Help convince Dad not to carry .32acp.

[telomerase]

He is stubborn as a mule and thinks he knows everything (Dr.)... I know my dad - he isn't going to practice.

Then .32 is too much... it will be plenty powerful to go through his foot.

Maybe you could point out that the Berettas tend to drop their magazines because the push-button release is too high... that would be good for him to know even if he decides to get it anyway.

 

[btg3]

Doubtful if he's not going to practice, but FWIW, would cost of ammo have any impact on your dad?

 

[mr.trooper]

Your problem is that your looking at ENERGY. Energy is intangible, and theoretical.

http://www.brassfetcher.com/WaltherP22test.html

I carry one loaded with Fiocchi high velocity hollow points. I know those pills are going to penetrate 6-7" into a person; thats deep enough to deflate lungs, and puncture the heart and arteries.

I train to draw, and fire two double taps to the thoracic triangle. I don't care how bad-ass you think you are, or how many Steven Segal movies youv seen, your not going anywhere with two deflated lungs and a .22 in your spine.

 

[RevolverMan567]

for what its worth, again, my tom cat is dead nuts, never jams, always puts the bullet right where I want it. I think if he is loking for a good reliable gun in a small package he should get it,

but that being said, it sounds like you have already made up YOUR mind for HIM. This conversation was over, err never started...when you said something to the effect of "help me talk my dad out of this round because i dont like it, and let me know all of your horror stories just to help me make the point."




seems that the consensus is that you should just let him get the one he likes so he wil be happy with it and more likely to use it and become proficient.

 

[Blarelli]

Hey, the best way to talk him out of getting the .32 is coming up with a rockin' alternative. There are several very impressive sub-compact 9mm's that would fit that bill, especially if he is willing to spend as much as a beretta costs.

Try him out on a CZ RAMI, a Kahr CW series, Glock 19, XD sub, or even some .380's like the beretta cheetah, or bersa thunder or thunder cc. If your mother liked the beretta .32 then she should like both the bersa thunder, and the beretta cheetah.

 

[Glockman17366]

Considering the very short range most people would have to deal with in a self defense situation, that little Tomcat will do fine.
I've also read the mixed reviews concerning their reliability. All I can say, mine goes bang when I pull the trigger. And, that tip up barrel is a nice feature, IMHO...especially for your Mom.

I do suggest you tell your Dad to grip it low though. A high grip on a Tomcat will likely result in a slide bite.

I'd leave him be...he made his choice. Anyway, the only handgun I'd suggest for him (as an alternative) would be a .38 revolver...one of the light weights (which is what I carry most frequently)

 

[tinygnat219]

Well, I agree that the .32ACP is a crappy Self-Defense round. However, if this is the ONLY firearm or caliber combination he will carry, well that's his call. My wife hates guns, hates them and hates them. All except for her .22 Semiauto rifle. When she expresses an interest in going to the range. I stop whatever I am doing and take her with me. It's not often she expresses an interest. I get her a separate lane, a brick of .22 LR and let her fly.

She expressed interest in a handgun the other day, but wanted a "revolver only" since it doesn't fling brass everywhere. No problem. I walked her through firing some .38 SPL Wadcutters in a 686 S&W .357. She did pretty good groups and it got her confidence up. Now, when she takes her NRA Basic Pistol course, she has a .357 she will use.

My point is, if someone has a particular fascination with a specific caliber, support their decision. If he witnesses some crime, or reads some reports on crime in his area, he might start looking at that .32ACP pistol as being small and will ask for something bigger, or start looking at something bigger. In short, let the .32ACP be the gateway caliber. At least he's not fixated on .22 for Self-Defense.

 

[XDShooter07]

If he's not going to practice, then what difference does it matter what he carries? A miss with a .50 BMG isn't any more deadly than a miss with a .22.

I beg the differ, you might kill somebody with the miss on the .22 but with the miss on the .50 you might kill about 20 people in the building it strays into.

And everyone knows the shockwave of the .50 is enough to kill you with a miss inside 10 feet.

Geez.




Sorry, wanted to sound the mall ninja at my local shop.


Anyways, rockfight: I know you want your dad to be well protected but he needs to carry what he's comfortable with. If you persuade him into something he doesn't want then he might not carry it and he might not have confidence in it. I know it's what you want but it's not what he wants. Think of anytime when your dad tried to convince you of something you didn't agree with.

 

[razzle]

Due to the weather here in southern Alabama, I often carry a P32. I'd rather have it with me than nothing. Also my first handgun was a 32 Walther PP and I still carry it on occasion.

 

[myrockfight]

Doubtful if he's not going to practice, but FWIW, would cost of ammo have any impact on your dad?

I was wondering that myself. He looks at things in an odd way. He will spend (blow) thousands of dollars by overpaying for something because he doesn't do any research. He paid a guy 30K to do two days worth of dozer work. Yet he won't pay $20 more for a tool that is inarguably a $100 worth of quality more.

I guess that is what bugs me. He doesn't do his research. I just don't want him to blow this. It is a little more important than a hole in the ground.

I'm trying to impart what I know about the subject, which is admittidly not exactly encyclopedic. That is why I am asking for some help in this area.



And let this be said: I don't ever have my mind made up about anything. Now that some of you guys have gone off all full of yourselves and figure you have something to tell someone here, why don't you ask a few questions? I'm not immovable on any subject. There are very few things that I will say that I know as fact. I think people are taking one of my posts and assuming a lot about me and my agenda and motivations. While my first post in this thread may sound close-minded, I was simply asking for help with a particular problem as I saw it. It is very low road to make character judgements based on one persons inquiry on a particular subject. I'm a bit disappointed with the way some people have answered my thread. However, I am appreciative of those who have chimed in with a positive tone, especially if they are trying to convince me that I need to change my opinion.


But I haven't ever shot anyone, let alone with every caliber in every situation. So I can't say with certainty that a .32 will or won't put down a person. I can't say a .380 or 9mm or (insert any commonly carried caliber) will do the job.

 

[McCall911]

I don't know about the "stopping power" of a .32 ACP or witnessed a shooting with one, but I'm reasonably certain that getting shot with a .32 is anything but harmless. Guns in this caliber have been used as self-defense for about 100 years, so apparently they've worked at some point.

 

[jad0110]

I guess that is what bugs me. He doesn't do his research. I just don't want him to blow this. It is a little more important than a hole in the ground.

In that regard, what kind of firearms experience does he have? Any? If he doesn't have any, I'd be more concerned about his lack of firearm safety skills than his gun preferences.

If he is a noob when it comes to gun safety, at least coach him on the 4 Rules and other common sense approaches to gun safety. Better yet, encourage him to enroll in a gun safety course or something of that ilk.

 

[Z71]

Bigger is likely better, but concealed carrry needs to be concealable! Also needs to be shootable.

I wouldn't be scared of the booger man with a .32acp. I've got .32's in my collection ranging from FN1900's to West German Walther pp's. Some are expensive and some are "El Cheapo", but all have been surprisi gly reliable and accurate.

Just remember that WWI was started with a double murder commited with a .32 auto. It's a satisfactory cartridge for killing people.

I've done quite a bit of small game hunting with various handgun calibers, and none of them are all that whoopie on ultimate killing power until you get to the magnums. Even the mighty .45 auto ain't all that it's cracked up to be.

If your really serious about blasting something to death, my minimum would be a 4" .357 mag.

 

[oneounceload]

If he, and your mom, don't have a lot of gun experience, why not take them to a range where they can rent different types?....Give them both the treat of a gun safety course and SD course. As someone mentioned above, let this be his FIRST gun, and as time goes on, he might show interests in others. I got my first spouse a Beretta 21A, the 22 version - it was all she could physically handle - not the greatest, but 8 hits from that would be better than nothing at all, so take him, your mom, their new 32 to the range with you when you go so they can practice......

 

[Brian Williams]

Why, it works when it is all you can get.

 

[sig228]

Here's a convincing argument:

Rimlock

http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/rimlock.htm

 

[The_Shootist]

Grin

Nothing wrong with a .32 - up close and personal, stuffed with quality ammo
(Hydra-shoks, Silvertips, etc) if it goes bang it should get him out of harms way. I carry my P-32 when I have to be in business attire/deep concealment and have no qualms about it.

In fact, I took it out today on its "once a quarter" range trip and at 7 yds had no problem landing all shots either in the bullseye or at least on the outer bands. Good enough for a pocket-postol.

But yeah my normal minimum is my Taurus M85 stuffed with Buffalo Bore or more usually my G19 loaded with Golden Sabre's.

 

[Cosmoline]

My dad is a revolver guy

That's an interesting idea. Have you asked him about wheelguns? He might be more willing to be flexible there.

My mother has very small hands and she needs a gun to suit her small hands.

Another point in the revolver's favor. Most classic wheelguns have very small grip frames. By swapping stocks or adding a t-grip the same sidearm can be used by people with very different size hands.

 

[myrockfight]

If he, and your mom, don't have a lot of gun experience, why not take them to a range where they can rent different types?....Give them both the treat of a gun safety course and SD course. As someone mentioned above, let this be his FIRST gun, and as time goes on, he might show interests in others. I got my first spouse a Beretta 21A, the 22 version - it was all she could physically handle - not the greatest, but 8 hits from that would be better than nothing at all, so take him, your mom, their new 32 to the range with you when you go so they can practice......

He is not completely inexperienced. He has always had long guns, but he is new to handguns. He took a beginner's self-defense handgun class to fill the requirement in FL for the CWP. He is not inept. He knows his safety rules and all that.

He just doesn't know much about tools - the quality of and which one fits which job. He just isn't familiar. I have been telling him the same thing - we need to go and put some pistols through their paces at a range that has rentals. I just don't want him to make the mistake of not doing that and settling on something when he doesn't know what he doesn't know. Know what I mean

 

[Australian Shooter]

Any gun is better than no gun at all!

Amen to that.

 

[lions]

Save your breath convincing him to get this or that and use it to convince him to practice. Not practicing much more serious than choosing a "questionable" caliber.

 

[MachIVshooter]

He needs to get the gun he wants. He may change his mind later, and opt for something larger/more powerful. Engage him in conversation about it as time goes on, but do so respectfully.

Most of us go through a number of guns before we find our ideal carry pieces. I have gone through over a dozen and at this point have settled on my Witness Compact 10mm for winter, my S&W CS45 for summer and a P3AT for those times when you just can't carry anything else.

 

[Old Fuff]

I had a friend that was a senior officer in the British SAS (Strategic Air Service) which in their army is sort of a combination of our Green Berets and Delta Force, with a fair amount of undercover intelligence work thrown in. He was very adept with any small arm you might want to mention, and exceedingly comfortable with the .32 ACP cartridge and Colt 1903 Pocket Model pistol, which he called the, “Model M.” His considerable practical experience was not based on theory or reading of ballistic tables. He had, over the years smelled plenty of gunpowder under circumstances where business met business. So long as your dad picks a good quality pistol that’s reliable I wouldn’t worry too much. As you get older you’ll hopefully learn that what goes on in the real world doesn’t always match up to what you read in magazines or on the Internet.

 

[Majic]

I'm trying to impart what I know about the subject, which is admittidly not exactly encyclopedic. That is why I am asking for some help in this area.

You are getting help. The vast majority supports the little .32 but it seems that is not what you want to hear.

 

[Jeff F]

James Bond carried a .32 and it worked well for him. I have a mouse gun in .32 acp that I carry from time to time, carries well in a pocket holster and is very concealable. If you put them in the right place they should get the job done. If you check out Cor Bon and Buffalo Bore, they have a couple .32 acp loads that up the power level a notch with better bullets then the old hardball loads.