Beretta Tomcat or Kel-tec P3AT - The Firearms Forum

mauserman454 · 01-05-2005, 01:47 PM

I'm thinking of getting a new carry pistol, and I'm torn between the Tomcat and the Kel Tec 380...

Cartridge wise, I'd go with the 380, quality wise, I would go with the tomcat...

My Dealer has a used like new tomcat and and a new Kel Tec for the same price, so that's not an issue...

The Kel tec is lighter too, which I like, I'm just not sure I want a gun with so much plastic on it...

If you had to pick, which one would you get?

MM454

punchie · 01-05-2005, 03:48 PM

Of those two I would pick the KelTec. I have rather small hands for someone my size but they are quite meaty. The rear of the Beretta slide is like two needles attached to a razor against the web of my hand. my first choice would be a Colt Pony or Pony Pocketlite if you can find one.

greenjeans · 01-07-2005, 08:10 PM

Kel-Tec. Traded my Beretta after about three months. Shot extremely low. My P3AT is very reliable. Had a couple of stovepipes with some cheap "American" ammo (blue box). No problems at all with any othe ammo. Conceals much easier than the Tomcat which is wide for a small gun.

Laserlips · 01-08-2005, 07:33 PM

I had an early Tomcat and it was a piece of crap.. Only thing worse than the pistol itself was the attitude of the Beretta Customer Service people.. ATTITUDE..... I've heard they fixed the Tomcat's early production problems, but I doubt they've fixed the attitude of the Customer Service representatives.. I have a KelTec P11 and have been so pleased with it that I purchased a P32 last week. Customer Service reputation at KelTec is absolutely wonderful, and the warrenty is for lifetime... I've had one experience with the customer service folks at KelTec and have nothing but praise for them. I don't care what Beretta sells, I'll never buy another..

JMO

JudgeColt · 01-09-2005, 06:44 PM

Just compare the size. The Tomcat is HUGE! It is almost as big and heavy as an alloy-frame Smith & Wesson J-frame. The extra power of the .380ACP in the smaller and lighter Kel-Tec P3AT makes it an easy choice for me. I would take the Kel-Tec.

Bill · 01-11-2005, 08:38 PM

I recently recieved a Colt .380 Pocketlite as a gift. A fine looking gun and actually fun to shoot. However, when I'm ready to put it or my Keltec P3AT in my pocket, the Keltec usually is chosen as its so much easier to carry and has been perfectly reliable at the range. Also I like the carrry safeness of the DAO and the speed of just pulling the trigger compared to taking off the safety and cocking the Colt for the first shot. However the Colt is MUCH easier to shoot accurately during rapid fire.
Initially the Keltec's ejected cartridges would sometimes hit me in the face. Called Keltec they immediately sent me a replacement extractor that fixed the problem. I agree their customer service is first rate.
Bill

offeror · 01-12-2005, 10:07 AM

I picked up a Kel-Tec P11 at the gun show last weekend and I liked it right up until I tried the trigger pull -- Holy crap. Very long, and it must have been about 12 pounds on a striker-fired gun. So I'd suggest you try both in the hand. The early Tomcats' problem was the feed lips on the magazine. Once they got that sorted out, I think the complaints settled down. But again, I'd try both in the hand and pocket for size, weight and trigger pull.

JudgeColt · 01-21-2005, 11:28 PM

offeror, the Kel-Tec is not striker fired. It has a hammer and firing pin. I do not find the P11 trigger pull as bad as you say, but I reshaped the trigger to be more comfortable, which I am sure helps in comparison to the original shape.

The Tomcat is about as big and heavy as the P11, and is a six-shot .32ACP instead of an eleven-shot 9x19!

bambihunter · 05-06-2005, 04:04 AM

Definately the Kel-tec. They are very light so carrying one in the pocket all day is absolutely NO problem...

JudgeColt, I don't know what you'd call the trigger type... It feels like a DAO trigger, but you have to pull the slide back slightly to reset it. The closest thing I can compare it to by feel is a Glock's striker trigger assembly.

ponycar17 · 05-11-2005, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by offeror

I picked up a Kel-Tec P11 at the gun show last weekend and I liked it right up until I tried the trigger pull -- Holy crap. Very long, and it must have been about 12 pounds on a striker-fired gun. So I'd suggest you try both in the hand. The early Tomcats' problem was the feed lips on the magazine. Once they got that sorted out, I think the complaints settled down. But again, I'd try both in the hand and pocket for size, weight and trigger pull.

I've pulled the trigger of the P11 at the shop where I bought my P3AT. The P3AT pull is not nearly as bad, although it is a long pull... By Kel-Tec's website, the P11 has a 9 lb. pull, and the P3AT has a 5 lb. pull.

I just bought a P3AT, and like it a lot so far...

01-05-2005, 01:47 PM	#1
mauserman454 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 76	Beretta Tomcat or Kel-tec P3AT I'm thinking of getting a new carry pistol, and I'm torn between the Tomcat and the Kel Tec 380... Cartridge wise, I'd go with the 380, quality wise, I would go with the tomcat... My Dealer has a used like new tomcat and and a new Kel Tec for the same price, so that's not an issue... The Kel tec is lighter too, which I like, I'm just not sure I want a gun with so much plastic on it... If you had to pick, which one would you get? MM454 -->

01-05-2005, 03:48 PM	#2
punchie Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Chesterfield, VA Posts: 784	Re: Beretta Tomcat or Kel-tec P3AT Of those two I would pick the KelTec. I have rather small hands for someone my size but they are quite meaty. The rear of the Beretta slide is like two needles attached to a razor against the web of my hand. my first choice would be a Colt Pony or Pony Pocketlite if you can find one. __________________ AN ARMED SOCIETY IS A POLITE SOCIETY

01-07-2005, 08:10 PM	#3
greenjeans Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5	Re: Beretta Tomcat or Kel-tec P3AT Kel-Tec. Traded my Beretta after about three months. Shot extremely low. My P3AT is very reliable. Had a couple of stovepipes with some cheap "American" ammo (blue box). No problems at all with any othe ammo. Conceals much easier than the Tomcat which is wide for a small gun.

01-08-2005, 07:33 PM	#4
Laserlips V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 72	Re: Beretta Tomcat or Kel-tec P3AT I had an early Tomcat and it was a piece of crap.. Only thing worse than the pistol itself was the attitude of the Beretta Customer Service people.. ATTITUDE..... I've heard they fixed the Tomcat's early production problems, but I doubt they've fixed the attitude of the Customer Service representatives.. I have a KelTec P11 and have been so pleased with it that I purchased a P32 last week. Customer Service reputation at KelTec is absolutely wonderful, and the warrenty is for lifetime... I've had one experience with the customer service folks at KelTec and have nothing but praise for them. I don't care what Beretta sells, I'll never buy another.. JMO

01-09-2005, 06:44 PM	#5
JudgeColt Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 21	Re: Beretta Tomcat or Kel-tec P3AT Just compare the size. The Tomcat is HUGE! It is almost as big and heavy as an alloy-frame Smith & Wesson J-frame. The extra power of the .380ACP in the smaller and lighter Kel-Tec P3AT makes it an easy choice for me. I would take the Kel-Tec.

01-11-2005, 08:38 PM	#6
Bill V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 130	Re: Beretta Tomcat or Kel-tec P3AT I recently recieved a Colt .380 Pocketlite as a gift. A fine looking gun and actually fun to shoot. However, when I'm ready to put it or my Keltec P3AT in my pocket, the Keltec usually is chosen as its so much easier to carry and has been perfectly reliable at the range. Also I like the carrry safeness of the DAO and the speed of just pulling the trigger compared to taking off the safety and cocking the Colt for the first shot. However the Colt is MUCH easier to shoot accurately during rapid fire. Initially the Keltec's ejected cartridges would sometimes hit me in the face. Called Keltec they immediately sent me a replacement extractor that fixed the problem. I agree their customer service is first rate. Bill

01-12-2005, 10:07 AM	#7
offeror Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 586	Re: Beretta Tomcat or Kel-tec P3AT I picked up a Kel-Tec P11 at the gun show last weekend and I liked it right up until I tried the trigger pull -- Holy crap. Very long, and it must have been about 12 pounds on a striker-fired gun. So I'd suggest you try both in the hand. The early Tomcats' problem was the feed lips on the magazine. Once they got that sorted out, I think the complaints settled down. But again, I'd try both in the hand and pocket for size, weight and trigger pull. __________________ The Second Amendment does not exist to protect the gun rights you like. It exists to protect the gun rights you hate.

01-21-2005, 11:28 PM	#8
JudgeColt Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 21	Re: Beretta Tomcat or Kel-tec P3AT offeror, the Kel-Tec is not striker fired. It has a hammer and firing pin. I do not find the P11 trigger pull as bad as you say, but I reshaped the trigger to be more comfortable, which I am sure helps in comparison to the original shape. The Tomcat is about as big and heavy as the P11, and is a six-shot .32ACP instead of an eleven-shot 9x19!

05-06-2005, 04:04 AM	#9
bambihunter V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 197	Re: Beretta Tomcat or Kel-tec P3AT Definately the Kel-tec. They are very light so carrying one in the pocket all day is absolutely NO problem... JudgeColt, I don't know what you'd call the trigger type... It feels like a DAO trigger, but you have to pull the slide back slightly to reset it. The closest thing I can compare it to by feel is a Glock's striker trigger assembly.