Recommend pistols in .32 acp caliber

I have 2 of the 32cal guns, one is a NAA 32 and the other is a bit bigger, it is a beretta 81b. I carry the little NAA for a pocket carry but love to shoot the Beretta.
 
My vote is for the keltec p32. The Timex of pocket pistols. I carry it as often as i can....when I can wrench it away from my wife.
 
Cosmodragoon said:
Recommended for what?
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+1. Also, if the gun is NOT intended for deep concealment, it would be helpful to know any preference for single-stack vs. double-stack, SAO vs. DA/SA, and if DA/SA, whether a decocker is preferred.

If SAO is acceptable, let me nominate the Beretta Series 70, Star SI series, and FN Browning 1910/1922. :)

DA/SA options that haven't been mentioned are several Bersa Thunder and 383-series variants, the Beretta 81 and 82 (.32 versions of the 84 and 85 respectively), and the Astra Constable. The Beretta 90 is a nifty gun, but they're hen's teeth compared to most of the others. Also, FWIW Beretta 81/82 barrels will work in an 84/85 of the same generation, and the single-stack 85 magazine will work with .32 ammo, but the double-stack pistols (81/84) require the correct caliber-specific magazine, which is problematic because 81 mags are quite uncommon and resultantly pricey stateside.
hartcreek said:
It might be more helpful to list .32 acps that a new shooter should stay away from. Savages and Ortiges are fine guns but not for the new shooter...
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I would also nominate...
  • Mauser 1910/1914/1934 series due to the use of breakage-prone and hard-to-replace flat leaf springs.
  • Sauer 38H due to difficulty of finding usable parts.
  • S&W 32 Auto because intact examples are too valuable to shoot (and I don't say that often).
  • Davis-Warner Infallible because the design is just flat-out unsafe. :eek:
 
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those guys that have the Tomcat, has Beretta fixed the frame cracking problem or is this still an issue that creeps up?

I owned one over a decade ago and traded it before the frame cracking issue was known. I'd really like another one but have stayed away for fear of the cracking.
 
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I don't own a Tomcat, never have, but have read about the frame cracking and remember reading something to the effect that the new improved (wider?) Tomcat still had the issue, but not as bad. Internet wisdom.
 
Again internet wisdom 2nd hand but was told that as long as you use ammo with less than 150 ft lbs of energy that the Tomcats are fine if you put cor bon or buffalo bore they'll crack.
 
I'm not a huge fan of slide-mounted levers so I naturally prefer CZ's take on the PP/PPK design. Yeah, they are a little big for what they are by today's standards but they were the compacts of their day.

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The PP's and their mimics seem a bit large for CC but they are very thin and would live nicely in a IWB holster. The larger dimensions make them pretty sweet shooters and the prices are usually very reasonable. If I were looking for a CC .32 and it didn't need to fit in a pocket the FEG PA-63 would be my choice. If it needs to reside in a pocket the Kel-Tec is the only way to fly.
 
There are a lot of older designs in .32ACP

This old Browning 1922 adds one more to the growing list above.

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Cosmodragoon said:
I'm not a huge fan of slide-mounted [safety] levers...
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This is one reason why I'd argue—and I'm saying this as a Walther fan—that the SIG P230 is better carry gun than the PP; it's almost exactly the same size, but it has a trigger-actuated firing pin block for safer DA/off-safe carry.

FWIW firing pin block or no (I'm not sure about the 90), AFAIK the Beretta 82 & 90 are the only smallish metal-frame DA/SA .32 pistols equipped with both a frame safety AND an external slide stop lever. I find the absence of an external slide stop to be an annoyance with many pistols in this class, including the PP and P230. The problem is that the 82 is quite uncommon and somewhat wide; the 90 is more slender but downright rare, and in particular, I'm told that spare magazines are made of unobtanium. :( However, as I discussed earlier, a converted 85 is a nifty option. :)
 
Another vote for the Kel-tec. Great little gun. I had 2 LCPs, and hated them. Hard to control, fast follow up shots were difficult because the pistol would shift in my hand. The 32acp in the little Kel-Tec is perfect. Mild recoil, accurate follow up shots. Plus the Kel-Tec locks open on the empty mag. The LCP doesnt. There is a 10 round factory magazine for the P32. Makes the pistol a bit large for the pocket, but makes a great back up mag.

How about one of the .32 caliber revolvers. Most 32 H&R Magnum, and 327 Federal chambered revolvers will also safely shoot 32acp, plus you get the bonus of much more powerful chambering. Shoot 327 Federal, then 32acp in the same gun, and you will be shocked how low powered the 32acp really is. The first time I shot 32acp in my 327, I cleared the gun because I thought I had a squib
 
My Kel-Tec 380 has been excellent. I have heard that the 32's are every bit as good. If someone wanted a 32 for CC, that would be my recommendation.

My Beretta Tomcat has worked just fine, but is considerably bigger/heavier than a Kel-Tec.

I liked my FEG a lot, but it had a 380 magazine that gave me problems. My understanding is that they are typically sold with this incorrect magazine.

My CZ70 has been excellent. It doesn't fit my hand quite as well as the FEG did, but has given me no problems at all and is quite accurate.

My Colt Model 1903 is my favorite, though. :)
 
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If I were to go with a .32 acp, I would choose a 1907 Savage....
just because they're cool looking and 1900's quaint!
In keeping with the cartridge and palmer cursive!LOL:rolleyes:
 
Ligonierbill probably has it right. A 9mm would be much easier and less expensive to find ammo for, and not much larger.

The poly pistols are much lighter than the old 32's, but I do like the WWII Deutchwerke Ortgies 7.65mm (.32). Didn't know about a safety problem.

I also have an inexpensive SCCY 9mm, but it's a double stack mag and heavier if fully loaded. I think they are very similar to the Kel-Tec.
 
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