.32 ACP Cartridge -FMJ or Hollowpoint?

[Sharpie1]

I occasionally carry a Kel-Tec P-32 .32 ACP pistol. My wife also carries this pistol sometimes. It is very reliable, but it's lack of power is somewhat...blah. I prefer to carry something larger, and usually do.

Anyway, I have Fedreal Hydra-shoks in it right now. It functions fine with these rounds. I heard somewhere that it is a good idea to only use FMJ rounds in a .32, since penetration will be your best asset in such a small caliber -- and that the hollowpoint expansion in this caliber is sort of insignificant.

I am wondering if I need to just put plain old FMJ Winchester white box ammo in this gun for carrying. Your opinions will be appreciated.

Thanks,

--tadyson

 

[Hypnogator]

FWIW, I carry my P-32 loaded with 60-gr Cor-Bon JHPs. I have also used Fiocchi 60-gr JHPs, as they also have a little more power than the standard US loads.

You might also consider some of the '80 surplus FN FMJ rounds. They function fine in my P-32, and have a flat point that should give you a better wound channel than the typical RN configuration.

Hydra-Shoks and Gold Dots are fine, but loaded somewhat anemically when compared to Cor-Bons.

 

[Dave R]

My opinion is that its a bit of a toss-up. Which is better, a thinner, deeper wound channel or a bigger, shallower wound channel?

Personally, I carry FMJ in my P-32 because I had read the same things on penetration vs. expansion.

But I could easily be persuaded otherwise.

Sanow did an article on the .32acp in one of the gun rags recently. He pointed out that the one HP load that penetrated 9" of gelatin was also the one that had the least expansion. Illustrates the problem.

 

[GoldenLoki]

I carry FMJ when I carry my P32.

Here is how I came to that decision.

http://www.goldenloki.com/ammo/gel/32acp/gel32acp.htm

GL

 

[Lord Grey Boots]

GoldenLoki's info is important and I respect it.

However, I load my P32 with Silvertips. I am not as confident of the "penetration is better than expansion" theory.

Given that the .32 ACP is relatively low powered, I don't think it will make that much difference.

 

[firestar]

Neither is going to pass all the way through a torso so I carry FMJs in my P-32. Also, the chance of rimlock goes up with the shorter HPs. The added benefit of this is, you can carry the ammo that you pratice with and be sure of the preformance.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Which is a better stopper?

A HP that expands, but only penetrates 4" and causes, in effect, a deep flesh wound, or an FMJ that penetrates 10" and gets into the heart or lungs?

Quite frankly, neither is optimal, but 10" of less optimal is one hell of a lot better in my book than 4" of less optimal.

 

[Kahr carrier]

I also like Silver tips for 32 acp .

 

[22luvr]

I switched...

I used to carry the CorBon 60 gr JHP's but switched to FMJ's. I'd carry these due to their more reliable feeding and better penetration through clothing. I had good performance with Fiocchi 73 gr FMJ's, S&B 71 gr FMJ's, and Winchester 71 gr FMJ's. The lengthier FMJ rounds also minimize the possibility of "rim-lock," especially in the P32.

 

[Felonious Monk]

.32acp is a semi-rimmed round, NOT rimless a la 9mm.
If you have a magazine that can accommodate FMJ, you have enough free space when putting JHP's in that they can rimlock.

For that reason, Seecamps in .32acp were originally designed for Silvertips ONLY.

GoldenLoki's site is pretty definitive about ballistic performance, and using that info, I personally use a couple of Glaser Blues (OAL .974) in the pipe and first in the mag, and round it out with S&B, Fiocchi, or RWS/Dynamit Nobel FMJ the rest of the way. Never yet found the elusive Geco FMJ, but it's supposedly very hot IF you can find it.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Lord Grey Boots, one thing is certain and that is that if the slug does not penetrate to organs or major blood vessels, then you will not get the necessary damage needed. If you shoot a fat guy and the round DOES expand, then you likely could end up with most of your tissue damage in the fat layer and little or no penetration beyond it. What does that mean? It means the guy is going to have a nasty and somewhat bothersome wound, but nothing to really threaten his life or to cause any sort of incapacitation.

Fortunately, given the poor power of the caliber, expansion is not going to be likely and so hopefully you will get the penetration that is needed.

Another way to look at it is this. If I am a bad guy and I come across somebody who is armed, I really would prefer that person to be armed with a dinky .32 with hollowpoints than with ball ammo or any other larger caliber.

 

[Marko Kloos]

I carry FMJs in my P32 primarily because of penetration and rimlock concerns. If it was enough to do in Franz Ferdinand and start World War I, a magazine full of 'em ought to be enough as a last-ditch defense.

 

[Greg G]

Used to carry hollowpoints in my .32 Guardian, for some time now I have carried Fiocchi FMJ in it for the same reasons as above. I hadn't condidered the Franz Ferdinand assasination but FMJ did get the job done.

 

[curt]

I use cor-bon in my guardian. I think its unlikely that that little .32 is going to expand much if any but cor-bon is hot , maybe it will expand maybe it won't. I'm not fooling myself with worries about penetration with a .32acp, even 10inchs is marginal. I'm going for head shots or point blank COM and i'm emptying the magazine.

The only reason i see for FMJ is if your particular gun has problems feeding HP.

 

[10-Ring]

I like the Silvertips in the 32acp as well.

 

[cratz2]

I carry Gold Dots in my P32. Never had a hitch with them feeding in three different P32s. When I first bought the gun, I considered carrying FMJs due to the increased penetration but later figured that any shot I take with the gun is likely going to be within 7 yards, probably even closed. I'm fairly sure that I could get a shot in the extreme upper chest/neck area. And I have no idea how raccoon results compare to clothed human results but they have all penetrated about 6-8" in raccoons, some penetrated completely with a fairly large exit wound.

 

[Sean Smith]

A .32 ain't a .45... you can't get BOTH acceptable penetration AND expansion from such a low-powered cartridge. I'd strongly advise that you go with the hottest FMJ you can find.

 

[Ledbetter]

Respectful disagreement.

Given that the .32 ACP is relatively low powered, I don't think it will make that much difference.

I believe, on the contrary, that it makes much MORE difference in a small round than a big one like a .45 ACP. The hottest available FMJ for me in my P32.

 

[DonP]

Depends on the season

Up here in the cold grey North country seasons do make a difference.

In the winter you have three or four extra layers of heavy clothing to deal with. With a lighter caliber it do make a difference.

In the Winter I carry S&B FMJ.

In the Summer Silvertips.

I have tested both brands in my P-32 and both feed flawlessly ... otherwise I wouldn't carry them.

Just another point of view.

Don P.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

If I'm not mistaken, the Silvertips are considered the prime stopper for the .32 ACP.

 

[beemerb]

I carry gold dots in my P-32.I allso carried them in my tomcat when I owned that one.I have had 0 problems in either gun.Yes a 32 is a mouse gun but I plan to start at upper torseo and work up from there if I do have a problem when I have to carry the 32.
I don't think the penatration difference will be a factor shooting in this area.
Just my opinion
Bob

 

[Gary A]

I like the Silvertip round and Winchester ammo but the often repeated claim that Silvertip is the best .32 seems to be based upon one very narrow and often disputed source. It may, in fact, be the best but the problem is that its reputation seems based upon how often the same claim from the same controversial authors is repeated. Different times, different articles, same story, no confirmation. One problem is the .32 Silvertip is not a particularly hot load in the first place. If a less than hot load is designed well enough to also expand...well, that could be a recipe for some pretty shallow results. The P32, at least, has a pretty long barrel for a mini 32, 2.68 inches which helps it a bit over a 2 inch barrel.

 

[Selfdfenz]

Golden Loki,
I remember linking over to some of your info off the ktog site what...years ago.
Your site is excellent.

S-

 

[LostOneToo]

I just read a lot about "expansion vs penetration" but I didn'r see anything about the most important aspect of all...SHOT PLACEMENT!!!!!! Does that still count????

 

[GoldenLoki]

Felonious Monk - The Geco I have says "made by Dynamit Nobel" so maybe they are one and the same?

Selfdfenz - Yep it has been a while since I've gotten to play with my gel. I developed a nasty habit of opening retaurants which seems to take up a lot of my free time : )

LostOneToo - Once your talking about ammo selection, shot placement had better have been established or assumed. (I guess I was assuming) Otherwise talking ammo is just helping to circulate the air in the room. Even with .32acp I plan to stick with the standard 2x to center of mass and head shot "if" bad guy is still a threat.

GL