OK, Tell the Truth! Do You Carry a .32 Revolver for CCW ?

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Tan, nice Alfa! I almost bought a 6" version, but decided I wanted a Beretta just a little bit more. How does it shoot? I am tempted to get one eventually, though I doubt it will be more accurate than my 32 H&R Single Six.
 
.32 Revolver for CCW?

In reply to posting # 200:

I too have a Colt .32-20 WCF revolver (6"), but I don't use it for CCW.
It's close to .38 Special, but the barrel is too long !

I also have a H&R .32 S&W (short) 3". Not my preference for CC, but sometimes it's too easy to slip into my pocket, always with something else.

There is a Colt Pocket Positive .32 Long Colt that is an heirloom of my Granfather's. It stays under lock and key, reserved for a family member.
No CCW there!
 
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Yes I carry a 32 frequently.

Here is a picture of my S&W 431PD which I carry with 32 H&R Magnum 100 gr JHC ammo.

Below is my S&W 31-1 in 32 S&W long which I carried until I got the 431PD. Now I use the slightly heavier 31-1 as a range practice gun.

431PD
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31-1
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Tallball said:
Tan, nice Alfa! I almost bought a 6" version, but decided I wanted a Beretta just a little bit more. How does it shoot? I am tempted to get one eventually, though I doubt it will be more accurate than my 32 H&R Single Six.
Click to expand...
Finally got a chance to take my new Czechpoint/Alfa Proj 731 [3" barrel/.32 Long] to the range Friday night. It might just be my new favorite revolver. Admittedly my Single Nine has a higher level of workmanship, but the Alfa offers the option of DA shooting, which I think makes for a more well-rounded weapon. It's not as accurate as my Single Nine, either, but that's not a truly fair comparison: the Ruger has more than double the barrel length and sight radius. For a 3" barrel, the Alfa puts out some pretty tight groups @ 25 feet, although I need to zero the sights (Yay! Adjustable sights! they're not fiber optic or anything, but they're more than adequate.) Obviously, firing .32 S&W Longs, recoil was incredibly mild, allowing me to regain my sight picture quickly and causing my impaired wrist no discomfort.

The SA trigger is, um, good. Not like, "wow, this is amazing," but not distractedly bad, either. The DA trigger is a bit heavier than I would ideally prefer, and a bit grunchy, but I have never bought a factory-new DA revolver that felt really great right out of the box. The Alfa will probably never feel as silky as my LCR's trigger, but if this smooths out much at all, it will be just fine.

I should note that in 50 rounds, I had three FTFs. However, the only ammo I had was some old Serbian PPU rounds, so I strongly suspect bad primers, not light strikes — upon inspection the firing pin left some pretty deep dimples in them. I'm going to pick up some fresh, higher quality Buffalo Bore and Winchester rounds and see if I continue to have a problem before I blame the gun.

Okay, so it's a budget gun that doesn't stand out in any particular area, but it's really nicely put together and the grip shape and balance feel great in hand. The finish and workmanship don't betray its $305 price in the least. The size and SA/DA trigger are such that it could practically be used for carry, loaded with Buffalo Bore's 100gr/900 fps wadcutters and carried under a jacket.
 
Tanshanomi said:
Finally got a chance to take my new Czechpoint/Alfa Proj 731 [3" barrel/.32 Long] to the range Friday night. It might just be my new favorite revolver. Admittedly my Single Nine has a higher level of workmanship, but the Alfa offers the option of DA shooting, which I think makes for a more well-rounded weapon. It's not as accurate as my Single Nine, either, but that's not a truly fair comparison: the Ruger has more than double the barrel length and sight radius. For a 3" barrel, the Alfa puts out some pretty tight groups @ 25 feet, although I need to zero the sights (Yay! Adjustable sights! they're not fiber optic or anything, but they're more than adequate.) Obviously, firing .32 S&W Longs, recoil was incredibly mild, allowing me to regain my sight picture quickly and causing my impaired wrist no discomfort.

The SA trigger is, um, good. Not like, "wow, this is amazing," but not distractedly bad, either. The DA trigger is a bit heavier than I would ideally prefer, and a bit grunchy, but I have never bought a factory-new DA revolver that felt really great right out of the box. The Alfa will probably never feel as silky as my LCR's trigger, but if this smooths out much at all, it will be just fine.

I should note that in 50 rounds, I had three FTFs. However, the only ammo I had was some old Serbian PPU rounds, so I strongly suspect bad primers, not light strikes — upon inspection the firing pin left some pretty deep dimples in them. I'm going to pick up some fresh, higher quality Buffalo Bore and Winchester rounds and see if I continue to have a problem before I blame the gun.

Okay, so it's a budget gun that doesn't stand out in any particular area, but it's really nicely put together and the grip shape and balance feel great in hand. The finish and workmanship don't betray its $305 price in the least. The size and SA/DA trigger are such that it could practically be used for carry, loaded with Buffalo Bore's 100gr/900 fps wadcutters and carried under a jacket.
Click to expand...

The .32 S&W Long has always impressed me as being a sort of "Wimpy" round.
Can it be had in H&R Mag or .327 Fed Mag? (Or easily converted to them?)
I saw .22LR, .22 Mag, .38 Special, .357 Mag, and 9mm were options.

Also, any test results available?
 
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Gun Master said:
The .32 S&W Long has always impressed me as being a sort of "Wimpy" round.
Can it be had in H&R Mag or .327 Fed Mag? (Or easily converted to them?)
I saw .22LR, .22 Mag, .38 Special, .357 Mag, and 9mm were options.

Also, any test results available?
Click to expand...

I would have happily bought it in .32 Magnum if available, but it isn't offered. The whole point of this gun was something to save my damaged wrist from my .38 Special LCR.
 
Not yet. I do have a 4" SP101, .32 H&R, stored in the safe, saved for the day my aging, aching, formerly-stronger right wrist can no longer tolerate .38 Special. The SP101 is one of those compact, yet hand-filling guns that is perfect for my long but narrow hands, medium-length skinny fingers, and somewhat short thumbs.

Whether I will feel comfortable carrying just this one .32 sixgun remains to be seen. I may want to also carry something like a compact 9mm Glock, positioned for my now-stronger left hand. I am an accident of nature, in that I tend to be a bit more right-handed with DA revolvers, and a bit more lefty with Glocks. (I write lefty, and throw righty.)
 
I don't recall if this has been posted here already, but I just picked up 60 rounds of Buffalo Bore #10B hardcast wadcutter .32 Long rounds from Cheaper Than Dirt. I went back and re-read their webpage for this round, and I thought it might be of interest to the people in this thread, since we've been debating the lethality of the .32 S&W Long cartridge.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=345
 
I have a old 32 short from early 1900's Is a S&W top break with the squeeze grip and in fine shape I carried a couple times 32 went thru a couple 2x4 like they wasn't their . Think might put some one in a hurt. If used for real.
 
Gun Master said:
We have seen many who carry .32 ACP Semi's, like Colt 1903, Seecamp, Kel-Tec, etc., but do any of you carry a .32 revolver ?

Tell the truth, please.:)
Click to expand...

I have a 4" S&W M631 in 32 H&R mag that I carry occasionally. It was bought for my wife, but....
 
Gun Master said:
We have seen many who carry .32 ACP Semi's, like Colt 1903, Seecamp, Kel-Tec, etc., but do any of you carry a .32 revolver ?

Tell the truth, please.:)
Click to expand...


I look at it from this perspective;

Ask yourself this: What is the smallest handgun/cartridge combo that I am willing to get into a gunfight with, against an armed adversary, or multiple armed adversaries? Many of whom are more likely than not under the influence of a Narcotic Analgesic.

Personally the answer for me is a Glock 19.

Pretty much every single day I have a J Frame .38 (442) in my offside front pants pocket. It is my "always gun", and compliments whatever I am normally carrying (G19/G17/G30S/1911).

The punchline is that a .32 is not even on the radar as a gun I am willing to get into a deadly force encounter with.
 
Yep, I sometimes carry a custom S&W .32 Double Action top-break in my pocket. .32 S&W is a pretty pathetic round, but as an alternative to a pocket .22 it'll do, and I like the gun and shoot it well. It is not a gun I would carry out in the world by preference ( I have better guns for that,) but for something to drop in my pocket when I go out in the shop I'm OK with it.
7Bo3IgL.jpg
 
I just picked up an LCR 327 Federal yesterday.

It shoots the 327 Federal round. I plan to carry it with the 100 or 115 gr Speer Gold Dot ammo.

Reported chronograph results show about 1250 fps out of a snub.

This yields more muzzle energy than most (or all) 38 special +P rounds from snubs.

Up there with the lower end SD rounds in 357 Magnum in a snub.

The big advantage is 6 shots rather than 5.

32 S&W long is good for low cost practice.
 
Ha! You got me. I wish I could say, "Yep, I carry my little Taurus .32 HR everyday when I'm out on my walk down to Marsh Creek and back." But the thing is, I'm lazy and don't go on my walk everyday like I should.
Anyway, yeah - I occasionally carry a .32 as a CCW. But I carry a great big walking stick and pepper spray for the overly aggressive farm dogs around here - the ones that figure it's their responsibility to protect the road that runs past their place. I've never even had to use the pepper spray. In fact, all I've ever had to do was tap my walking stick on the ground and yell at the dog that just ran a hundred yards down a driveway to protect "his" section of a public road.
 
My Ruger SP101 3+" in 32 H&R Magnum is part of my warm weather carry rotation. I have a Smith 30-1 in 32 SWL but the bluing is too nice for me to holster it often. I stopped carrying 327 Federal Magnum because it is too "loud". Would like to use it in a rifle instead.
 
After 3 years and 9 pages, much of it helpful, I think we've discussed the .32 revolver as a CCW piece well enough for this thread.
 
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