Kel-Tec P3AT .380 - TGO Reviews

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Kel-Tec CNC Industries, Inc. Kel-Tec P3AT .380

Reviews	Views	Date of last review
12	2781	Tue September 29, 2009

Recommended By	Average Price	Average Rating
100% of reviewers	$248.50	8.9

supersize

Description:

The Kel-Tec P3AT is a locked-breech, double action only .380 ACP pistol based on the Kel-Tec P-32. The frame is made of polymer with an aluminum insert, and the slide and barrel are steel. It is the lightest production .380 ACP pistol in the world at 8.3 ounces empty. Measuring only 5.2" long, 3.5" high and .77" wide, it is roughly the same size as many diminutive .22 and .25 caliber pistols. The P3AT cartridge capacity is 6+1, but there is a one-round magazine extension available. Trigger pull is a light 5 lbf. These attributes have made it a favorite for civilians with concealed carry permits and with law enforcement as a back-up or off-duty pistol. The P3AT lacks any sort of slide stop, omitted in order to keep the size similar to the P32.

The P3AT had met with some criticism focused on its mostly polymer construction and the allegedly weak performance on .380 ACP round it fires. Both private owners and officers claim that since most self-defense situations occur within seven yards (21 feet) the P3AT is adequate. It has seen reliable sales for home defense, civilian concealed carry, or a law enforcement officer's off-duty or backup.

The P3AT as well as the .380 round it fires have been marketed towards women due to the compactness and lower recoil, respectively. However, the small size and weight of the P3AT results in increased felt recoil, in some respects more intense than recoil from larger calibers in full-sized guns. This recoil is often described as snappy, and is felt primarily as a sting to the fingers, to distinguish from the push of a large caliber handgun that may be felt in the arm and body.

The Kel-Tec P3AT comes with either blue, parkerized or matte chrome slide and black, grey or olive drab green polymer frame. Current production is the second generation model, with improvements to reliability over the first generation. The most easily distinguished difference between generations is the extractor. The first generation has a traditional external extractor parallel to the side of the gun, while the second generation has a button-head hex screw to the rear of the extractor, which is at an angle to the side of the gun.

Both the P3AT and its cousin, the P32, are popular concealed carry guns with female shooters due to their small size and light 5 lb double action trigger pull. The P3AT is very well suited to a defensive role as it is small enough to fit into most purses yet uses .380 ammo which is considered by many to be the smallest trustworthy caliber for adequate stopping power and penetration. Many caliber projectiles won't penetrate the 12 inch depth in ballistic gelatin that the FBI requires for carry weapons when shot from hand gun size barrels

Keywords:

Ket-Tec P3AT .380


	Boomhower TGO Senior Member		Posts: 1,671 Registered: March 2007 Location: Not far enough in the hills of Knoxville see this user's products

Author

Boomhower

TGO Senior Member

Registered: March 2007
Location: Not far enough in the hills of Knoxville
Posts: 1671

Review Date: Mon November 12, 2007

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: $262.00 | Rating: 9

Pros:	Conceal-ability, accurate for SD ranges
Cons:	No slide lock, snappy recoil, easily limp wristed

This is a great little gun to throw in your pocket for those quick trips out, or for those trips where your larger carry weapon is not feasible, or as a BUG (back up gun) to your primary carry arm. It has a snappy recoil for a .380, but it performs to exactly what it was made for, concealed carry. With it's small grip size, it's hard to get a grasp on like you will find with a compact or full/service size handgun, thus the reason for the snappy recoil. Grip can also cause issues such as limp wristing the P3AT. If your grip is not firm enough, once you fire the round, you will experience FTF's (failure to feed). Tighten up your grip and you should be good to go.

I have heard report's of other issue's with the earlier generations of the P3AT concerning the feed ramps. That issue seems to be resolved in the later generation.

I would recommend the P3AT to anyone in the market for a small carry handgun. It has been extremely reliable for me thus far.

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bkelm18

American

Registered: September 2007
Location: Oak Ridge
Posts: 4518

Review Date: Sat November 17, 2007

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9

Pros:	Compact, Reliable, Kel-Tec has great cust. service
Cons:	Not exactly pleasant to shoot

Great pocket gun. I carry it all the time and hardly even know it's there. Mine had a problem many early P-3AT's had, the recoil spring popped out through the front of the slide due to a defect in the slide. I sent it back to Kel-Tec and they replaced the entire slide for free. Can't get much better than that. It's been flawless ever since. It's not a range gun you shoot a lot, just enough to be proficient. Highly recommended as a carry gun for situations when a larger gun is not practical.

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-boatman-

TGO Member

Registered: January 2008
Location: Jackson TN/Bell Buckle TN
Posts: 242

Review Date: Mon January 7, 2008

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9

Pros:	Small size easy to carry
Cons:

One thing I did that made the P3AT more comfortable to shoot is put on a mag bottom for a Bersa .380. You get a much better grip and it fits perfect with no mods. You can get them at http://www.bersafirearmsusa.com/parts_380lt_sat.php.
Is is Part #48.

r1mattrr

TGO Freshman

Registered: January 2008
Location: nashville, tn
Posts: 18

Review Date: Sun January 13, 2008

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9

Pros:	size
Cons:	hard to get a good grip

I love this thing. Small enough to carry anywhere. Great in an ankle holster. Better to have a tiny gun than no gun at all. I think I'll try putting the mag bottom on like boatman says so I can get a better grip on the thing.

r1mattrr

TGO Freshman

Registered: January 2008
Location: nashville, tn
Posts: 18

Review Date: Sun January 13, 2008

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 0

Pros:
Cons:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought a double action would fire again if for some reason there was a misfire. Just pull the trigger again. This gun will only fire once for each time one is put in the chamber.

olretiredgunney

TGO Freshman

Registered: October 2007
Location: Memphis Tn.
Posts: 15

Review Date: Mon January 14, 2008

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9

Pros:
Cons:

Nice pocket gun.It stays in my pocket and is so light i forget its there,but would remember it if needed!

readyornot

TGO Member

Registered: February 2008
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 68

Review Date: Mon February 11, 2008

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9

Pros:	size, caliber
Cons:	recoil, grip size is small

I really like this gun. I carry it every day. I added grip extenders to the bottom of the magazine to give me another finger grip. These are offered directly from KelTec now.

Magiccarpetrides

Zombie Slayer

Registered: February 2008
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 2586

Review Date: Wed March 5, 2008

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 0

Pros:
Cons:

If anyone is interested in one Coal Creek Armory has one NIB for $249.99 + tax

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Rando

TGO Member

Registered: February 2008
Location: Newport,TN.
Posts: 169

Review Date: Sat March 8, 2008

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9

Pros:	Size, easily concealed, great grouping for a compact
Cons:	you do need the mag extender, feed problems with round nose ammo

My dad bought one and I had to try it, got mine at the next show from same dealer, with the belt clip and mag extender. I think it shoots a very nice group to be so small and light. You will have to make sure you use the more pointed ammo as it does jam with the round nose fat ammo( most carry ammo ie. hollow points will feed well) I am now using Hornady 380 auto, 90 gr. JHP/XTP
with very good results but of course I havent used them on any live targets so who knows about the actual knock down power. all in all great little gun, Rando

mousegunner

TGO Senior Member

Registered: July 2007
Location: Signal Mtn, TN
Posts: 826

Review Date: Sat March 22, 2008

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8

Pros:	small, very small
Cons:	it ain't purty!

I reviewed mine at:
http://www.mouseguns.com/ideal2.htm

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Irish_Red

TGO Member

Registered: February 2009
Location: Gallatin
Posts: 67

Review Date: Mon March 9, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: $235.00 | Rating: 9

Pros:	very nice small little poket rocket
Cons:	The ammo is hard to find right now lol

I would buy one again

dart67eb

TGO Freshman

Registered: August 2009
Location: Germantown
Posts: 24

Review Date: Tue September 29, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9

Pros:	easy to carry
Cons:	not a cannon

I did a fluff and buff as recommended at ktog.org and put 300 rds through it with no problems. A carry gun is only good if you carry it.