The 32acp, Fun, Effective, Useless, History, Guns, Loadings

[Boolseye]

I’m quite happy with my cz-70. Very strong, similar to a makarov in construction and strength...and accuracy. When I do my part that thing is a tackdriver.
The .32 ACP strikes me as a generally suitable cartridge for SD and, in the right platform, small game. good penetration and punch. I like Ranch Dog's RF design, I believe 75 grains.


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[Dan Cash]

A quick comment on effectiveness of .32 ACP. Last deer season, I had a fresh killed deer, dead about 20 minutes, hanging from my tractor loader by the neck. I took the opportunity to run some penetration tests with my 1903 Colt .32. From 5 paces, the .32 ACP with a blunt nose, soft cast bullet, MV 970 more or less, passed through 8 to 9 inches of the hanging carcass. The bullet struck perpendicular to the animal at the front point of shoulder and exited at a similar point opposite the entry. Opening the neck to examine the wound channel showed no serious permanent wound channel as the deer was dead and such evidence was not expected from such a low velocity round. The bulled did strike the spine causing significant damage. The deer would have dropped from the hit. The .32ACP is not a power house but not to be sneezed at.

[Outpost75]

A link to performance data on .32 ACP defensive ammunition which makes a good case for the Fiocchi produced 73-grain FMJ hardball: https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/t...-self-defense/

[Earlwb]

That article makes a good case for just using FMJ bullets too. The hollow point bullets did very little to none for expansion.

[Thumbcocker]

I have about 50 pounds of factory swaged 80 ish grain .314 lrn boolits that were gifted to me. They are dead soft and lubed with a waxy stuff. I have a nose punch fixture that was turned down to a cone point that will smoosh (technical ballistic science term) a hollow point cavity of various depth and a flat nose on the above boolits. I loaded a few of the unsmooshed boolits in .32 acp brass and the fed fine in 2 Beretta 81's. Maybe time to experiment a little.

[Montenegro]

Hi there. It is great to be part of this community and enjoy so much passion and knowledge.As future owner of one great, little, mint condition Beretta 70 in this caliber (steel frame) I need advice what will be the most accurate bullet for this specific "lady" considering barrel rifling. I was reading grat posts here, about European firearms like European bullets with slightly higher diameter (PPU, FIOCCHI...) All advices from you will be precious. Factory ammo recommendations at first place, and hopefully one day I will have enough skill for reloading. Thanks a lot, and big thanks from Montenegro.

[kingrj]

a .22 LR makes me feel safer than a brick-bat...a .32 acp makes me feel better than a .22 LR...a .380 calms me more than a .32 acp and a 9x19 starts to make me relax a little...But ANY one of them is better than a pocket knife....

[GhostHawk]

^ kingrj nailed it.

[Outpost75]

Montenegro, you have a PM coming.

[rintinglen]

I vote fun!
I believe that the 25 and 32 ACP are best viewed as nice historical relics whose application is best enjoyed as range toys. Not serious defensive weapons. But this is not to say they harmless. They still do as well as they ever did, it is just that they have been surpassed as new technology has allowed more powerful ammunition to be shoe horned into reliable, compact pistols. I had a Clement 32 ACP, very small, indeed very little larger than my Colt 1908 25. But it was not very reliable, and weighed more than my LCP, which is very reliable. The same can be said of my larger 32's, save that they ARE reliable. My S&W Shield or Kahr 9mm carry and conceal just as well as my 1903 Colt or CZ, and better than my Beretta 81 or Browning 1922. My Tomcat sits abandoned in the safe, because the LCP has replaced it. So why do I still have them?

Because they are FUN!! Every time I take one out to the range, I have a enjoyable visit with my old friends. I adjust my Fedora and just for a moment that eight year old who thought he was Humphrey Bogart gets a chance to come out and play. Low recoil, reasonably accurate, easy and cheap to reload, and with a sense of history, what's not to like? For walking in the woods , or for that matter, in the mean streets, I have other guns, better suited to prevailing over 2 or 4 legged varmints seeking to do me harm. But for just plain shooting happiness, my 32's fill the bill and then some.

Most of my shooting is done with the Ranch Dog 315-75 FN over 2.2 WW-231.

[Montenegro]

Great. Thank you!

[samari46]

Bunch of years ago wal mart used to have a sale on ammo. Usually calibers no one wanted. Went in there and found 4 boxes of Federal 32 acp ammo and 4 boxes of Winchester Silver tips with the hollow point in 40 S&W. While I have a Sig P239 in 40 S&W I didn't have a 32 acp. Got lucky one year and found a French made Manhurin Walther PP. That little auto loved those Federals. Fits nicely in my jeans when visiting folks and no bulges. Frank

[imashooter2]

This is my 1930 vintage "1st variation" Walter PP. I load it with Hornady 90 grain swaged SWCs intended for the .32 S&W Long over Herco. Shot placement is King, penetration is Queen and I want to reach vitals with that soft lead.

[Led]

I am heavily invested into 32 acp. I load for my Beretta 81's and carry a Beretta Tomcat in the summer. It's hard to beat a carry gun that will disappear into a pocket in a pair of shorts.

Later,
Stephen

[Mk42gunner]

Speaking of .32ACP range toys: http://www.champchoice.com/store/Mai...yBody&c=FITPPA
For only $2750.00 you too can have a Pardini in .32 ACP.

I have no idea why they quit making these guns in .32 S&W Long, nor what ammo they prefer. I do think it would be a fun gun to have, but I really don't have a use for it, or the spare cash.

I also kind of wish Ruger would make the LCP II in .32 ACP. I have no complaints with the .380 version, but the .32 would give one more round.

Robert

[Finster101]

Speaking of .32ACP range toys: http://www.champchoice.com/store/Mai...yBody&c=FITPPA
For only $2750.00 you too can have a Pardini in .32 ACP.

I have no idea why they quit making these guns in .32 S&W Long, nor what ammo they prefer. I do think it would be a fun gun to have, but I really don't have a use for it, or the spare cash.

I also kind of wish Ruger would make the LCP II in .32 ACP. I have no complaints with the .380 version, but the .32 would give one more round.

Robert

Look at a Kel-Tec P-32. I have had one for years and have had zero problems with it. Following a few of these .32 threads I did change out the recoil spring to the .380 spring. I have a PP that I load 90grn boolits for and that is what I carry in the Kel-Tec as well. I don't target shoot with them in the P-32 but have fired enough to be confident of aim point and function. After many years of pocket carry, in Florida no less, it's not a pretty gun any more but it goes bang every single time I've tried it.

[mobilemail]

I picked up a Mauser 1914 in .32ACP about six months ago. I was able to shoot it at the range once, and it did exhibit a few FTFs...but I only had one kind of ammo to try in it. Since then I have picked up some dies and brass, and I have some bullseye and Titegroup sample loads ready to chrony on my next range visit. If any of you have experience loading for this pistol, I would love to hear your successes and failures. I don't expect it to be a carry gun, but it's a lot of fun!

[charlie b]

Great. Thank you!

Welcome to the forum. My grandfather (mother's father) came to the US from Montenegro in 1904 (at the time he was listed as an Austrian citizen). Markichevich.

[Bill*B]

Roy Dunlap in his book "Ordnance Went Up Front" said that he thought the WWII Italian Army was on to something with their "little" .32s and .380s - their first shot hit would stop the hostile from whatever he was doing, and a follow up second shot would settle the issue.

[Montenegro]

charlie b , thank you so much! There is little part of this besutifull country in you, than. You are more than welcome!