.25acp and .32acp

[rvenneman]

Are these dead or outgoing calibers? I would like a small da/sa pocket pistol in either of these calibers. Besides NAA, I can't find a Taurus or a Beretta anywhere.
Help!!!

 

[CDW4ME]

I consider a 380 (Ruger LCP) the minimum for self defense and prefer something bigger (more powerful).
I can't imagine a 25 or 32 being easier to carry / conceal than a LCP.
I have little faith that a 380 would quickly stop a determined / drugged / psychotic attacker... less power = nope.

 

[jimbo555]

Beretta tomcat is available. And a keltec p32 (dao) can be found easily.

 

[chicharrones]

Are these dead or outgoing calibers?

The boom in pocket .380 pistols sure seem to have been the nail in the coffin for .32 pocket guns in America.

I have a NAA and a Taurus in .32 ACP. The Taurus TCP732 hasn't been made in years.

There's always Seecamp, which is what the NAA was copied from.

 

[chicharrones]

And a keltec p32 (dao) can be found easily.

That would make a good pocket .32 ACP.

 

[Schlegel]

I recently got a 32 Seecamp, they are still in production. from what i read, i would not enjoy range time with a 380. And although they stopped the 32s in favor of 380 a while back, my German-made PPK is still a favorite. 78 years old and still works just fine.

 

[Alte Schule]

Beretta has the 21A Bobcat in .25 and the Tomcat .32. Both are D/A S/A. Have had a Beretta 950 Jetfire in .25 for many years. Great mouse gun.
Charter Arms offers a stainless 5 shot revolver in .32 H&R Magnum.
Ruger LCR in .327 Federal Magnum will also shoot .32 S&W Long and .32 H&R Magnums. Have one and really like it.

 

[giggitygiggity]

I think the best bet is to get a used FEG AP or CZ70 as there are very few new .32s being made now. I think most consumers want a 9mm because it offers more power and is cheaper and more available. .25 definitely seems like an unpopular round, especially since rimfire rounds are cheaper and off about the same power as the .25 at a cheaper price.

I am not a fan of the .25, but I do like .32. I have the FEG AP and the Walther PP, both excellent, accurate, pleasant guns to shoot.

 

[benEzra]

I have a wonderful little Beretta 3032 Tomcat that I treasure. It is DA/SA with a manual safety, and is easily as accurate as a compact 9mm. I'd love to have a .380 in the same size package (the Tomcat is one of the bigger .32's) but it is a marvelous little gun. Do be aware that some of the earlier Tomcats had frame cracking issues, so if anyone is ever interested in a Tomcat, go with a later production Inox, or a titanium frame if you can find one.

And while it is true that the smallest .380s are smaller than some of the bigger .32's, the smallest .32's are smaller than any .380.

As to .25's, I don't think there are any .25 ACP pistols in current production that are smaller than the smallest locked-breech .32's.

 

[FL-NC]

I consider a 380 (Ruger LCP) the minimum for self defense and prefer something bigger (more powerful).
I can't imagine a 25 or 32 being easier to carry / conceal than a LCP.
I have little faith that a 380 would quickly stop a determined / drugged / psychotic attacker... less power = nope.

+1. Carrying less than this just doesn't make sense.

 

[cc-hangfire]

I have a Beretta 3032 Tomcat, a Kel Tec P32, a Bauer .25acp, & a NAA Sidewinder in .22mag.

But 99% of the time I pocket carry a Kel Tec P3AT. The .380acp is the lowest powered ammo for potentially effective center of mass hits. If I carry smaller, it's with the knowledge that I'm under-gunned and that these are EENT guns (eyes, ears, nose & throat), IMHO.

The Beretta, Bauer, & NAA are great little guns. The Tomcat is thicker & heavier than the Kel Tecs, so I don't carry it. I do occasionally the Bauer or the NAA, but it's when the choice is either go unarmed or carry one of those tiny guns.

As far as shooting them, the P32 & the Tomcat are sweethearts to shoot. The Bauer has some sharper edges that can get uncomfortable after a while with its tiny one-finger grip. The NAA is a challenge to aim, but recoil isn't a problem.

 

[midland man]

well I just bought a raven arms 25acp and its a tough built little pistol and if I was going to use it on someone I shoot for the groin area! but I also have on layaway a new ruger lcp 2 in 380 that I soon will have and then I am going after my CHL!! but the little 25acp is also made by jimenez arms so if using this little round the groin or neck or in the ear shot will be best to get the fight stopped using only 50gr fmj they penetrate the best!!

 

[Odd Job]

I carried a .25 Baby Browning for many years in South Africa as a backup gun or at times when carrying the 9mm was not possible.
Subsequent to that I tried a number of pocket pistols from .32 to .380 and was pleasantly surprised by the SIG P238. Very accurate, pleasant shooting and small enough to put in a jeans pocket.
They're a bit pricey but if I lived in the US that would be my backup gun.

 

[AZAndy]

J&G has CZ-70s for $250 right now.

 

[Coyote3855]

J&G has CZ-70s for $250 right now.

The DA trigger pull on my CZ-70 is seriously stout, significantly past the 12 pound limit on my trigger gauge. The pistol itself is heavier than my Kel-Tec PF-9 and P3AT together. But as others have noted, there's not a lot of choice in .32 ACP these days. The CZ can be carried cocked and locked (SA trigger pull is not bad), but as I have better choices EDC I don't ever carry it that way.

 

[mjsdwash]

no .25 except the Bobcat nowadays, though I wish there was. I have a very old vest pocket from the the early last century that is just great, and much smaller than any of the ultra compact plastic carry guns they have now. Its also more fun, far less recoil. A bobcat may be worth it, but a defense gun needs an extractor. A centerfire would probably not have as much need, but still, a bad primer is a ten second fix, and requires both hands.

 

[browningguy]

For carry guns I have a Beretta 21 in .25, Browning 1908 Vest Pocket in .25 and a KT P32. I often have one of these in my pants pocket when working in the yard or the shop.

 

[Jim NE]

I have a couple of old FIE Titan .25's that were made and/or designed by Tangfolio. I see them lots of them on gunbroker. One of mine is actually a nice working gun...and it only cost me $139. The other cost almost $100 less, but doesn't work as smoothly, though it does work and seems to cycle ammo fine. I think Phoenix Arms made .25's up until just recently, so new ones are probably still out there, too.

.25 is a loser for self defense, though, unless it's carried as a backup to something else. The .32 is better. (Check out CZ-70's as others have mentioned, or the earlier CZ 50.) But for self defense, why settle for that, either, when better options are readily available?

CDW4ME mentioned the pocket .380's. As luck would have it, both Ruger AND Taurus are both adding new .380 pocket pistols to their line...which means that their previous models - the Ruger LCP and the Taurus TCP - have been showing up a lot lately at extremely low prices (because they're being phased out.) Low prices as in under $200 for brand new guns! I have a Ruger LCP in my pocket right now and it's a gun I trust very much. I had one problem, but Ruger took care of it pronto! I paid $309 for mine new a few years ago, and it was a good value even at that price.

But if your main point is to collect, then the old Titans and the old CZ's are great options, though the CZ's are too big to really be called pocket pistols. Good luck.

 

[Mayvik]

Did Taurus stop making the 25PLY/PT25?

 

[JFrame]

I have a Beretta Jetfire .25 (purchased, IIRC, for $140 at my local Sports Authority when they were still carrying handguns). I still occasionally tuck it in my pocket when I go out to brave my yard for a day of raking and leaf-blowing (a quiet neighborhood cul-de-sac).

Here's my meager Beretta collection. You can see that the Jetfire, overall, is still a bit smaller than the Pico (which itself is slightly smaller than a Ruger LCP). The Jetfire is wider at the grips than the Pico, but otherwise tinier.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Though their time in the spotlight may have past, the .25 acp and .32 acp still offer effective performance as self defense firearms, particularly in "size correct" discrete platforms.

Top level .25 autos include the Beretta 950/20/21, Walther TPH (rare) and the various Browning/clones.

Top level .32 autos include the Seecamp, NAA Guardian, Beretta Tomcat and the Walther PPK.

Just because a similar or smaller size gun is available in a larger cartridge (.380 or 9mm) does NOT automatically mean it's a superior weapon to a quality .25 or especially a .32.

My "palmable" .25 TPH easily delivers effective combat accuracy at 25 yards with hot Euro 50 gr fmj, providing a rapid mag dump of 7 rounds capable of 16 inches of tissue simulant penetration.

 

[ZoidMeister]

For the .32 ACP/7.65mm fans, you should be able to pick up a nice vintage Walther PP off any of the more popular auction sites for a fairly good price. The weight and accuracy of these really put the KelTech P32 to shame. I own both.

 

[JTHunter]

The Seecamp also has holsters that can be put in your back pocket, just like your wallet.

Imagine a perp's face when, instead of seeing your wallet pointed at him, he's looking down the barrel of that .32 ACP. He may "lose control".

 

[ZoidMeister]

Then there is always the esoteric Savage 1907/1915's . . . . .

 

[toivo]

As to .25's, I don't think there are any .25 ACP pistols in current production that are smaller than the smallest locked-breech .32's.

What would you consider the smallest locked-breech .32? The PSA clone of the Baby Browning is still in production, and it's definitely smaller than a Kel-Tec P32. It's also smaller than a Seecamp, although the Seecamp isn't locked-breech.