# Kel-Tec or Ruger LCP....now the Kahr P Series?



## deke (Oct 5, 2004)

Recently we have had a few posts about the Kel-Tec and the Ruger LCP that has recently come on the market. The Kel-Tec has been the mainstay of affordable pocket pistols for some time now. And Ruger has stepped up to the plate to make a pocket pistol, obviously based off of the Kel-Tec, but nothing wrong with that. Immitation is the truest form of flattery, right?

Based on many reports of Kel-Tecs problems and failures in the .380, the .32 seems to be just fine for the most part I just don't think the .380 version could handle the recoil,IMO, I have been reluctant to buy one. But....Ruger has the LCP now, and I know that Ruger makes fine weapons, so I would be more willing to get a Ruger than a Kel-Tec. Lets face it we are buying these pistols to protect our lives, not to hunt or target shoot with. They HAVE to preform. To me Ruger saw a market, and made a better mouse trap, and an affordable one. So I was heading out this week to buy an LCP, then I read about another pistol, the Kahr.

The Kahr KP3833. It is actually samller than the Kel-Tec and the Ruger. Weighs about one ounce more, but is twice the price. I expected it to be more but $650!? I wil say that I would trust the gun, since I know that Kahr makes great pistols, a little heavy at first, but the worked on that. And they are known for thier accuracy for such small pistols. I guess you get what you pay for, they have always been on the "pricey" side, but I have never heard one bad thing about them, nothing but praise and loyalty from thier owners. So now, do I get the Ruger, all the reports I have read online say it to be relaible(and that is what matters more than anything) and spend $300, or do I wait till June and spend more than double for what looks to be IMO, the ultimate pocket pistol? It better be for that price,LOL!

What would you guys do? Hard to spend more than double for essentialy the same thing?

*KP3833* (2.5" Barrel)
Black polymer frame, matte stainless slide









Detail Images | Specifications | Kel-Tec P3AT vs Kahr P380 | Kahr PM9 vs P380

*KP3833* (2.5" Barrel)
Black polymer frame, matte stainless slide
Specifications (.380 Polymer Frame Model) ModelP380Caliber.380Capacity6+1OperationTrigger cocking DAO; lock breech; "Browning - type" recoil lug; passive striker block; no magazine disconnectBarrel2.5", polygonal riflingLength O/A4.9"Height3.9"Slide Width.75"WeightPistol 9.97 ounces (w/o magazine) GripsTextured polymerSightsDrift adjustable, white bar-dot combat sightsFinishBlack polymer frame, matte stainless steel slideMagazines2 - 6 rd, Stainless

Looks like it worked.


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## 11andy11 (Aug 12, 2004)

look at the beretta PX4 Storm subcompact. Its supposed to be out soon. Looks pretty sweet. Or the baby Glocks. I would not bet my life on a .380. Just my opinion.


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## tinman (Apr 13, 2005)

I have the new Kahr PM45 that I carry everytime I walk out the front door. It seems to preform just fine, and I like the fact that it IS a 45 ACP caliber,
With that being said, I am going today to pick up my new Ruger 380 that has been backordered for about 2 months.
Tinman


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## deadeye68 (Jan 19, 2007)

I have a Walther PPKS in .380 that has served me well for 20 years and is plenty accurate. I haven't priced them lately but they should be in the 500 dollar range. They were carried daily by German officers and James Bond, so master gun makers and master spies must have thought these were pretty fair weapons. It is light weight, quick, fits well in my hand, accurate, and holds 8 rounds counting the one in the tube. Just 2 more cents.


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

If you like the Walther, there is an east block version, bit rougher, slightly different caliber, that can be found for real short dollars. Makarov. East German units seem to be the best in finish and almost rival the Wathers. The ones from China seem the roughest, with Soviet, Polish, and other east block weapons somewhere in between.


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## reelbusy (Feb 7, 2008)

Love my Ruger LCP.


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## Striker Fisher (Jun 13, 2007)

Deke,

Both work well. See what one fits your hand best. Then take it to the range put on some old clothes. See where the hang up's are going to be... RTB (Rap Tap Bang) after the clotheing gets caught in the slide and mag wells.

If you are not practing pulling the trigger everyday pulling the weapon from concealment and getting a round on target with less than a sec. Go get a bigger weapon you can handle and practice...

I am still in the Sand box I have not forgot getting together. Just give me a little time when I am home. I still have 50,000 rnd to blow before I get resupplied. 

John


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## jabx1962 (Nov 9, 2004)

All the Handguns mentioned are excellent weapons. But the GLOCK SubCompacts are hard to beat for reliablilty.


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## deke (Oct 5, 2004)

John, still looking forward to it bud, stay safe.

Tin and Reel, you guys are lucky. I went to collectors(and called three others) today and they said they had no idea when they would get another one, they just show up. Nice to have a product that you don't have to worry about promising your distributors a delivery date, let alone even letting them know when to expect them after shipment,lol.

11, "I would not bet my life on a .380.", well, I know that there are better calibers out there, but there is a reason I want a small .380 like the Ruger or Kahr. Concealability, and light weight. If I am not at work I am in shorts, so I want a small lightweight pocket pistol that I can carry everyehere. That is what I would bet on, the fact that I would have that pistol on me since I can, compared to my full sized ones that I can't and won't carry due to clothing and weight constraints. A .380 is better than my Hi-Power sitting on my night stand, isn't it?

Deadeye, I use to have a Walther in .32, it was nice, a well built really classy pistol, but I want smaller and lighter for a certain purpose.

Jab, looked at the Glocks today, I know they are super reliable, so I think I decided on one in 10mm for my "truck gun". They sure have big grips tough, even my hand felt small on them, but the guy there was carrying the .45 with the same frame and grip, and his hands were smaller than mine but he said you get use to the big grip. I have shot them before and know they shoot well.


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## Striker Fisher (Jun 13, 2007)

Deke,

Good deal... Remember it is shot placement like we have discussed. Not the size of the rounds. .22 in the head will kill faster than a .45 to the leg. 

If you are going to carry like this. I think (I could be wrong) that they both have a belt clip that attaches to the inside of your belt. This type of holder will allow for a better cock and rock shot placement. It will save about .010 to .030 of a sec to get rounds on target... What you want to do when you are going to pull the weapon...

John

PS... Oh did we get pounded the other night. LMFAO... Be good see you soon.


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## Viking48 (Jan 24, 2006)

deke said:


> 11, "I would not bet my life on a .380.", well, I know that there are better calibers out there, but there is a reason I want a small .380 like the Ruger or Kahr. Concealability, and light weight. If I am not at work I am in shorts, so I want a small lightweight pocket pistol that I can carry everyehere. That is what I would bet on, the fact that I would have that pistol on me since I can, compared to my full sized ones that I can't and won't carry due to clothing and weight constraints. A .380 is better than my Hi-Power sitting on my night stand, isn't it?
> .


I was concerned about the .380 as well so I bought the Kahr PM9. I can drop it in my pocket and you'll never know it's there so it's become my primary carry gun (I seldom wear a jacket and usually have my shirttail tucked in). It's compact, lightweight, reliable and reasonably accurate at the ranges I would expect to use it. With all the vehicle break-ins lately I'm considering looking for a cheap .38 snubbie for the console and hiding the Kahr in a real good spot for carry. Not to hijack but if anyone has a cheap .38 they would like to get rid of I'm in the market. Function is important - finish is not.


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## deke (Oct 5, 2004)

Thanks John, really looking forward to it bud. The Ruger hasn't come out with a belt clip yet from what I have heard. But if I do get an LCP the clip is a must have, thanks for reminding me. And trust me, my view on what you MUST do, as opposed to what I use to think you must do has changed completely since our conversations, I'm with you sensei, lol. Seriously, get back safe. 

Viking, I would look at the S&W .38 in model 638 and 442, and the 340 series. The 340 allows .357 rounds and is 10.5 oz dry. The two previous series are 15 oz dry and allow .38+p as the hottest load. These are the lightest .38/.357 on the market. I will own one sooner than later, hopefully. Combine the weight, and the hammerless design, IMO it is the perfect CC revolver.

Also the 351pd is a .22 mag. revolver weighing 10.6 oz and having 7 rounds, also comes in .22 with eight rounds. I had been seriously considering these guns. I waited for years for them to come out with a .22mag and now last year they did. I know that a .22 cal. isn't considered a round for personal defense, but the guns loaded are so light your cell phone weighs more. So the way I see it is 8 rounds of Quickshok or CCI Stingers can do some damgage. Plus weighing close to nothing allows you to carry the gun always without any excuses about being cumbersome. Only down fall is the price, the S&W are over $500, but you get what you pay for. Just thought I would pass it on since you mentioned a .38. Oh yeah I believe there is a gun show at the Goerge R Brown this weekend, you should be able to find a nice used one there.


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## captlee (Feb 1, 2006)

I agree with Striker, its where you place your round, the israeli and russian equavalent
to our air marshalls use 22cal semiauto pistols and they're deadly accurate. For many
years the european LE's have carried 380acp pistols and the standard issue pistol for
german officers was the .380 s/a pistols and field issue was 9mm. luger. I have the
kel-tecp3at and it is always in my pocket as a backup, and iI carry a 9mm compct inside
clip holster in my belt/pants. I do have a ruger P90 for the house, sigma medsize 40cal,
bersa .380 semi-auto, and a glock 17 that has interchangeable magazines that I can 
use with my kel-tec 9mm carbine, 17rnd mag-33rnd mags. Oh ya my 12ga semiauto
enforcer shotgun under the bed. happy shooting all @ the range that is!!!!????


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## Striker Fisher (Jun 13, 2007)

Deke,

Good deal... I really like the belt clip... Fast to get rounds on target as well. Unless you ar going to shot through your clothes. Then it is TRB to get the next round in the chamber... Stuff we will go over in a few weeks.

Either way I don't think you can go wrong.

Captlee,

You ready for WWIII.  Sounds like you have a great plan.

John


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## Viking48 (Jan 24, 2006)

Deke - For CC I will still go with the Kahr (or G23/XD40 if clothing allows) but I'm going to look for a cheap (emphasis on cheap) snubbie to keep in the console. In the event of a break-in I'd rather lose a $200 gun than a $500-600 gun - especially in my company car where I doubt insurance would cover it. I gave an old Charter Arms .38 to an ex-boss and now I wish I had kept it.


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