What are your overall thoughts on .32 ACP?

[billcarey]

+1 what WyMark said.

 

[ligonierbill]

I started picking up 32s of various kinds a few years ago, just for fun. If you want plinking, I suggest finding a revolver that fires .32 S&W Long. I am particularly fond of the old S&W I-frame, but guns designed for 32 H&R or .327 Federal do fine as well. Why anyone shoots .32 ACP from these is beyond me. Not unsafe, but just load up some 32 Longs. Cast bullets, a few grains of HP-38, cases last forever, cheap.

Regards the .32 ACP, I have a bunch. I will second the KelTec P32 when nothing else fits in your pocket. Load Buffalo Bore 75 hardcast. For plinking and target fun, find almost any of the older pocket guns. My favorites are the Walther PP and the FN 1910, but if you want cheap, go with the CZ-50 or -70.

 

[Cheapshooter]

Edit: I just weighed them, the P32 w/7 round mag is 9oz lighter than the LCR loaded with 130g .38 +p. That's a lot to me on a hot day.

Aples/oranges.
What is the weight difference between the P32, and P3at or LCP?

The .32 acp will work just as well in the winter as in the summer.

As long as your assailant is wearing the same clothes.
Lower velocity, less mass, less kenitic energy, more resistance=less penetration. Maybe not enough to worry about, but maybe just enough to not reach that vital spot.
While most ballistic gel tests are done with the standard 4 layers of denim, I wonder if there are any using 32acp with cotton T, thermo insulated shirt, flannel, down vest, and heavy parka. Be intwresting to see what effect it has on a sub 200 ft. lb.bullet.

 

[mavracer]

Edit: I just weighed them, the P32 w/7 round mag is 9oz lighter than the LCR loaded with 130g .38 +p. That's a lot to me on a hot day.

Is that a 357 LCR ? My 38 weighs under a pound with 158s.

 

[ammo.crafter]

PP

It's not the best caliber for SD, but in a pinch, it's a lot better than a 22 or 25.

Check out Cor-Bon 32acp:
60gr JHP @ 1050f/s.

 

[tipoc]

Personally, I hadn't considered .32 ACP much at all, but when I got a .32 H&R single action revolver, I started to think about .32 ACP as it shot well in the revolver and having a pistol would make a nice companion piece for the revolver.

Maybe it was mentioned and I missed it but that 32 H&R revolver is likely chambered for the 32 H&R Magnum round. Is it a Model 504, 532, or 586 revolver?

Anyway take a look and see if it's chambered for the 32 H&R Magnum. If so it will also chamber and fire the 32 S&W and the 32 S&W Long.The H&R Magnum was introduced about 1984.

The 32 S&W was introduced in 1878 by S&W and placed in a range their small pocket revolvers. The 32 S&W Long showed up in 1903 and was used quite a bit by police in the U.S. and Europe before the 38 Spl. began to take over in police work. It is an accurate cartridge and was, maybe still, a popular target and small game round in Europe. It was widely used in very small revolvers until Colt chambered the Detective Special in 38 Spl. and S&W did the Chief's Special.

All those are rimmed revolver rounds (and there are other 32 caliber revolver rounds) while 32 acp is a semi round that John Browning developed for guns of his design in 1899. It's a semi-rimmed cartridge.

I don't think the 32 acp will properly chamber in the 32 H&R Magnum. But what do I know?

Any way if you have your copy of Barnes "Cartridges of the World" or Bob Forker's "Ammo and Ballistics", handy, you can look these up.

tipoc

 

[RickB]

I'll have to fall back on, "I don't know anyone who would volunteer to be shot with a .32?"
My new, alloy-framed 9mm is smaller and lighter than either of the .32s I own, so the .32 aren't going to get much use.

 

[TruthTellers]

Maybe it was mentioned and I missed it but that 32 H&R revolver is likely chambered for the 32 H&R Magnum round. Is it a Model 504, 532, or 586 revolver?

It is a Heritage revolver chambered for the .32 H&R.

It chambers and shoot the .32 ACP just fine.

 

[ligonierbill]

Remember all, the .32 ACP is a "semi-rimmed" cartridge, just like JMB's second round, the 9x20SR or 9mm Browning Long. By the time he got around to the 9mm Short, aka .380 Auto, he wised up and did a "rimless". (No rimlock possible, although I've never had that happen in one of my 32s.) So, sure, a 7.65x17 will work in strong .32 revolvers. But they ain't that cheap, so why? And I sure wouldn't put one in my little I-frames or Colt PPs. Pressure is too high.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Standard fabrics and leather have almost no effect on any pistol cartridge's penetration.

 

[Skadoosh]

Bill D., the congregation is faaaaast asleep.

 

[lee n. field]

What do you think of it as a plinking round, a defensive round, and what do you think of the common guns that have been chambered for it?

.32 ACP is one I've never ever bothered with.

 

[SIGSHR]

I have 2, an M1914 Mauser and a CZ27. Bought them to "have", ergonomics poor, though both are accurate and reliable. Not my 1st, 2nd, 3rd or even 4th choices but beat feet, fists and foul language.

 

[5whiskey]

I carried a .32 for a few years. It was a pistol given to me by my stepfather, and the only one I could effectively CCW with. It also was mild enough to start my daughters shooting centerfire on.

handloading is easier than the .25 and a pound of powder goes a LLLLOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGG way when load 2 grains or so. Except for the 71RN, most 32 bullets seem to be meant for the H&R and 327 Federal, so unless you spring for 60gr Gold Dots, that can be a minor annoyance. With the right gun, it can pop soda cans all day long and be even cheaper to shoot than most decent .22 ammo these days.

^^^Why I would want one right now

I could actually buy into the thought of a new production .32 pistol about the size of a shield or a tad larger just for the purpose of super cheap plinking (if you reload). Plus a great idea to start the kiddies on centerfire. Alas, there is little to no market for such a beast in America, leaving us with only a few discontinued (many of which long discontinued) options. Of those, many are borderline antique (which I would still shoot, but not often) and more than a few aren't exactly reliable. So... there. For pure SD/CCW? Maybe a tiny seacamp if I had to go deep concealed, but I think the LCP (and the following competition) killed the .32 off from mainstream CCW use. Again, I would be interested in more of a compact .32 and not really a "baby" .32.

 

[tipoc]

TruthTellers,

Personally, I hadn't considered .32 ACP much at all, but when I got a .32 H&R single action revolver...

So it's not an H&R (Harrison & Richardson) but a Heritage?

It is a Heritage revolver chambered for the .32 H&R.

I was looking at their site but couldn't see where they made one in .32. Maybe an older one.

Anyway, have fun.

tipoc

 

[tallball]

The Beretta 32acp has been available here in the US off and on. Not the Tomcat, the Model 81 service pistol. Like a Model 84, but in 32acp. They are very nice.

 

[TruthTellers]

TruthTellers,



So it's not an H&R (Harrison & Richardson) but a Heritage?



I was looking at their site but couldn't see where they made one in .32. Maybe an older one.

Anyway, have fun.

tipoc

Yeah, Heritage no longer makes the .32 H&R revolvers. I think that was a decision made by Taurus, who also had Heritage discontinue making a single action .410 revolver.

Taurus has really had Heritage slow down production on all non .22 revolvers for some reason. .357 and .45 Colt Rough Rider's are very hard to find these days.

 

[SauerGrapes]

We had an incident a couple years ago at a local hospital. Evidentially the doctor was a physiatrist. Patient came in with a knife or a gun. {forget which} Attacked the doctor, doctor shot him twice with the 32acp handgun he had in his desk. {Actually I guess he was lucky he had it} Better than a sharp stick I guess.
It took three people to subdue the attacker and hold him for the police.
I just don't want to be in a gunfight with a 32. Some big strong knuckle head pumped up on adrenaline would probably have my lunch. I just want something that hits harder.

A 32acp in a full size firearm would probably be something fun to play with at the range. Draw back, ammo isn't cheap, brass is not something you find often at ranges to scrounge.
Someone already said it. I can get a .380 to match the size. Hell, I don't carry anything smaller than 9mm.

 

[44caliberkid]

I buy every .32 ACP I run across (used) because I know a 32 collector who will always buy them from me. The only two I have kept are a Nazi marked Walther and Nazi marked FN, for obvious reasons. I almost never shoot them.

 

[reddog81]

and when I heard Colt was coming back with the 1903 Pocket Hammerless in a much longer barrel, I thought that would make for a great plinker

Where did you hear Colt was coming out with a new 1903 with a longer barrel? I know some of the original models had a longer barrel but it was fairly rare and looks ungainly. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have one, but I'd be very surprised if that happens. Colt licensed the production of a new 1903 a couple of years ago and I'm not sure if that is still being produced or not.

32 ACP is a fun round to shoot. Very low recoil and ammo can be found for cheap. The original 1903 is a quality gun. If you can find one for a reasonable price I'd suggest buying it. Both of mine cost considerably less than the price of the new ones sold recently.

32 anything is not the best SD round but they can get the job done.