I like Fiocchi 32 ACP for my Firestorm (Bersa) .32 ACP. In addition to perfect functioning, the Fiocchi is very hot loaded. I shot into a water barrel from 8 ft away and EVERY hollow point expanded beautifully and consistently. How is that possible? Well, for one thing, Fiocchi gives around 1,200 fps to a 60 grain SJHP from a 3.5" barrel gun.
The reason most Americans think the .32 ACP is a wimp round is that all USA brands of .32 ACP are wimpy to varying degrees. Corbon .32 isn't to bad, but Fiocchi is far more powerful in this cartridge/caliber for medium (3.3") to long (3.8"+) barrels. The other USA brands of .32 (other than Corbon) are pathetically wimpy. Fiocchi is the hottest/strongest factory .32 ACP there is. Many other European brands make semi-hot .32 ACP ammo (semi-hot being similar power to Corbon .32 ACP). Fiocchi is by far the hottest (really the only hot) .32 ACP ammo made.
For comparison: Typical USA "high-end" defense ammo for .32 ACP gives only 125 ft/lbs, though a few brands give 130 ft/lbs. Winchester Silver Tip and Federal Hydrashok being examples of some of the best American ammo and only offering 125 and 130 ft/lbs energy. Typical velocities are 900 to 1000 fps for 60 grain hollow point .32 ACP American defense ammo. That is pitiful. No wonder most US Citizens think the .32 ACP is wimpy and the .380 much better. That is a correct opinion when looking at most USA .32 and .380 ammo. Corbon does claim 147 ft/lbs for their .32 ACP and I believe them. It seems clear that Corbon is the best of the USA .32 ACP ammo. However, most/much European .32 ammo is MUCH hotter and better than any USA brand.
Did you ever wonder how the Europeans and South Americans can be relatively happy with .32 for so many years? Even with many of their police having carried it for years? In some S American nations police still carry it. How do they get by? Well, they have hotter .32 ammo than any American brand of .32 ammo and they also use guns with 3.5", 3.8", and 3.9" barrels to give it some punch.
Fiocchi .32 ACP gives 1200 fps from a 3.5" barrel and 205 ft/lbs energy. That's more energy than many .380 defense rounds have! That puts Fiocchi .32 ACP it in a class by itself among .32 ACP, and head and shoulders above USA .32 ACP ammo for guns with barrels that are 3.2" and longer. Though Corbon does theoretically make the best .32 ammo for guns with barrels that are 3" and shorter (Corbon designed its .32 for short 2.5" barrel specifically). Even so, NAA has ballistics data for its short 2.5" barreled NAA .32 that shows Fiocchi giving best performance of any brand that NAA tested (even though Fiocchi isn't designed for very short barrels).
The Fiocchi .32 has 205 ft/lbs which is the SAME energy as Fiocchi .380, and MORE energy than many USA brands of .380 defense ammo. Wow. In fact, the Fiocchi .32 from my Firestorm (Bersa) .32 is giving almost as much velocity as the .32 NAA gives from the shorter barrel .32 NAA gun. i.e. - Fiocchi .32 makes my Firestorm .32 a viable defense gun that is arguably competive with a .380 of the same barrel length, and my .32 Firestorm (single stack) has an extra round compared to a .380, and my .32 CZ83 (double stack) has 3 extra rounds (compared to a CZ83 .380).
I have heard that Fiocchi (and other European brands) are slightly longer than many American brands, and therefore the European ammo works better in the European and South American .32s than the American ammo does, but the American ammo works better in American .32s. With regard to feeding reliably. Also, the European .32 ammo, especially Fiocchi, might be to powerful for some tiny American .32 mousegun pocketguns and might not feed reliably and might even just blow a little mousegun to pieces.
i.e. - use wimpy American .32 ammo in American made .32s, and use hot European ammo in European and South American made .32s (Fiocchi being my favorite, and Sellior and Bellot my second favorite European brands).
Then, if you use a gun like the S. American cops often choose in some nations, or the Europeans did for a long time, it's even more potent due to the longer barrel (though slightly less concealable). For example: CZ83 (3.8" barrel with 15 +1 capacity), Beretta Cheetah (3.8" barrel or 4.9" depending on model#), FEG (3.5" or 3.9" barrel depending on model), Walther PPK (3.2" or 3.3" barrel - forgot which length), Walther PP (3.9" barrel).
So with barrel lengths from 3.8" to 4.9" combined with hot European .32 ammo that's designed to be optimal for 3.5"+ barrels, they were/are getting respectable stopping power from their .32s. With those barrel lengths Fiocchi .32 will give velocity from 1225 fps to 1300 fps. Yes, it sounds amazing and it is, but it's true. Test it for yourself with Fiocchi .32 SJHP if you have a .32 with a 3.8" or longer barrel. You'll be exceeding 1200 fps, possibly by as much as 100 fps.
With a 3.5" barrel (like my Bersa/Firestorm) you will get from 1150 to 1200 fps with Fiocchi 60 gr .32 SJHP. That is dam near .32 NAA performance. The .32 NAA boasts 1222 fps with a 60 gr HP, which is supposedly good defense performance, according to Sanow. Well I don't know about how good that is in a real world shooting, but I do know that it beats hell out of typical USA .32 ACP ammo that typically drives a 60 gr HP at 950 fps and the hottest brands to 1,000 fps. So the .32 NAA is clearly better than American .32 ACP. However, Fiocchi .32 ACP is giving performance very close to the .32 NAA when the barrel is 3.5". That's the same barrel length where American .32 ammo is semi-pitiful.
I think that's because USA .32 ammo is made for tiny pocket size mouse guns and therefore not loaded very hot. The European .32 ammos, especially Fiocchi are hot loaded for use in Walther PPK and PP, Bersas, CZ83s (in .32 ACP), Beretta Cheetahs, and Fegs. i.e. - European .32 ammo is made for strong guns of respectable size with decently long barrels. The PPK has the shortest barrel of all those European guns mentioned. The others listed have 3.5", 3.8", 3.9", and 4.9" barrel lengths with 3.5" and 3.8" being the most common.
Now if you you have an American .32 mousegun of some sort, I'd suggest NOT trying hot European ammo because your mousegun is probably not made for ammo that hot, and also if it's a pocket gun it's likely made for shorter .32 ammo like Winchester Silvertips or Corbon .32. In which case, the Corbon is the better choice IF your gun is strong enough for that much power. I wouldn't recommend the Fiocchi .32 for any American mousegun for strength concerns and also feeding reliability concerns. Except for a .32 NAA which is strong enough and functions well with it, and also works well with Corbon, according to things I've read about the NAA. At the NAA website their ballistic comparison chart of .32 ACP shows Fiocchi the hottest of what they tested, even from the short 2.5" NAA barrel. However, for a barrel that short, I suspect that Corbon would be as good or better.
From a longer barrel (say about 3.2"+) the Fiocchi .32 ACP SJHP ammo is in a class by itself with 40% more muzzle energy than Winchester ST or Federal HS.
With a Walther PP, Berettah Cheetah, or especially a CZ83, and some Fiocchi .32 SJHP ammo, that is a reasonably potent .32 ACP package between the barrel length, hot ammo, and high cap magazine (CZ83 is 15 + 1 and the Cheetah double stack is about the same). It would substantially exceed the .32 NAA performance from a .32 NAA gun.
With a Walther PPK, Sig 232, or Bersa/Firestorm .32 (3.2" to 3.5" barrels) the Fiocchi .32 SJHP is reasonably potent with performance approximately equal to what NAA advertises its .32 NAA to do from the NAA gun.
To put that another way, the .32 Fiocchi SJHP ammo makes a .32 ACP a viable "one shot stopping potential" competitor to a .380 of same barrel length, and the .32 ACP has an extra round in a single stack mag, or 3 extra rounds in a double stack. Though neither a .32 ACP or .380 can get up enough velocity to expand bullets and have adequate muzzle energy from barrels shorter than 3.2", IMO. Many ballistic tests have shown that. Both need a barrel that is 3.5" or longer to develope adequate velocity to have some punch. Fiocchi ammo greatly increases that punch in a .32.
I don't claim Fiocchi to be best in other calibers though. For example, in .380 I prefer Speer Gold Dot. Who makes the best ammo all depends on the caliber, the need, and the gun. I only claim that Fiocchi SJHP is the best .32 ACP for European and South American guns with barrels that are 3" or longer, and MIGHT also be the best ammo for a NAA .32 ACP. I also like Fiocchi a lot in 9mm, but I like Speer GD and Federal HS most in that caliber. No single ammo maker is best, but a given manufacturer might make the best in a given caliber.
The reason most Americans think the .32 ACP is a wimp round is that all USA brands of .32 ACP are wimpy to varying degrees. Corbon .32 isn't to bad, but Fiocchi is far more powerful in this cartridge/caliber for medium (3.3") to long (3.8"+) barrels. The other USA brands of .32 (other than Corbon) are pathetically wimpy. Fiocchi is the hottest/strongest factory .32 ACP there is. Many other European brands make semi-hot .32 ACP ammo (semi-hot being similar power to Corbon .32 ACP). Fiocchi is by far the hottest (really the only hot) .32 ACP ammo made.
For comparison: Typical USA "high-end" defense ammo for .32 ACP gives only 125 ft/lbs, though a few brands give 130 ft/lbs. Winchester Silver Tip and Federal Hydrashok being examples of some of the best American ammo and only offering 125 and 130 ft/lbs energy. Typical velocities are 900 to 1000 fps for 60 grain hollow point .32 ACP American defense ammo. That is pitiful. No wonder most US Citizens think the .32 ACP is wimpy and the .380 much better. That is a correct opinion when looking at most USA .32 and .380 ammo. Corbon does claim 147 ft/lbs for their .32 ACP and I believe them. It seems clear that Corbon is the best of the USA .32 ACP ammo. However, most/much European .32 ammo is MUCH hotter and better than any USA brand.
Did you ever wonder how the Europeans and South Americans can be relatively happy with .32 for so many years? Even with many of their police having carried it for years? In some S American nations police still carry it. How do they get by? Well, they have hotter .32 ammo than any American brand of .32 ammo and they also use guns with 3.5", 3.8", and 3.9" barrels to give it some punch.
Fiocchi .32 ACP gives 1200 fps from a 3.5" barrel and 205 ft/lbs energy. That's more energy than many .380 defense rounds have! That puts Fiocchi .32 ACP it in a class by itself among .32 ACP, and head and shoulders above USA .32 ACP ammo for guns with barrels that are 3.2" and longer. Though Corbon does theoretically make the best .32 ammo for guns with barrels that are 3" and shorter (Corbon designed its .32 for short 2.5" barrel specifically). Even so, NAA has ballistics data for its short 2.5" barreled NAA .32 that shows Fiocchi giving best performance of any brand that NAA tested (even though Fiocchi isn't designed for very short barrels).
The Fiocchi .32 has 205 ft/lbs which is the SAME energy as Fiocchi .380, and MORE energy than many USA brands of .380 defense ammo. Wow. In fact, the Fiocchi .32 from my Firestorm (Bersa) .32 is giving almost as much velocity as the .32 NAA gives from the shorter barrel .32 NAA gun. i.e. - Fiocchi .32 makes my Firestorm .32 a viable defense gun that is arguably competive with a .380 of the same barrel length, and my .32 Firestorm (single stack) has an extra round compared to a .380, and my .32 CZ83 (double stack) has 3 extra rounds (compared to a CZ83 .380).
I have heard that Fiocchi (and other European brands) are slightly longer than many American brands, and therefore the European ammo works better in the European and South American .32s than the American ammo does, but the American ammo works better in American .32s. With regard to feeding reliably. Also, the European .32 ammo, especially Fiocchi, might be to powerful for some tiny American .32 mousegun pocketguns and might not feed reliably and might even just blow a little mousegun to pieces.
i.e. - use wimpy American .32 ammo in American made .32s, and use hot European ammo in European and South American made .32s (Fiocchi being my favorite, and Sellior and Bellot my second favorite European brands).
Then, if you use a gun like the S. American cops often choose in some nations, or the Europeans did for a long time, it's even more potent due to the longer barrel (though slightly less concealable). For example: CZ83 (3.8" barrel with 15 +1 capacity), Beretta Cheetah (3.8" barrel or 4.9" depending on model#), FEG (3.5" or 3.9" barrel depending on model), Walther PPK (3.2" or 3.3" barrel - forgot which length), Walther PP (3.9" barrel).
So with barrel lengths from 3.8" to 4.9" combined with hot European .32 ammo that's designed to be optimal for 3.5"+ barrels, they were/are getting respectable stopping power from their .32s. With those barrel lengths Fiocchi .32 will give velocity from 1225 fps to 1300 fps. Yes, it sounds amazing and it is, but it's true. Test it for yourself with Fiocchi .32 SJHP if you have a .32 with a 3.8" or longer barrel. You'll be exceeding 1200 fps, possibly by as much as 100 fps.
With a 3.5" barrel (like my Bersa/Firestorm) you will get from 1150 to 1200 fps with Fiocchi 60 gr .32 SJHP. That is dam near .32 NAA performance. The .32 NAA boasts 1222 fps with a 60 gr HP, which is supposedly good defense performance, according to Sanow. Well I don't know about how good that is in a real world shooting, but I do know that it beats hell out of typical USA .32 ACP ammo that typically drives a 60 gr HP at 950 fps and the hottest brands to 1,000 fps. So the .32 NAA is clearly better than American .32 ACP. However, Fiocchi .32 ACP is giving performance very close to the .32 NAA when the barrel is 3.5". That's the same barrel length where American .32 ammo is semi-pitiful.
I think that's because USA .32 ammo is made for tiny pocket size mouse guns and therefore not loaded very hot. The European .32 ammos, especially Fiocchi are hot loaded for use in Walther PPK and PP, Bersas, CZ83s (in .32 ACP), Beretta Cheetahs, and Fegs. i.e. - European .32 ammo is made for strong guns of respectable size with decently long barrels. The PPK has the shortest barrel of all those European guns mentioned. The others listed have 3.5", 3.8", 3.9", and 4.9" barrel lengths with 3.5" and 3.8" being the most common.
Now if you you have an American .32 mousegun of some sort, I'd suggest NOT trying hot European ammo because your mousegun is probably not made for ammo that hot, and also if it's a pocket gun it's likely made for shorter .32 ammo like Winchester Silvertips or Corbon .32. In which case, the Corbon is the better choice IF your gun is strong enough for that much power. I wouldn't recommend the Fiocchi .32 for any American mousegun for strength concerns and also feeding reliability concerns. Except for a .32 NAA which is strong enough and functions well with it, and also works well with Corbon, according to things I've read about the NAA. At the NAA website their ballistic comparison chart of .32 ACP shows Fiocchi the hottest of what they tested, even from the short 2.5" NAA barrel. However, for a barrel that short, I suspect that Corbon would be as good or better.
From a longer barrel (say about 3.2"+) the Fiocchi .32 ACP SJHP ammo is in a class by itself with 40% more muzzle energy than Winchester ST or Federal HS.
With a Walther PP, Berettah Cheetah, or especially a CZ83, and some Fiocchi .32 SJHP ammo, that is a reasonably potent .32 ACP package between the barrel length, hot ammo, and high cap magazine (CZ83 is 15 + 1 and the Cheetah double stack is about the same). It would substantially exceed the .32 NAA performance from a .32 NAA gun.
With a Walther PPK, Sig 232, or Bersa/Firestorm .32 (3.2" to 3.5" barrels) the Fiocchi .32 SJHP is reasonably potent with performance approximately equal to what NAA advertises its .32 NAA to do from the NAA gun.
To put that another way, the .32 Fiocchi SJHP ammo makes a .32 ACP a viable "one shot stopping potential" competitor to a .380 of same barrel length, and the .32 ACP has an extra round in a single stack mag, or 3 extra rounds in a double stack. Though neither a .32 ACP or .380 can get up enough velocity to expand bullets and have adequate muzzle energy from barrels shorter than 3.2", IMO. Many ballistic tests have shown that. Both need a barrel that is 3.5" or longer to develope adequate velocity to have some punch. Fiocchi ammo greatly increases that punch in a .32.
I don't claim Fiocchi to be best in other calibers though. For example, in .380 I prefer Speer Gold Dot. Who makes the best ammo all depends on the caliber, the need, and the gun. I only claim that Fiocchi SJHP is the best .32 ACP for European and South American guns with barrels that are 3" or longer, and MIGHT also be the best ammo for a NAA .32 ACP. I also like Fiocchi a lot in 9mm, but I like Speer GD and Federal HS most in that caliber. No single ammo maker is best, but a given manufacturer might make the best in a given caliber.
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