More fun with the Kel-Tec P3AT

[Grey Bearded One]

I decided to field strip my P3AT again to check something out on the inside and, wouldn't you know it, that danged takedown pin spring went adrift again. Hey, not really a problem because I know how to fix it. Take the gun apart, get the spring back in place and start to put the gun back together.

Slide goes in. Assembly pin goes in . . . sort of. It doesn't go in all the way. Wiggle it. No joy. So I take the slide off and try putting the pin in without the slide. It goes right into the right hole but doesn't go in all the way. So take the gun apart completely and fiddle with it. Put it back together and still won't go together.

About then I notice something odd about the assembly pin. It's hollow. Arrrrr!

My gun came with the belt clip. The belt clip uses a a hollow pin, like a Chicago screw, which replaces the normal frame pin. Lying on the counter, the hollow frame pin looked like the assembly pin and I used the assembly pin as the frame pin. They are the same diameter but slightly different lengths.

So, the lesson learned with the Kel Tec is pay attention to the pins.

I also had some fun with the recoil spring. I dropped the assembled slide onto the counter which caused the recoil spring assembly to go ZING! The guide went under the fridge and I found the springs on a shelf which holds my coffee mugs. The good part was that it prompted me to clean under the fridge.

1911s are not this much fun.