Kel-Tec P3AT

[FergusonTO35]

I've been wanting a .380 pocket gun lately but fatherhood has evaporated much of my fun money, as it should. I found a nice Kel-Tec P3AT with gray frame and black slide to match my P32 so I'm bidding on it. As long as the total cost stays under $200.00 I can swing it. I'm already set up to cast and reload .380 and the P3AT takes the same holster as the P32. I'm going to feed it the Lee 356-102-2R at 850 fps, basically duplicating factory ball. Anybody have much experience with these pistols? I really like my P32 so hopefully I will have the same luck with the .380 version.




http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/527914000/527914814/pix275897370.jpg

[GabbyM]

We've been using two of the 380's for several years now. Never had a single glitch with them.

I use a 100 grain TC-FP mold and it feeds flawlessly. Mold is an old Lyman which has been discontinued. 3.0 grains of WW-231 un der that 100 grain bullet only gives me 755 fps wit an E.S of 27.2 fps. The Lyman 4th edition includes the Lee #356-102-1R bullet. Which is some of the data I reference. My Lyman bullet does not end up at the velocity listed for the Lee. Variables in 380 cases and chambers are great. Similar to my experience with 9x19mm. Lyman's test gun also had a longer 3 3/4 inch barrel. Thus next time I load some I may try up to the max of 3.1 grains but won't go over that. My pistols start to function at 2.5 grains of WW-231. Especially since I can't test the other Kel-Tec over a chronograph since it's a few states away. 380 acp being a low pressure round you should never see any pressure "sign". Can't recall the barrel length of the P3AT but it's short so you won't get the velocity listed for the larger pistols.

From everything I've read. Hornady Critical Defense in 380 is the top SD round to carry.

[jonp]

I had 2 of them. One black for me and one grey for my wife. Neither worked. Misfeeds, jambs you name it. Traded one to a guy that wanted to fiddle with it and the other sits in my safe. I wont trade it at a gunshop as i dont want soneone else to buy it for self defense. Kel Tec's attitude was pretty much its your problem. I wont ever buy another kel tec. Their customer non-service was a case study of how not to treat a customer

Both our 380 pistols are now Rugers

[fecmech]

It will be a bit "snappier" than your .32! I've had one for a few years now and had over 1500 trouble free rds in which I abused it pretty badly. Mainly max loads of the RD 100 gr@900fps and Lee 120TC in the 700fps range. I noticed a small crack in the slide and called KT and they said to send it in. They returned it no charge with a new top end and I've probably put another 1000 of more sane loads of the RD bullet in the 800fs category for practice. They are very dependable guns and mine is always with me.

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks for the replies. Gabby, I find Bullseye is about the best darn powder ever for the .380. 2.9 grains under the Lee 102 clocks a very consistent 990 FPS out of my Glock 42, that is a published load from Lyman. HP-38 works ok but I could never get as good performance out of it in .380. It's a dandy for 9X19 though.

Jon, wow, sorry to hear that. The few times I've dealt with Kel-Tec they just sent me parts for free. Is your P3AT a first or second generation? I like to fix things, that is how I've acquired some of my favorite guns and vehicles. If I don't win this one I might make you an offer on yours.

Fecmech, ouch! Yeah, I think those would be some snappy loads. I will be very pleased if I can get the Lee boolit up to a consistent 850 fps out of the P3AT. I doubt factory FMJ even breaks 800 out of these little barrels.

[KLR]

Wife, son and I each had a Gen 2. All had problems with jams, misfeeds, etc. We "fluffed and buffed." Repeatedly. Wife and mine went back to Keltec. Her's was ok then, mine continued to have problems. I finally solved my problems by doubling up the extractor spring. (Keltec sent me an extractor and spring, but the spring was curved backwards. Do they even make a left handed P3AT?)

In the meantime my other son, daughter, father-in-law, and dad bought the Ruger LCP. All four functioned flawlessly.

So I could either spend $100+ in ammo proving my Keltecs were really, actually reliable - or sell them and buy the LCP.
My wife and I now have LCPs and have not had another problem.

[fecmech]

I doubt factory FMJ even breaks 800 out of these little barrels.
Remington 95 gr FMC does 878 fps out of my KT. RD's max load of BE(3.6) with his 100 gr does 900 fps out of my KT.

[c1skout]

My 1st gen P3at has worked flawlessly for at least a couple thousand rounds. I did have the mag follower get beat up at one time, so I called KT and they sent me 2 new ones, no charge. I use the Lee 102 over a starting charge of acc#2 for practice, but I don't know how fast they move. The one time I tried to chrono a load from this gun I shot the arms off my sky screens.
I've got a stash of the old S&B 92gn ball ammo that I use for carry. It feels like a really hot round, way snappier than anything else I've tried.

[FergusonTO35]

I have owned three Kel-Tecs, the P32, P11, and PF9. All have functioned perfectly for me. I sold the two nines because I prefer my Glock 26 and 42 for those roles. I recently modifed the ejector on my P32 so that it now ejects brass two or three feet away instead of into the next county.

Fecmech, R-P ammo gets about that much velocity out of my Kahr CT-380 and Glock 42. Mebbe Remington uses a really fast burning powder in this load given the popularity of micro .380's.

[twc1964]

I jave one of those pocket poppers also. I use the same load mentioned above, 2.9 be with lee 102gr rn, pc'd. I get around 875fps from mine. Others are right about the snappy recoil too lol. Ive got fat hands so the recoil doesnt bother me at all. Never had any problems with mine.

[GabbyM]

I think I also liked BE better than this WW 231 and HP-38. Back in another lifetime I loaded BE in my little AMT 380. That one was stolen in a home burglary out in AZ. Didn't' have a chrony back then but they shot.

[cwheel]

I started out with 2 P3AT's, son ended up with one of them. Still regularly carry as a CCW, wore the finish off both. Never reloaded for them, both used only with Hornady Critical Defense. Only fire a couple of mags every couple of months, cleaned and reloaded the mags, and back into service. Very reliable firearms, small, easy to pack even in lite summer clothes. Highly recommended choice for a CCW although just on the edge of enough power, it's a shoot and scoot pistol to save your life, make the perp think about his choice of victim's.
Chris

[scarry scarney]

I picked up a used PF9, was a jam-o-matic. I contacted Kel-Tec. They had me send it in, along with info on what ammo I wanted to use. Because I was not the original owner had to pay a small fee, about $50 (not sure on the amount). They sent back a new gun, with a new serial number. Old gun had a xxx number, new gun came back with same three digits, but with an "a" on the end (xxxa). It functioned flawlessly!

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Kel-Tec.

[Fishman]

I bought a p3at soon after they hit the market. It stovepiped a lot so I had the local smith check it out. Don't know what he did, but it's worked great ever since. Thought I needed to upgrade to the ruger copy since rugers have always worked well for me. Not this time. The keltec will take and feed just about any cast bullet up to .358, including the Lee 105 and 102 molds. The ruger was super picky and wouldn't chamber .357 diameter bullets. It worked fine with factory so I sent it down the road. Still have the keltec because it fills a need and does it well.

[FergusonTO35]

I took my P32 out for some exercise today. At 12 feet it was printing 3" low. It did this with the OEM rrcoil spring and 11 lb. Wolff spring, mild and stout loads. Now that i think about it, I wonder if I have changed, not the pistol. I have put in alot of pistol practice in 2015 and really improved my grip, trigger pull, and focus on the sights. I wonder if previously i flinched by raising the muzzle slightly in anticipation of recoil and now I don't. By comparison my S&W 10-10 and Glock 43 were dead on.

[Outpost75]

Got my 36-125T mold back from Erik, the HP version weighs 114 grains. 2.5 grains of Bullseye with the 125 solid gives 836 fps in my Beretta M1934 with 3.4" barrel, 6.3 grs. of Alliant #2400 is 863 fps. Will soon test same charges with the 114-grain HP and shoot into water jugs. First photo at left shows 100 grain Rainer FMJRN and 102-grain Remington GSHP for visual comparison.

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[43PU]

What did you do to the P32 to make it eject only 2-3 feet??

[dubber123]

What did you do to the P32 to make it eject only 2-3 feet??

I'm sure Ferguson will reply, but I would bet he shortened the ejector. Shortening the ejector lets it hit the brass later in the firing cycle when the slide is slowing down at the rear. It gives the ejected case much less of a hit, so they don't go as far.

[FergusonTO35]

Yep, that's just it. I removed the ejector and shortened it by a little more than half.

I didn't win that P3AT, with shipping and transfer it would have cost more than a new gun. Now pondering getting an LCP as it has a much better trigger.

[Treeman]

I carried my P3aT for over a year. Shot it a bit. It was surprisingly accurate and very reliable. Cronoed Remingtonball at 1000fps from it! My buddy bought an LCP.....and discovered that it would release the magazine frequently when pocket carried (His Keltec did not)> We both then decided to try the Taurus TCP. While virtually the same size as the P3at and LCP it IS slightly blockier....but the sights are better, it holds the slide open on an empty mag and the magazines stay in place. I've shot 4 and all shot to the sights.Been carrying mine for several years and it always works even when full of sawdust and lint.

[GabbyM]

At fifteen feet I am confident to make a head shot with my Kel Teck. So what. Little pocket pistols are better than a knife. Especially if it's a little girl using it. These pocket pistols are for equalizing hand to hand combat. simple fat is you better hope you are dealing with Hajis like the murderers in California last week. Real men will just break your neck with there bare hands while you are reaching for your little pocket pistol. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for carrying a firearm as I do myself. But I don't fool myself either. This fixation of caliber and such is stupid beyond my limit of stupid. Fact is a pocket pistol is generally used close up. 380 works better than a 32 because there is more muzzle blast. If you are doing it right you have closed and made contact. Blast goes right into body cavity. This idea about accuracy in a pocket pistol is just stupid on al levels. I can hit a paper plate at 25 yards with my 380. Woopee. It's intended use is to push into a man then pull the trigger. If he is fifteen feet away I close and kill the sob. Think about it pansy boy. While you are fumbling for your gun, what are you doing? Maybe hiding behind your girlfriend like the tough bikers do. Whatever. As far as kill potential I rate my 380 about ten percent above my pocket knife But that is with a knife in my hand not my daughters.

Which reminds me of that *** Texan governor who killed a coyote with a 380. Last time a attack dog was sent on me I grabbed it up and smashed it's head into the concreate road. Seriously since when does a grown man need a piss ant pocket pistol to kill a yote. Then brag about it. Like a yote is some vicious animal. Wonder why his campaign failed. aka swift boat.

[Catshooter]

Gabby,

Your post is out of line. It's not a good idea to drink and post you know.


Cat