Help me decide between P32 and .22 mag. Black Widow

[Slow]

I posted this on the handgun general discussion board but I thought someone on this board may not have seen it. I am wanting to purchase either a Black Widow NAA .22 mag. or a P32 Semi. for pocket carry and/or possible ankle carry. Any comments,suggestions,opinions are appreciated.
Thanks, Brett

 

[Jim March]

First off, they're both good guns and will fit into this niche.

Ballistics is right in the same ballpark either way.

Reliability with the BW is excellent despite it being a rimfire, esp. if you carry CCI 22Mag ammo, as these have very reliable primers in my experience, the highest of any rimfires.

A small auto can of course jam. Despite the BW being a rimfire, I would rate a BW as more reliable than any small slidegun.

The P32 will have more firepower, faster reloads and faster shot-to-shot speed.

The BW will have a faster "first strike speed" coming out of a pocket holster with practice, and will be much cheaper to practice with using 22LR ammo.

Safety is a wash either way (and good for both).

The BW should be more resistant to pocket lint gumming or the sort of crud that can get onto an ankle-carry piece.

Upshot: if this is a backup, the "first strike speed" and reliability may be enough to offset the firepower/reload issues. At least in my opinion.

 

[Jim March]

Oh, one more thing: small backup guns are more likely to be used at very close range. Therefore, I would make sure the P32 cannot go "out of battery" and be rendered useless by shoving the muzzle against something. Not all semi-autos do that, but a lot do.

Revolvers are immune to that problem. I consider this a major issue. Again, I'm not sure the P32 is vulnerable, but I'd damn well check.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

Well, as I said in the first post, a Black Widow with both LR and Magnum cylinders will be my next mouse. I like my P-32 a lot. However, if I had to choose, I'd go with the stone reliability of the Black Widow. .32ACP's and .22 mag's are not that far apart.

KR

 

[Tamara]

Closed as a duplicate of this thread.