Reliability: National Rifleman magazine said that the Kel-Tec P3AT is "prone to malfunction with several types of ammunition." In contrast, I experienced no jams. However, I only used 2 different types of ammo and I only put the gun through 27 rounds. I used Aguila 380 ammo and Speer Gold Dots. I wanted to test the gun with more ammo but the recoil on this little gun started to hurt my wrist so I was unable to put more ammo through it.
Accuracy: If you are skilled enough, the gun can be surprisingly accurate. National Rifleman reports over 6 inch groups at 25 yards. Also, I saw a video of some guy hitting a metal pie plate at 50 yards with a Kel-Tec P3AT! However, since I am not a very good shooter, I can make 4.5 inch groups at 3 yards. The recoil is great because the gun is so light. I flinch and jerk the gun down, shooting low. I need to practice more....
Ergonomics/Ease of Use: This is definitely not a gun you'd take to a shooting competition. The recoil is great since the gun is so lightweight. The first time I shot the gun, my thumb accidentally hit the mag release button and the mag popped out in the middle of a string of shots. Ugh. I put the mag back in and continue. The take down pin walked out of the hole partway during the second mag shot. I was able to complete shooting all 7 shots in the gun. The take down pin did not come out all the way. I think I might have accidentally put too much oil on the gun and some of it dripped on the take down pin. So, I field stripped it, cleaned it, lightly oiled it, and reassembled it. Without over-lubrication, the gun works fine and the take down pin no longer walked. It functioned flawlessly after that. The checkering on the grip is rough and will hurt your hand a little when firing the gun.
Ruger LCP (4 out of 5)
Reliability: National Rifleman magazine said that "an array of loads resulted in some jams." In contrast, I experienced no jams. However, I only used 2 different types of ammo and I only put the gun through 2 magazines. I used Aguila 380 ammo and Speer Gold Dots. I wanted to test the gun with more ammo but the recoil on this little gun started to hurt my wrist so I was unable to put more ammo through it.
Accuracy: If you are skilled enough, the gun can be surprisingly accurate. National Rifleman reports 4.9 inch groups at 25 yards. However, since I am not a very good shooter, I can make 2.5 inch groups at 3 yards. The recoil is great because the gun is so light. I flinch and jerk the gun down, shooting low. I need to practice more....
Ergonomics/Ease of Use: This is definitely not a gun you'd take to a shooting competition. The recoil is great since the gun is so lightweight. Be careful when putting the magazine in. The gun is so tiny that it is easy to snap the mag in with the web of your thumb pinched by the mag. Ouch! The sights are tiny, crummy, and identical to the Kel-Tec's sights. The checkering on the handle is a bit smoother than the handle on the Kel-Tec.
Conclusion:
I read the American Rifleman article "Concealed Carry" on Feb 2010 and it sounds like the Kahr P380 is a great gun. It has decent sights, unlike the crummy sights on the P3AT and the LCP. However, the price tag is over TWICE that of the P3AT and the LCP. Furthermore, the reliability is NOT perfect which is unacceptable in that price range. Also, the mag release button is not recessed like on the Ruger LCP.
The most accurate pistol in that article is the Sig P238. It is a mini-1911 and the crisp 1911 trigger gave it the most accurate results with 4.87 inch groups at 25 yards. However, it is 36% thicker than the P3AT and the LCP at 1.11 inches thick. Also, it costs 50% more than the P3AT and the LCP.
The most reliable pistol in that article is the Rorhbaugh. It had zero malfunctions. All the other guns in the article malfunctioned during the course of firing 200 rounds of ammo. Considering that Kel-Tec advertises extensively in the National Rifleman, saying that a non-advertiser is more reliable means that the magazine has journalistic integrity. I recommend that y'all become NRA members. The gun reviews in the National Rifleman alone are worth the price of membership. However, the Rohrbaugh is crazy expensive as it has a price tag that is over $1000.00!
The reasons I bought the LCP and Kel-Tecs are because the guns are easy to find, affordable, and was favorably reviewed by National Rifleman. For a concealed carry gun, these characteristics are mandatory. This is because if you shoot someone, your gun will be confiscated as "evidence". While your gun is in "evidence", you will need to buy another one pronto to defend yourself against the perp's friends and family who may be out for revenge. If you cannot find the gun or you cannot afford to replace it, then you will be forced to buy an unfamiliar gun. Defending yourself from a perp's gang friends is no time to be getting used to an unfamiliar gun. The Ruger is a tiny bit more expensive ($46 more) than the Kel-Tec. However, the Ruger has a slightly smoother trigger and the mag release button is recessed a bit to make it more difficult to accidentally release the mag. Also, the handle feels a little bit better during firing. Both are fine guns and I would recommend either one for a BUG or deep undercover concealed carry weapon. If you're trying to decide which one to buy, I recommend buying the gun that is currently on sale at your local gun shop. In other words, the two guns are so similar that you should just let the price decide which gun to buy.
Although these little 380 pistols have crummy sights, crummy triggers, and are difficult to shoot, I still recommend them and I carry these guns the most. Why? Because they are ultra-concealable. I was at a pool party once and I had the P3AT vacuum sealed in a plastic bag, then I put it in an I-pod case with a small lock. I kept the key tied to my swim trunks. Everyone thought that it was a cell phone. You can be armed even if you're wearing nothing but a swimsuit. During the summer, it can be impossible to conceal a pistol if you're wearing a swimsuit, bikini, or shorts, but these little 380s are so small, there's no excuse for leaving them at home. Most gun enthusiasts will recommend keeping a big gun and "dress around the gun". The reality is that most women and some men are not willing to wear pants that are one size too big and ugly oversize shirts that are un-tucked. Most people would rather gun around the dress instead. That's why I recommend the little 380 pistols the most. They are small enough to conceal in any situation but they pack some serious firepower. 380 is much more powerful than any other "mouse gun" caliber such as .32, .22, .25, etc. A little 380 on your person is a lot better than a full size 1911 in your car. My only wish is that gun manufacturers would someday make a pocket 380 with the Glock trigger, nice sights, and a recessed mag release button with an affordable price tag.
P.S. I write my gun reviews because most reviews out there are written by gun enthusiasts for gun enthusiasts. I am an average person writing a gun review for the average person. The average person who is concerned with protecting him/herself and their family is not going to practice all the time. They are not going to "dress around the gun". The gun is a means to an end, not something they enjoy shooting all the time. The average non-hunter will own only one or two guns locked in a small box. They will not have a safe full of guns. For example, gun enthusiasts recommend a 1911 with 4 (FOUR) conditions of carry. Gee, will a non-gun enthusiast be able to remember which condition is what? Also, that crisp 1911 trigger is great for gun experts because they know to keep their finger off the trigger until they're ready to shoot. A novice is going to hold a perp at gunpoint with the finger on the trigger. What if a loud noise startles the novice? Bang! Oops! Revolvers are often recommended to novices for that reason. However, that long double action trigger will make it impossible for a novice to hit the broad side of a barn. Even on double action revolvers, I always cock it just before I shoot, for that reason. In other words, I treat all revolvers as a single action gun because I can't hit squat with a long double action trigger. The P3AT and LCP have a shorter double action trigger than most revolvers. However, Glocks have the best triggers for a novice. That's because Glock triggers are not as long as that of a revolver AND they have a short trigger reset, which revolvers don't have. I've found that a 22 caliber Glock or an airsoft Glock is the best tool to train a beginner with. There are guns better than Glocks, but IMHO, there's nothing better for a novice than a Glock. The vast majority of gun owners are in the novice or almost-novice stage in gun knowledge and skill. The silent majority who only occasionally shoot their guns are the ones I write my reviews for. My only wish is that some gun manufacturer will come out with a mini 380 caliber Glock that is the size of the LCP or P3AT. No, the Diamondback won't cut it because it lacks the thing that makes the Glock great, the Glock trigger.
As I've pointed out, National Rifleman is a great publication with journalistic integrity. For the gun reviews alone, you should get a membership in the NRA (National Rifleman is the publication of the NRA). A subscription with "Gun Tests" costs about the same as a NRA membership, but "Gun Tests" is not guarding your 2nd Amendment rights like the NRA is doing. Furthermore, "Gun Tests" claims that they buy all their guns instead of getting them loaned for free from the manufacturers so as to be unbiased. Well, as the Rorhbaugh guy points out, they don't buy all their guns: http://www.rohrbaughforum.com/YaBB.cgi? ... 1091220026 Quoted from a "Gun Tests" ad they mailed to my home, "We don't take guns from manufacturers. We go to the store. We get them right out of the box just like you do." If they say one thing but do another, that's a LACK of journalistic integrity. In short, JOIN THE NRA! Thank you.
P.S. To make this forum more useful to others, I suggest that you write your own gun reviews with; Name of gun, 1-5 rating with 5 being a flawless gun, accuracy, reliability, ease of use. Thanks.
