough to use the title of this thread

[JAB]

I shoot my P3AT better than I shoot my P11 (the trigger is better, IMO.) My hands are pretty big so I found that putting one of the grip extending mag baseplates on helps me control it better. I had a Hogue grip sleeve on mine but with the 'pinky extension', I shoot it just as well without it. A piece of bicycle innertube also makes a good 'D.I.Y.' grip sleeve if you find that the sharp, little checkering bumps on the grip are chewing up your hand (checkering seems to be sharper on some P3ATs than on others.) Some folks just lightly sand the sharp peaks off. Some folks also lightly sand the flashing on the grip and inside the trigger guard smooth. Again, I think the flashing is worse on some than others.

Just a few F.Y.I.:

1. These little things generally need to be cleaned often in order to function well. They also like to be well-lubed. This is a really good 'lubrication guide' for use with the Kel Tecs, especially the P3AT:

http://goldenloki.com/gunsmith/keltec/lube.htm

2. When you have it taken down for cleaning, watch the ejector. It is a seperate piece that just slides into the frame, can fall out when the slide is off and is easy to lose.

3. A lot of Kel Tec owners also do a basic 'Fluff and Buff' which speeds up the break in process and aids in reliability. I don't think the newer P3ATs need this as much as the 1ST generation pistols did but the major points are polishing the feed ramp as well as polishing/making sure there are no burrs on the rails and making sure that the hammer interface in the slide is smooth.

I think you will really enjoy the little fellah - especially if you plan to carry it. I don't often carry mine as primary - usually it is a BUG - but have used it as primary at times and will, again. With a good pocket holster, it disappears in a front pocket and is so light you can almost forget it is there.

One final thing, the Kel Tec warranty is as good as you hear. I bought a NIB first-gen P3AT several years ago. This was back when many of them still had their 'problems'. Well, I didn't shoot it much until I got my carry permit in '08 and it was then I realized that it needed coaxing to be reliable (as I mentioned, I think this was more true of some of the 1st gen P3ATs than of the 2nd gen.) I would resolve one issue and it would have another until a few months back the hammer spring broke. I sent it back to Kel Tec, along with a list of the other problems it had encountered. KT has done several upgrades since the 1st gen. Also, the slide and extractor are completely different, now - and they don't have any of some of the 1st gen parts left. When I received my P3AT back, pretty much the only original part was the frame. They built me a brand new, 2nd generation P3AT on my 1ST generation frame - no questions asked and free of charge. My LGS owner sent it in for me with one of his shipments so I didn't even have to pay any shipping. Although I liked the way the 1st gen looked better, my 2nd gen has been 100% reliable, right out of the box with no 'break in' needed.

Edited June 7, 2010 by JAB

[towerclimber37]

I shoot my P3AT better than I shoot my P11 (the trigger is better, IMO.) My hands are pretty big so I found that putting one of the grip extending mag baseplates on helps me control it better. I had a Hogue grip sleeve on mine but with the 'pinky extension', I shoot it just as well without it. A piece of bicycle innertube also makes a good 'D.I.Y.' grip sleeve if you find that the sharp, little checkering bumps on the grip are chewing up your hand (checkering seems to be sharper on some P3ATs than on others.) Some folks just lightly sand the sharp peaks off. Some folks also lightly sand the flashing on the grip and inside the trigger guard smooth. Again, I think the flashing is worse on some than others.

Just a few F.Y.I.:

1. These little things generally need to be cleaned often in order to function well. They also like to be well-lubed. This is a really good 'lubrication guide' for use with the Kel Tecs, especially the P3AT:

GoldenLoki.com

2. When you have it taken down for cleaning, watch the ejector. It is a seperate piece that just slides into the frame, can fall out when the slide is off and is easy to lose.

3. A lot of Kel Tec owners also do a basic 'Fluff and Buff' which speeds up the break in process and aids in reliability. I don't think the newer P3ATs need this as much as the 1ST generation pistols did but the major points are polishing the feed ramp as well as polishing/making sure there are no burrs on the rails and making sure that the hammer interface in the slide is smooth.

I think you will really enjoy the little fellah - especially if you plan to carry it. I don't often carry mine as primary - usually it is a BUG - but have used it as primary at times and will, again. With a good pocket holster, it disappears in a front pocket and is so light you can almost forget it is there.

One final thing, the Kel Tec warranty is as good as you hear. I bought a NIB first-gen P3AT several years ago. This was back when many of them still had their 'problems'. Well, I didn't shoot it much until I got my carry permit in '08 and it was then I realized that it needed coaxing to be reliable (as I mentioned, I think this was more true of some of the 1st gen P3ATs than of the 2nd gen.) I would resolve one issue and it would have another until a few months back the hammer spring broke. I sent it back to Kel Tec, along with a list of the other problems it had encountered. KT has done several upgrades since the 1st gen. Also, the slide and extractor are completely different, now - and they don't have any of some of the 1st gen parts left. When I received my P3AT back, pretty much the only original part was the frame. They built me a brand new, 2nd generation P3AT on my 1ST generation frame - no questions asked and free of charge. My LGS owner sent it in for me with one of his shipments so I didn't even have to pay any shipping. Although I liked the way the 1st gen looked better, my 2nd gen has been 100% reliable, right out of the box with no 'break in' needed.

I had a 2nd Gen. P3AT. Bought it for my wife originally, but she said it hurt her hand to shoot it, so I traded it for a bursa thunder380.

The P3AT was awesome. right out of the box, with no malfunctions whatsoever.

in the time that I had it I fired probably 200 rounds before I cleaned it, then fired another 100 rounds though it again to trade it. It worked flawlessly with zero malfunctions. Accurate too, for what it was made for.

I guess my wife wanted something that would be easier on her hand when she emptied the magazine. (for a mouse gun this is the most effective way of stopping someone, imo)

I wish I hadn't traded it.

[tnhawk]

My wife has never bought me a gun, but she doesn't complain when I bring a new one home!

[Guest cheez]

My wife would buy me any gun I want. I would just have to give her the money to get it.:rofl:

[Armed Aviator]

Wife's definately a Keeper!!!

[Wingshooter]

Edit!!! You must have a Great Wife!!!!

I am blessed.

Wife's definately a Keeper!!!

I agree... a keeper. I told her that she has set the bar now for Christmas. lol

[Wingshooter]

I shoot my P3AT better than I shoot my P11 (the trigger is better, IMO.) My hands are pretty big so I found that putting one of the grip extending mag baseplates on helps me control it better. I had a Hogue grip sleeve on mine but with the 'pinky extension', I shoot it just as well without it. A piece of bicycle innertube also makes a good 'D.I.Y.' grip sleeve if you find that the sharp, little checkering bumps on the grip are chewing up your hand (checkering seems to be sharper on some P3ATs than on others.) Some folks just lightly sand the sharp peaks off. Some folks also lightly sand the flashing on the grip and inside the trigger guard smooth. Again, I think the flashing is worse on some than others.

Just a few F.Y.I.:

1. These little things generally need to be cleaned often in order to function well. They also like to be well-lubed. This is a really good 'lubrication guide' for use with the Kel Tecs, especially the P3AT:

GoldenLoki.com

2. When you have it taken down for cleaning, watch the ejector. It is a seperate piece that just slides into the frame, can fall out when the slide is off and is easy to lose.

3. A lot of Kel Tec owners also do a basic 'Fluff and Buff' which speeds up the break in process and aids in reliability. I don't think the newer P3ATs need this as much as the 1ST generation pistols did but the major points are polishing the feed ramp as well as polishing/making sure there are no burrs on the rails and making sure that the hammer interface in the slide is smooth.

I think you will really enjoy the little fellah - especially if you plan to carry it. I don't often carry mine as primary - usually it is a BUG - but have used it as primary at times and will, again. With a good pocket holster, it disappears in a front pocket and is so light you can almost forget it is there.

One final thing, the Kel Tec warranty is as good as you hear. I bought a NIB first-gen P3AT several years ago. This was back when many of them still had their 'problems'. Well, I didn't shoot it much until I got my carry permit in '08 and it was then I realized that it needed coaxing to be reliable (as I mentioned, I think this was more true of some of the 1st gen P3ATs than of the 2nd gen.) I would resolve one issue and it would have another until a few months back the hammer spring broke. I sent it back to Kel Tec, along with a list of the other problems it had encountered. KT has done several upgrades since the 1st gen. Also, the slide and extractor are completely different, now - and they don't have any of some of the 1st gen parts left. When I received my P3AT back, pretty much the only original part was the frame. They built me a brand new, 2nd generation P3AT on my 1ST generation frame - no questions asked and free of charge. My LGS owner sent it in for me with one of his shipments so I didn't even have to pay any shipping. Although I liked the way the 1st gen looked better, my 2nd gen has been 100% reliable, right out of the box with no 'break in' needed.

Thanks for the tips and the link. I have shot a few more rounds and cleaned/lubed it well. I haven't polished the feed ramp yet, but it is functioning great now. I really like this little gun.

I have carried it a couple of times as a primary in light-weight shorts when I would have otherwise not been carrying at all. It's small size and light weight help it to just about disappear.

Edited June 10, 2010 by Batman

[JAB]

Thanks for the tips and the link. I have shot a few more rounds and cleaned/lubed it well. I haven't polished the feed ramp yet, but it is functioning great now. I really like this little gun.

I have carried it a couple of times as a primary in light-weight shorts when I would have otherwise not been carrying at all. It's small size and light weight help it to just about disappear.

Yep - great for pocket carry. Also works really well as a BUG in either the offhand pocket or in a simple ankle holster - so thin it doesn't make your pant's leg bulge at the ankle and so light that it doesn't feel like you are wearing ankle weights. Since pocket carry of a primary isn't my favorite - although I do carry the P3AT as primary that way, sometimes - I also have a FOBUS paddle holster for mine. Even OWB, it is so small, thin and light that it will disappear under a long T-shirt or even a long tank top.

[thescoutranch]

After I bought the wife a G23 for her carry gun, she decided it was too big and heavy for her, so this Christmas, I picked her up the Keltec P3AT. She loves it. I actually thought she would dislike it when we took it to the range, but I can't get her to part with it now. She ended up with one of those Michael Savage specials, gun, spare mag, clip, crimson trace laser grip all in one nice box. It was cheaper than all the parts seperately. Serial # 0087 of 5000. Never had a FTF or FTE yet. I need to get it away from her this weekend to give it another good clean and lube. Maybe when she is asleep. . . .

[jay1313g]

I've had one for a couple of years now and love it. The "fluff and buff" made a HUGE difference.

That's great shooting with that gun from 10 yards! I can hardly see the sigts on mine. It's a point shooting kind of gun for me.

[Guest tngw1500se]

I carry one all the time. Great little gun.

[Wingshooter]

I've had one for a couple of years now and love it. The "fluff and buff" made a HUGE difference.

That's great shooting with that gun from 10 yards! I can hardly see the sigts on mine. It's a point shooting kind of gun for me.

Thanks, the bight sunlight made it easier to see the sights. I need to take it to the range on a cloudy day or in the evening when the sights are harder to see. They are pretty minimal.

I am going to do the "fluff and buff" on it. What's the best method... just a ramp/rails polish by hand, or does it need more?