A Cautionary Tale
October 28th, 2008 by Syd
From John Farnam:
27 Oct 08
Kel-Tec 380, from an Instructor:
This morning, as I headed out of the house, I slipped my Kel-Tec 380 into my front pocket, secure within it’s pocket holster. I detected an unusual ‘rattle.’ I removed the pistol from my pocket and shook it. There was that rattle!
I unloaded it. Rattle still there! I attempted to dry-fire it. The trigger went limp, and the hammer didn’t cycle. I pulled it apart and found that the trigger spring (which is visible from the bottom of the grip) had rusted through at its attachment point and had subsequently broken. In any event, the pistol was thus rendered non-functional.
I called Kel-Tec, and they will, of course, fix it. No problem! Kel-Tec’s customer service is superb.
The pistol is only a year old, but I carry it constantly in close contact with my sweaty body. I was, once again, reminded that carry pistols require constant inspection and maintenance, and they need to be shot often! I am also reminded that, when one thinks he needs to carry a gun, he probably needs to carry two!"
Comment: My friend’s point about carry guns is well taken. A pistol that spends its entire life inside the box it came in, within the pristine confines of a gun-safe, gathering dust, may not require meticulous maintenance. However, carry guns, serious guns, working guns, guns that are actually shot now and then, must be looked after carefully and see professional maintenance on a regular basis, if they are to be ever-ready to be depended upon to fulfill their primary function!
In our business, the one thing we never want is a surprise! Nearly any catastrophe can be dealt with effectively when there is enough warning. We need to keep surprises to a minimum!
/John
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Also make sure that ejector is still in the P3AT when you leave the cleaning table. Ask me how I know. Tricky thing about that is that the gun will function-check just fine, it just won’t eject the first case when you fire it.
Not good……… even if KT does replace it, this is not good.
No it isn’t. I have a P32 that’s a lot older than that. I’m going to be checking it closely. But, I’m not highly corrosive like some people are. But, this is still the revelation of a serious weakness in the design.
And don’t forget to keep reasonably fresh ammo in your gun. Most folk who read this sight probably know better but I have seen many people remove their very expensive carry ammo from their gun, shoot cheap practice ammo, then put the expensive stuff back in the gun. That’s OK but not for years on end. I don’t like to carry the same ammo for more than six months.
Upon reading this post, I immediately removed the P32 from my front pocket and inspected the trigger spring. Thank you for your ‘cautionary tale’ on preventative maintenance.