Defensive 32's ?

3

38splfan

New member
I'm posting this in the revolver forum because it seems to apply almost exclusivley to revolvers. (with the exception of the .32 ACP).

With the need for self defense seemingly increasing, and the crimes becoming more and more violent, are the .32 series revolver rounds still considered a viable option for a primary self defense caliber?

The particular rounds I'm asking about are the .32 S&W Short, .32 S&W Long, and the .32 H&R Magnum.

With the continuing increase in personal crime, as well as the involvment of drugs and alcohol on a more regular basis, can the .32 series rounds be relied on for serious self defense?

I am not knocking small caliber guns or those who use them. (my current "favorite" is a Browning BDA in .380) I would just like some objective opinions on rounds I know very little about.

Do any of you use them as a primary or BUG? Which guns and loads?

Thanks for the info all.
 
I have a Charter .32 SW Long that I keep as a backup HD gun. It's definitely
NOT my first choice, but it's accurate, reliable, and following the standard "save and upgrade to a ****" advice is not a viable option for me right now.

What I would really like to see is someone put out a .32 that's sized somewhere between a NAA Mini and a J frame. I think that would make a great little pocket CCW gun for those of us that don't trust small semi-autos.

S&W used to have an I frame, which was smaller than the J:
 
On Defensive .32s...

You'll probably get a bunch of responses to this.

I recently purchased a S&W 431PD in .32 H&R Magnum for my wife. She can't handle the recoil of my .38 +P Airweight. The H&R Magnum ballistics are impressive although the popularity of this caliber makes ammo expensive. Fortunately any revolver chambered for the H&R Magnum will also shoot .32 SW and .32 SW Longs. Cowboy action shooting seems to keep this ammo alive and available.

There are strong arguments for heavier calibers for PD but I also think that shot placement is very important. I've taught my wife how to accurately shoot the .32 H&R Magnum. She's comfortable with the recoil. I pray she never has to use it for PD but at least she has the mechanical skill to make each shot count. Once the "pucker factor" is increased training is all you have to fall back on.

In spite of my collection of heavier calibers I intend to purchase another S&W 431PD for my own carry purposes.
 
As far as .32 revolvers go, I don't see much point in going below .32H&R magnum unless you already happen to have something in the afforementioned calibers. Considering that the .32 Long is ballistically inferior to the .32ACP (which is my personal caliber minimum) and that the .32H&R can be had in a S&W J-Frame, I don't see much use for it in a self-defence role. I guess what I'm saying is that .32 Short and Long will do in a pinch if you're an adequate marksman, but I don't see much point in buying a new one.
 
Keep in mind that both the .32 S&W and .32 S&W Long (aka .32 Colt New Police) are essentially hold overs from the black powder era and are pretty low powered by today's standards.

The .32 H&R Magnum's ballistics are pretty good and nearly on a par with the .380ACP. My S&W 432 Centennial is a dandy little gun capable of going just about anywhere.

The .32 S&W Long probably doesn't have enough penetration to quickly disable an aggressor. The .32 H&R Magnum is a big step in the right direction and I wouldn't feel undergunned with it as a general rule. However, if I need to head a riskier part of town, the .32 H&R makes a fine backup to a .45!
 
I have used S&W and Colt 32s for years. Buford Pusser even used a H&R 32 as a BUG. My current dog walking 32 is a 3" J frame S&W M30 in 32 S&W Long. I am using what is possibly the best cartridge currently available. www.magtechammunition.com 98gr, SJHP, 32SWLC. The MV is 778 FPS and the muzzle energy is 132 FT LB.
 
I believe the 32 H@R Magnum would be a good choice if you want to stay with a 32.You can practice with 32 longs and keep 32 mags. in the pipes for your serious work.I believe it is Federal who loads Hornady`s XTP hp bullet for this ammo.Hope this helps.
 
Hiya 38splfan. We share a fondness for the ol' .38 special it would seem. :) I carry an S&W 637 more often than any other weapon. As for the .32 . . . unlike some, I consider the .32 a viable self-defense cartridge, albeit about the least powerful it is wise to use for self-defense purposes. I have some qualms about the old S&W Short and Long cartridges though. For one thing, about the only reason they are still available is due to the current craze for cowboy action shooting. Thus most of the ammo you find for them is loaded with lead round nose slugs . . . not a real spiffy self-defense load to say the least. Like most here, I think that if you want to go with a revolver in .32, your best bet would be the H&R by far. Having said that, have you seriously considered the .32 ACP round? I often carry a Beretta 3032 Tomcat, either as a BUG, or, when clothing restrictions or some other factor make carrying a larger weapon impossible, as a primary. Both Speer and Federal load some pretty effective rounds for the .32 ACP nowadays. Speer loads its 60 grain Gold Dot, and Federal its 65 grain HydraShot, both of which are reasonably good stoppers.
 
I do love the 32/20. I just got two .32 S&W last month. I like
The old Mauser 1934’s and the Remington model 51 is a out
standing gun in .32acp. I have been looking to buy a .32H&R.

None would be my first choice if I know I am going to get in a
shoot out, but then no hand gun is going to be my first choice.



What I do carry, just to not feel dumb if I need one, depends on
the day and what I’m doing. A lot of the time it is a small gun of
some kind or other. One of my packing guns is a Norton TP-70 in
a .22 lr. It is a small gun. What ever you use, practices with it. When
you are confident with it, it will work.
 
Thanks all.

Thanks everyone.

The answers you've given have pretty much followed what I was thinking. I'm thinking about one as a BUG or maybe a kit gun for camping/fishing. Just something to keep around.

Guess I'll do some shopping. Thanks guys.
 
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