a Beretta Tomcat 32 cal. The guy at the gun shop said he would have to order the Kel-Tec P32 and it could take a few weeks. He wanted $230 for it. Then he showed me the Beretta, $200 for it. The Beretta has got to be a better gun right? Yes, the Beretta is brand new, has the new style sight as well. Who makes a good pocket holster for it?
Went to buy a Kel-Tec. Came home with...
- Thread starter alphado
- Start date
Eric Larsen
New member
200$ for a Tomcat is an excellent deal. Even on a clean used gun.
They are very good guns...one drawback, if you could call it that, is they arent designed for "mucho bullets". Beretta even admits that its designed as a back up defensive gun and its life expectancy isnt as high as other guns. An exact # is never mentioned...but given its purpose and etc...its still a great gun.
Shoot well
They are very good guns...one drawback, if you could call it that, is they arent designed for "mucho bullets". Beretta even admits that its designed as a back up defensive gun and its life expectancy isnt as high as other guns. An exact # is never mentioned...but given its purpose and etc...its still a great gun.
Shoot well
Dwight M S
New member
Alphado,
I bought an Alleycat (the Tomcat with the night sights) some months ago. It's a surprisingly accurate little pistol. But it's had mucho reliability problems posted about it on this forum, particularly the early models. The newer ones have longer thumb safeties and beefed up frames. The triggers are tight when new, and need several hundred rounds to loosen up. But in my opinion, the DA with its very heavy pull is just there to keep the lawyers away.
My hands are pretty large, and I have to "push" the trigger with my fingertip, like pushing a button. But that's easy to get used to.
Experiment with ammo to find what feeds and extracts reliably. And clean it after every shooting session.
A small piece of mystery metal broke off the innards of my "new" generation model at about 700 rounds. So I got a couple hundred rounds of good practice clearing FTE's, then sent it to Beretta--five weeks ago. I called their service department this morning, and he said they're sending me a new one after they make a batch, as they're out of them, and he doesn't know when that will be. Hmm?
It's a shame I can't trust this little gun anymore, because I like it when it works. You wonder why Beretta can't just make a miniature version of their 92.
Dwight M S
I bought an Alleycat (the Tomcat with the night sights) some months ago. It's a surprisingly accurate little pistol. But it's had mucho reliability problems posted about it on this forum, particularly the early models. The newer ones have longer thumb safeties and beefed up frames. The triggers are tight when new, and need several hundred rounds to loosen up. But in my opinion, the DA with its very heavy pull is just there to keep the lawyers away.
My hands are pretty large, and I have to "push" the trigger with my fingertip, like pushing a button. But that's easy to get used to.
Experiment with ammo to find what feeds and extracts reliably. And clean it after every shooting session.
A small piece of mystery metal broke off the innards of my "new" generation model at about 700 rounds. So I got a couple hundred rounds of good practice clearing FTE's, then sent it to Beretta--five weeks ago. I called their service department this morning, and he said they're sending me a new one after they make a batch, as they're out of them, and he doesn't know when that will be. Hmm?
It's a shame I can't trust this little gun anymore, because I like it when it works. You wonder why Beretta can't just make a miniature version of their 92.
Dwight M S
SouthpawShootr
New member
I have an older Tomcat. It has served me very well. Now a little word of advice. Keep that chamber clean and dry. This gun has no extractor. It relies on back pressure (that cycles the slide) to drive the fired case into the ejector. If you lube the chamber, you will get jams that you wouldn't believe. If by new style sight you mean the huge Ashley sign, I don't care for it (but that's just my opinion). Regardless, shoot the gun and make sure it is reliable.
Now to the pocker holster. Kramer www.kramerleather.com makes an excellent pocket holster. It is expensive ($85 or so), but dillon www.dillonprecision.com has them for a better price ($70). This holster is, without a doubt the best pocket holster I have found. I close runner-up is www.grahamscustomgunleather.bigstep.com. His holster are very well made, but the design is a little different and you have to order them and wait a bit (hey, you want a quality product, right?).
Now to the pocker holster. Kramer www.kramerleather.com makes an excellent pocket holster. It is expensive ($85 or so), but dillon www.dillonprecision.com has them for a better price ($70). This holster is, without a doubt the best pocket holster I have found. I close runner-up is www.grahamscustomgunleather.bigstep.com. His holster are very well made, but the design is a little different and you have to order them and wait a bit (hey, you want a quality product, right?).
Bought a brandnew Tomcat, took it to the range. Jamomatic.
Cleaned it took it to the range again. Same results.
Traded it for a Keltec p-32 . Some jams with it too, however, Keltec is guaranteed for life, so I'll get it fixed. Actually, I spoke to the lady I bought it from and she said to try diff ammo and if I have problems, document it and she'll get it fixed or replaced.
The Tomcat is known for jam problems, but I hear that some people (Tamara) love em and have a model that does not jam??
I like the simpleness of the keltec....just point and pull, repeat, repeat....etc.
Cleaned it took it to the range again. Same results.
Traded it for a Keltec p-32 . Some jams with it too, however, Keltec is guaranteed for life, so I'll get it fixed. Actually, I spoke to the lady I bought it from and she said to try diff ammo and if I have problems, document it and she'll get it fixed or replaced.
The Tomcat is known for jam problems, but I hear that some people (Tamara) love em and have a model that does not jam??
I like the simpleness of the keltec....just point and pull, repeat, repeat....etc.
I've looked into the beretta 32 and the Kel-Tec and although the Tomcat is a much better value and a VERY rare deal at that, ( I deal with a Beretta dealer, $265 firm, cash) money excepted, I'd take the Kel-tec because of its over all design and weight. A lifetime warranty and a great customer service policy puts them at the top of my short list of .32 autos. But I'm sure the Beretta will work great for you.
lonegunman
New member
The Tomcat is a lot thicker than the P32. The P32 is unnoticeable in the pocket, the Tomcat is like a brick by comparison.
The Tomcat I sold had a horrible trigger in single action mode. If it was any creepier it would have been a Stephen King bestseller.
The Tomcat I sold had a horrible trigger in single action mode. If it was any creepier it would have been a Stephen King bestseller.
Zoom Wilson
Inactive
> Keltec is guaranteed for life
Whose life? It's not the life of the pistol, like with Taurus's warranty. It's only for as long as the original owner has it.z
Whose life? It's not the life of the pistol, like with Taurus's warranty. It's only for as long as the original owner has it.z
what another gun?
New member
The Kel-Tec likes Winchester range or silvertip ammo. Also, it likes a firm hold on the grip, what little there is of it... no limp wristing, and to be kept clean and oiled. With that, shouldn't be any jams. I found with any problem, just call KT and you can talk to a gunsmith, they are very friendly and helpful. Great pistol. Great warranty.
Tom
Tom
my Tomcat has jammed once in 400 rounds, this was after 100 rounds without cleaning, failed to eject.
It's very accurate, will group a magazine into an inch at 10 yards.
Double action trigger is heavy but smooth, single action is heavy with minimal pre and overtravel.
I paid US $550 for it ( Beretta and gouging go together here in Australia) and I'm very happy with it.
The only problem I've had is the grip screws work loose after a box of ammo, but didn't until I pulled them off to see how it ticked. Blue loctite should fix that.
Radagast
It's very accurate, will group a magazine into an inch at 10 yards.
Double action trigger is heavy but smooth, single action is heavy with minimal pre and overtravel.
I paid US $550 for it ( Beretta and gouging go together here in Australia) and I'm very happy with it.
The only problem I've had is the grip screws work loose after a box of ammo, but didn't until I pulled them off to see how it ticked. Blue loctite should fix that.
Radagast
I have owned three different Tomcats. I love the design--feels like it's made for my hand. However, when I bought my Kel-Tec P-32's, it made the Tomcat obsolete. I did have some feeding problems with the Tomcat--several times the slide move forward and tried to come off the gun after it was fired. These are the reasons that I sold my Tomcat(s):
1. Empty weight: Tomcat 14.5 oz....P-32 6.6 oz.
2. Thickness: Tomcat over an inch...P-32 .75 inch.
3. Tomcat--blowback...P-32 locked breech. Even though the P-32 is less than half the weight of the Tomcat, the P-32 has LESS recoil.
4. I have a S&W 337 AirLite Ti .38 spl, that weighs 11.0 oz.--that's 3.5 oz. LESS weight than the 32 ACP Tomcat! Why would I carry a Tomcat, when I could carry a .38 snubbie that weighs less?
My P-32's shoot everything--HP's, FMJ's, you name it. I practice more with S&B...carry load is Geco 73 gr. FMJ.
1. Empty weight: Tomcat 14.5 oz....P-32 6.6 oz.
2. Thickness: Tomcat over an inch...P-32 .75 inch.
3. Tomcat--blowback...P-32 locked breech. Even though the P-32 is less than half the weight of the Tomcat, the P-32 has LESS recoil.
4. I have a S&W 337 AirLite Ti .38 spl, that weighs 11.0 oz.--that's 3.5 oz. LESS weight than the 32 ACP Tomcat! Why would I carry a Tomcat, when I could carry a .38 snubbie that weighs less?
My P-32's shoot everything--HP's, FMJ's, you name it. I practice more with S&B...carry load is Geco 73 gr. FMJ.
As have P-32's. I know more than one person who has had to ship theirs back to Kel-Tec more than once. (Ask TFLers Oleg Volk and runt_of_the_litter for starters) I've seen plenty of P-32's that worked fine, too, but ditto for Tomcats.
As far as durability goes, no small alloy-framed pistol chambered in a relatively powerful caliber (for its' size) is going to have a long life as a target/range gun. I've seen SIG 230's and Colt Pocketlites that needed new frames at just over 3000 rounds. These things just aren't designed for that; they sacrifice durability for weight and/or compactness. My Tomcat is still shy of 2000 rounds, and if it passes 3k without serious problems, I'll be thrilled to death.
Don't dry-fire a Tomcat, and don't use ammo hotter than that recommended by the factory (Cor-Bon and Fiocci are right out), and the new ones seem to run fine (lendringser's had two that worked without a hiccup, and after letting a co-worker of his shoot mine, he ran out and got one for himself and hasn't had problem one with it).
...with a Kahr
I got a kick out of the subject line of this one. I did pretty much the same thing, but came home with a P9 instead. This is a VERY big difference in price, but worth it, IMHO.
I can't even blame the sales guys - I saw one in the case, and asked to look at it. It fit my hand so well, I asked if they had a holster to fit it, and... well, my wife wasn't thrilled that I spent twice as much, but now I wonder why I wanted a pocket gun in the first place.
It conceals *really* well, probably due to the light weight. I'd like to find a good IWB for it, though, since I currently carry it in a belt slide, and I don't like the idea of the end of the barrel sticking out from under my cover garment when I bend down to grab something.
I got a kick out of the subject line of this one. I did pretty much the same thing, but came home with a P9 instead. This is a VERY big difference in price, but worth it, IMHO.
I can't even blame the sales guys - I saw one in the case, and asked to look at it. It fit my hand so well, I asked if they had a holster to fit it, and... well, my wife wasn't thrilled that I spent twice as much, but now I wonder why I wanted a pocket gun in the first place.
It conceals *really* well, probably due to the light weight. I'd like to find a good IWB for it, though, since I currently carry it in a belt slide, and I don't like the idea of the end of the barrel sticking out from under my cover garment when I bend down to grab something.