Kel Tec Advice

[CCantu357]

Looking to buy a good little purse pistol for my grandmother, was going with Jetfire but .25 and single action seem like a bad combo. LGS has a Kel Tec P-32 for good price. Seems like a good idea, as she cannot handle 38 snub recoil. I am torn between this gun and the Tomcat for her. I know the Tomcat has slide cracking issues, but how does the P-32 do? Is it a trustworthy pistol for a loved one to use?

 

[Cdog]

I and several coworkers have been carrying the P3AT for a few years now.

Mine rides in a strong side pocket holster. (People already poke enough fun without the purse!)

Mine has been 100% reliable. I shoot it, and know it. This is something I'd recommend for Granny too. The long trigger and reset are two characteristics that some complain about.

I'm very satisfied with mine. It's with me at all times. When I dress the wallet's in the left and the Keltec's in the right.

 

[walnutred]

I've had a couple Kel Tecs and they have worked well for me. Still carry a P3AT and I'm looking for a 32 for my wife. Take her to the LGS and see if she can rack the slide and pull the trigger. Both might be too much if she has arthritis. The P32s must be popular with someone because the company make a boat load of them and used ones seldom show up.

 

[Bib]

My P3AT has been 100% reliable for over 500 rounds. I have a friend with a P-32 that does not like hollow point ammo....100% with ball.

I carry my P3AT in my back pocket and a few times the mag release was inadvertently pushed...since I don't carry an extra mag I'm going to file the button down....something to consider if the gun will be loose in a purse.

 

[Rule3]

I have had a KT 32 since about when they first came out. It had problems an went back to the factory, My KT 380 worked right out of the box. So with KT you never know, BUT they have great service and I do not think they even ask any more if you are the first owner.

I think the Beretta is a better gun for a women with small hands. No racking the slide, beefier grip to hold on to and just nicer looking, I doubt the frame cracking issue is a bad as reported. If the gun is new it's under warranty. If my wife would carry a damn gun I would get her the Beretta.

 

[swilli41]

I bought a P32 when they first came out and have been very satisfied with it. I've only fired a few boxes through it, but never had a problem. It's light weight, easy to conceal, and with proper shot placement, it should get the job done.

 

[mkk41]

I'll just second what everyone else says about the Kel-Tec P3AT .380.

It's not a target pistol , it's not a fun plinker , but it's small , light and reliable. In the cooler months , I carry it in my jacket pocket.


Forgot I had in going into some places that don't allow guns .

 

[walkin jack]

My BUG is the P-32 It is a very capable weapon inside 20 feet. The only negative thing I can say is that I've never cared much for the trigger. It is a very LOOOOONG pull and does not lend itself to accuracy.

I have always thought that the .32 caliber was a vastly under rated round. I prefer it over the 25 or the 380.

 

[litenlarry]

I have owned some 25 cal beretta's, not impressed with them, they were kind of heavy for what they were..Sold them, I was looking for a KT P3AT, but they were hard to find, bought a KT P32...Soft shooter, really pretty accurate..
A P3AT, came around and I bought it, really like this pistol, but it does have a bark...I decided I no longer needed the P32 and a friend wanted it for his wife..He traded me a BG 38 that his wife hated..
A P32 would be a good choice for purse carry as long as they have a pocket holster that will cover the trigger..
Just something to be aware of with a 32, they can be prone to "rim-lock"..There are simple fixes ..

 

[Old cop]

I picked up a LNIB P32 a few months ago and have been totally satisfied. So far I've put over 200 rounds through it w/o a problem, but FMJ seems to feed better and that's what I carry in it.

My EDC is a 442 but there are some circumstances that makes the Keltec perfect.

 

[walkin jack]

I picked up a LNIB P32 a few months ago and have been totally satisfied. So far I've put over 200 rounds through it w/o a problem, but FMJ seems to feed better and that's what I carry in it.

My EDC is a 442 but there are some circumstances that makes the Keltec perfect.

.32 ACP hollow points are very slightly shorter than FMJ. Also the rims are actually slightly larger in diameter and this can result in a little number called rim lock. P-32 magazines can be modified to feed Hollow-points but on reflection I decided to stay with FMJ ammo to insure better penetration. Also considered the fact that sometime the small caliber ammo hollow points fail to expand as they should.

 

[Rule3]

.32 ACP hollow points are very slightly shorter than FMJ. Also the rims are actually slightly larger in diameter and this can result in a little number called rim lock. P-32 magazines can be modified to feed Hollow-points but on reflection I decided to stay with FMJ ammo to insure better penetration. Also considered the fact that sometime the small caliber ammo hollow points fail to expand as they should.

This is a very good point. The odds of it happening are not great but it can.

Kel Tec sells a rim lock kit (a flat piece if spring wire that fits in the mag) I have it in one magazine and the other is for RNFMJ
The Seecamp LWS 32 has the flat piece built in to the magazine which is why the gun will only take specific ammo of the correct OAL.It was built around the Win Silver Tips but they are no longer around, Gold Dots work well.

 

[litenlarry]

Rim lock is an easy fix..I can't find the link, but it can be remedided with a pair of needle nose pliers a small file and wire of a specific gauge...It's been a long time since I had the info..I am sure it is out there..

 

[Farmer17]

I had a Kel tec .32 and a .380 and they were both perfectly reliable and accurate. I will also say I have heard good things about the larger Beretta Tomcat .32 and wouldn't mind having one, since those tiny guns are not that much fun to shoot