32 Beretta tomcat

[JohnSmiles]

Finally purchased a Beretta Tomcat 32 ACP. Yay me! Been looking at them for over a year and finally pulled the trigger.
I already have reloading dies, but before I start buying brass and bullets(or start casting boolits), any advice on what NOT to buy or what works best in this handi little pistol? FMJ, HP, RN, cast....?
Hoping to make this my new carry gun, so self defense rounds would be my main goal.
I am sure a few of you have played with this, so any heads up would be appreciated.
271173

[shooting on a shoestring]

Congratulations.
New guns make happiness.

I bought one a couple of years ago.
I saw the little note in the box that said to use only ammunition with less than 130 ft-lbs and disregarded it. Shouldn’t have. I got lucky and only broke the barrel release. After it came back from Beretta it’s been sitting in it’s box.

Before you break your cute little Tom Cat, do search “Beretta Tom Cat cracked frame”. You definitely need to heed the 130 ft-lbs warning.

They do feel good in the hand.
Tip up barrel is a good feature.

Best of luck.

[onelight]

Neat little 32 :) .
Outpost 75 has some great posts on reloading 32 autos do a little searching and you will find a lot of information on his testing and the limitations of the Tom cat . I like mine but stick to loads that won't pound it to hard.

[flyingmonkey35]

I owned one for many years and used it as a backup gun when I was on duty.

It will land the brass on top of your head.

Wear a hat.



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[Jeff Michel]

I've carried one as my summer gun ever since they came out. Haven't shot much cast, Speer Gold Dot is it's usual food. They are very reliable with just about everything I've ran through it. As above, stay away from the hot stuff from Europe. I vaguely remember hearing that Beretta may of did some redesigning to mitigate the frame cracking issues but I certainly don't trust my memory. Better to err to the side of caution.

[JohnSmiles]

From what I have read, the INOX has a wider slide to address the cracking issue.
ZERO intention of beefing up the loads. AmmoGuide has some good loads listed.

[Outpost75]

PM sent.

The condensed version is not to use as a steady diet in your Tomcat or in the Keltecs any loads which exceed 130 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy if you want the gun to last.

JHP bullets which are fragile enough to expand from the short barrel will fail in terms of penetration.

.32 ACP “WW2 Vintage Military,” and current production Euro-CIP Factory Ammunition
Ammunition ___________________Beretta Tomcat 2.4”____Beretta M1935 3.4”
WW2 Geco Steel Cased FMJ_______907 fps, 14 Sd_________977 fps, 11 Sd
WW2 WRA 73-grain FMJ__________923 fps, 28 Sd_________1001 fps, 15 Sd
RWS 73-grain FMJ_______________896 fps, 29 Sd__________981 fps, 16 Sd
Fiocchi 73-grain FMJ_____________848, fps, 32 Sd_________917 fps, 11 Sd

Average 73-grain “Hardball” Velocity_894 fps_______________969 fps
Average 73 grain “Hardball” Energy_128 ft.-lbs.____________150 ft.-lbs.

These handloads all work and will not destroy your Tomcat or Keltec when used as a "steady diet"

.32 ACP Hand Loads Minimum Ctg. OAL 0.945”

“Group 1” Loads don’t exceed factory energy, and are suitable as a "steady diet" for use in Tomcat and Keltec pistols:

Ammunition ________________Beretta Tomcat 2.4”_________Beretta M1935 3.4”

Acc. 31-077B LD#00 2.0 TiteGroup__790, 12 Sd_____________893, 19 Sd
Acc. 31-077B LD#0 2.2 Bullseye____757, 16 Sd_____________932, 24 Sd
Acc. 31-077B LD#1 2.5 Bullseye____835, 16 Sd_____________956, 18 Sd Do Not Exceed
Acc. 31-077B LD#0 3.0 AutoComp__837, 10 Sd_____________957, 16 Sd Do Not Exceed

Accurate 31-081H can be safely substituted at minimum OAL 0.955" with the above listed loads. Bullets cast from wheelweight alloy and sized .311 work in most pistols.

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[Led]

I have owned four in total over the last 20 years. I broke the first two with Corbon's 60g load. I don't think they load it anymore but it still turns up on gunbroker. The first two were blued guns and Beretta warrantied both. The third was stainless and it held up fine but I eventually sold it. Just recently I purchased another one, this one is made at the Tennessee plant. I haven't had much trigger time with it but plan on following Outpost75's advice about load selection.

Later,
Led

[rintinglen]

I've had mine for about 15 years and have run about 500 rounds through it, mostly the Ranch dog 314-75, but several boxes of the Remington green and white box. I carried it as a back/off duty gun, but it has fallen from favor as my LCP has taken its place.

[Petrol & Powder]

I owned one for a while and know several people that still own examples. They are very reliable pistols.
The stainless models are said to be less prone to frame cracks due to a slightly heavier slide (read that as slower slide) but I would head the warnings about hot loads.

[Outpost75]

My original blued Tomcat failed after about 1000 rounds of RWS 73 - grain FMJ. The stainless, heavy slide model 3032 Inox they replaced it with was used as a test platform for my heavy bullet load development and the frame cracked after about 2000 rounds. My steel - frame 1914 Colt, 1944 Beretta and 1963 Walther PP are still soldiering on. Recently obtained Beretta 81 has 1000 rounds through it with 93- grain FMJ .30 Luger bullet at 950 fps with 3 grains of AutoComp with no errors.

[Mike Kerr]

Outpost75 very good posts in this thread (as usual).

[kaiser]

Congrats on your purchase JS, for your Beretta and the Keltec in .32acp are about the most concealable pistols made. I have a couple of .32's with one a Keltec P32. IMO because of the caliber's small diameter of .308 to .311, penetration is limited with any bullet that gives any appreciable expansion. In order to insure a minimum of 12 inches of penetration in "gelatin" or flesh, deemed as adequate of reaching a person's organs by most "authorities", a FMJ of 71 or 73gr seems to meet that standard according to tests. A "flat nose" cast bullet of similar weight should also be the "bee's knees" for maximizing the small caliber's effectiveness on anything larger than small game. Because of the small profile of your Beretta, I'm betting you will always have it on you, kind of like that "pocket knife" we all carry. While I often carry a 9, and prefer a .45, conceal carry is a more "planed" occasion with those arms. A small .32acp is just an accessory "add on" to your wardrobe without consideration for attire or occasion.

[elmacgyver0]

I doubt if these little guys were ever intended to be shot a lot.
I carry mine most every day, but have not shot it a lot.
I do know it will work if I ever need it.

[Outpost75]

Terminal ballistic graphs comparing different bullets in .32 ACP, all at 940 fps typical for a Beretta 81 or 3-inch barrel revolver in .32 H&R Magnum:

73-grain CIP FMJ
271494

Non-Expanding JHP
271495

+P+ 100-grain Hornady XTP 3 grains AutoComp Beretta 81
271496

+P+ 93-grain FMJRN 3 grains AutoComp
271497

Generic 95-grain SWC 940 fps
271498

Generic 95-grain Full WC 940 fps
271499
"Full Charge" wadcutter at 940 fps as produced using 7 grains of Allliant #2400 in .32 H&R Mag. from a 3-inch barrel is looking good compared to the .32 ACPs

[pettypace]

271541

That 100 grain XTP load looks pretty fierce. The 26 grams of wound mass is about the same as .45 hardball or a .38 wadcutter. Some mouse gun!

[FergusonTO35]

I carry my Kel-Tec with the Italian red box Fiocchi 73 grain FMJ. It clocks around 820 fps in my pistol and is accurate. I also have used the Accurate 31-75-RF sized .312 with 1.9 grains Titewad for similar performance.

[Outpost75]

271541

That 100 grain XTP load looks pretty fierce. The 26 grams of wound mass is about the same as .45 hardball or a .38 wadcutter. Some mouse gun!

And not for a steady diet in your Beretta 81 if you want the gun to last. CZ27, Colt 1903 or Beretta 1935 steel frames with .380 recoil spring handle it fine.

[Ragnarok]

Early Tomcats had skinny slides..then they came with wider slides. The heavier slide supposedly to mitigate the frame cracking issues. I own one I bought new some years back and it has the wider slide.

[Outpost75]

Early Tomcats had skinny slides..then they came with wider slides. The heavier slide supposedly to mitigate the frame cracking issues. I own one I bought new some years back and it has the wider slide.

If you shoot them alot the heavy slide version lasts longer, but will eventually fail.

271559271560

[Ragnarok]

Yep....that's the crack I look for every time I pull the slide. I don't shoot the Tomcat much and stick to American made .32acp ball ammo when I do. They are good shooting little guns though....I could see shooting one enough to crack that thin spot in the frame.

[FergusonTO35]

I wonder if replacing the recoil springs every 500 rounds or so would help?

[edp2k]

Outpost75,
Could that rear frame crack be "passivated" by performing an e4nd mill cut through the crack,
similar to what is commonly done to a 1911 with a frame crack through the slide stop mag follower lug hole?

[Outpost75]

Outpost75,
Could that rear frame crack be "passivated" by performing an e4nd mill cut through the crack,
similar to what is commonly done to a 1911 with a frame crack through the slide stop mag follower lug hole?

Check drilling the hole will stop the crack, but not stop the frame elongation.