P3AT Malfunction

[elroy]

I've been carrying and shooting my P3AT for a couple years now without any problems, and love it, but last week at the range something weird happened.

After shooting, I looked and one of the two recoil springs (there are two of them, a smaller diameter one inside of another) was protruding about an inch from the guide rod hole right beneath the barrel.

I don't know if this happened on the last round fired or earlier in the magazine.

After disassembling and reassembling the gun, I shot another magazine and the same thing happened.

Has anyone else experienced something like this? I'm hoping that it's just the guide rod and/or springs that need to be replaced and not the whole slide. I love the gun and carry it daily in a custom pocket holster and have had no other problems with it.

[Thunder71]

If I remember right (been a while) but I think those springs need to go in a certain direction, if not put in right they can work themselves out.

[TTS]

In little guns like the P3AT you want to change the recoil springs every 1000-2000 rounds, they tend to wear out fast from the amount of abuse they take.

[Thunder71]

But how would wearing out a spring cause it to be more prone to exiting the front?

[elroy]

In little guns like the P3AT you want to change the recoil springs every 1000-2000 rounds, they tend to wear out fast from the amount of abuse they take.

That's probably good advice, thanks. I'm probably close to 2000 rounds through it.

[elroy]

I still don't see how the spring can get through the hole when the end of the guide rod is "plugging" it.

I'm hoping that the end of the guide rod is just worn and it's not the hole in the slide itself that has opened up. That seems unlikely though, the slide being metal while the guide rod is plastic.

[Thunder71]

http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/non-xd-han ... rning.html

Looks like you're not the only one:

[grousemaster]

Lol, looks like a quality firearm!

All kidding aside, if you put the springs in the wrong way stuff like this can happen.....

[Steve_G]

Talk to KelTek.....they replaced my slide as the guide rod hole was drilled to deep and the hole expands after use.

Cost me a UPS run to the factory for mine....

[Grandpa Rex]

I have had great service from them for small parts that broke on mine. I am confident they will make it right.

[elroy]

Keltec service is sending me out a new rod and springs to try. If that doesn't work they have offered to replace the slide for free.

They are standing behind their product and I am pleased. Keep in mind that this is a 2+ year old gun. Granted this is most likely a manufacturing (or even design) defect, but this kind of service is not the standard any more, at least in most other industries.

My only downside is that I'll lose use of my primary pocket gun during the UPS slide swap.

In the mean time, I have been able to (so far) keep the spring from prolapsing by putting a strategic bend in the end of it so that it doesn't fit through the hole.

I like this little gun despite this issue and will continue to carry it and recommend it.

[Steve_G]

When I was looking at the problem with mine...I "think" I saw a person on KTOG.org selling a bushing for your current gun to use.....FWIW

If I remember it was like a small washer for the guide rod.

[elroy]

Update:

Kel Tec sent me out a new guide rod and spring assembly to see if that was the problem. Predictably it wasn't. When I informed them so they agreed to send me out a new slide immediately. I'll send back the old one after I verify that the new one works.

In the mean time, my trusty pocket gun is still in service, but I know that I can only count on 3 or 4 shots before it becomes a paper weight.

Bottom line: I still love the gun and I think that Kel Tec's customer service is first rate.