Reason for a P232?

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Kestrel

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I've always kind of liked the P232, but just cannot bring myself to buy one. Since it is as large as a compact 9mm, I just don't know what I would do with it.

You folks that have one - why made you decide to get one and how do you feel about them compared to a similarly sized 9mm?

Thanks,
Steve
 
I got one just because I like the gun. My goal is collecting guns was to have one of every major caliber and this is what I picked for my .380.

I do carry it sometimes although it is not my primary carry. You are correct that there are 9mm about the same size. However, I don't know of any that have a profile as suitable for carrying. The slide is narrow and not chunky or square like a Kahr or Baby Glock.

I also like the action for a carry gun. I like the de-cocker lever, not having a safety, and the firm DA trigger pull for the first shot. I always think of it like carrying a revolver without the extra girth.

And, of course the best reason to own one is very good accuracy for a gun with such a short site radius. I shoot it very well, much better than when I carry a snubbie.

What I do not like about the gun is (a) I have to be very conscious about how I grip it so I don't get slide bite and (b) I don't know if I'll ever get used to transition to single action for that second shot. I guess I've been shooting other guns too long to adjust to DA/SA format. You know what they say about old dogs and tricks. :)
 
my daughter shoot the bersa thunder that is very much like the 232. I find I can handle a 9mm fine but some small pistol are easier to control than others. I like the kahr pistols and have a cw9 and a cm9. I want nothing extra to flip on or off, nothing to fumble with on a small gun. Just the same trigger pull every time.
 
I had carried one, and was often criticized by some for my choice, until those same people saw me shoot it. The old saying is that "placement is king..." well, I can unload 8 rounds of .380ACP from a 232 in about 2 seconds into a single ragged hole at ranges upto 15 yards. That is why I carried it. In single action, it was as sweet as any custom 1911 and the recoil, if you even want to call it, is so slight that I never loose sight picture. And I am not a huge guy, 5'7" and 160lbs. There is just something about the combination of that pistol's single action trigger, metal frame weight, non tilting barrel and negliable recoil of the .380 round, that made it the most accureate gun I have ever shot. As an added bonus, regarles of what its measurements are, it carries much smaller. If you can get one for a decent price, I wouldn't hesitate.
 
I bought an SL model about a year ago.
I didn't especially want it, but it was just one of those "deals" you couldn't pass up.
It was brand new in the box, with one round he shot through it, and one of the last German made ones.
Stainless finish, three mags, & night sights too.

It is by far the most accurate and softest shooting .380 I have ever fired.

Expensive? Yes!
But it has become my nightstand gun lately.
And there are 20+ bigger & badder SD caliber guns around here if I wanted to use one.

rc
 
232 (made in Germany) has been my everyday carry for about 5 yrs. With Buffalo Bore +p ammo it is right at 9mm standard loads (almost) a very nice gun and easy to carry and to shoot well.
 
Well...this is certainly an elderly thread, but here goes...

I have a P232SL that I received as my 21st birthday present from my father when I got my CCW.
He bought it in the mid 90's when guns that size were all .380 (or .32acp), before the proliferation of the 9mm single stacks that we see these days.

It's certainly a very finely made gun and very very accurate. It points beautifully, etc...It's really the cream of the crop for steel framed blowback .380's.

That being said, it's been relegated to safe/range queen status for a while now. The power/size ratio totally favors my Kahr K40 at pretty much the same size but with a heck of a lot more power on tap.

I also found that the p232 needs to be cleaned every ~200 rounds to keep feeding reliably. The feed ramp gets pretty crudded up. Now, this is not something I'd consider a problem for a CCW weapon. Let's face it, if you're firing 200 rounds in a civilian gunfight, you're doing it wrong. But it does give me a better feeling knowing that i have a gun that can reliably run for longer.

I also am not a fan of the heel mag release. I like having my muscle memory set up for an American style button mag release.

All that being said, my P232 is really a gem of a gun. It just has too many drawbacks with not enough pluses to counterbalance them, for me to consider it for CCW.
 
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