The .32 ACP handguns were not the MAIN equipment for the italian Navy and Air Foce, regardless of what the Gun Recognition Guide may say.
Yes they were issued to some departments and in certain circumstances (shortage of Beretta 1934 mainly, because of the WWII readiness effort).
So the Guide is somewhat and factually correct but, again, they were not the main standard issue. Guaranteed.
I talk not because of internet info but for personal experiences once I had 3 people in my family fighting in WWII on the Italian side and we have a military historian.
The Walther PP and PPK main caliber is the .380 auto not the 32 ACP.
Maybe , regarding the 32 ACP, I should not have said extremely rare but just rare as standard official issue.
You forgot the countless European handguns from every nation chambered in 9 mm Parabellum or in .380 ACP....who you think was using them?? The Japanese or in Africa??
Yes, You should not believe in everything you read on the internet or in every book...
The Italian Air Force issued the .32 ACP by choice, as did the Navy.
In the early 1930s, the Italian army was impressed by the Walther PP pistol. Beretta did not want to lose a big military contract to their German competitor and designed the M1934 for the Italian Army which accepted it in 1937. This model was followed by the M1935, which was similar to the M1934 in most respects, except that it fired a .32 ACP (7.65 mm Browning) cartridge.
The German POLICE, whom you were addressing in the first place, used the Model 1934 Mauser, the Walther Model PP and PPk, all in .32 ACP. The German military also used large numbers of the Mauser HsC, the Walther PP and PPk. The German ARMY also issued large numbers of the Czech Vz-27, in .32 ACP. Source, the 2007 Standard catalog of Firearms by Dan Shideler.
The Glisenti pistol that you mentioned was accepted first, in 1906, by the Italian Army, in 7.65mm (.32ACP0, then in 1910 in 9mm Glisenti. They had been declared obsolete by the Italian Army in the 1930's, and replaced with the .32 ACP and .380 ACP pistols. They were used, along with even older Bodeo revolvers, as the war went poorly for them in Africa, and everywhere else. (2007 Standard Catalog of Firearms, page 511)
Also in the same book, page 460, "This model was adopted by police forces around the world." Caliber .32 ACP, Model 1910 New Model FN.
Again, on Page 993. "Pistol Sauer Model 1913, Police variations. These will be of the standard German Commercial configuration but nearly always having the Zusatzsicherung added to the pistol. Police used both calibers 6.35 and 7.65, but the 7.65 was predominant.
Then, they speak of the Imperial Military variations, Paramilitary marked pistols of the 1932-35 period, the Norwegian Police contracts of POST WWII.
On page 995, the 1930 variation, in 7.65mm (32ACP0 was used by the Dutch Police, the Amsterdam Police, the Dutch Navy, the S.M.N., and the Department of Finance.
Page 996, the Sauer Behorden Model, in 7.65mm. Police Model two Sunburst Acceptance models, and a Diamond in Sunburst Police Acceptance Model.
Page 997, Model 38H, in 7.65mm, two different Police Acceptance versions, and two separate military acceptance versions.
For pistols chambered in .32 ACP to be so "rare" in Police and military use, there sure are a lot of them cataloged and identified for collectors. I even left OUT the ones categorized as Rare.
The Walther PP and PPK main caliber is the .380 auto not the 32 ACP.
Today, it's the main chambering. However, it was developed around the 7.65mm cartridge, and saw service in Europe mainly in that caliber. The 9x17 has always been mostly an American caliber.
My father, and all but one younger brother also fought in WWII. They do not presuppose to know what weapons, Model numbers, or calibers, were in use anywhere but in the theaters they fought in. He's still alive.
You forgot the countless European handguns from every nation chambered in 9 mm Parabellum or in .380 ACP....who you think was using them?? The Japanese or in Africa??
Really? The German's used the .32 and 9mm. The Italians used the .32, .380, 9mm Glisenti, and the 10.4 mm Bodeo Model 1889 revolver.
Russia used the 7.62x25. France used the 7.65 French Long. Spain used the 9mm Bergman. Britain issued the Webley and Enfield revolvers in .380/200 caliber. The Norwegians issued the license built Colt Model 1911 in .45 ACP. The Czechs used the CZ24 and CZ27, in 7.65mm.
The Scandinavian country of Sweden used the Lahti in 9x19. Denmark used the Model 1910-21 Bergman-Bayard, in 9mm B-B (9x23). Finland used the Lahti in 9x19 beginning in 1935. Poland used the Vis35 in 9x19, and the NG30 in 7.62 Nagant. Sweden used the Browning 1907 in a peculiar 9x29 Browning Long cartridge, and the Lahti in 9x19. America used the .45 ACP, and various .38 Special revolvers. General officers used the Remington in .32 or .380, depending on availability. Canada, Australia, British Indian and African militaries used the .38/200 revolvers.
It would seem that the larger participants, except for the Germans, used the 9x19 as the "substitute standard". NONE of them, except for the Italians used the .380 9x17 caliber for general issue.
I will certainly place more faith in multiple books than I ever would on the recollections of three men in their 80's. I applaud their service, though, and am thankful that they lived through the war.
Altogether, the .32 ACP, or 7.65mm Browning WAS used for decades by the Police of Europe. It wasn't until after the Munich Olympics debacle of 1972 that even the German Police standardized on the 9x19 caliber, though. In Europe, until that time, Police routinely issued rifles and sub-machineguns to Police officers in assignments where they might need additional firepower. You still see that in evidence in many European air-ports, even today. The European Police, like many in the European military, viewed the pistol as a badge of rank, or identification as part of the uniform.