32acp suddenly intrigues me
- Thread starter WestKentucky
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Vodoun da Vinci
Member
I find very little .32 ACP brass. Maybe everyone is picking it up.
If I know someone else is shooting .32 on the range I'll usually ask them right off the bat if they are gonna salvage the brass. Most are not so it's pretty easy to have them kick the brass to my end of the range. Concrete floor makes it easy.
I have never been able to find or recover all my brass from the outside range. I think Pixies steal it or it gets launched into another dimension.
VooDoo
lincen
Member
Will be picking up a Star model SI this week. It is one of the few all steel locked breach 32 acp handguns.
While all of you 32 owners are here, what other all steel locked breach 32's are out there? Star for sure. What about the early Llamas? Others?
While all of you 32 owners are here, what other all steel locked breach 32's are out there? Star for sure. What about the early Llamas? Others?
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
Hmmmm.....All steel and locked breech? Not many as the .32 was designed for blow back operated pistols. The Remington 51 had an off kind of delayed action but not locked breech. Dunno about the Llamas.
The Kel Tec P32 is the only locked breech .32 I can think of off the top of my head and it's not all steel. Kinda hoping Beretta will get their .32 option for the Pico released as I really like the .380 version and it's a locked breech and pretty mild for a teeny tiny pistol. Might shine in .32 but then again, it ain't all steel.
VooDoo
I've just concluded my search for a true pocket auto. I've been carrying, but not wearing, a sweet-shooting and sexy little Sig 232 for a while, but it isn't really a pocket gun. I looked at the M&P Shield, Kahr 9 and .380, the J-frame .38s, and Ruger LCP. I started to investigate the Seecamps, but they are scarce as hen's teeth.
After handling many, many offerings, I decided on the Bodyguard .380 riding in a DeSantis holster. No sharp edges to hang, conceals beautifully, fills my palm comfortably, points naturally and it shoots very reliably so far with mid-level ammo. The trigger is getting around 200 snap cap cycles a day and is improving nicely. I was by a good friend's the other day and compared his Seecamp .32 to my BG. Size-wise, they are reasonably close and I'd rather have the larger caliber with better bullet choices.
After handling many, many offerings, I decided on the Bodyguard .380 riding in a DeSantis holster. No sharp edges to hang, conceals beautifully, fills my palm comfortably, points naturally and it shoots very reliably so far with mid-level ammo. The trigger is getting around 200 snap cap cycles a day and is improving nicely. I was by a good friend's the other day and compared his Seecamp .32 to my BG. Size-wise, they are reasonably close and I'd rather have the larger caliber with better bullet choices.
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If they just sold the Pico in .32 I'd buy it, despite the magazine being nearly impossible to drop and the slide difficult to cycle, or release for that matter.
I'm not really in interested in the Pico in 380 ACP so buying the 380 and then the .32 barrel and magazines will make the Pico a very expensive .32 ACP .
I'm not really in interested in the Pico in 380 ACP so buying the 380 and then the .32 barrel and magazines will make the Pico a very expensive .32 ACP .
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
Originally the Pico was supposed to be converted to a .32 with a barrel only...a "drop in" .32 option and Brownell sells new .380 barrels (or will when they have stock) for the Pico at $147.99 so one could assume that when/if .32 barrels become available they would be similarly priced. I have found new Picos locally for $299 so that would make a dual caliber pistol for $450 or so. If we can eventually get them in .32 as an entire gun I'll probably just buy a whole 'nuther pistol.
My Pico mags hold .32 just fine and after playing a bit I'm pretty sure the gun will run .32 if only a barrel is installed....mine cycles .32 dummies just fine even with a .380 barrel.
I bought my Pico and have been interested in it since it was announced specifically to get this one to run as a .32 and don't mind spending the extra $150 to get dual caliber functionality. Can't wait for extras to become available for the Pico as I'm gonna "build" a .32 gun with a different colored frame and everything. Modular construction is The Bomb for me. I truly do love my Pico and can't wait to get it running in .32 as well....locked breech, stainless and polymer pocket .32?
Yum. Plus I manage to get 7 in the mag with .32 and might could get 8 with an extended mag in .32 - that'd give me 8+1 and an extra mag makes 17 rounds in a pocket carried gun that literally disappears in front pocket jeans carry. Can't wait for Beretta to cough up .32 barrels for this one but if they never do I can live with .380.
VooDoo
My Pico mags hold .32 just fine and after playing a bit I'm pretty sure the gun will run .32 if only a barrel is installed....mine cycles .32 dummies just fine even with a .380 barrel.
I bought my Pico and have been interested in it since it was announced specifically to get this one to run as a .32 and don't mind spending the extra $150 to get dual caliber functionality. Can't wait for extras to become available for the Pico as I'm gonna "build" a .32 gun with a different colored frame and everything. Modular construction is The Bomb for me. I truly do love my Pico and can't wait to get it running in .32 as well....locked breech, stainless and polymer pocket .32?
Yum. Plus I manage to get 7 in the mag with .32 and might could get 8 with an extended mag in .32 - that'd give me 8+1 and an extra mag makes 17 rounds in a pocket carried gun that literally disappears in front pocket jeans carry. Can't wait for Beretta to cough up .32 barrels for this one but if they never do I can live with .380.
VooDoo
Candyman87
Member
Where do you shoot? I've NEVER seen anyone shooting .32 at my range. I do the same thing with people shooting Glock 42's, I'll ask if I can have their brass. .380 and .32 brass is so hard to find!If I know someone else is shooting .32 on the range I'll usually ask them right off the bat if they are gonna salvage the brass. Most are not so it's pretty easy to have them kick the brass to my end of the range. Concrete floor makes it easy.
I have never been able to find or recover all my brass from the outside range. I think Pixies steal it or it gets launched into another dimension.
VooDoo
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
I shoot once a month at an indoor range that has a 30' max length - handguns only. My other sessions are at various ranges including one I have set up at the farm. One of the counter guys (it doubles as a gun store) is also a .32 aficionado and shoots/owns .32's. It's also one of the few indoor ranges in a 2 state area that you can just walk in, plunk down range fees, and shoot. So it seems to draw "all kinds" especially in the Winter and now that Illinois has CCL.
I have seen several Tomcats and Kel Tec .32's go out the door and they usually have a couple .32 pistols under the glass (and stock .32 for range ammo) so I suspect at least some of the other .32 shooters purchased the guns where they are shooting them. There is a gun store right across the river in Iowa that always has a Tomcat or other .32 pistol under the glass and these move for them on a regular basis 'cause I asked if they sell 'em or if they just "sit there". Apparently there are more .32's and .380's in the "general population" than those of us who frequent gun boards believe. At the local indoor range there are usually 10 - 20 other shooters actively shooting when I am there...who knows who's shooting 9mm and who's shooting .380 or .32 or .40 or .45? Relatively they all sound the same behind hearing protection and the brass all mingles on the floor. I'm still surprised to find .32 mingled with my brass when I'm shooting 9mm and sweep up but almost always it is a mix of .45, 9mm, .380, .40 etc.
I am personally guilty of recruiting .32 shooters myself having worked very hard for almost 2 years to help my recoil sensitive Wife select an alternative pistol for CCL after she had to give up her Colt Officers .45 - it just beats on her and literally hurts her now that she is mid 50ish instead of mid 20ish. She shot a lot of .32 in our Colts and until she settled on her G42 it was her main squeeze. Many other women or less experienced shooters were "converted" at the range we shoot at watching her progress from "incompetent and compromised" to *hammering* targets with .32 and .380 pistols and asked her for direction and help because of similar issues.
My Wife is a cute and perky, kind and helpful and easily approached. People having "problems" at the range ask her questions about what she's shooting and many women who have had .45's and powerful pocket rocket pistols forced upon them as "the minimum viable alternative for SD" by trainers and significant others see her doing what they cannot and will never do with guns they have been "forced" to shoot and start asking her "How come you shoot so well and I suck?" and it goes from there.
And she starts them on .32 pistols and brings them up and into our local group which tries to help folks find better choices and manageable CCL pieces using other members guns as loaners. Some of them progress onto 9mm and even .40 and .45 pistols if they get comfortable. Many stay at .32 and .380 when they get comfortable and accurate as I'm a true believer in shooting the biggest caliber you can handle in rapid fire with fast, accurate follow ups and, truthfully, most casual shooters/normal shooters we encounter reach their practical limit in controlling recoil with small, concealable .380's. Many are converts from subcompact 9mm's that they just never carried because, frankly, they cannot shoot them as well as a comparable sized .380 and the 9mm and .40 caliber guns beat them senseless and physically hurt them/reduce training time.
So we have unfairly seeded the local pistol gene pool with .32 aficionados as well.
I personally had not much use for .380 until the G42 came out and my Wife gravitated to it due to it's soft shooting characteristics even with some down right hot .380 which exceeds my hot .32 hand loads and fills the "biggest/most powerful round you can handle in rapid fire with fast, accurate follow ups" rule. So we now have .380 in the house as well as .32 for me to re load.
VooDoo
I have seen several Tomcats and Kel Tec .32's go out the door and they usually have a couple .32 pistols under the glass (and stock .32 for range ammo) so I suspect at least some of the other .32 shooters purchased the guns where they are shooting them. There is a gun store right across the river in Iowa that always has a Tomcat or other .32 pistol under the glass and these move for them on a regular basis 'cause I asked if they sell 'em or if they just "sit there". Apparently there are more .32's and .380's in the "general population" than those of us who frequent gun boards believe. At the local indoor range there are usually 10 - 20 other shooters actively shooting when I am there...who knows who's shooting 9mm and who's shooting .380 or .32 or .40 or .45? Relatively they all sound the same behind hearing protection and the brass all mingles on the floor. I'm still surprised to find .32 mingled with my brass when I'm shooting 9mm and sweep up but almost always it is a mix of .45, 9mm, .380, .40 etc.
I am personally guilty of recruiting .32 shooters myself having worked very hard for almost 2 years to help my recoil sensitive Wife select an alternative pistol for CCL after she had to give up her Colt Officers .45 - it just beats on her and literally hurts her now that she is mid 50ish instead of mid 20ish. She shot a lot of .32 in our Colts and until she settled on her G42 it was her main squeeze. Many other women or less experienced shooters were "converted" at the range we shoot at watching her progress from "incompetent and compromised" to *hammering* targets with .32 and .380 pistols and asked her for direction and help because of similar issues.
My Wife is a cute and perky, kind and helpful and easily approached. People having "problems" at the range ask her questions about what she's shooting and many women who have had .45's and powerful pocket rocket pistols forced upon them as "the minimum viable alternative for SD" by trainers and significant others see her doing what they cannot and will never do with guns they have been "forced" to shoot and start asking her "How come you shoot so well and I suck?" and it goes from there.
And she starts them on .32 pistols and brings them up and into our local group which tries to help folks find better choices and manageable CCL pieces using other members guns as loaners. Some of them progress onto 9mm and even .40 and .45 pistols if they get comfortable. Many stay at .32 and .380 when they get comfortable and accurate as I'm a true believer in shooting the biggest caliber you can handle in rapid fire with fast, accurate follow ups and, truthfully, most casual shooters/normal shooters we encounter reach their practical limit in controlling recoil with small, concealable .380's. Many are converts from subcompact 9mm's that they just never carried because, frankly, they cannot shoot them as well as a comparable sized .380 and the 9mm and .40 caliber guns beat them senseless and physically hurt them/reduce training time.
So we have unfairly seeded the local pistol gene pool with .32 aficionados as well.
I personally had not much use for .380 until the G42 came out and my Wife gravitated to it due to it's soft shooting characteristics even with some down right hot .380 which exceeds my hot .32 hand loads and fills the "biggest/most powerful round you can handle in rapid fire with fast, accurate follow ups" rule. So we now have .380 in the house as well as .32 for me to re load. VooDoo
Ignition Override
Member
How about in the Sauer 38H and Mauser Hsc?
For the originals we have no choice. But as for the (modern) round's power, it should make no difference to collectors.
Has the price been similar to .380 Auto prices for a long time?
My first handgun was acquired a year ago, at age 58 (the Sauer).
For the originals we have no choice. But as for the (modern) round's power, it should make no difference to collectors.
Has the price been similar to .380 Auto prices for a long time?
My first handgun was acquired a year ago, at age 58 (the Sauer).
lincen
Member
Got my eyes on a Sauer 38H. Will know in a couple days if I can get it.
The best way to buy 32 acp ammo is to shop online and buy in bulk. There are several ammo search engines. I bought 500 rounds of 32 acp just last month for $160. That's $16 a box for Sellier & Bellot which some consider to be the best all around ammo for these fine guns. I think it was from J&G sales in Arizona. Someone has to sign for the delivered package though.
The best way to buy 32 acp ammo is to shop online and buy in bulk. There are several ammo search engines. I bought 500 rounds of 32 acp just last month for $160. That's $16 a box for Sellier & Bellot which some consider to be the best all around ammo for these fine guns. I think it was from J&G sales in Arizona. Someone has to sign for the delivered package though.
el Godfather
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peacebutready
Member
CZ 70. Good deals for that one. Also, the Beretta Tomcat.
Note: There is some .32 that has almost as much energy as the typical .380. One brand is Geco, which is reasonbly priced. With Geco, you'll get more than the 14" penetration some posts mention.
Monac
Member
The first centerfire pistol I ever bought was also a Sauer 38H. Very good guns, interesting design and easy to take apart for cleaning, IMO. I had only fired 22 pistols before that, so I thought the recoil was quite snappy!How about in the Sauer 38H and Mauser Hsc?
For the originals we have no choice. But as for the (modern) round's power, it should make no difference to collectors.
Has the price been similar to .380 Auto prices for a long time?
My first handgun was acquired a year ago, at age 58 (the Sauer).
I like 32ACP for vest-pocket size guns better than 380ACP, even though I know 380 probably makes more sense.
BTW, I've fired a variety of 32 ACP ammo, including GECO. The only type I remember as seeming more energetic than most were Fiocchci 60 grain hollow points. But it's been a long time since I used GECO, so I may have just forgot about it.
Ibmikey
Member
Lincen, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the Star SI is a straight blowback pistol not a locked breech which they saved for the .380 S series. I have an extensive collection of Star pistols including eight SI's and About two dozen D and S series pistols dating to 1940, no locked breech .32's.
lincen
Member
Ibmikey, glad you posted that instead of me, folks may not believe me. Had read that they were locked breach on several forums as well as the Star page. Picked it up yesterday and field stripped it and it is much like the Llama 32 that I bought last month. Yes it breaks down the same and when the slide is back the barrel is loose just like a locked breach BUT there are no locking lugs.
Still love the 32 Star SI as well as the two 380 Star model S and SS that I've recently added to my collection.
Always enjoy reading your posts!
Still love the 32 Star SI as well as the two 380 Star model S and SS that I've recently added to my collection.
Always enjoy reading your posts!
The CZ-83 is an absolute hoot for high cap happiness.
The key to Kel-Tec P32 reliability is the S&B FMJ cartridge.
Please forgive me if I missed reading it above, but no 32 acp collection is complete without The HK4. This one is my only safe queen. I also have the 22lr and 380acp kits, but I am still looking for the 25acp kit.
usp9
Member
I guess it means it's old ammo.
Tomcat47
Member
.32 Will Do!
Happy New Year Walkalong! Been About a year since I been around.... and I too think pixies get them!
I am no naysayer when it comes to caliber choice in a CCW.
From my Minx to my, Jetfire .25, to my Tomcat 3032 there always seems to be a better caliber choice no matter which one is being dicussed.
My theory is the worst caliber choice for Concealed caliber is the one you leave in the car or at home!
I love a .32 acp and have a few in that flavor.
My favorites:
Tomcat 3032
Beretta 81 which usually travels with me daily!
Also my Beretta Minx with CCI HP (1105 FPS) never leaves my pocket regardless of what rides on my side.
The 81 is such a beautiful firearm even when heavily worn as mine and a complete dream to shoot. The Tomcat 3032 is also a handsome fella and shoots very accurately however not as easy in the pocket as the minx, but can ride nice inside the pants holster.
My daily carry is an XDs .45 but it as any other firearm can get heavy at the end of the day and is not always even a possibility in the work environment whether it is regulations or machinery or the task at hand that will not allow it.
So as with anything I think there are always more than one option and a .32 can and will and has for decades filled a purpose.
Happy New Year Walkalong! Been About a year since I been around.... and I too think pixies get them!
I am no naysayer when it comes to caliber choice in a CCW.
From my Minx to my, Jetfire .25, to my Tomcat 3032 there always seems to be a better caliber choice no matter which one is being dicussed.
My theory is the worst caliber choice for Concealed caliber is the one you leave in the car or at home!
I love a .32 acp and have a few in that flavor.
My favorites:
Tomcat 3032
Beretta 81 which usually travels with me daily!
Also my Beretta Minx with CCI HP (1105 FPS) never leaves my pocket regardless of what rides on my side.
The 81 is such a beautiful firearm even when heavily worn as mine and a complete dream to shoot. The Tomcat 3032 is also a handsome fella and shoots very accurately however not as easy in the pocket as the minx, but can ride nice inside the pants holster.
My daily carry is an XDs .45 but it as any other firearm can get heavy at the end of the day and is not always even a possibility in the work environment whether it is regulations or machinery or the task at hand that will not allow it.
So as with anything I think there are always more than one option and a .32 can and will and has for decades filled a purpose.
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Revolver Ocelot
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The only thing about it that intrigues me is why do new guns still come out chambered in it.
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
Because some of us will still buy it and it's all about the $. See?
The other thing is that some of us actually believe the .32 acp has a place - it's not ever gonna be "ideal" as a manstopper but some of these .32 pistols have functioned as self defense pieces for 100 years and can still do their jobs. I'll buy a .32 new gun/new design if I see one.
Believe it or not.
VooDoo
lincen
Member
People buy guns for a number of reasons. Some folks have one or two and others have many more. I have handguns in 22, 25, 32, 38, 9mm, 40, and 45.
For me it is the history as well as the varied designs of the numerous 32 acp's that keeps me interested. Most of mine are 70 to 100 years old and they are a hoot to shoot. Accurate, reliable, historic, pleasant,........
For me it is the history as well as the varied designs of the numerous 32 acp's that keeps me interested. Most of mine are 70 to 100 years old and they are a hoot to shoot. Accurate, reliable, historic, pleasant,........
Revolver Ocelot
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I understand the concept, it just seems to me that when they design a gun of that size its going to be chambered in 380 primarily because if the gun was designed around the 32acp it (i.e. the gun was designed that 32acp is the biggest round they can chamber it in) then the gun wouldn't sell well enough to sustain itself. I suppose they would only produce enough of the 32acp models to fill the demand.
I understand every caliber has its place, but for me the 32 is only for nostalgia.
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