Thinking of Beretta 3032

I wouldn't consider the Tomcat over my P32, but I'd sure consider that handsome 81.

I had a Tomcat and didn't like it. It was fat and heavy and had a stiff trigger.

If you want a small 32acp carry piece, the Kel-Tec P32 is far superior IMHO, having owned both.

That's a nice 81. Mine is my favorite 32acp pistol to shoot.

If you want another 32acp that's very cool and a lot of fun at the range, the Colt 1903 is a joy to handle and shoot, and it's even cooler than the Berettas, IMHO, having owned both.

I have a Tomcat. The frame cracked right above the trigger pin which was a common problem with them back then.
Beretta wouldn't cover it, basically told me "Too bad so sad".
Worst customer service I've ever experienced.
I broke that piece out with a pair of needle-nose pliers, it still shoots.

The Tomcat frame cracks in that spot as noted above in post #4, mine did. I filed away the excess and it shoots with no worries of loose edges interfering with operation. If you want to carry a small 32acp, the Kel-Tec P32 is probably the best overall combination of reliability, light weight, size, and shoot ability being locked breech. Locks back on last round, 7+1.

Being a fan of the .32, really wanted to like the Tomcat. However, once I bought one, the desire quickly faded due the extreme size inefficiency (thickness) coupled nonsensically with the documented durability problems.

Another vote for the P32. It is my EDC for warm weather.

I liked carrying it, wasnt super fun (or accurate) to shoot. When I found out about the frame cracking issue, I checked and sure enough- there it was.
It may have been cracked the whole time I owned it for all I know. Didnt seem to effect function anyway.....

Sold it and got a Beretta Pico. Much better pocket gun, IMO, at a MUCH better price!

The 3032 isn't a Beretta worthy owning. $500 gun that should be $300.

Tallball said:

I had a Tomcat and didn't like it. It was fat and heavy and had a stiff trigger.

If you want a small 32acp carry piece, the Kel-Tec P32 is far superior IMHO, having owned both.

That's a nice 81. Mine is my favorite 32acp pistol to shoot.

If you want another 32acp that's very cool and a lot of fun at the range, the Colt 1903 is a joy to handle and shoot, and it's even cooler than the Berettas, IMHO, having owned both.

Colt 1903

• Tallball
• Jan 7, 2018
• 1

KelTec P32

• Tallball
• Jun 11, 2018

Click to expand...

Well, I was going to post a reply but Tallball just said everything I was planning to, so....

If the OP happens to like Beretta 32acp pistols...

For accurate shooting, the Beretta 32acp pistol that works the best for me is a Model 100.

They're kinda rare, but you can find one every once in a while if you keep your eyes open.

SD, I am honored.

For me the Tomcat is way to chunky for pocket carry.

Tallball said:

If the OP happens to like Beretta 32acp pistols...

For accurate shooting, the Beretta 32acp pistol that works the best for me is a Model 100.

They're kinda rare, but you can find one every once in a while if you keep your eyes open.

SD, I am honored.

Beretta Model 100

• Tallball
• Sep 24, 2017

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I have been interested in the idea of a long barrel (5 inches or longer) .32 ACP with adjustable sights, but the Beretta 100 is too uncommon and really a workaround of the import points system.

If Phoenix Arms would make a beefed up version of their .22 and .25 in .32 ACP, I'd buy it. I don't care what the size or weight of it is, it's strictly a range pistol.

Beretta 3032 - 32 acp?
I don't carry less than 9mm; if I HAD TO limit myself to a smaller pocket gun (work attire) the Ruger LCP MAX 380 is lighter, thinner, and holds more & bigger bullets:
https://www.handgunhero.com/compare/beretta-3032-tomcat-vs-ruger-lcp-max

"...the Beretta 100 is too uncommon and really a workaround of the import points system..."

Definitely. It's just their small 32 auto, with a long barrel and adjustable sights stuck onto it for import points.

It points "okay" and the sights are an improvement, but the trigger is "meh".

If I had to carry 32acp, my PP clone with aluminum frame would be lighter and easier than a Beretta 81. It points well and is easy to shoot.

I like the TOMCAT. I have owned 3 of them and thought enough of them to give one to my wife (she saw it and that was the end of that). She later on worried it did not have enough stopping power, but she has trouble shooting due to arthritis. So we transitioned to a GLOCK 42. Along with the issue of recoil, her ability to rack the slide was an issue. With the BERETTA 3032, you do not have to, just press the barrel release lever and the barrel pops up for loading.
I keep one TOMCAT in by car as a extra pocket pistol for off duty carry, in case I did not bring my GLOCK 42 to work, with me.

I bought a KEL TEC 32 before I bought the TOMCAT'S. The KEL TEC did not work at all and I sent it back to the factory for repair. They fixed it, but I lost faith in it and have stuck with the TOMCAT'S ever since. I do not have a crack on any of them and they are 100% reliable. In addition, The slightly larger grip makes them handle much better, in my experience and allows better practical accuracy.

I would not carry one cocked and locked. Like most BERETTA pistols, the trigger is good enough for defensive shooting. They also feed reliably.

In a large .32ACP, like the BERETTA 81, I would try the FIOCCHI .32ACP XTP hollow point load. It shoots well in mine and in the nearly 4 inch barrel of the CHEETAH series pistols, it has a chance to expand. It is the load I use in my BERETTA 82.

Jim

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Cornhusker77 said:

I have a Tomcat. The frame cracked right above the trigger pin which was a common problem with them back then.
Beretta wouldn't cover it, basically told me "Too bad so sad".
Worst customer service I've ever experienced.
I broke that piece out with a pair of needle-nose pliers, it still shoots.

Click to expand...

If that's the repair answer, I kind of regret that I didn't get a Tomcat so many years ago. I'd probably like it so much more than my Bobcat. Chunky or not.

Very informative thread. Thanks all. I have a Colt 1903 and it is very accurate. Just jams occasionally which bothers me. The range owner said I am lessening my grip as I shoot a box of 50. Probably so...

LEP said:

Very informative thread. Thanks all. I have a Colt 1903 and it is very accurate. Just jams occasionally which bothers me. The range owner said I am lessening my grip as I shoot a box of 50. Probably so...

Click to expand...

That problem gets worse the smaller the blowback pistol gets. My ol' .32 ACP NAA Guardian had to be gripped like I was mad at the gun to be sure it wasn't slipping in my hand and creating a "limp wrist" jam. I figure a Tomcat may be similar, but at least it has a more substantial grip than an NAA Guardian.

LEP,

I had a COLT 1903 and it fired everything except WINCHESTER .32ACP fmj. The WINCHESTER ammo has a flat tip on the nose of the bullet and this caused it to jam in just about every gun I tried. Check your ammo.

I fired AGUILA and FIOCCHI fmj in my 1903 without problems and them used FIOCCHI jhp ammo with the HORNADY XTP bullets without any problems.

Jim

golden said:

LEP,

I had a COLT 1903 and it fired everything except WINCHESTER .32ACP fmj. The WINCHESTER ammo has a flat tip on the nose of the bullet and this caused it to jam in just about every gun I tried. Check your ammo.

I fired AGUILA and FIOCCHI fmj in my 1903 without problems and them used FIOCCHI jhp ammo with the HORNADY XTP bullets without any problems.

Jim

Click to expand...

Thank you sir. I had been using PMC and Norma. Recently acquired a couple of boxs of the Aguila FMJ so will try them out at the range. Things have gotten more reliable since things were polished and greased. So maybe it is the ammo...

LEP,

If the problem persists, you might consider getting new springs. If this is a civilian gun (it would have a blue or nickel finish), it is at least 80 years old! Some guns were made for the military during WW II, but they are usually parkerized.

JIm

Jimbo80 said:

For me the Tomcat is way to chunky for pocket carry.

Click to expand...

Maybe.

I bought a Tomcat shortly after they were released in ‘96 or ‘97. I still have it and the Galco pocket holster and it still gets carried in the pocket.

This of course was the original version. As noted, Beretta later beefed up the slide presumably to reduce slide velocity and mitigate the frame cracking issue. I recently bought the threaded-barrel 3032 Covert model (because shooting suppressed is even better).

The newer guns are noticeably wider in the slide. But I find the nice wooden grips are wider still than the slide. I found this odd for a supposed pocket pistol.

In fact, at the widest point, the grips are actually wider than the grip on a Glock 27, a gun that I do consider too chunky for pocket carry.

I ended up buying a set of the thin plastic grips for my Covert Tomcat. It does much better in the pocket now.

See below for some comparison photos.

If the OP likes the Beretta, buy one. It has way more class than a KT. I had the KT and it was fine, but it was not a "gun" like the Beretta.

If the post was Thinking about a KT then all the KT bashers would chime in. Berettas are just "cool"

I never bought a 92 even though they are great guns, just way to big for my hand.