Best Ammo for a Kel-Tec P-32?
- Thread starter Arts
- Start date
Gathering on the information that I have heard I would venture to say..whatever brand is most reliable in your individual pistol. It seems that these Kel Tecs can be ammo sensitive in individual guns, but then there are those out there who can shoot anything through them without a hitch.
My experiences with reliability and the Kel Tec P32 were negative, but I'm willing to purchase another one in the future and give it a second try before writing them off. While I did have one I used a mix of Winchester STHP's and FMJ's
Good Shooting
RED
My experiences with reliability and the Kel Tec P32 were negative, but I'm willing to purchase another one in the future and give it a second try before writing them off. While I did have one I used a mix of Winchester STHP's and FMJ's
Good Shooting
RED
Dwight M S
New member
Arts,
If you mean "most reliable," the best answer is "experiment." If you mean the most effective defense round, the answers are a bunch of theories and few facts. Some say 32 acp hollow point is too weak to reliably expand in the target, and that you're better off with ball ammo. Others say you should use hollow points, and if they fail to expand they'll function as ball anyway.
I know it's best to practice with the same ammo you keep in the gun when it's in your nightstand. But I wouldn't practice with hot ammo like Fiocci (sp?) or Corbon unless p32's can take its regular use. And I don't believe they can. Little pocket guns tend to be delicate.
Dwight M S
If you mean "most reliable," the best answer is "experiment." If you mean the most effective defense round, the answers are a bunch of theories and few facts. Some say 32 acp hollow point is too weak to reliably expand in the target, and that you're better off with ball ammo. Others say you should use hollow points, and if they fail to expand they'll function as ball anyway.
I know it's best to practice with the same ammo you keep in the gun when it's in your nightstand. But I wouldn't practice with hot ammo like Fiocci (sp?) or Corbon unless p32's can take its regular use. And I don't believe they can. Little pocket guns tend to be delicate.
Dwight M S
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benburnskf
Inactive
i pick one up this week....
my belief from what i've read and sense...given that i cannot relate personal experince..is that current models will shoot mostly anything..but the history of the gun is that it has had few problems with silvertips.
insofar as my belief is also that expansion for any round is always a question..in, potentially, any caliber....and given that with a mouse gun, shot placement is even more critical..as if it is ever not<g>....whatever works best is what is best.
i have already bought some silvertips and hardball...both winchester..... as i think they make a good balance between expected penetration, not too much expected penetration (all of that varying with so many factors such as distance and clothing)..and prices which allow one to practice with personal defense ammo....
bottom line? try as many as you need to to find one that is reliable and then become a great shot<g>.
have fun too<g>.
my belief from what i've read and sense...given that i cannot relate personal experince..is that current models will shoot mostly anything..but the history of the gun is that it has had few problems with silvertips.
insofar as my belief is also that expansion for any round is always a question..in, potentially, any caliber....and given that with a mouse gun, shot placement is even more critical..as if it is ever not<g>....whatever works best is what is best.
i have already bought some silvertips and hardball...both winchester..... as i think they make a good balance between expected penetration, not too much expected penetration (all of that varying with so many factors such as distance and clothing)..and prices which allow one to practice with personal defense ammo....
bottom line? try as many as you need to to find one that is reliable and then become a great shot<g>.
have fun too<g>.
ChickenHawk
New member
I used to shoot the fiochhi (ball) but was comparing the stats of the various affordable rounds and discovered that the S&B is just a bit hotter and (according to Golden Loci) has slightly better penetration in the gelatine tests.
Geez, I did that in one sentence!
Anyway, as previously stated your P-32 will shoot just about anything with no trouble. Have fun.
Hope this helps,
ChickenHawk
Geez, I did that in one sentence!
Anyway, as previously stated your P-32 will shoot just about anything with no trouble. Have fun.
Hope this helps,
ChickenHawk
Stay away from Federals American Eagle stuff (my P32 didn't like 'em).
Otherwise get the cheapest you can find for lots of practice and break-in. You could spend another hundred dollars (or more) just on ammo before you and the gun get to shooting reliably and accurately.
Then for carry...
I'd recommend the Speer Gold Dots or Federal Hydrashoks (they fed reliably in my P32) and since any P32 penetration is marginal they've better penetration than the other hollowpoints according to
http://goldenloki.com/ammo/gel/32acp/gel32acp.htm
I'd also recommend alternating some FMJ's for better penetration just in case the JHP was not enough.
As to the P32 not enduring hot ammo. Don't worry about it. It is built better than most any other mousegun and ANY other .32 (nomex on).
Otherwise get the cheapest you can find for lots of practice and break-in. You could spend another hundred dollars (or more) just on ammo before you and the gun get to shooting reliably and accurately.
Then for carry...
I'd recommend the Speer Gold Dots or Federal Hydrashoks (they fed reliably in my P32) and since any P32 penetration is marginal they've better penetration than the other hollowpoints according to
http://goldenloki.com/ammo/gel/32acp/gel32acp.htm
I'd also recommend alternating some FMJ's for better penetration just in case the JHP was not enough.
As to the P32 not enduring hot ammo. Don't worry about it. It is built better than most any other mousegun and ANY other .32 (nomex on).
Check out the new Keltec Owners Group forums:
http://www.ktog.org/vbulletin/
http://www.ktog.org/vbulletin/
I use S&B or Fiocchi ball by preference. 32acp has so little energy that the best I can hope for is a hole. Hollow points might work better but they cost a lot more and I'd rather practice with what I carry. I don't even bother loading a JHP into the chamber because I reslly won't expect the terminal ballistics to differ by much. My P32 is now relegated to backup status anyway.
I am happy to say that in the abbreviated tests (about 20 Silvertips, 10 Gold Dots), my P32 functioned fine.
I am happy to say that in the abbreviated tests (about 20 Silvertips, 10 Gold Dots), my P32 functioned fine.
After 2 1/2 years of use......
My P32, thus far, shoots virtually anything manufactured in .32 auto. I just ordered some RBCD pre-fragmented ammo, just about the only thing I've not shot through it yet. I think it is not so much the ammo as the sensitivity of the P32. Find anything the gun is 100% reliable on and stick with that. I think Winchester Silvertips are probably a very good bet for feed/eject reliability because of the slight malleability of the bullet itself. Where some hard rounds would hang up, the Silvertip probably deforms slightly to feed/eject reliably.
My P32, thus far, shoots virtually anything manufactured in .32 auto. I just ordered some RBCD pre-fragmented ammo, just about the only thing I've not shot through it yet. I think it is not so much the ammo as the sensitivity of the P32. Find anything the gun is 100% reliable on and stick with that. I think Winchester Silvertips are probably a very good bet for feed/eject reliability because of the slight malleability of the bullet itself. Where some hard rounds would hang up, the Silvertip probably deforms slightly to feed/eject reliably.
I personally use Cor-bon 60gr JHPs. If it doesn't expand, who cares... the face is what I'm aiming at.
Built "better"? I don't know... but I would venture to say that due to its lockwork, it's built stronger. I don't know of any other .32acp lockbreech out there.
I wouldn't worry about hot ammo either. My P32 has seen plenty of ammo, some hot, and it shoots as good as new.
Built "better"? I don't know... but I would venture to say that due to its lockwork, it's built stronger. I don't know of any other .32acp lockbreech out there.
I wouldn't worry about hot ammo either. My P32 has seen plenty of ammo, some hot, and it shoots as good as new.
The P32 is plenty strong enough...
The next time you field-strip this thing, notice the thickened reinforcing on the slide around the chamber. The slider also is moves on a machined aluminum block built into the polymer frame. No, I wouldn't worry about strength. Just because it doesn't "look" strong or weigh a lot does not mean it is delicate. I've shot a LOT of CorBon 60 gr JHP through mine and if any round would loosen up a small gun, it would be this stuff. My 2 1/2 year old P32 shows no signs of any unusual wear.
What I like about the P32 is that you can point/shoot it one-handed and the gun stays right on target as fast as you can pull the trigger and empty the 7 round clip. Also, all of the different kinds of ammo I've shot through this thing do not seem to affect it's handling characteristics in the least......a real plus.
The next time you field-strip this thing, notice the thickened reinforcing on the slide around the chamber. The slider also is moves on a machined aluminum block built into the polymer frame. No, I wouldn't worry about strength. Just because it doesn't "look" strong or weigh a lot does not mean it is delicate. I've shot a LOT of CorBon 60 gr JHP through mine and if any round would loosen up a small gun, it would be this stuff. My 2 1/2 year old P32 shows no signs of any unusual wear.
What I like about the P32 is that you can point/shoot it one-handed and the gun stays right on target as fast as you can pull the trigger and empty the 7 round clip. Also, all of the different kinds of ammo I've shot through this thing do not seem to affect it's handling characteristics in the least......a real plus.
Legionnaire
New member
Arts, like any other semi-auto, plan on a break-in period. Then experiment to see what works for you. My P32 has digested everything I've put through it. It is most commonly carried with Winchester Silvertips or Fiocchi JHPs.