What .32 for the not so big 32 bday?

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I also inherited a Colt 1903. The problem with this one is that the rifling in the barrel is pretty badly worn, and the accuracy drops off after 10-15 yds. :(
Considering its age, the fact that it functions quite well speaks highly of its craftsmanship.
And yes, TTv2, the sights are quite small. As this gun is really meant for "close contact", it was probably shot more "from the hip" rather than actually "sighted" when in use.
Colt “Smokeless Automatic” .32 ACP, 3.25” barrel, double action only (DAO) semiauto, mfg. ~1911, inherited 1999
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Colt .32 rt.jpg
 
JTHunter said:
I also inherited a Colt 1903. The problem with this one is that the rifling in the barrel is pretty badly worn, and the accuracy drops off after 10-15 yds. :(
Considering its age, the fact that it functions quite well speaks highly of its craftsmanship.
And yes, TTv2, the sights are quite small. As this gun is really meant for "close contact", it was probably shot more "from the hip" rather than actually "sighted" when in use.


View attachment 1099319
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There are new barrels available.
 
How far are you willing to go for .32 fun?

In 2002 I had the need to buy something completely different. I bought a 7.63 C96 Mauser with a decades-of-crud sewer pipe bore. Thoroughly cleaned, it looked like the polygonal bore of my H&K USP. It put factory/arsenal 7.63 Mauser and 7.62 Tokarev all over a 25 yard bullseye target with half the bullets keyholed.

My idea of fun was to find a handload to make it shoot for the Black Powder matches. In the Foxfire books on Appalachian lore, as your muzzleloading rifle barrel wore out, your local blacksmith could recherry your bullet mold to your rifle's "new" caliber.

For handloading I tried 00 buck, .310" light .32-20 bullets, .311" .32 ACP bullets. I settled on ".32 revolver" bullets, .312" (7.92mm) 85 to 90 grain.

My .32 Mauser Pistol
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This is my best 25 yard off hand black powder match target ever.
 
I'm a big fan of .32 auto. Recently started purchasing my own handguns so this is a welcome thread to see. Another vote for the Beretta 81. Was my 1st .32, and is just an amazing gun all around. I've also a FEG 7.65 that is essentially a Walther PP clone (great gun also, but incredibly picky about ammo).
 
Yeah, those Model 81's are amazing. When that batch of surplus ones came in for $200 apiece a few years ago, I jumped right in! :)
 
One thing for sure is the OP has lot's of options. There are way too many really cool .32 autos available to make it an easy choice for a birthday gun. Revolver wise a gangster era Colt Detective Special would be my pick.
 
Here's one of mine: a Single Six Ruger in .32 H&R with a 4-5/8" bbl. I made the OWB holster for it too. The gun's a keeper, easier to tote than its 5-1/2" bbl'd stable mate and much easier than my S&W M-16 in .32 H&R, but not quite as light as my Colt Police Positive in .32 Long with its 4" bbl.

.32 revolvers are all great guns for trail use with plenty of smack for raccoons, possums and even squirrels if you can place your shots well. One poster here called them his "reloadable" .22's, and I'd agree as they're cheaper to reload than buying .22 LR's at the current prices. I'm a long time reloader/bullet caster, so feeding my flock is no great chore...and cheap too.

My grail .32 is the Smith 632 mentioned earlier in this tread...a truly lovely & handy little "J" frame that I'd dearly love to get my hands on...not likely though...'bout as likely as finding a Smith M-16, 6", in .32 long...but ya never know!!


Here's my pet, the 4-5/8" Ruger mentioned above.
Best regards, Rod​

Ruger-32-H-R-4-5-8.jpg ​
 
A more than 3x older (100+ y.o.) and still functional F-stop can be a nice gift.
But only if you are a reloader. It needs hotter loads than you can buy at the local shop.
It is highly concealable, slim and easy on weight. 7+1 shots, light recoil. Disassembly and cleaning is easy.
And the price of it is everyday just higher, so it can be a good investment too :)

thr0.jpg
 
Tallball said:
Speaking of Taurus, they did make a 32acp version of the pistol originally called the PT111. It eventually morphed into the G2c and was a pretty good pistol, in my experience. I own a 45acp version and a 32acp version. I kinda wish the 32 wasn't DAO, but if you can get used to the trigger, the size and sights are very nice for a 32.
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When severe 32ACP fever set in, I wanted to find the PT 111. Never did. Then learned of the PT 732. Just as hard to find. Then found 32ACP barrels for the PT 732 on GB. Purchased a PT 738 (380ACP) as a host, and presto I had a 732. About six month later the fever broke. Sold the PT 738 and the 732 barrel and mags off to someone else.

The rest of the story: One day the ATF knocked at the door. Apparently the original seller sold me a stolen 732 32ACP barrel. So the nice guy I sold it to got a knock on his door next. Ended up giving that guy his money back, he said I didn't have to but still felt an obligation to make things right. Of course never got recompense for the GB vendor. Live and learn.
 
That's an interesting trick to use the 32acp barrels. I might have to look into that. :)
 
Tallball said:
That's an interesting trick to use the 32acp barrels. I might have to look into that. :)
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It is neat when you can swap barrels around.
Also used a Beretta 85 Cheetah as a host for a 32ACP barrel. That was way before all the surplus 81 series 32ACP models came ashore.
Had always been hoping Beretta would have followed thru on a 32 ACP barrel for the Pico, but alas it never happened.
 
If you want something really different, there's always the antique .32 rim fire revolvers (Forehand & Wadsworth) though ammo is probably impossible to get other than collectable old stock.
 
TTv2 said:
...

2. The biggest problem with the 1903 is it has the tiniest sights I've ever seen on a pistol that size. It's a fine pistol in all other metrics, but until Colt updates the design with some real sights, I won't buy. The .32-20 is antiquated and I don't like the thinness of the case mouths, nor how rarely Starline does a run of that brass.

...
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The lack of proper sights is half the fun of the little curio & relic .32 automatics! It really removes the temptation to consider them for anything but casual range plinking and showing off. :p (The other half of the fun of the little C&R pistols is considering what "state of the art" was when they were designed and manufactured.)

If you just can't bring yourself to spring for a Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless, then the Savage 1907 would be my next suggestion. Once you check out the Savage you'll grow to appreciate the large target sights on the Colts, as well as their robust design. I haven't experienced the difficulty operating the slide or striker spring on my 1907 that was mentioned earlier, but it's possible the springs in my example are more worn than I realize. It does work properly still, though I shoot it sparingly out of consideration of it's age (1911-manufacture) and lack of replacement parts. Sometimes I enjoy thinking how much different the world was when this pistol was made, or wondering about where it was during major world events.

32s Paired Together Resized.jpg

Also on the list of .32 automatics to consider, you can't go wrong with a Walther PP-series pistol, the Mauser 1914 and HSc pistols are very neat, there are Remington 51s available in .32 ACP, the FN 1910 is a sleek looking piece, and if you ever stumble across a SIG P-230 in .32 ACP, grab it and worry about how to pay for it later.
 
Nasty Canasta said:
My Pocket hammerless barrel was pitted badly & I got a new one from here
https://inleadwetrust.com/product-category/colt-barrels/
Dropped right in, very high quality machining, it's a great shooter even with the tiny sights it points well.
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jar said:
There are new barrels available.
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Thank you both for your suggestions.
I had considered that but the age of the gun, the lack of decent ammo, and the smaller than desirable caliber meant I wouldn't be shooting this gun much, if at all. It is actually slightly longer and taller (but thinner) than my Astra Constable in .380, which I would choose first for CC should I ever decide to carry.
 
Some options I think are interesting:
  • Vintage S&W revolver in 32 S&W Long
  • Luger in 7.65 mm (technically .30 cal)
  • Did they ever make T/C Contenders in 32 H&R? THAT would be a sweet-shooting gun, and if it's high in the budget, it would make up for that with saved ammo cost.
  • Recent Tauri; look at used
  • Used Walther PP or PPK. .380 is preferred by Americans, so maybe the 32s are cheaper?
  • Used Berettas in 32 ACP (elegant)
 
Smaug said:
Some options I think are interesting:
  • Vintage S&W revolver in 32 S&W Long
  • Luger in 7.65 mm (technically .30 cal)
  • Did they ever make T/C Contenders in 32 H&R? THAT would be a sweet-shooting gun, and if it's high in the budget, it would make up for that with saved ammo cost.
  • Recent Tauri; look at used
  • Used Walther PP or PPK. .380 is preferred by Americans, so maybe the 32s are cheaper?
  • Used Berettas in 32 ACP (elegant)
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The issue I have with S&W made .32 S&W Long revolvers is, unless they're an I frame, they're not all that special. I could go with a .32 or .327 Mag and get more performance in a snub, so any J frame .32's made by S&W would be silly.

I wasn't seriously considering it before, but now that I think of it, I would be into buying an I frame or a Colt Police Positive. Something that is smaller than the typical small frame size we see today.

Luger is too much for me right now and I have zero interest in .30 Luger or .30 Mauser. When people talk about how .40 is dead, there aren't many calibers that are dead, but .30 Luger/Mauser absolutely are.

I have thought about the T/C, but I would rather have one in .357 Maximum or .454 Casull.

Taurus is on the short list. I'll have to weigh whether I would rather go with a Taurus/Rossi .32 Long or .32 Mag over a .32 Long S&W or Colt revolver. It's like, there will always be a collectors market for Colt and Smiths, but IDK how much higher the .32's will go. With the Taurus/Rossi .32 revolvers, those are not all that common and from all I hear are good.

I have the Beretta 81BB and not only was it cheaper, I feel it's also a better pistol than any .32 Walther.
 
TTv2 said:
The issue I have with S&W made .32 S&W Long revolvers is, unless they're an I frame, they're not all that special. I could go with a .32 or .327 Mag and get more performance in a snub, so any J frame .32's made by S&W would be silly.
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Hmmm. I wasn't thinking you had performance in mind, which to me spells self defense in little guns.

I'm pretty sure some folks around here at THR have reamed the chambers in some later manufactured j-frame S&Ws to fire .32 H&R mag with no ill effects.

One thing is for sure, .32 S&W Long is so much easier to find than .32 H&R mag or .327 mag.
 
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