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seed · January 12, 2012, 09:46 PM

Everyone is lauding the LCP over the P3AT, but no one has mentioned the pin-drift in the LCP's. They tend to walk when you fire the gun - sometimes badly in some examples. I've experienced some pin walking in mine, but I just live with it. This does not happen in my P3AT.

Another difference is the one-pound stronger recoil spring in the Kel Tec. The LCP spring might be weaker because the slide is heavier...I'm not sure. I replaced the springs in mine to match the weight of the KT springs because the LCP felt a little snappier to me and to my friend. Reliability has not been negatively affected (still 100% in a relatively low-round count).

I like the trigger of the LCP better (the actual trigger...not necessarily the pull of it) as it is smoother with less of a point on the bottom. This can be easily fixed on the KT, however and won't affect the warranty.

And finally, the nice looking grip of the LCP is actually a minus as it is too smooth for the gun that wants to jump out of your hand. That ugly rough grip of the KT serves a very valuable purpose.

In the end, I actually think the Kel Tec is the better way to go, if you find one that is 100% reliable. Even if you don't, you can get it there with some easy work and or a trip to KT. There are further differences you might consider, but they tend to wash out each other. For instance, I do like the slide hold back of the LCP, but then I prefer the design of the extractor set up of the Kel Tec which does not employ the roll pin. I like the more refined look of the Ruger, but then I like the changes made in the 2nd gen KT which were learned from lessons of the first gen (which the Ruger copies and inherits some of the "mistakes"... i.e. the too deep screwing of the extractor pin (if I remember correctly) which you can see on the underside of the slide...not a big deal, but still a mistake KT has fixed). So there's some more food for thought. Good luck!

January 12, 2012, 09:46 PM	#36
seed Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2004 Posts: 411	Everyone is lauding the LCP over the P3AT, but no one has mentioned the pin-drift in the LCP's. They tend to walk when you fire the gun - sometimes badly in some examples. I've experienced some pin walking in mine, but I just live with it. This does not happen in my P3AT. Another difference is the one-pound stronger recoil spring in the Kel Tec. The LCP spring might be weaker because the slide is heavier...I'm not sure. I replaced the springs in mine to match the weight of the KT springs because the LCP felt a little snappier to me and to my friend. Reliability has not been negatively affected (still 100% in a relatively low-round count). I like the trigger of the LCP better (the actual trigger...not necessarily the pull of it) as it is smoother with less of a point on the bottom. This can be easily fixed on the KT, however and won't affect the warranty. And finally, the nice looking grip of the LCP is actually a minus as it is too smooth for the gun that wants to jump out of your hand. That ugly rough grip of the KT serves a very valuable purpose. In the end, I actually think the Kel Tec is the better way to go, if you find one that is 100% reliable. Even if you don't, you can get it there with some easy work and or a trip to KT. There are further differences you might consider, but they tend to wash out each other. For instance, I do like the slide hold back of the LCP, but then I prefer the design of the extractor set up of the Kel Tec which does not employ the roll pin. I like the more refined look of the Ruger, but then I like the changes made in the 2nd gen KT which were learned from lessons of the first gen (which the Ruger copies and inherits some of the "mistakes"... i.e. the too deep screwing of the extractor pin (if I remember correctly) which you can see on the underside of the slide...not a big deal, but still a mistake KT has fixed). So there's some more food for thought. Good luck!