Thoughts on .32ACP pocket pistols

Status
Not open for further replies.
I second the Seecamp SWC-32 for one looking to carry a 32 ACP. Slightly more to purchase than the others, but a very dependable little pistol with the recommended ammo. I carry one in the summer when it's shorts ant t-shirt weather.
 
Last edited:
101_9466 (2).jpg 101_9468.JPG

LWS32 [.32acp Seecamp] next to the Beretta Bobcat.22lr. the Beretta Tomcat .32 is even bigger than their own Bobcat.

I agree with all points in the previous post about the Tomcat .32.

Next up in the Kel-tec P32. I had one years ago and let it go because it "felt cheap". I have corrected that error since. Here it is with the optional metal belt clip and metal recoil guide rod installed.

Kel-tec with ammo.jpg

the LWS32 for comparison.

Seecamp with ammo.jpg

Many people prefer the .32 over the .380 for ease of shooting.
 
Last edited:
I think North American Arms offers a .32 acp in their Guardian model. (Edited to add: never mind. Their .32 is a proprietary .32 bottleneck round.)

NAA makes the Guardian in 32 ACP, 32NAA (necked-down 380), and in 380 ACP. The 32 ACP I think is their most popular. I've had mine for about 10 years. But I am partial to others.

Of the true pocket size 32 ACPs in my safe first choice would be the Keltec P32. Very reliable and lightweight, locked breech, 7+1 with slide lock. Weighs less than 10 ounces loaded.
 
Is the P32 a blowback action?

The P32 is locked breech, like @unclenunzie mentioned.

If you come across a discontinued Taurus TCP732, it's locked breech as well.

Now, the NAA Guardians are blowback only and felt recoil in the .32 ACP version is closer to a locked breech pocket .380 like an LCP.

Here's a fuzzy pic of my .32 ACP pistols from earlier this year before I sold the Guardian. The TCP732 is a dream to shoot in comparison to the Guardian, that's why I'd like a Ruger LCP in .32 ACP.

Oh well, time for me to get a KelTec once the gundemic subsides.

View attachment 965922
 
Last edited:
I've tried a bunch of'em.
Colt 1903, Walther PPK/s, Seecamp, Kel-Tec, Beretta 3032 and 81.

Colt 1903 is a sweet gun. Shoots wonderfully. Mine aren't ammo sensitive. Accurate. Carry nicely.
Downsides - expensive, not drop safe, safety lever will eventually fail on you. Difficult to replace. I've actually had some welded back together. Itty bitty sights. No bueno for old eyes.

Walther PPK/s - sweet gun. Shoots great. Accurate. Somewhat adjustable sights.
Downsides - expensive, kinda heavy, ammo sensitive, D/A trigger pull is a beast, The S&W made guns report problems with failed decockers.

Seecamp - not worth the hype. Ferocious little beast to shoot. Not pleasant at all. Very ammo sensitive. Accuracy is poor with no sights. They do carry very nicely tho. Be aware they have slide cracking issues.
Thoroughly examine any used Seecamp you might purchase. Note: Cracked slide on the "old" guns can not be replaced. This comes directly from the current producer. The slide on mine cracked. I have had to retire the gun.

Kel-Tec - surprisingly decent little gun. Very light and easy to carry. Accuracy is meh. Its okay for a close range SD gun. Mine wasn't ammo sensitive. Recoil is a bit snappy but nothing like the Seecamp.

Beretta 3032 - aka Tomcat. - Not a fan. Not dependable enough for a SD gun IMO. Somewhat ammo sensitive. Known for the infamous frame crack. Not really an issue tho. It'll still run fine with the crack. Itty bitty sights. Cruddy trigger pull. Tip up barrel is nice. Easy peasy to clean. In my experience the chamber must be kept spotless clean for reliable cycling. The gun has no extractor. Depends upon blow back pressure to eject. I just keep a bore snake in the range bag. Every few mags run the snake thru a few times and you'll keep rolling.
Carry nicely. Recoil not too bad. Load one round down in the mag for best functioning.

Beretta 81 - superb little pistol. Kind big for what it is. Not ammo sensitive. Accurate. Somewhat adjustable sights. 13 rounds. Mags are expensive. I like them.
 
Seecamp - not worth the hype. Ferocious little beast to shoot. Not pleasant at all. Very ammo sensitive. Accuracy is poor with no sights. They do carry very nicely tho. Be aware they have slide cracking issues.
Thoroughly examine any used Seecamp you might purchase. Note: Cracked slide on the "old" guns can not be replaced. This comes directly from the current producer. The slide on mine cracked. I have had to retire the gun.

Just curious - was your cracked-slide Seecamp a 32 ACP? The old 25s with guide rod were known to crack at the guide rod hole in the slide. When the 380 model was introduced they changed to a much stronger steel in both the 380 and 32 ACP. This was post S/N 32000 or thereabouts.
 
Texas Moon

Did you ever try a Beretta Model 90 Roma? A beautifully styled DA/SA .32 caliber pistol that was a lot of fun to shoot. Reliability and accuracy were both very good with decent sights and the gun itself felt great in your hand.
 
Texas Moon

Did you ever try a Beretta Model 90 Roma? A beautifully styled DA/SA .32 caliber pistol that was a lot of fun to shoot. Reliability and accuracy were both very good with decent sights and the gun itself felt great in your hand.

one gun that I let get away that had immense sentimental value to me. it was a nice gun, the "Walther PP" that Beretta built.
 
I must be cranky today, because I am going to talk about nomenclature, and what is the point of that besides arguing?

Anyway, traditionally, the Colt 1903 and Walther PP and FN 1910 and Beretta 1934 were the size considered to be "pocket pistols". They may have meant jacket pockets (men wore suit jackets and topcoats a lot more back then) or maybe trouser pockets were a lot bigger because people were not trying to wear form-fitting clothing. This was a term generally used for automatics; comparable revolvers were called "belly guns", which was a vaguer term, at least to me. Smaller guns were called "vest-pocket" pistols and were typically 25 automatics. There was not a term for similar sized revolvers that I know of, even though little top break 32 S&W revolvers (also made in 22 rimfire) were very common then. The Seecamp, the first of the new generation of vest-pocket sized 32's, was actually originally introduced as a 25.

The definitions have changed somewhat if guns like the Kel-Tec 32/380 or the Ruger LCP are now pocket pistols, a change that makes sense given that pocket sizes have changed. 9mm has taken over the OLD pocket pistol size, and the old vest pocket size 25's have largely died out, because while 25 ACP makes a good threat, it is less good when it comes to actually getting things done.

So expect some confusion when using the term "pocket pistol". Millions of old-size 32's and 380's still exist, and while the new generation of small 32's and 380's are still called that, they are quite different. It might have been good to have a new name, but "pocket pistol" fits them so well that that isn't going to happen.
 
Last edited:
Texas Moon

Did you ever try a Beretta Model 90 Roma? A beautifully styled DA/SA .32 caliber pistol that was a lot of fun to shoot. Reliability and accuracy were both very good with decent sights and the gun itself felt great in your hand.

Yep, I had one. It taught me not to detail strip guns if I had no idea what I was doing. I bent the hammer strut (no, I don't know how. It was a long time ago) and it never worked right again. Very nice gun though, like you say. There are two of them on GunBroker now; the sellers are asking about $900. I hope neither of them is the one I used to own.
 
Last edited:
My first .32 ACP was a Beretta Tomcat that I carried as a BUG on police patrol. It is a "thick" pistol and it never carried well for me as a CCW gun.

Given this situation I bought a KelTek 32 from a friend, intending to pocket carry it. It didn't pocket carry very well (too big and the sharp grip tang would snag) in my jeans pockets plus it had a sharp recoil that was exaggerated by it's narrow grip. I sold it.

Then I looked at both the Seecamp and NAA Guardian. They are similar in size but the Guardian is a little heavier plus it has rudimentry sights. I was fortunate to have a gunshop nearby that had both in stock. Side by side comparison the Seecamp won hands-down. The sights on the Guardian were so small they were useless and slight weight difference seemed substantial when I put each gun in my pocket. The shop had two used Seecamps and I bought the one that appeared to be in the best condition. I've never regretted the purchase. I had Ryan Grizzle make a pocket holster and pocket magazine carrier for me and the Seecamp carries splendidly in my pocket. Although it doesn't have sights, I can shoot the Seecamp accurately out to a max of 10 yards.
 
I must be cranky today, because I am going to talk about nomenclature, and what is the point of that besides arguing?

Anyway, traditionally, the Colt 1903 and Walther PP and FN 1910 and Beretta 1934 were the size considered to be "pocket pistols". They may have meant jacket pockets (men wore suit jackets and topcoats a lot more back then) or maybe trouser pockets were a lot bigger because people were not trying to wear form-fitting clothing. This was a term generally used for automatics; comparable revolvers were called "belly guns", which was a vaguer term, at least to me. Smaller guns were called "vest-pocket" pistols and were typically 25 automatics. There was not a term for similar sized revolvers that I know of, even though little top break 32 S&W revolvers (also made in 22 rimfire) were very common then. The Seecamp, the first of the new generation of vest-pocket sized 32's, was actually originally introduced as a 25.

The definitions have changed somewhat if guns like the Kel-Tec 32/380 or the Ruger LCP are now pocket pistols, a change that makes sense given that pocket sizes have changed. 9mm has taken over the OLD pocket pistol size, and the old vest pocket size 25's have largely died out, because while 25 ACP makes a good threat, it is less good when it comes to actually getting things done.

So expect some confusion when using the term "pocket pistol". Millions of old-size 32's and 380's still exist, and while the new generation of small 32's and 380's are still called that, they are quite different. It might have been good to have a new name, but "pocket pistol" fits them so well that that isn't going to happen.

Yeah, the video in post 23 speaks to the size of pockets some 60 to 120 years ago.

The difference in attire from now to back then is easily seen when watching old movies. I saw a movie from 1945 the other night and the window repair workers in one scene weren't wearing suits, but they were wearing what looked like well worn fedora hats. Nowadays, those workers would be wearing ball caps or no hat at all.
 
Last edited:
About 2007 or 2008, our agency approved the keltec 32 auto for off duty/backup carry. It seemed like within a year almost everyone had one and qualified with it and carried it as a backup. I retired at the end of 2012 and I do not think I ever saw any major issues. There were a few cases of rimlock, but those little guns worked when you stoked them with fmc ammunition. The 380’s seem like they had a few issues though. Still got mine and pocket carry it in the summer
 
I must be cranky today, because I am going to talk about nomenclature, and what is the point of that besides arguing?

Anyway, traditionally, the Colt 1903 and Walther PP and FN 1910 and Beretta 1934 were the size considered to be "pocket pistols". They may have meant jacket pockets (men wore suit jackets and topcoats a lot more back then) or maybe trouser pockets were a lot bigger because people were not trying to wear form-fitting clothing. This was a term generally used for automatics; comparable revolvers were called "belly guns", which was a vaguer term, at least to me. Smaller guns were called "vest-pocket" pistols and were typically 25 automatics. There was not a term for similar sized revolvers that I know of, even though little top break 32 S&W revolvers (also made in 22 rimfire) were very common then. The Seecamp, the first of the new generation of vest-pocket sized 32's, was actually originally introduced as a 25.

The definitions have changed somewhat if guns like the Kel-Tec 32/380 or the Ruger LCP are now pocket pistols, a change that makes sense given that pocket sizes have changed. 9mm has taken over the OLD pocket pistol size, and the old vest pocket size 25's have largely died out, because while 25 ACP makes a good threat, it is less good when it comes to actually getting things done.

So expect some confusion when using the term "pocket pistol". Millions of old-size 32's and 380's still exist, and while the new generation of small 32's and 380's are still called that, they are quite different. It might have been good to have a new name, but "pocket pistol" fits them so well that that isn't going to happen.

clothing standards have changed considerably. mom jeans aka skinny jeans aside, regular pants pockets just aren't the same as they once were.
 
Similar to a previous post...

My Colt 1903 is a joy to shoot and completely reliable. It's also large and heavy for a 32, has tiny sights, and isn't safe to carry (IMHO).

I had a Beretta Tomcat and disliked it. It felt thick and heavy, and the trigger was dreadful.

My Walther PP clone in 32acp is also a joy to shoot, though again large and heavy for the caliber. It's a Hungarian FEG with an aluminum frame. I would highly recommend them as a pleasant and (formerly) inexpensive range toy. I had to buy myself a second one after my FiL talked me out of my first one.


 
There is a Kel-Tec P32 in my pocket right now. It goes with me when the bigger gun goes in a backpack instead of my hip, and sometimes when I've got a bigger gun on my hip too.

It is a locked breech pistol, and I believe it to be the best of the tiny centerfires. It's tinier than an LCP and works better than anything smaller than it. It kicks a little bit, sure, but an LCP is going to jump a fair bit more.
 
Last edited:
Haven't read 'em all as I just noticed the thread. The P32 is probably the most-remarkable handgun I own in what it started in the CC market. I've had mine since 2011, and enjoy it a lot. The optional 10-round magazine makes it feel like a different, bigger gun, too. The P32 goes with me everywhere, though usually as a backup to another gun.

I recently got a used Seecamp for $350 out the door. It's slick in hand, and I can certainly see why it's considered a "tuxedo pistol." But, I haven't gotten around to shooting it.
 
The shiny one is 32 :)
index.php
 
.32s are fun guns to shoot. It’s a pleasant caliber. Kel-Tec P32 is the head-and-shoulders standout for carry, as it’s modern, light, tiny, and apparently very reliable.

The older steel guns are more fun at the range but aren’t terribly practical for anything except holster carry, which is what they were generally designed for.
 
I guess I don't know why you'd want one. You regularly refer to 9mm Parabellum as 9mmPunybellum. It seems a 32 acp will leave you underwhelmed.
Mainly onaconda I never had one and as stated previously I'm something of a caliber junkie and a 32 might be fun to shoot.
Certainly a Colt 1903 has a lot of sex appeal and if I could afford one I'd be telling the little woman "Here's lookin at you kid". in my double breasted suit and Fedora hat.:cool:
 
Last edited:
I have and love my 1st gen Kel-Tec P-32. It has been perfectly reliable through the years. The P-32 is incredibly concealable and ideal for the .32ACP round. All other pistols in this caliber seem unnecessarily big and heavy. If you insist on .32ACP, the P-32 is its best mate.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top