Kel-Tec P32 or Beretta Tomcat?

T

Therapydude

New member
Which of these two mouse guns should I choose for CC? I like Beretta's reputation but have heard that the Tomcat has a propensity for jamming. Kel-Tec, in my opinion, hasn't been around very long to establish itself in terms of quality, reliability, etc. Which would you choose and why? Also, if you have another suggestion, I'd love to hear it (in the same size category, of course). Thanks.
 
I would go with the Keltec P32 I have one and it has never jammed. I have about 300 rounds thru it so far and feeds everything so far. and pretty accurate too..
 
The Beretta is significantly bigger. Also seen some posts implying reliability problems.

Kel-Tec is pretty hard to beat. Mine went through its 200 round 'break-in' period with nary a hiccup. Both FMJ and Silvertips.

Kel-Tec--smaller, lighter, thinner, more reliable(IMO), and, with the Hard Chrome option ($20 extra) just about corrosion proof.
 
I've always worried about the Tomcat's magazine releasing if you put it in your back pocket. The strange place for a magazine release was something that definitely kept me from purchasing the weapon.

One strong point that the Beretta did have going for it was the Tip Up barrel. This is useful for loading or unloading at home without fear of an AD from mechanical failures. Also very useful for a person who has problems racking the slide for whatever reason.

Good SHooting
RED
 
Another Vote For The P-32

I love mine. Goes with me everywhere, like a pocketknife. Extremely light and easy to conceal. I've put about 800 rounds through mine and it hasn't jammed yet. Easy to disassemble and clean. I have the hard chrome option - seems pretty rustproof.

The light weight makes it snappy when fired, but follow-up shots seem to be quick - mabye because it's locked-breech instead of blowback design.

Check out my "WV Strasbourg Test" post in the general discussion forum for a story about the "real world performance" of a P-32 and Cor-Bons.

Good Luck!

-AL-
 
I gave my wife a Kel-Tec P32 for Xmas and she loves it. We had an FTF malf and had to send it back to the factory, and at NO COST they replaced all the internal parts, polished the feed ramp, and test fired it to be sure it worked. It's a wonderful gun, and the service is great.
 
While not owning either pistol, I have heard many negative things about the Tomcat as compared to the P32.

The biggest thing is the fact that it is a BIG pistol for the caliber. Almost .380 sized! Also in American Handgunner (don't remember the exact dating, but it is the one with the .38 Super Fantom F15 officer sized pistol on the cover) in the adding up the #s area in the back, 1000 rounds is listed as the service life of the Beretta.

On the positive side of the Tomcat, I have seen a few pics of it with Lou Ferigno shooting it! Anything that the Incredible Hulk shoots has got to be powerful, well outside of the Tomcat I guess! :D

I have a Kel Tec P11 and it has run like Al Gore's mouth (continuously but more accurately! ;)) so I have nothing to say negatively about the Kel Tec pistol line.

Derek
 
I'm going to buy the Beretta...

..when they come out with the titanium version because I consider myself a pocket pistol collector, but my hard chrome P-32 is a great little "user." Not one single malfunction, and I did not do the F&B. Last week (LAST WEEK!!!), I decided that my hard chrome upper would look good with a gray grip assembly. I also liked the feel of that trigger shoe. So, on last wednesday I sent my P-32 to the Kel-Tec factory in Florida. It came home on friday. (FRIDAY of the same week!!!) New gray grip (I was right, gray grips look great with hard chrome), new trigger shoe, new magazine, all new springs (ALL!), and ALL internal parts were replaced. Plus, a new hard chrome pocket clip had been added. I was shocked. Then I read the invoice. Absolutely NO CHARGE! They didn't want any money!!
Flabbergasted is the word here.
I remember a post last year where a guy had a Tomcat that malfunctioned somehow. He sent it back four or five times. It always came back with the same malfunction. (I do not believe this is normal with Berettas. My Jetfire has never malfunctioned.) Finally, the last time it came home with the same malfuntion, he went a little nuts. He flattened the Tomcat on an anvil with a sledge hammer and then cut it in half with his band saw.
He then put it in a box and shipped it back to Beretta. He never heard from them again. I believe his story. His was an ernest post.
Feel like buying the P-32 yet? :)

Kentucky Rifle
 
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