Thinking of getting a .32
- Thread starter Roland Thunder
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Roland Thunder
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.mrt949 said:
Holy cow, those things aren't cheap, I just checked on line
Roland Thunder
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This is probably a dumb question, but those of you carrying a .32, do you use a holster?
If as a concealed carry, now .380 or 9mm comes in small packages, and can stop an assailant in a combat situation....not that a well place hit with a .32 could also, but newer pocket pistols have good capacity and power for protection. (Note that if you need to protect yourself with a concealed carry, you are going to miss some shots in the scramble with your tunnel vision
Onward Allusion
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I always use a pocket holster for pocket carry. The only time I will pocket carry w/o a holster is with an empty chamber.
rt11002003
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I'm with Onward Allusion. m/b more cautious, I don't like to carry with a round chambered with any gun action other than DA/SA, whether in a holster, or not. I also prefer a long travel on the DA, with no safeties. I like decockers. I'd likely use a revolver, if subsequent shots were SA.
Recently, I've been carrying a HK p7 9mm; not a pocket gun, all steel. Was carrying a Kimber SOLO 9mm, but discovered my hands weren't strong enough to rack the slide back to lock it, which is absolutely necessary to properly operate a SOLO. My other smaller carry gun is a SIG p232 .380.
My wife and I have both decided; we aren't "what we used to be". I have a laser sight on the SOLO, works for these 78 year old eyes.
As a kid, the .32 was my favorite round. One of my uncles carried a .25 semi during the years I knew him. Carried it in a hip pocket; he weighed about 250 pounds. Concealed carry was not legal in those days. However, I doubt anyone ever noticed that little gun.
Recently, I've been carrying a HK p7 9mm; not a pocket gun, all steel. Was carrying a Kimber SOLO 9mm, but discovered my hands weren't strong enough to rack the slide back to lock it, which is absolutely necessary to properly operate a SOLO. My other smaller carry gun is a SIG p232 .380.
My wife and I have both decided; we aren't "what we used to be". I have a laser sight on the SOLO, works for these 78 year old eyes.
As a kid, the .32 was my favorite round. One of my uncles carried a .25 semi during the years I knew him. Carried it in a hip pocket; he weighed about 250 pounds. Concealed carry was not legal in those days. However, I doubt anyone ever noticed that little gun.
I was looking for the keltec p32 earlier this year but ended up with the lcp. I went to 5 gun stores looking for it and none had it. Each one also asked me why I would want a .32 when I could get a 380 nearly the same size. One told me it was a dying round. None of my shops, wallyworld, or sports stores around me even carry the round. As a result I got a .380. Just something to think about. Having said that if I see a keltec p32 I am going to pick it up and have to order ammo online only.
carguychris
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My local Wally Worlds carry it, but they seem to get shipments very sporadically, so whether or not they actually have it in stock at any given moment is the question.adamBomb said:
That said, they only ever stock Winchester white box, which my Walther PP won't cycle reliably, so I don't buy it there anyway.
OTOH I have no problem finding other brands at my local Academy Sports, and as with any oddball or less-common caliber, your best bet is mail-ordering in bulk.
In my experience, the best (i.e. hottest ) brands are Fiocchi, PPU, S&B, and Geco. Additionally, the Herter's brand sold at Cabela's is reportedly reboxed S&B.Bill DeShivs
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Time for my rant.
None of the .380s are as small as the P32-period.
.32 acp is one of the most common rounds in the world-it's not some "obscure" caliber.
A double action gun can be pocket carried safely without a holster, but NEVER put anything else in that pocket!
No handgun can be relied upon to stop anyone except with a central nervous system shot. a .32 will do a CNS shot as well as any other handgun caliber. You can not rely on "bleed out" to immediately stop someone bent on doing you harm.
Once a gun is pulled:
usually the assailant flees.
If a shot is fired-and it connects:
pain and shock usually stop the assailant. Multiple shots have more effect.
If being shot doesn't stop someone, a CNS shot is the only option.
Bigger is better, but how much better? 5%, 10%?
None of the .380s are as small as the P32-period.
.32 acp is one of the most common rounds in the world-it's not some "obscure" caliber.
A double action gun can be pocket carried safely without a holster, but NEVER put anything else in that pocket!
No handgun can be relied upon to stop anyone except with a central nervous system shot. a .32 will do a CNS shot as well as any other handgun caliber. You can not rely on "bleed out" to immediately stop someone bent on doing you harm.
Once a gun is pulled:
usually the assailant flees.
If a shot is fired-and it connects:
pain and shock usually stop the assailant. Multiple shots have more effect.
If being shot doesn't stop someone, a CNS shot is the only option.
Bigger is better, but how much better? 5%, 10%?
If the g42 is too big, I have no idea what the OP is looking for. You would have to wear skin tight pants to notice a G42 being a pistol in the pocket. Why carry something so small as that your hand can not even hold it comfortably?
We all have different tastes, I just don't see a point in a mouse guns
We all have different tastes, I just don't see a point in a mouse guns
DealHunter
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If you're not dead set on the 32acp have you considered the Kahr P380? I have a black one and it's the same width as a P32, .4 taller but .2 shorter and weighs under 10oz, has a real slide stop, decent sights, match barrel (if that matters on a pocket gun) and a nice trigger (I find at least).
Now if you want a 32 I think the P32 is the lightest you can get; I have an Inox Tomcat and a Guardian 32 but they're much heavier and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't considered a P32 for situations where weight trumps all (currently that's an NAA Pug).
Now if you want a 32 I think the P32 is the lightest you can get; I have an Inox Tomcat and a Guardian 32 but they're much heavier and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't considered a P32 for situations where weight trumps all (currently that's an NAA Pug).
Bill DeShivs, that was not a rant, that was a strongly held, well stated, and thoughtfully validated opinion. I don't share your affection for pocket carrying without a holster, but I agree with you on your other points.
Something smaller. Several smaller .380s are around, and I for one tried a G42 in my pocket (briefly, thanks to an indulgent LGS where my face is quite familiar) and didn't think it would work. Different strokes, you know?
Something smaller. Several smaller .380s are around, and I for one tried a G42 in my pocket (briefly, thanks to an indulgent LGS where my face is quite familiar) and didn't think it would work. Different strokes, you know?
For a pocket gun I would probably stick to 380 or .38 in whatever package you choose. There are a lot more gun and ammo choices and both are likely to have more readily available accessories. If this gun were dedicated strictly to pocket duty too, I would probably choose a revolver unless you're planning on carrying a spare magazine.
I like 32acp pistols and own five right now. Winchester White box has worked so poorly in the few I have used it in that I won't even buy it anymore.
I don't like my Beretta Tomcat. It is heavy and the trigger is horrible.
I am not comfortable with 32acp as a SD round. (32 H&R or 327 are a different story.) 380 is as low as I will go in a semiautomatic for SD.
I have owned a P3AT for about five years and it has yet to malfunction. It is not noticeably larger than the P32, but I trust the round better. I prefer to carry a snub 44 or snub 38, but the P3AT is easy to carry in the lightest of clothing and I live where the weather is hot for months on end. As far as I understand the LCP is more or less the same design, just a tiny bit larger.
My Colt 1903 is not a pocket pistol by MODERN standards, but dang it is fun to shoot!
I don't like my Beretta Tomcat. It is heavy and the trigger is horrible.
I am not comfortable with 32acp as a SD round. (32 H&R or 327 are a different story.) 380 is as low as I will go in a semiautomatic for SD.
I have owned a P3AT for about five years and it has yet to malfunction. It is not noticeably larger than the P32, but I trust the round better. I prefer to carry a snub 44 or snub 38, but the P3AT is easy to carry in the lightest of clothing and I live where the weather is hot for months on end. As far as I understand the LCP is more or less the same design, just a tiny bit larger.
My Colt 1903 is not a pocket pistol by MODERN standards, but dang it is fun to shoot!
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Where I live, we are already in the upper 80s and a lot of folks (me included), like to wear loose comfortable shorts like the PFG fishing shorts or basketball type shorts. They have front pockets, but only drawstrings for a "belt". Anything heavier than a LCP is not only to print badly, but also drag your shorts down. Lightweight mouse guns are the perfect answer.
I live in a city and out of 5 gun stores around me plus several sporting good stores and wally world there was no .32 ammo at all. They all said they didn't carry it (they werent out of it they didnt carry it). One shop owner told me it was a dying round due to popularity of the .380. Is that true? I dont know but its definitely not very common in the US. I cannot imagine how it could be one of the most common rounds in the US when 5 gun shop employees at these stores looked at me like i was crazy for even asking if they carried it.
G42 is significantly larger than the other 380s - keltec, lcp, sw, etc. Its not considered a pocket carry pistol by many people unless you have large pockets.