Design Details
The P-3AT cartridge capacity is 6+1, and trigger pull is 5 lbf (22 N). These attributes have made it popular for citizens with concealed carry permits and with police officers as a back-up or off-duty pistol. The P-3AT lacks any sort of slide stop—it was omitted in order to keep the size similar to the P-32. The similar size and weight of the P-3AT results in increased felt recoil over the P-32 due to the more powerful .380 ACP cartridge (the P-32 fires the smaller .32 ACP cartridge).
The Kel-Tec P-3AT comes with either blue, parkerized, or matte chrome slide and a polymer frame in either black, grey, navy blue, or olive drab green solid colors, as well as 'Urban Blue/Grey' and 'True Timber' camouflage. Current production is the second generation model, with improvements over the first generation. The most easily distinguished difference between generations is the extractor. The first generation has a traditional external extractor parallel to the side of the gun, while the second generation has a button-head hex screw to the rear of the extractor, which is at an angle to the side of the gun.
In a Guns & Ammo review, Wiley Clapp said, "Ingenuity is often nothing more than a combination of existing principles applied in unique ways. Kel-Tec's new P-3AT has no single feature that is not established in modern pistol design, yet it has no competition in its niche." Since Ruger's introduction of its LCP pocket pistol, some reviewers have characterized the Ruger offering as comparable to the P-3AT. Kahr Arms has introduced a similar pistol, the Kahr P380, that sells for significantly more. At the 2010 SHOT Show, Smith & Wesson introduced their S&W .380 Bodyguard and Taurus introduced the 738 TCP. SIG Sauer offers the P238 with an all-metal frame in competition to those mostly plastic-framed pistols.
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