keltec 380 pro's and con's

[ratdog]

you guys and gal's how do you like the 380 keltec thinking of buying one?

[Savage]

Guess no one else has an opinion on the P3AT.  I've owned a couple for over ten years now. Carry one or the other almost daily. Both of mine are Gen 1 guns so keep that in mind. My first was reliable, but suffered from the walking assembly pin syndrome. KT replaced the lower and hard chromed the slide for my trouble. I bought the second one to replace the first while it was at KT. (Backup to Duty Gun) No problems other than it wanting full power ammo to function reliably. I carry the hard chromed one with the belt clip and the blued one in a pocket holster. These little guns are ammo and grip sensitive, and absolutely must be kept clean and properly lubricated. I use dry lube on mine to reduce dirt and lint attraction. I find the "Action Magic" lube from Brownell's works great. These little guns are not made for high volume shooting, I shoot the one I have on me once a month or so. Even then it's just one mag. I clean it, and it's good to go again. The little guns are a great design, as evidenced by all the near exact copies out there, "Ruger is the closest." They are surprisingly accurate, and offer a good size to power balance. I frequently carry a PF9 these days as it's not a lot bigger and has 9mm power as well as better sights. Hope my rambling helps in your choice.
Savage

[Graybeard]

Just now noticed this thread due to the new post.

I like mine fine. I usually carry it or my PF9 with me anytime I'm out and about. I generally also have one spare mag with me when I get out of the truck and have additional mags left in the truck.

[stoutstuff]

I like the fact that Kel Tec has options available for it, including extended mags, belt clip, lazers, etc. It really developed the modern 380 trend.

[briarpatch]

I really like my p3at and you cant beat the customer service from Kel-tec.

[KNIFE_NUT_1981]

Don't get me wrong, I definitely wouldn't want to get shot by a .380, but for personal defense, I am a FIRM believer in the "bigger is better" theory. I hope I never have to, but if I am forced to defend myself with firepower, I want plenty of it! Lots of people say "a .380 in your pocket is better than a .44mag in your truck." I say "the .44mag on my belt is better than the .380 in your pocket!" If I have to punch holes in somebody or something to protect myself or my family, I want those  holes to be as big, and do as much damage as possible. And besides, if he's dead, he can't lie about what happened in court after the fact, nor is there any danger of my tax dollars feeding and sheltering his sorry crippled butt for the rest of his life in prison, and something bigger is much more likely to render him lifeless! Not meaning to insult anyone, or kick anything off, that's just my opinion...

[Graybeard]

What about the two or three innocent bystanders that .44 Magnum might take out as well after it exits the bad guy?

In hunting of big game I want an exit hole bleeding so I can follow an easy blood trail to the animal if it doesn't fall in sight of me.

In a self defense situation tho I'm of the opinion an exit is not desirable because some bystander might also take that bullet. Now if you were defending yourself against bears or in wooded areas as opposed to in town they it would not matter if it exits.

Most commonly I'll have a 9mm or .380 on me and at times a .38 snubnose. My larger more powerful guns don't see as much use especially in summer t-shirt weather.

[KNIFE_NUT_1981]

You are most definitely correct, GB. My stand on that is that I rarely go to town, so most of the time my carry weapon is something very large, and very visible to others who might be around, as I wear it on my belt. But, on the rare occasion that I do make it out to civilization, I carry something smaller, for the reasons you mentioned, and also, because the general population these days tends to freak out when someone is walking around with a massive S&W 629 on his belt. Something smaller is definitely more easily concealed, but I still won't carry anything I don't feel comfortable using as a defensive weapon, and in my opinion, a .380 is insufficient. My concealed carry weapon is a 2" Colt Detective Special in .38spl. Again, this is only my opinion, and my preference, and not meant to offend anyone.

[KNIFE_NUT_1981]

Also, you are much less likely to run into a "bad guy" attempting to use a firearm to commit a crime in a crowded place, because he doesn't want witnesses.  However, if one surfaces, and you have to pull your piece, the "innocent bystanders" will instinctively hit the ground, leaving only you and the "bad guy" standing. A couple of well-placed shots with a sufficient weapon will leave only you, and lots of very frightened, but otherwise ok, innocent bystanders, who will be very thankful, later on, that you used a sufficient weapon.

[Savage]

Also, you are much less likely to run into a "bad guy" attempting to use a firearm to commit a crime in a crowded place, because he doesn't want witnesses.  However, if one surfaces, and you have to pull your piece, the "innocent bystanders" will instinctively hit the ground, leaving only you and the "bad guy" standing. A couple of well-placed shots with a sufficient weapon will leave only you, and lots of very frightened, but otherwise ok, innocent bystanders, who will be very thankful, later on, that you used a sufficient weapon.

If only we knew that to be true!

Savage

[KNIFE_NUT_1981]

HA! Amen, Savage! A bit of sarcasm there on my part, and I do apologise for that. Sometimes we just have to prepare for the worst while pretending that everything is peaches and cream, and hope for the best until we are forced to think otherwise. OR, worry about what might happen if worse comes to worst, and carry an insufficient weapon for the sake of the safety of the innocent bystander... Not that I don't care about the innocent bystander, or wish harm upon him, I just hope he has sense enough to either join the fight, or get the heck out of my way while I try to save both his @$$ and mine from the NUTJOB who isn't worried about ANYBODY'S safety, and pointing his gun in MY direction with ill intent!