Hello,
I bought a Ruger LCP to fill a small niche.
Though I don't like to carry anything smaller than 9mm, even the compact and subcompact 9mm pistols are sometimes not practical. I therefore went looking at the Kel-Tec P3AT and liked what I saw. Well, so much as I can like a plastic pistol that shoots something I consider marginal for self-defense.
Sitting next to it was a Ruger LCP. It was a bit more expensive, but it didn't rattle nearly as much as the Kel-Tec. In fact, it doesn't rattle at all. It feels solid.
My 1911, the LCP, and its magazine (6+1) outfitted with the finger extension.
It's quite diminutive next to my 1911. It fits in my palm nicely, and even fully loaded, I can carry it in my concealed carry vest and hardly notice it. This is the first pistol I can say this about
: the others were either too heavy, or bulged. This is nice and flat.
Sights are rudimentary, but they are serviceable at the ranges for which this pistol was intended.
The sights are right on, and I was able to make this seven shot group quite easily at 5 yards or so.
I did have to change the floor plate out so that it has the extra finger rest. Weight and extra size are negligable, and in my big paws, the pistol is much more controllable with the added finger grip. It jumped around all over when I tried shooting it with only my middle finger around the grip.
I have to say that recoil is quite pleasant. I expected it to be sharp, but it just sort of rocks back. It is actually more pleasant to shoot with factory reloads (all I could get) than is my full sized 1911 with my 230gn reloads - and I do not consider the 1911 to have stout recoil.
I am currently searching for defensive ammunition. I have ball in it now, and though I'm not uncomfortable with it, I wouldn't mind having just a bit of expansion to accompany the penetration. Double Tap ammo has some very good priced ammunition, Corbon has the DPX, and Hornady has Critical Defense, which I like very much, in theory at least. Rapid fire is very doable.
Downsides to this pistol are not many if you recognize its limitations and don't expect it to be a full power pistol or a long gun. If I had to nitpick, I'd say that it could fit my hands better. However, this is a small gun and I have huge hands, so this is more of an individual consideration - I shaped my 1911 to fit my hands better and don't expect the status quo to ever work for me. The trigger pull could be a bit shorter, but it's comforting to know that it is that long as there's a lack of a manual safety. There is, however, a manual slide hold open. I haven't found a use for this yet, except maybe for taking pictures. Don't have much use for slidelock on a 1911 either, so take this for what it's worth.
I do have a problem figuring out where to put my hands when shooting, but believe I have that one figured out. My right hand would actually interfere with my left!
My biggest complaint, however, is the disassembly pin. Working on a modified Browning action, this pistol has a cross pin in place of the slide stop pin. This is all well and good, and it can be taken down by pulling it out with a screwdriver or similar. However, the slide stop pin is
polymer! Probably not such a big deal as it's not a very high stress part, but it sure doesn't give me the warm fuzzies. If I cannot find an aftermarket metal cross pin, I may have one made.
Overall, this is a very good pistol for around $300. It's most definitely a pistol you carry when you can't carry a real gun, but that's its intended role.
It is accurate - especially considering what it is - easy to shoot, and reliable. I had no malfunctions at all out of the box with commercially reloaded ball ammo.
I think I will have to pick up some .380 dies and begin reloading for this in the near future. Practice is essential with any pistol; it's downright critical with a piece of this size and power.
According to my experiences so far, I would not hesitate to recommend this piece to a friend.
Josh <><
