A Kel tec p3at that may be in need of tweaking or retirement

[father-of-three]

I have a well used Kel tec p3at. I have put many rounds through it getting comfortable with the double action only trigger pull, recoil, and not accidentially bumping the magazine release. The last 2 times I cleaned it, I needed to cycle about a dozen cartridges through it, as I would initially have what appeared to be a failure to feed, which was remedied by tapping the magazine, which would get the slide back to the ready position and chamber the round. I cycled both winchester whitebox and speer gold dots though it today, to try to make sure it was not a specific type of ammo giving me trouble. I went a little heavier on the lube today, to see if that would help. While firing it today at the range, I had two failure to feeds which were not remedied by tapping the magazine. The spring looks pretty flimsy compared to a glock spring, so I am not sure if a new spring may be in order. The slide always seemed a bit stiff, but I had the same experience with a new p3at. Does this sound like I need the feed ramp polished? If so, how much does that usually cost?

 

[Cotillion]

Contact kel tec. Depending on the age you might get it fixed for free or at least cheap

 

[denny45acp]

Most people polish them there self . Do you have a shooter friend that could do it?

 

[father-of-three]

Contact kel tec. Depending on the age you might get it fixed for free or at least cheap

I didn't buy it new, so I'm assuming any tweaks or repairs will cost me.

 

[Cotillion]

Pretty sure kel tec warranty follows the gun, not the owner. Just don't mention it when calling. Just tell them the problem and they'll most likely have you send it in. They have really good customer service

 

[bluedefender]

Send it in

I had the same exact issue with my P3AT. Bought mine through a private sale, very cheap. However, the extractor never seemed to work right no matter how much it was adjusted. Polished the feed ramp but made no difference. Many jams and stovepipes with various types of .380 ammo.

Sent the gun back to Kel-Tec. They replaced the entire guts but the frame at no cost. However, they mailed it back overnight express at $60... still scratching my head as to why the overnight shipping (took 'em six weeks to fix it) but the gun is flawless now. No regrets.

Email them directly for instructions. They are specific. Best of luck.

 

[BorisTheSpider]

My first thought was to check your cleaning routine. Excessive oil can cause problems as well. While it's great at reducing friction between moving parts, it is also great at collecting lint, powder emissions, and other particulates. Those things are considerably less good at reducing friction. If the problem seems to be getting worse, rather than better, I would certainly not think your feed ramp needs polished. That happens naturally through firing, and although the number of rounds people suggest varies, 500 rounds seems like it's enough to rectify any feed ramp issues naturally.

It's possible that there is a problem with your mag release button or spring, or the slide release mechanism. I would do a thorough cleaning, ensuring to remove excess oil from all parts. Make sure to check for signs of wear on any moving parts - something like pitting or scratches could indicate that some particles are making their way in and causing it to jam up.

This is all generic information. I'm not personally familiar with anything from Kel Tec, so I can't say that any one thing is more or less prone to happen on a specific pistol. But it is free advice, and I can guarantee it's worth at least every penny you paid for it.

 

[terry]

I ha dthe ramp polished new springs installed because I had the same problem. But still I encounter this Very dangerous for ccw.

 

[father-of-three]

I fired and cycled ball ammo through the gun today with no problems. It seems that "flat-nosed" ammo I used, specifically hollowpoints and winchester whitebox, have some difficulty cycling through the weapon.

Thanks, all, for your input and ideas.

 

[CharonPDX]

Pretty sure kel tec warranty follows the gun, not the owner. Just don't mention it when calling. Just tell them the problem and they'll most likely have you send it in. They have really good customer service

Unless they've updated it, it is a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser. I sent mine in for refurbishing last year, and had to pay for it. The price was *VERY* reasonable, though - feed ramp polish, trigger spring lightening, and a few other service bits - plus a new 12-round magazine, trigger shoe, magazine "pinky extension" and another accessory that is escaping me at the moment, $70 total, including shipping back.

 

[father-of-three]

Unless they've updated it, it is a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser. I sent mine in for refurbishing last year, and had to pay for it. The price was *VERY* reasonable, though - feed ramp polish, trigger spring lightening, and a few other service bits - plus a new 12-round magazine, trigger shoe, magazine "pinky extension" and another accessory that is escaping me at the moment, $70 total, including shipping back.

Not a bad price. Thanks for the info. I will keep that in mind if my Kel Tec gets cranky again!

 

[father-of-three]

I shot the gun today with no problems. It was only 20 rounds, but I had no failure to feed problems, even with Winchester "flathead" ball ammo. After cleaning it, the ammo cycled with no feed problems. I may have spent a little longer cleaning it than before, but that's the only difference I can see. I also noticed that when I use a magazine without a finger rest, at least today, I had no magazine drops. I think the pull on the magazine by the finger rest accentuates any contact my thumb has with the mag release. I find that I have to practice thumb placement so I don't bump my somewhat sensitive magazine release. Practice practice practice.

 

[onetuza]

WWB ammo won't run my PF-9 without frequent jams. My carry ammo runs smooth as butter. (Hornady Critical Defense)

 

[father-of-three]

Yes. Some guns are a little picky.