Seacamp 32 purchase

[Battis]

I just picked up a Seacamp 32 with everything in the photo (8 mags - 2 loaded, a box of ammo, Sneaky Pete holster).
Why buy it? I'm not sure. It was there for cheap money, it's winter, I need a project. I read alot of posts on the forum about this gun.
Looks like an interesting gun.

[country gent]

Supposedly a very reliable pistol. Ive handled a couple over the years. The guttersnipe sight on the slide is interesting would love to try one out. I remember reading they were built around the win silver tip round

[JustinP]

I have managed to convince myself that I want a 32.
I have no use for one, but I've never let logic control me before, and I see no reason to start now.

[Rusty Goose]

Fun to shoot, worst gun ever to disassemble/reassemble for cleaning as I recall.

[dverna]

I had two. One I sold NIB. I sold the other as well. I could not shoot it very well.

Let us know how it shoots for you.

[FergusonTO35]

The Seecamp is a little jewel but the Winchester Silvertip requirement makes me leery. I have the Kel-Tec P32 for a micro pocket rocket and love it.

[Battis]

This is from the Seecamp site (I thought it was Seacamp. Nope - SEEcamp):
"We recommend the following .32 ammunition in no particular order:
Winchester Silvertip 60gr. HP (**NOT WINCHESTER SUPER X**)
PMC Bronze 60gr. JHP
Federal Premium Hydra Shok 65gr. JHP
Speer Gold Dot 60gr. GDHP"

[35remington]

The problem with all the recommended rounds is that they penetrate poorly if they expand. It would be better if the gun could handle FMJ. Since I understand it cannot, I see it as a poor choice for a mouse gun or deep carry pistol with factory ammo.

The need for HP’s means it would be expensive to shoot and a flat point bullet approximating the OAL of the HPs (cast bullet) would be the best choice if you choose to cast for it. In other words a cheap cast bullet would make it viable to shoot and carry. Anything else means it is a novelty.

[tejano]

Had one, but since I couldn't shoot it for beans its stay was short.

[Battis]

Novelty is the exact word I used to describe it when I bought it. It's definitely not a range gun, and it came with more ammo than I'd probably ever use, and it was cheap. I think it weights 11 oz, but my S&W Airweight 38 only weights 15 oz.

[35 Rem]

I can see some justification for buying the gun especially with so many magazines and a Sneaky Pete holster thrown in. I find it hard to believe an auto loader would feed hollow point bullets well and not do the same with FMJ. I still tend to lean towards seeking expansion over penetration myself for defensive guns even the so called "mouse guns". I know the You Tube videos all do the jelatin penetration tests and they have a standard depth they consider minimal but I have a hard time accepting that translates to real world defensive shooting. A human body is not that thick. OF course an attacker could come at you with arms extended and take a hit in the wrist requiring a bullet to penetrate the entire length of the forearm to even reach the torso but most of the time that is not going to happen. Also with a small semi-auto - or any defensive handgun imo - you should be shooting more than once. By doing this, the hit that stops in the forearm is followed by another or two more that DO score direct torso hits. No defensive handgun cartridge truly has much stopping power. You better be willing to shoot until the trouble stops even with a 45 ACP. All that to say, I would go with some kind of HPt or flat nose bullet in the 32 ACP for better energy transfer and more damage. I really doubt any HPt in that cartridge is going to expand enough to hamper penetration much at all anyhow.

[Dan Cash]

I grew up in the .45 is the ultimate people shooter and I firmly believe that still. Regardless, along the way, I have had the opportunity to sample other calibers and types of handguns and have come to find a .32ACP to be a very serviceable cartridge within its limits and intent. A flat nosed .311 bullet of 77 grains or so at a mv of 800-900 fps will penetrate bone, skin an tissue at 30 feet to kill the the heck out of a 150 pound animal. Most .32s are not target pistols but they will throw the little slug at that range well enough to make a precision shot if you have time to aim and one can fire in haste with the requisite accuracy to drop an opponent. This little Seecamp is not a service pistol but it will fulfill its intended purpose well.

[jdgabbard]

I've never handled one, but I've always been fascinated with the Seacamp. I don't think I'd want to own one for self defense, I see zero application of where I'd carry one. I have a Jennings J-22 which I kind of throw into the same category. It's a micro gun which is somewhat reliable, but not something I'd bet my life on. Still, I'd love to shoot one...for science and whatnot...

That said, they say the 32acp is a more efficient and effective round in SD applications than the 380acp. I am not certain of that. I'm of the belief that a slightly larger FMJ at the same speed is a more effective bullet in those small calibers. And personally consider the 380 to be my minimum caliber I feel comfortable with in a SD application. And if I'm being honest, I don't feel it is truly adequate for more than a super compact break contact gun. Especially when I have frequently carried a Keltec PF-9 for going on 20 years now which easily eats any ammo I through at it. And these days with the introduction of the Sig P365 I feel like small caliber micro guns are a thing of the past. We can now fit more firepower into the same size package...well, maybe not Seacamp size, but close enough for the same role...

With that said, if the price were right, and the funds were there, I'd have bought it too. Nothing wrong with range toys...

[Ed K]

Mine keyholed badly with the recommended silvertips. Rather than deal with the issue given the fact they were red hot at the time (1990s) I flipped it.

[Battis]

I have a Jennings 22, and they are not anywhere near the same category as the Seecamp.
Bottom line - I might carry it once I test it out, but it won't be carried by itself.

[ohen cepel]

They are very well made little pistols.

The HP requirement is to address the potential for rim lock with a semi-rimmed round like the 32acp. By making the mag shorter for HP only, it pretty much eliminates the potential of the rounds to lock on each other. I also have a Kel Tec 32 and only carry FMJs in that as that mag is deep enough for that, if someone wants to run HP in their Kel Tec there is a kit to take a bit of depth out of the mag so that the rounds don't get locked up.

So, there is a reason for it being a HP pistol. I think one can take the spacer out of a Seacamp mag, but I'm not sure on that.

[SquibCity]

those things are awesome, i've been looking around locally for one for a couple of years. I've had this fascination the last couple of years with "Mouse-Guns".

[FergusonTO35]

I have a Jennings 22, and they are not anywhere near the same category as the Seecamp.
Bottom line - I might carry it once I test it out, but it won't be carried by itself.

I have two J-22's and they are 99.9% reliable with quality ammo and surprisingly accurate. Those and the Raven are probably the best of the cheapo zinc guns. You could do alot worse than those two, i.e. a derringer. I don't use them for carry though. Not only am I blessed to have better options in my arsenal, but I don't think the design is safe enough with one in the pipe. Only thing holding the firing pin back is a little finger of metal, and if the takedown button becomes loose the slide can lift up just enough to disengage the sear. They are neat little guns that are fun to shoot though, and if I found another one for dirt cheap I might buy it.

[FergusonTO35]

They are very well made little pistols.

The HP requirement is to address the potential for rim lock with a semi-rimmed round like the 32acp. By making the mag shorter for HP only, it pretty much eliminates the potential of the rounds to lock on each other. I also have a Kel Tec 32 and only carry FMJs in that as that mag is deep enough for that, if someone wants to run HP in their Kel Tec there is a kit to take a bit of depth out of the mag so that the rounds don't get locked up.

So, there is a reason for it being a HP pistol. I think one can take the spacer out of a Seacamp mag, but I'm not sure on that.

I use the Berry's 71 grain plated or Accurate 75 grain flat point in mine. A word of warning, a large nose round can activate the slide stop. I deactivated the slide stop on both of mine by filing down the part that contacts to follower, I don't think it is even necessary on this type of gun.

[alamogunr]

I bought 3 over 20 years ago. One each for myself and 2 sons. As I remember the original designer(father of the current builder) referred to it as a "Face Gun". Shove it in the bad guys face and pull the trigger.

I carry it occasionally when anything bigger doesn't work for me.