Beretta Tomcat

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Tony50ae

Tony50ae

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Apr 26, 2007
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Abbeville, LA
So was at my local gunstore yesterday and they had a tax free promotion on quite a few things. Long story short, I bought a Beretta Tomcat Inox. Never owned a 32 and in the last few years I have been on a mouse gun kick. I like the feel of the fat grip.
They had 32 ammo available. It was the S&B 73 grain FMJ. I bought 2 boxes. Normally I research a gun before I buy, but this was an impulse buy. When I get the pistol home and read the insert about using ammo rated no more than 130lb-ft I looked up the ammo I bought and realized it's to powerful. Then researched that these pistols can have frame cracks if using to powerful of an ammo.
I was looking at Privi Partizan and it meets the power requirement. Anyone else have this gun that can recommend a good ammo? Not looking for this to be a ccw gun. More a fun gun. Still want the ammo to function reliably.
 
Muzzle energy on that S&B is way too high at 175 ft-lbs. Don't shoot it out the Tomcat. Get the PPU (is that Privi Partizan?) , it runs very well in my Tomcat that I just bought last month (I ran 32 rounds so far). I have 12 boxes of the PPU. Can get it for a reasonably price at Aim Surplus. I ordered from them on Thursday night and had it by 5 pm Saturday. Of course it is from Ohio and I am next door in SE Michigan. Mine came in the newer style box.

The card that came with my Tomcat warned to use nothing higher than 71 grains and no more than 130 ft-lbs.

Tomcat is an awesome fun gun. Yes, I love how fat it is. Fits my big hands better.
 
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Tony, when I had a Tomcat besides PPU also used PMC, CCI Blazer and Magtech which were all under the 130 ft.lbs. threshold. Miss having one. Always liked how unique it was. Enjoy your new Tomcat.
 
Thanks for the ammo suggestions. I definitely won't be using the ammo I bought. I do like the Tomcat as it is unique. To bad Beretta made the design a little weak where it cracks. I read where they tried to increase the slide mass in an attempt to reduce the chances of cracking but it didn't really work. I wonder if they were to use aluminum with scandium in it like Smith and Wesson does if that would fix the problem.
The more I handle the Tomcat, the more I like it. Fits my hand well. I just will buy the appropriate ammo and enjoy it. And I just ordered 4 boxes of PPU from aim surplus. Can't wait to shoot it.
 
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Tony50ae said:
Thanks for the ammo suggestions. I definitely won't be using the ammo I bought. I do like the Tomcat as it is unique. To bad Beretta made the design a little weak where it cracks. I read where they tried to increase the slide mass in an attempt to reduce the chances of cracking but it didn't really work. I wonder if they were to use aluminum with scandium in it like Smith and Wesson does if that would fix the problem.
The more I handle the Tomcat, the more I like it. Fits my hand well. I just will buy the appropriate ammo and enjoy it.
Click to expand...

It's a sign.

You have been told by signs from on high that you need to buy a 32acp that will handle any ammo out there.

But read the warning. It does not say using what you bought will crack the frame. Hotter ammo always causes increased wear on gun parts. There are far more Tomcats out there without cracked frames than with cracked frames and I can promise you that not all of the owners bothered to check if the ammo they use is on the approved list.

Avoid a steady diet of the hotter 32acp ammo just as you would avoid a steady diet of hotter than suggested ammo with any gun.
 
I have an original Tomcat from the mid-‘90s. I also have one of the newer models that I bought a couple years ago.

The difference in slide width is pretty obvious, when viewed side-by-side. Interestingly enough, the new gun suffered the frame cracking pretty early on. The older gun is still going strong with no cracking.

I am well aware of the ammo requirements, and have not run anything excessively hot through my guns. However, the newer gun is the “Covert” model with the factory threaded barrel, and I have shot it primarily suppressed. I suspect the added back pressure from the suppressor increased the slide velocity enough to cause the cracking.

One thing to note, the crack is cosmetic, and located in a nonessential but thin section next to the cutout for the trigger bar. Once it is cracked, it is done. It’s not something that will continue to propagate. I have successfully shot several more rounds with the crack, with no additional damage or issue.
 
I always thought they were cool little guns, but at 130 FPE with the PP ammo, you're in the 22LR power range. Yeah, the heavier bullet is better when it hits bone, but I dunno.

On the other hand, if you're not into hand-loading, this gun alone would make it worth the investment, if you'll shoot it more than a box or two per year. I just looked and Berry's makes bullets that would work for it, and I bet you can find loading data online for that power level.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018181542?pid=182394
 
I thought it bizarre that they restricted the ammo on the Tomcat. It’s not a particularly dainty little gun.

I would think it would handle any factory .32 ACP.

I own a 21A in .25. It’s a fun little gun with, a seemingly unlimited lifespan with factory ammo.

I also own a Seecamp .32. Designed around the Winchester Silvertip. When they re introduced the .25, I bought one. Just so I can shoot anything I want.

The Tomcat is a lovely little pistol. Have fun with it.
 
Smaug said:
I always thought they were cool little guns, but at 130 FPE with the PP ammo, you're in the 22LR power range. Yeah, the heavier bullet is better when it hits bone, but I dunno.

On the other hand, if you're not into hand-loading, this gun alone would make it worth the investment, if you'll shoot it more than a box or two per year. I just looked and Berry's makes bullets that would work for it, and I bet you can find loading data online for that power level.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018181542?pid=182394
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120-150 Ft-Lb is .22LR from a rifle barrel, its in the 25-45 range from a 2" barrel, so the .32 (and .25 for that matter) are much more powerful from a pocket pistol.

My Tomcat was likely cracked when I bought it, my biggest issue with it was it jammed regularly- probably had nothing to do with the crack. I suspect alot of Tomcat owners never even take the slide off, so they wouldn't know even if it was.

They are a neat idea, but I never trusted it enough for anything more than an emergency backup, quickly replaced by a P238.
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
120-150 Ft-Lb is .22LR from a rifle barrel, its in the 25-45 range from a 2" barrel, so the .32 (and .25 for that matter) are much more powerful from a pocket pistol.

My Tomcat was likely cracked when I bought it, my biggest issue with it was it jammed regularly- probably had nothing to do with the crack. I suspect alot of Tomcat owners never even take the slide off, so they wouldn't know even if it was.

They are a neat idea, but I never trusted it enough for anything more than an emergency backup, quickly replaced by a P238.
Click to expand...
Ironically it is one of the easiest guns to remove the slide from. Takes 3 seconds (including tipping out the barrel) if you have practiced, and about the same to reinstall it.
 
.455_Hunter said:
I am fan of Beretta and wanted to like the Tomcat, but it just didn't work for me- way too chunky for the round (especially compared to the earlier .25 variants) and the frame cracking issue is silly.
Click to expand...
Have you tried a Beretta Pico yet? Lighter, thinner, cheaper, and a (IMO) better grip frame than the Tomcat- plus .380 power. Its a very impressive pocket pistol.
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
Have you tried a Beretta Pico yet? Lighter, thinner, cheaper, and a (IMO) better grip frame than the Tomcat- plus .380 power. Its a very impressive pocket pistol.
Click to expand...
Interestingly, having both I much prefer the wider grip Tomcat over the narrower grip Pico. My Pico does have night sights so that's a plus. At SD distances though I'm far more accurate with the Tomcat and also find return to POA far faster with the Tomcat than my Pico.
 
Its the most accurate pocket popper I own. Very accurate, head shot accurate. Bought it 2006 when I first got my Texas CCP. Though I qualified with a 1911, needed something smaller. Developed the cracked slide. Sent to Beretta and they sent me a brand new stainless model no charge in 2008. It is a tad heavy for its size and fatter with the stainless model. The tip up barrel, hot silver tip ammo make it easy to handle.Thats my 2cents.
 
I have owned 3 of them and they all proved reliable and accurate. When my wife saw the first one, it became her gun. She only decided to stop using when too many experts told it would just make a bad guy mad if she shot them. I told her to think of it as a 30 foot long icepick and asked her if she knew anyone who wanted to get stabbed by an icepick! She eventually choose to commandeer my GLOCK 42 instead.
I like the little BERETTA Tomcat. It has always worked and is more accurate than any other pistol of that size that I have used. I really like to pop up barrel. It makes it much easier to see if a round is in the chamber and makes loading very easy.
I have a KEL TEC that many people rave about. I lost faith in it when it jammed right out of the box. I sent it to KEL TEC and they fixed it, but it offers me nothing over the Tomcat, which I can shoot much better.

I would like to see BERETTA offer a Tomcat with a 4 inch barrel and slightly longer grip, like an old PUMA model they used to sell. I still carry one every once in a while when I want something really small and concealable.

I most use AGUILLA for practice as I came across a lot of it and it has been 100% reliable. I have also used, FEDERAL, FIOCCHI, GECO, REMINGTON and WINCHESTER. NEVER BUY THE WINCHESTER fmj. It has a flat tip bullet and it has jammed in every .32ACP I have tried including my COLT 1903, BERETTA 82 and WALTHER PPK. All of those guns are 100 % reliable with the other brands that I mentioned.

For carry, I carry FIOCCHI XTP rounds in the gun, with a HYDRA SHOK in the chamber and a magazine full of fmj for reload.

Jim
 
Went scurrying for my chrono data; actually clocked both my reloads and factory thru' a now departed Tom. IIRC, the actual muzzle velocity from a Tom's barrel did not produce energy in excess of what the factory recommends. See if I can't track it down; may have filed it with the paperwork when I traded the Tom.
Thirty two ammo is indeed easy enough to load; have a bunch of the little buggers, including the original .32 Scorpion, which is a ball to shoot. That said, the Tom was never my favorite in the caliber. The SIG P230 gets the prize.
Moon
 
halfmoon,

The SIG 230 and BERETTA Tomcat is a complete apples and oranges comparison. One is a mid-size gun and the other a much smaller, more concealable one. They really are for different purposes. They are both good guns, just not really comparable.

Jim
 
The Tomcat was all the rage among concealed carriers when it first came out. Seecamp 32’s we’re still difficult to get ahold of and scalpers commanding $1000 on average.

The Tomcat was much cheaper but next to impossible to find. But it did seem alleviate the pressure on the Seecamp and speed things up on bringing the price down to list price.
 
golden said:
I have owned 3 of them and they all proved reliable and accurate. When my wife saw the first one, it became her gun. She only decided to stop using when too many experts told it would just make a bad guy mad if she shot them. I told her to think of it as a 30 foot long icepick and asked her if she knew anyone who wanted to get stabbed by an icepick! She eventually choose to commandeer my GLOCK 42 instead.
I like the little BERETTA Tomcat. It has always worked and is more accurate than any other pistol of that size that I have used. I really like to pop up barrel. It makes it much easier to see if a round is in the chamber and makes loading very easy.
I have a KEL TEC that many people rave about. I lost faith in it when it jammed right out of the box. I sent it to KEL TEC and they fixed it, but it offers me nothing over the Tomcat, which I can shoot much better.

I would like to see BERETTA offer a Tomcat with a 4 inch barrel and slightly longer grip, like an old PUMA model they used to sell. I still carry one every once in a while when I want something really small and concealable.

I most use AGUILLA for practice as I came across a lot of it and it has been 100% reliable. I have also used, FEDERAL, FIOCCHI, GECO, REMINGTON and WINCHESTER. NEVER BUY THE WINCHESTER fmj. It has a flat tip bullet and it has jammed in every .32ACP I have tried including my COLT 1903, BERETTA 82 and WALTHER PPK. All of those guns are 100 % reliable with the other brands that I mentioned.

For carry, I carry FIOCCHI XTP rounds in the gun, with a HYDRA SHOK in the chamber and a magazine full of fmj for reload.

Jim
Click to expand...
I wonder if those have issues with flat tips because they're single stack. Do you get the noses diving down on a full mag? I ask because my Beretta 81 will eat anything.
 
SlimReaper67 said:
I wonder if those have issues with flat tips because they're single stack. Do you get the noses diving down on a full mag? I ask because my Beretta 81 will eat anything.
Click to expand...
Interestingly, the Win flat points would hang up in my Beretta 81, but run fine in the Tomcat.
 
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