Pocket carry P32 vs P3AT

I have a P32 snd a Taurus 380. I think I prefer the 32 because of recoil. Don't forget that 32 has been for a long time an acceptable law enforcment cartridge in Europe. Also European 32s can be more powerful than American ones. But be careful that the European rounds are safe in your pistol.
Of course, although I don't reload for the 380, I do find reloading for the 32 harder than for larger calibers.
willr
 
I have two 1st gen P32's. I did have a P3AT however gave it to a friend. I am older so I like less recoil with easier placement. Also the P32 has a last round hold open, +1 round capacity, and it is a hair lighter. I just use ball ammo and they have been 100% reliable, With the short barrel I doubt if then is much expansion with a hollow point in either 32 or 380.

But this is just me.
 
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I'd get the P3AT. After ~200 rounds in an LCP and another ~150 rounds Ina bodyguard my gf and I could've kept going all day. I'd argue that felt recoil is about the same as my M&Pc in 9mm. Follow up shots are pretty easy with practice and shots out to 10yds are still able to be shot with little practice.
 
My p3at was junk day one...LCP is a better pistol..mine works great...but you get what you pay for...

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Quality of the Ruger is a good consideration. However, the others have a "hold open" after the last round. I want to stay away from that unespected "click". Counting the rounds in a stress situation is not something I want to do.
willr
 
One shoot all you need.not a dozen..hold open dont mean anything...just do a tactile reload if it bothers you..and yes they are hi cap mags for the LCP by crappy promag

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My P3AT is 10 yrs old has never failed to work . Have 4 P-32 in house wife myself and daughter's I can carry either 380 or 32. I am not bothered with the recoil of the 380 .

Either are good pocket pistols . Not sure about you choice of ammo Seems to me another wonder bullet in Jello but not proven on the street. I would stick with proved ammo . Not the latest and greatest jello killer. :rolleyes:
 
My KelTec P3AT has been flawless as well . On the other hand , my 9mm KelTec mysteriously shed its firing pin and spring , how I do not know . I fired it at the range without difficulty . Months later , I gifted it to my son , who said it would not fire . I told him to see if the tip of the firing pin had perhaps broken off . He called me back and said there was no firing pin or spring . KelTec replaced the parts without charge but I'm still not sure how the parts disappeared without being noticed ??
 
Wow thanks guys for all the input. I know the Lehigh bullet design is new but 32 acp does not have any reliable hollowpoints. Many carry plain fmj in 32 to maximize penetration. I think the cavitator concept is better than plain fmj

The thing is nothing is "proved on the streets" with modern 32acp defensive rounds. We have no data in regards to the brand of hollow point used. It is safe to assume that a majority of incidents involve fmj and that 32acp is a marginal self defense caliber
 
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"Wow thanks guys for all the input. I know the Lehigh bullet design is new but 32 acp does not have any reliable hollowpoints. Many carry plain fmj in 32 to maximize penetration. I think the cavitator concept is better than plain fmj

The thing is nothing is "proved on the streets" with modern 32acp defensive rounds. We have no data in regards to the brand of hollow point used. It is safe to assume that a majority of incidents involve fmj and that 32acp is a marginal self defense caliber"


I doubt you are going to get much expansion with a .32 hollow point. If I carry a hollow point in my kel-tec it is the round in the chamber and the rest is fmj for penetration. I have no illusions about the knock down power of the .32 acp. but it is better than the .45acp at home in the safe or on the night stand. I try and carry S&B or Fiocchi which seems to be a little hotter load than the American stuff like federal or winchester.
 
Quality of the Ruger is a good consideration. However, the others have a "hold open" after the last round. I want to stay away from that unespected "click". Counting the rounds in a stress situation is not something I want to do.
willr
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If you need more than seven, or eight, it's way too late to worry about an "unexpected click". Plus, "in a stress situation" do you really think you will notice the slide locked open? I've seen it happen many times on the range in a completely relaxed, anf non-stressful situation. Shiot, shoot, shoot, slide locks open, pull. Hum, I'm empty.:D
The slide lock is the least feature to consider.
 
Disclaimer----I have no way of verifying these statements from a 2006 forum post
But it is an interesting read on the subject.
In real world shootings, the 32acp and the 380acp are virtually equal in effectiveness. In comparing both cartridges in real world shootings where only one round was fired and a solid torso hit was recorded, the best 32 round (a 60gr JHP) stopped the attack 63% of the time with 83 actual shootings studied. The best 380 round (90gr JHP) managed to stop the attack 69%-70% of the time out of 78 actual shootings studied. Worst rounds in both the 32 and the 380 were both FMJ rounds and the percentages were 50% and 51%, respectively. Just for comparison the best round out of a 2" 38spl managed 67% (LHP+P) and the worst managed 49% (LRN).

The many variables involved in real world shootings make it impossible to predict with any certainty exactly how effective any round will be in stopping an attack (i.e. you CANNOT say with certainty that these rounds will stop an attack at least 63% of the time with one shot). However, the comparison above is a good "apples to apples" comparison of the different calibers and bullet types in defnesive shootings (i.e you CAN say with authority that they are very close in effectiveness to each other, and the best JHP's are significantly better than the best FMJ's regardless of the caliber.)

Based on the fact that all 3 are basically equal in real world effectiveness, my pocket carry gun is a 32acp because:
1. It is smaller than the 380 or 38.
2. It recoils less than the 380 or 38, which means I can fire it faster. Since it seems conclusive that any of the three will take more than one round to stop an attack a lot of the time, that is important.
3. I carry the fastest JHPs that are reliable in my gun since they seem to be universally more effective than FMJ's in real world defense shooting, no matter the caliber.
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My P3AT was junk as well despite sending it back to the factory. I even had to fight with them for a shipping label if I remember. I switched for a Kahr CM9. Still very pocket able and doesn't feel like a toy. I am sure the 380 Kahr is just as good, but have not shot one.
 
Not what the Kahr board says about their 380. Sounds like a nightmare. My Kahr PM9 has been fine after I broke it in.

" There have been issues with that gun for so long and they still can't get it right to this day. Makes you wonder how many people buy it for protection and never shoot it thinking it will function fine because a friends cheap pistol works. Kahr must be making money on them even with all the so called repairs. " Kahr Talk
 
The "feels like a toy" factor is the primary allure of the Keltec pistols.
Some people can't grasp that. For those people heavy means quality.

Ruger took the Keltec design, smoothed the grip, and made the gun heavier-so those people would "feel the quality."

Motorola mobile police radios used to have heavy microphones-so you could "feel the quality." They simply had a steel weight inside. It's an old trick.
 
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