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flintknapper wrote:This time.. the thieving #$%^&^*'s at UPS ripped open the end of the box and steal the slide! I call Kel-Tec immediately to have them file a claim. They agree to do this and then tell me they will be sending a blued or parkerized slide to replace it. I told them that was not acceptable, that I had sent them a highly customized slide. They acknowledged as much, but still refused to send anything but a regular slide back. At this point I lost it. I told them I would be sending the rest of the pistol back to them, and they could reimburse me or not, I really didn't care. I told them that I would not make it my life's mission to "slam them" but if anyone ever asked my opinion or brought the subject up....I would happily share my experience. They sent me a check for the amount I purchased the pistol for, and I just had to "eat" the cost of the "smithing".

Let me see . . . if I buy a widget from you then add a million dollars in diamonds to it . . . then send it back to you to add an extra screw . . . and then it’s lost. Why in the world would I expect you to reimburse me for the lost million in diamonds.

Now if I had notified you in advance that I expected you to add a million dollars in additional insurance out of your small profit for adding that screw, you could decide whether you wanted to add that screw or not. I seriously doubt that you advised Kel-Tec in advance you would require Kel-Tec add extra insurance at their own cost to cove your improvements to your slide.

While I can’t excuse Kel-Tec’s other errors, I consider their action on the slide replacement absolutely correct, except I wouldn’t have offered a repurchase. Anything more would be a stupid business decision.

I pointed out to friend recently not to have his pistol hard chromed by other than the factory until it was absolutely perfect. Any defective part replaced after it was hard chromed would be replaced with a part in the pistols original finish. He decide to gamble anyway

WNallG30 wrote:I'm just not sure what to expect. Thanks all.

Kel-Tec pocket pistols require frequent cleaning as they collect more lint than a belly button. A pocket holster will reduce that frequency but I still advise cleaning ever couple of weeks. At 8oz you will find some recoil. Install a NAA (gray) or Bersa (black, requires no alteration) finger extension on a P-3AT magazine for break-in. I even use extensions during front pocket carry but some billfold style holsters don’t permit them.

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PS I have more than one P-3AT with over a thousand rounds through it.

longtooth wrote:Service rep I delt w/ would only take it back if I shipped it from FFL & they returned it that way BOTH at my expense. They never budged on that.

Longtooth, either you have totally p***** someone off or you live under the darkest cloud in the world. I have more P-3ATs than I can count using both hands and almost two dozen Kel-Tec guns, so I am familiar with Kel-Tec and their products.

The Kel-Tec booklet that comes with each gun informs the owner that no authorization is need to return a gun for warranty work, just send it in. I have never used a FFL to return a gun for warranty work. I ship UPS ground with $300 insurance to Florida for under $9. (No I do not tell UPS there is a firearm in my pre-wrapped package as the 1986 Gun Control Act says I don’t have to when shipping to an “other than�. I also address the package to CNC Inc., omitting Kel-Tec from the address) If the gun was new, Kel-Tec has never refused to kick in an extra magazine to reimburse me for my shipping cost. I have never paid for Kel-Tec to return a gun in need of warranty work even though they return it next day air.

Only four of my P-3ATs were NIB with the others picked up for pennies on the dollar from folks that didn’t want to take the time or trouble to use the lifetime warranty. As I usually don’t want to wait the three or four weeks for Kel-Tec to do the repairs, I frequently have Kel-Tec send me the parts and install them myself. I have yet to invest more than two hours on any of my bargains to make them 100%.

With a lifetime warranty, there is no such thing as a real Kel-Tec gunsmith. There is however tons of information and dozens of folks that frequent Kel-Tec Bulletin Boards that offer advice, for those that prefer to repair Kel-Tec pistols themselves. While I wouldn’t dream of tearing into one of my $500 guns, I don’t think twice about taking a simply designed $200 Kel-Tec apart.

Sorry you had such bad luck, maybe thing will be looking up with your current pistol