These Kel Tec copies are finally become more available and at reasonable prices ($289 in our area, compared to $265 for the P3AT). Ruger added a slide stop, a beefier barrel and a more advanced type of extractor to the very successful P3AT Kel Tec and has come up with an assured winner. By contrast, the P3AT has had years of refining and a proven track history, something that can come only to a new offering by the passing of time.

We fired 200 rounds through the LCP and after the first 50 rounds we experienced no FTF or FTE. Using ball ammo as well as Gold Dots and HydraShoks, the LCP managed to keep six round groups under 5" at 15yards, good enough for its intended purpose, but, slightly larger than with the P3AT. Gold Dots averaged around 3".

KelTec admits to P3AT backorders standing at 30,000 units, so, given Ruger's larger manufacturing capability, it may prove to be the dominant pocket 380 within a few years. Certainly, they are worth consideration if one is in the market for a pocket pistol.

My mom who is very far from an impulse buyer put one on order as soon as she saw it. We were at the sporting goods store about 2 weeks ago, and I asked the guy at the counter if he had one in the back that she could see. He said yeah, and brought one out. As soon as she held it, she decided that she needed to have one!!! She's about the 40-45 th person on the list, and the store is getting 2-4 in per week.

That Ruger sure looks like the Kel-Tec, glad they are making one. My P3At works great! The only thing I don't like is the magazine release. It needs to be recessed. What happens is that with the gun in your pocket you bump into something and then you here a "click". So I built up the area around the mag release with duct tape to make the release "recessed". It works great.