I Want A .32 Acp Tomcat, But......
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Johnny Got His Gun.1
New member
Digger,
I own an old Colt .32 acp. As old a gun as it is, it's the second-most reliable gun I own (the first being my Glock 17). You may try shopping around for one of the Colts. They are still reasonably priced; I picked mine up for $200.
Even though it's a mousegun, any gun is better than no gun. I have no qualms trusting the .32. I don't know any people, here or elsewhere, who'd be willing to stand in front of a .32 because they thought it was a paltry caliber.
I own an old Colt .32 acp. As old a gun as it is, it's the second-most reliable gun I own (the first being my Glock 17). You may try shopping around for one of the Colts. They are still reasonably priced; I picked mine up for $200.
Even though it's a mousegun, any gun is better than no gun. I have no qualms trusting the .32. I don't know any people, here or elsewhere, who'd be willing to stand in front of a .32 because they thought it was a paltry caliber.
dairycreek
New member
I have owned one for several years. It has been totally reliable for me.
The Tomcat did not have a very long sevice life when they first came out.
How bout a german made ppk, or a french/german pp in .32 from www.aimsurplus.com ?
How bout a german made ppk, or a french/german pp in .32 from www.aimsurplus.com ?
Mike in VA
New member
Mine took about 200 rnds to break in, has been quite reliable ever since with the exception of Fiocchi JHP's. It eats any kind of ball, and Fed H/S, Gold Dot, Corbon SilverTips with alomb. 1200+ rnds, doing fine. Only real complaint is slide bites if I grab it too high. M2
Walt Sherrill
New member
I had two Tomcats -- among the first.
Great shooting guns, very accurate. Rough triggers that eventually smoothed out (at about 1000 rounds).
The only problem was that they broke a lot. Firing pins were especially troublesome -- broke several, even though I never dry fired and used snap caps. Also broke a trigger spring. And if you're not careful when you clean it (as in taking off the grips), the safety can fly loose and a tiny little spring will quickly make itself invisible.
Then too, the firing pin strikes sooooo hard, it quickly eats up a snap cap, and you have to replace them frequently. That's not cheap.
Most gunsmiths won't do a trigger job on them, 'cause they're small and very difficult to work on. (They can't charge what they need to charge for the work they do, so they just avoide the problem if they can.)
Mine was sent back to the factory a few months after I got it, with a broken firing pin, and they kept it for several months (this was during the early production stages, and they didn't have replacements in stock) -- then sent me a new one. Had it about two weeks before the trigger spring broke.l
I personally know of 5 that failed in one way or another, including frame cracks. But these were all the early models.
If you're not careful, its real easy to accidentally nudge the barrel release and the barrel will pop up and possibly get off track.
The last time I fired mine, I was shooting at the range, and something happened, and the slide locked back, off track. I had to use a nylon mallet to get it moved forward. It looked okay and functioned fine. I sold it and got a Kel-Tec P-11. Not much bigger, not a lot heavier, but it held 10 rounds of 9mm.
The new ones may be a lot better than the early ones, but if I were buying a "mousegun" now, I'd get the Kel-Tec P-32. The Tomcat is a LOT BIGGER than it needs to be to do the job it was designed to do.
Great shooting guns, very accurate. Rough triggers that eventually smoothed out (at about 1000 rounds).
The only problem was that they broke a lot. Firing pins were especially troublesome -- broke several, even though I never dry fired and used snap caps. Also broke a trigger spring. And if you're not careful when you clean it (as in taking off the grips), the safety can fly loose and a tiny little spring will quickly make itself invisible.
Then too, the firing pin strikes sooooo hard, it quickly eats up a snap cap, and you have to replace them frequently. That's not cheap.
Most gunsmiths won't do a trigger job on them, 'cause they're small and very difficult to work on. (They can't charge what they need to charge for the work they do, so they just avoide the problem if they can.)
Mine was sent back to the factory a few months after I got it, with a broken firing pin, and they kept it for several months (this was during the early production stages, and they didn't have replacements in stock) -- then sent me a new one. Had it about two weeks before the trigger spring broke.l
I personally know of 5 that failed in one way or another, including frame cracks. But these were all the early models.
If you're not careful, its real easy to accidentally nudge the barrel release and the barrel will pop up and possibly get off track.
The last time I fired mine, I was shooting at the range, and something happened, and the slide locked back, off track. I had to use a nylon mallet to get it moved forward. It looked okay and functioned fine. I sold it and got a Kel-Tec P-11. Not much bigger, not a lot heavier, but it held 10 rounds of 9mm.
The new ones may be a lot better than the early ones, but if I were buying a "mousegun" now, I'd get the Kel-Tec P-32. The Tomcat is a LOT BIGGER than it needs to be to do the job it was designed to do.
My wife gave me a Tomcat as a Christmas gift in 1999.
The first time I took it to the range, I had a few malfunctions -- don't remember what kind. But it hasn't malfunctioned since, though admittedly I don't shoot it much. I do believe that my Tomcat can be relied upon to deliver 8 shots quick in an emergency, provided I keep it clean, lubed and loaded with quality BALL ammo. I use hardball, because a short-barreled .32 needs all the penetration it can get (IMO).
One thing I've noticed is that the slide seems to too easily disengage from the frame -- in other words, takedown is just a little TOO easy! This makes me wonder whether my Tomcat will have an abbreviated service life.
However, this weapon was a gift from my wife in the first year of our marriage. I'm keeping it!
The first time I took it to the range, I had a few malfunctions -- don't remember what kind. But it hasn't malfunctioned since, though admittedly I don't shoot it much. I do believe that my Tomcat can be relied upon to deliver 8 shots quick in an emergency, provided I keep it clean, lubed and loaded with quality BALL ammo. I use hardball, because a short-barreled .32 needs all the penetration it can get (IMO).
One thing I've noticed is that the slide seems to too easily disengage from the frame -- in other words, takedown is just a little TOO easy! This makes me wonder whether my Tomcat will have an abbreviated service life.
However, this weapon was a gift from my wife in the first year of our marriage. I'm keeping it!
GunsForFun
Inactive
I bought a Tomcat a couple of years ago. Less than 200 rounds thru it and had to send it back to the factory for repair. Seems one of the metal brackets bent and the slide wouldn't rack.
I may sell it if I get a reliable P32 (seems that is hit or miss).
I may sell it if I get a reliable P32 (seems that is hit or miss).
I've carried a Tomcat for the last three years w/SilverTips. No problems. Mine doesn't like any Fiocchi ammo, but other than that no problems with other FMJ or HP ammo and it prints center mass at 15 feet (max range I expect to use it). IMHO, this is a weapon designed to be carried alot and shot little. Once you've determined what ammo it likes, where it puts its rounds, and the best way for you to carry it, then keep it clean and loaded and with you at all times. Just my $.02
SgtMaj13
SgtMaj13
I've carried a Tomcat for the last three years w/SilverTips. No problems. Mine doesn't like any Fiocchi ammo, but other than that no problems with other FMJ or HP ammo and it prints center mass at 15 feet (max range I expect to use it). IMHO, this is a weapon designed to be carried alot and shot little. Once you've determined what ammo it likes, where it puts its rounds, and the best way for you to carry it, then keep it clean and loaded and with you at all times. Just my $.02
SgtMaj13
SgtMaj13
dennis carter
New member
I would recommend that if you get a Tomcat, get the one with the wider slide (inox) or made of titanium. The defective design of the blued Tomcat resulted in my frame breaking after firing about 1,000 rounds. Beretta replaced it with an inox model but I don't trust it for carry anymore. If you want a good, reliable 32 acp, get a Seecamp.
Dennis D. Carter
Dennis D. Carter
I've got one of the new Alley Cat models and I really like the gun. I've several hundred rounds through it so far and it did give me some problems at first, although I'm not so sure it wasn't primarily my fault. Anyway, it's been reliable since breaking it in and it's very accurate, comfortable, and easy to shoot. I don't know if it's such a good value, but I like mine.
I bought a Tomcat M3032WB Inox last year. It has the extra-wide slide. I believe Beretta increased the slide mass to handle the new high-pressure/high-performance 
loads such as CorBon et al.
I have fired approx. 350 rounds of ball ammo with ZERO failures of any kind. It is accurate enough for my purposes and it is large enough to fill up my hand more than does a P32, which is the main reason I didn't buy a P32.
I feel well-armed with my .32ACP surprise on me, full of deep-penetrating ball ammo. The Tomcat serves me well.
loads such as CorBon et al. I have fired approx. 350 rounds of ball ammo with ZERO failures of any kind. It is accurate enough for my purposes and it is large enough to fill up my hand more than does a P32, which is the main reason I didn't buy a P32.
I feel well-armed with my .32ACP surprise on me, full of deep-penetrating ball ammo. The Tomcat serves me well.
The P-32 is much lighter, flatter and far more easy to conceal. The Beretta otoh has a history of problems and this thread even contains a few examples of them. I have owned my P-32 for almost two years now and it has been 100 percent reliable. It is also available in a rust proof hard chrome finish. I checked out the Beretta but bought the P-32 and I'm glad that I did.
7th
7th
I have a tomcat that I have had for around a year. I carry it when wearing shorts and a tucked in shirt - when pocket carry is really the only option. it disappears in a Galco pocket holster and pleated shorts.
No reliability problems, though I have only put about 350 rounds through it. Trigger was very rough until about 100 rounds or so.
When I bought it I was also looking at the Kel-Tec. The KT is much narrower, but to its detriment in my opinion. The tomcat offers a much better grip and is still small enough to go in a pocket. I also prefer a manual safety on a pocket pistol - even in a holster (where it should be anyway).
No reliability problems, though I have only put about 350 rounds through it. Trigger was very rough until about 100 rounds or so.
When I bought it I was also looking at the Kel-Tec. The KT is much narrower, but to its detriment in my opinion. The tomcat offers a much better grip and is still small enough to go in a pocket. I also prefer a manual safety on a pocket pistol - even in a holster (where it should be anyway).