.32 Versus .380?

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rWt

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Yes, I know nthat they're both "inadequate".

But, if you were to choose between a semi-auto in .32 and one in .380 (say a Seecamp .32 and a Seecamp .380), which round gets the nod?

Thanks.
 
I like the .380 more. Haven't owned a .32 but have had a Kel-Tec in .380.

Both are the same size pistol but the .380 has a bit of an edge on speed. The .380 has a bit of a snappy recoil in the P3AT but it's not hard to control.
 
From a pure power standpoint, I don't see much of a difference. HOWEVER, 380 is easier to find and SD ammo is more developed. I think it's a more practical choice. Had the P3AT existed when I bought my P32, I would've gotten the P3AT instead.

Chris
 
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I like .380 a bit more. As far as I can tell, the whole idea of .380 was to give more power in a .32 sized gun. Heavier bullet, larger caliber, greater speed. I don't see how it can miss being a bit better overall.

StrikeEagle
 
I would definetly go with the .380. Do a little more research and choose the right handgun. The smaller and lighter, the more recoil! Take a look at the Kahr line (9mm.) and you can get a gun as small and in some cases smaller than others in .380. A point to consider is that ammo in 9mm. is cheaper than .380.
 
I would agree with Jim13
between the 2 I would pick 380
great point about the 9mm and lots cheaper to shoot I like the Sig p230
or p232
 
for CCW - I go w/ the .32....

and this is from a big .380 fan. I researched the .32 before deciding on my KelTec purchase and concluded the extra capacity of the .32 was really the only important difference. Using the right ammo and cleaning, they are equally reliable in my experience. The .380 is indeed a more powerful calibre, but the .32 generally penetrates better and has the same one-shot stoppage power of the .380. http://www.chuckhawks.com/handgun_power_chart.htm
In fact, I've actually come to prefer the .32 in terms of shooting comfort and accuracy. Considering my P32 with Hydrashocks will stop an attacker just as effectively as the P3AT with more shots to boot settles the issue for me. My two cents, FWIW ;)

Kapi
 
When it comes to penetration...

The .32 seems to perfom better than the .380. I love them both, but have a current love affair going with my .32 S&W Long-chambered H&R revolvers.

Scott
 
i agree...

I also love them both. The Bersa Thunder 380 is one of my favorite "fun" guns- i could shoot that baby all day long in the country! Just to add to my previous post- I consider both calibres as "marginal" for self defense with ammo selection and circumstance being crucial. By circumstance, I mean that both are effective but for very close range confrontations-10-20 ft. You would definitely want to fire multiple shots at center mass- so speed becomes crucial. I've shot both the the P32 and P3AT and there is no doubt which has the edge in rapid fire shooting- the .32. With the standard mag+1, squeezing off 8 rounds in less than 3 seconds is a breeze with the P32. The recoil is so minimal that it can be done with accuracy too. The 380 clearly wins in psi graded power and soft matter penetration, but my experience clearly shows the 32 to have the edge in hard matter penetration(bone, muscle tissue, wood, glass, aluminum). I've only shot into the latter three and drawn conclusions from there, btw ;-) . They're both great little "mouseguns" but the capacity and rapid fire cap's of the p32 give it the edge for deep CCW carry. just my opinion-
 
mtnbkr said:
Had the P3AT existed when I bought my P32, I would've gotten the P3AT instead.
Chris
Click to expand...
Not sure I would have, Chris. I don't think the .380 is enough more powerful than the .32 to make much difference, and the .32 is easier to shoot because of its lighter recoil. Also, most .32s hold one more round than the same gun in .380.
 
if you were to choose between a semi-auto in .32 and one in .380 (say a Seecamp .32 and a Seecamp .380), which round gets the nod?
Click to expand...

I owned an NAA Guardian in .32 ACP and a Colt Mustang in .380. The Guardian was a fine weapon, but when I pocket carry, I now carry the Colt exclusively. It is a little larger than the Guardian, but about the same weight and capacity with a ballistically more effective round, less felt recoil, and a single action trigger.

If you are limited to a weapon in the Seecamp/Guardian/Keltec size, I would personally choose the Keltec because it is locked breech and significantly less expenditure than the other two. Again I would choose the .380 over the .32 in the same size package with the Keltec.

If I was going to purchase a Seecamp or Guardian again, I would choose the .32 ACP as the best choice in that platform. I find the .380 Guardians simply too heavy for my pockets. And while the Seecamp .380 is not much more weight than the .32, it has IIRC a limited round life specified, and I am not sure I personally would find the increased effectiveness of the .380 round worth the trade-off in controllability in a blowback firearm that small. One other consideration is that .32 ACP can be susceptible to a condition called rimlock because it is a semi-rimmed round. I never had this problem with FMJ ammunition but did experience it on rare occassions with hollowpoints.

Shot placement with either of these rounds is going to be far more important than which one you are carrying. Choose the round and platform you personally shoot best with.


.32 ACP Ballistics from NAA Website

.380 ACP Ballistics from NAA Website

Size and Weight Comparison of Pocket Pistols from Seecamp Website in PDF format
 
Guess I'll step up and be the village idiot (big suprise, huh?).
I would start by asking what gun you are going to shoot it in. I owned a P-32 and have shot others as well as a P3AT. Of the two I would choose the .32 in a gun that size hands down. I have owned and shot alot of handguns ranging from .22LR, several .357s and .38s, 9mm's, .45 ACPs and .45LC. Haven't owned a .44 magnum but I have shot a few of them. Out of all those guns none of them were as uncomfortable for me to shoot as the P3AT. It stung the hell out of my hand. For some reason I just couldn't get the right grip on it, eventhough it seemed to point well. Dropping back to .32 in the same sized gun made it much more controllable and enjoyable to shoot for me. I would take the gun I can shoot better every time.
If you are going to go with something bigger, say the size of a CZ-83, then I would go for the more powerful round.
 
Hypnogator said:
Not sure I would have, Chris. I don't think the .380 is enough more powerful than the .32 to make much difference, and the .32 is easier to shoot because of its lighter recoil. Also, most .32s hold one more round than the same gun in .380.
Click to expand...
My reasons:
380 is cheaper and easier to find than 32, especially in good SD loads.
no chance of rimlock with 380 (not that it's been a problem for me).

I can shoot the P3AT just fine. The lack of one round doesn't bother me at all.

For me, the 380 would be a better choice, but I'm not replacing a perfectly functioning P32 to get it.

Chris
 
I've owned and carried KelTecs in .32 and .380, and NAA Guardians in .32.
Yes, .380 ammo is cheaper and easier to find. :(

Still, I chose the .32 Guardian.
In my opinion only (YMMV), the NAA just gives me more pride of ownership.
Yes, the weight is an issue, but since I got used to carrying my Kahr PM9 in my pocket, the Guardian is not that bad.
It feels more like a gun.
It is more pleasing to the eye.
I have a feeling the steel gun will last longer.

That said, if you want the ultimate drop-in-your-pocket-and-forget-it gun, get a P32, shoot a few hundred rounds, and get it reliable, and you're good to go.
The light weight and ease of shooting of this gun is truly remarkable.

After John Browning designed the .380, he continued to carry a .32.

No, it's not the ultimate fight stopper, but neither is any handgun.

Carry a 9, 40, 45, 38, etc. if at all possible.

Me? I'm packing a Guardian, in .32. :D
 
Several people are saying the .32 gets more penetration than the .380. To that I would ask: Using what type of bullets? Is this a side-by-side comparison using the same bullet type? I've never seen a penetration comparison between these two calibers. Any links to tests where I can read about it?
 
They are both almost the same, but the .380 is bigger, so I'd give a very slight edge to .380 in terms of performance only. Like others have said most similar guns have less recoil in .32, and hold more ammo in .32acp. I would work around first what you are willing to/or can carry as the most important issue. Meaning if you can only fit a Kel-Tec P-32/NAA G32 size small gun get the .32, if you can pack a larger gun get a .380 cal.

But ultimately the oh so slight edge goes to the .380
 
Guess I'LL give it a try. In small Seecamp size I would stay with 32 I don't feel the additional recoil is worth the little gain in engery or bullet size.. Now move up to PPK/S size pistols and 380 starts to run over the 32. I would much rather have a PPK in 380 than 32. Load with the new CorBon 380DPX and you will have a nice pocket gun.
 
.32 NAA?

Seecamps do have a great rep. To small for me, but I'm sure they're great.

I like the .32 ACP. I've got a Firestorm 32 (made by Bersa). I love it.

However, as most everyone says, the .380 is much better for stopping power. Personally, the .380 is the bottom end of the decent, but the .32 ACP is the bottom end period.

However, .32 ACP is has its advantages for recoil sensitive people wanting a small gun. I think .380 better if you either have tough enough hands or a midsize gun (like CZ-83).

However, what about the .32 NAA? I'm not a personal fan of those NAA guns because they look really small and light to me. So I think they'd kick to much for me in .32 NAA or .380. However, they might be ideal for you.

However, there are more and more conversion barrels-kits out there all the time to convert .380s to .32 NAA.

I don't know if these kits exist yet, but it sure would be neat to convert a Bersa 380 to NAA .32. Also, neat to convert a CZ-83 to a NAA .32. Just a barrel change (I think) and you're there. Does anyone know if these .32 NAA conversion kits exist for CZ-83 and Bersa 380?

I know there are kits for converting Makarovs to .32 NAA. Neat. Kind of makes me want a Makarovsky.

What is availability and cost of .32 NAA ammo?
 
Funny, I just asked this SAME QUESTION on another forum, as i'm looking for a pocket pistol. after the comings and goings, I think i'd rather have a .380 than a .32.
 
.380 makes a bigger hole. Going by the velocity data for NAA Guardians, with the hottest FMJ they tested, .380 will penetrate a bit over an inch deeper, 19.5" vs 18.3". With Santa Barbara stuff, penetration should be even deeper.
 
-What is the "purpose" or "role"of this gun?
-Which Platforms fit you / do you shoot best?
-Do you have any physical limitations?

For instance some folks rarely CCW. Some I know are older and simply do not get out as they used to. A few have physical limitations and more than just arthritis.

Beretta Tomcats [.32 ACP] work for some because of Tip up feature, very accurate, and they shoot them well. Easy enough to carry when they do go out, handy to have on person while in the home, out in the yard...

Beretta Tip up in .380 [brain fade on model] is a bigger gun and some find this one easier to handle, and shoot. For instance the lady of the house shoots it well, husband can CCW.

The .32 revovers also offer an great option as the revolver is not dependent on magazines to run, easy to see if safe, maintain and such. Hence the reason so many are excited about NAA proposed new offering. Why folks do not give up old J frames in 32 and current offering so popular.

Shot placement is important -gun fit to shooter in a platform one can manipulate safely and under stress is what gives a shooter the abilty to obtain quick accurate hits -
 
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