Second attempt to post
Drakejake,
I tried to post earlier, but my computer crashed, so here goes again.
We could probably argue and discuss which caliber is "better" until the cows go home, and not change anyone's mind. I won't make a judgment call on which is "better", all I can do is tell which I chose and why.
When faced with a choice of using a .22 LR or a .32 ACP as a carry gun, I chose to go with my Iver Johnson TP-22, for several reasons.
(1) My Iver Johnson was 100% reliable with a wide variety of .22 LR ammo, and my .32 ACP was not 100% reliable even with FMJ.
(2) The TP-22 had better accuracy than my .32 ACP. I could easily pop beer cans out to fifty yards with the little IJ. I was lucky to keep a magazine full in a head sized group at twenty-five yards with the .32 ACP.
(3) The TP-22 is far more concealable than my .32 ACP. The TP-22 is a cosmetic copy of the Walther THP (Lots of mechanical differences though) and the .32 ACP is the size of a Walther PP.
Maybe I am just lucky, for a change, but in over thirty years of shooting, I don't remember ever having a .22 LR cartridge fail to fire.
If you can find a vest-pocket sized .32 ACP that is fairly accurate and is 100% feed reliable, go for it! And if you can find an Iver Johnson TP-22, buy it, you will like it.
Doc Hudson