benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
One surefire fix for frame cracking worries was the titanium frame models, but not many of those were made. I have a titanium Tomcat and it is one of my favorite guns. Astoundingly accurate for a pocker pistol.
Beretta Tomcat
- Thread starter Mango88
- Start date
- Status
I agree with the above post by Tallball.
I would like to carry this P-32 sometimes but my wife won't let me.
Why not - did she claim it?
Panzerschwein
member
With all the pocket 9s available now, not much point.
The BTC-32 is a thick pistol. They had to beef up the slide to increase thickness to prevent cracking.
The BTC-32 is a thick pistol. They had to beef up the slide to increase thickness to prevent cracking.
jdh
Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2008
- Messages
- 1,375
What sights?
Had an early Tomcat. Really liked it. Gun was 100% reliable. Really accurate for the size. Then the slide cracked. They sent me a new one but the "widebody" had not come out yet. Word of cracked slides everywhere. Picked up a P32 to replace it. Made the Beretta feel like a boat anchor. For the original price I might get another. $500.00 forget it!
Technically it was to add mass. I'm actually not sure how that works because F= M x A and it seems to me that a .32 ACP cartridge has "n" amount of energy in it, which it is going to exert on both the bullet and the breach. Increasing the mass of the slide but decreasing the acceleration but would still result in the same force impacting the frame (I would think). On the other hand I guess you could theoretically increase the mass of the slide to the point where the .32 ACP cartridge wouldn't move it at all in which case zero force would be impacting the frame. Maybe they also put a stronger recoil spring in the gun? I don't know... But increasing the mass of the slide changed the recoil impulse in such a way that the TomCat INOX wide-slide doesnt develop frame cracks.
Cocked & Locked
Member
Why not - did she claim it?
Actually we (wife & I) bought it for her NIB at a gun show years ago. A few minutes later SHE spotted a matching holster for it.
Then came matching shoes and the rest became history.
Radagast
Member
I had one a decade ago, the Inox wide slide variant. Very heavy trigger, off the scale on my trigger gauge, so greater than 16 pounds, IIRC. It was certainly accurate for a little gun, but prone to stoppages if not kept very clean - one box of ammo was enough to cause failures to eject. The firing pin broke, they do not like any amount of dry fire and using a spent case instead of a snap cap did not work.
There are better guns out there.
There are better guns out there.
I've had a Tomcat:Alleycat since about 2001. Mine has an Ashley tritium front site that has stopped glowing but is still big and easy to use. Mine is the original slimmer slide version.I recently had the frame crack after several hundred rounds. It's disappointing for sure. I think that it was caused by some Fiocchi ammunition that I bought recently. The gun came with a note saying to use ammunition with less than 130 ft-lbs. I think the Fiocchi may have been a little hot.
That said, I love this little pistol. Yes, the frame crack sucks. It doesn't seem to affect function at all though. It's also fat and heavy for what it is (same thing could be said about me I suppose), but I like the way it shoots and the DA/SA with manual safety is my favorite action for a pocket pistol.
I also have a Ruger LCP in 380 which is about the same size but is a bit thinner and lighter. I was hoping to replace the Tomcat with the LCP but the grip on the LCP is difficult to hold well, and the grip angle is not quite right for me.
I does eat firing pins though. I keep at least one on hand these days. Despite its problems, I still love the Tomcat. It's fun to shoot and it's pretty accurate if I do my part.
When people say that 32 is an inadequate defensive round, I wonder how they would feel being shot at by one. I certainly wouldn't want to take 7 rounds of 32 to the face or torso.
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Adam5
Member
I used to pocket carry a Tomcat at work every day. It always ran like a top and never gave me a single issue.
I did have one major complaint though. I was too fun to shoot with .32acp ammo prices. I couldn't just shoot a few mags at a time, I liked shooting a few boxes at a time, it was cheaper to shoot my nines.
I did have one major complaint though. I was too fun to shoot with .32acp ammo prices. I couldn't just shoot a few mags at a time, I liked shooting a few boxes at a time, it was cheaper to shoot my nines.
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I carried my TOMCAT with me yesterday as my usual CCW, a GLOCK 42 was at home in the safe when I got off work. I have found that TOMCAT to be accurate for such a small gun with better sights than most of the 22/25ACP guns of a similar size.
The action is not bad and mine have been very reliable.
My wife liked mine so much, that I gave it too her and bought another for myself.
Jim
The action is not bad and mine have been very reliable.
My wife liked mine so much, that I gave it too her and bought another for myself.
Jim
BeachBum69
Member
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2017
- Messages
- 6
I was working for an FFL/sporting goods retailer when the Beretta 3032 Tomcat was first manufactured (it's been a few years ago, obviously). A couple of our customers purchased them and shot them - a LOT. They started having the problems you have been describing with cracks in the slide/frame, etc. The pistols were sent back to Beretta for repair and the Beretta rep told us - and I wish I were kidding you - that those handguns were rated for about a 1000-round service life. They were well-aware that the slides and frames couldn't handle a constant barrage of being fired, but they expected the guns to be fired a little and carried a lot.
That was at the time when the .32 ACP craze was just heating up and Beretta wanted a contender in the mix to compete against the NAA Guardian 32, Keltec P32, and Autauga Arms 32.
The Tomcats are great little guns for fit and finish, and the ones that I have fired are pretty much flawless in function, but I do have a slight problem with my handgun starting to self-destruct at about 1000 rounds so I am still rocking the NAA Guardian 32 (which admittedly has its own set of quirks).
YMMV
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Kurt
That was at the time when the .32 ACP craze was just heating up and Beretta wanted a contender in the mix to compete against the NAA Guardian 32, Keltec P32, and Autauga Arms 32.
The Tomcats are great little guns for fit and finish, and the ones that I have fired are pretty much flawless in function, but I do have a slight problem with my handgun starting to self-destruct at about 1000 rounds so I am still rocking the NAA Guardian 32 (which admittedly has its own set of quirks).
YMMV
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Kurt
98bluewave
Member
If you are looking for one, I just saw several for sale on gunbroker.com.
BeachBum69
Member
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2017
- Messages
- 6
My understanding is that if they are going to sell below the Minimum Allowed Advertised Price set by the manufacturer, then they can't display the pricing.
FROGO207
Member
The old saw " If you have to ask the price then you can't really afford it" 
I do not play poker with a dealer to see if he can out maneuver me on the price of a firearm. Pawn shops and gun stores that do not show prices up front will NEVER get a chance to sell me anything.
I do not play poker with a dealer to see if he can out maneuver me on the price of a firearm. Pawn shops and gun stores that do not show prices up front will NEVER get a chance to sell me anything.- Status
