Asking, just because I can.....32acp

[Jessie]

I have a Beretta 3032 Tomcat. It's a wide slide Inox model.
I bought it mainly for my wife for ease of loading and lack of recoil.
I have been shooting it and really like it. It's accurate and well behaved.
I know that European LE and to an extent, military, have long used the .32acp and have been satisfied with it. I think the 9mm has since supplanted it, but it was adequate.
Being an American, and loving my wife as I do, I would like a little more power out of that package.
Buffalo Bore makes a respectable.32 acp but the manual states no +p.
I respect the manual and have not used any.
I also suspect that the manual states that because of the earlier frame cracking problems before the wide slide was introduced.
The stated pressures are not excessive with that round and wonder if any have used it with no problems?
I'm not worried about the warranty, I'm not the original owner and I understand that in itself excludes me from any Beretta warranty work.
I want something that is small, easy to shoot but as effective as is safely possible.
I know about .380s, small 9mm, etc. but remember the operating points that drew me to this one.
Tip up barrel, manual safety and low recoil.
To add;
I also bought her a S&W 34-1 Terrier in .38S&W.
With that one I did get some Buffalo Bore 125gr. which make that little revolver a respectable defense gun.
It's more of her nightstand gun.

 

[clang444]

The Tomcats have frame cracking problems - that thin area under the barrel. It happened to me on an original slide gun. There are a few reports on the wide slide guns having the same problem.

 

[jimmyj]

Consider .32acp standard velocity Silvertips

 

[Jessie]

Clang444, I gave you a like, not because I actually like what you said, but I like information. Thanks. I did not know the Inox models have been cracking also.

 

[Jessie]

It's such a low pressure and light recoiling round, I'm surprised that it cracked the original frames.

 

[Jessie]

Consider .32acp standard velocity Silvertips

Thanks Jimmy.
If I'm using standard loads, I think I'll stick to FMJ for penetration. I may experiment with the Hornady critical defense and critical duty rounds since they may offer a good compromise.
If all that doesn't work....more range time for her and move up to a .38 spcl.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

Hi Jessie:

I bought the same pistol for my young daughter to use (she has really weak upper body strength). I intend to load her little Tomcat with Winchester Silver Tips - the same rounds I load my .32ACP Seecamp with.

Good luck,

Dave

 

[Mule Packer]

Speaking of .32's, I remember reading a story by O. Henry entitled Law and Order. Here's a fun little passage from that story:

"Pedro Johnson was a man who liked to amuse himself; so he kind of rides herd on this youngster, laughing at him, tickled to death. ....the kid seems to mention some remarks to Pedro, and Pedro goes up and slaps him about nine feet away, and laughs harder than ever. And then the boy gets up quicker than he fell and jerks out his little pearl-handle [gun] and--bing! bing! bing! Pedro gets hit three times in special and treasured portions of his carcass. I saw the dust fly off his clothes each time the bullets hit. Sometimes them little thirty-twos cause worry at close range."​

 

[Jessie]

If Pedro slaps my wife 9 feet away, my .45 will move him an equitable distance.

 

[Jingles]

There's nothing wrong with the .32, just more right things about other calibers. I have a Mauser HSc from 1941 in .32 and would not hesitate to carry it for CCW except it has a lot of historical value and I wouldn't want it rusting away in the LEO evidence locker if I ever had to use it.

You might consider either a Sig P238 or P938; essentially mini 1911's in .380 or 9mm. They have thumb safety. My wife has kind of taken over my P238 because of its light recoil and very good accuracy.

 

[Jessie]

Hi Jessie:

I bought the same pistol for my young daughter to use (she has really weak upper body strength). I intend to load her little Tomcat with Winchester Silver Tips - the same rounds I load my .32ACP Seecamp with.

Good luck,

Dave

Is that round moving fast enough to penetrate and open up?

 

[Jessie]

There's nothing wrong with the .32, just more right things about other calibers. I have a Mauser HSc from 1941 in .32 and would not hesitate to carry it for CCW except it has a lot of historical value and I wouldn't want it rusting away in the LEO evidence locker if I ever had to use it.

You might consider either a Sig P238 or P938; essentially mini 1911's in .380 or 9mm. They have thumb safety. My wife has kind of taken over my P238 because of its light recoil and very good accuracy.

I have a 938 and don't even want her to try it because I like it so much.
I will though, and if she can deal with racking the slide and likes it, I'll buy her one.
I was thinking she could deal with that Beretta tip up loading barrel much easier.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

Is that round moving fast enough to penetrate and open up?

Jessie:

I would love to arm my daughter with something more powerful - the .32H&R Magnum comes to mind immediately - but I realize that as she is a small statured person, she'd never carry anything much larger than the Tomcat. I'd love to have her carry my .32ACP Seecamp, but she lacks the hand and upper body strength to cycle the slide. I've toted the Seecamp for years. It's not a fun pistol to shoot, and I cannot imagine trying to shoot one in .380ACP. When I first acquired the Seecamp many, many years ago, the WW-Silvertips were the only rounds recommended by the factory. I know from experience that I can hit the target reliably with Silvertips, and as I am old and kind of reluctant to change, have just stayed with the Silvertips even though other ammo is now approved by the factory: L.W. Seecamp Co. - Ammo Recommendations

Good luck,

Dave

 

[clang444]

The slides are INOX steel, but the frames are the same aluminum alloy. It's too bad, I really liked that Tomcat - easy to carry and conceal and easy to shoot accurately. I was using standard pressure FMJ ammo, never used +P.

The wide slide is to help dampen the slide inertia so it doesn't beat up the frame as much. I think Americans like to shoot our guns and practice with them (even pocket guns) a lot more than the Euros.

Clang444, I gave you a like, not because I actually like what you said, but I like information. Thanks. I did not know the Inox models have been cracking also.

 

[Jessie]

I'm in the same boat. My wife is very petite.
I have shot this Tomcat some and there is not much recoil to speak of.
It was shooting a tad left so I drifted the rear sight and it now fills the bullseye at 10 yds.
I find it a fun gun to shoot and think she can handle it just fine.
Getting her out to the property and doing it is proving to be the main problem.
Now that I have that and the S&W Terrier for her to try, and it's warming up, it's time to fish or cut bait.
My goal is to get her settled into a couple of guns she likes and then finding the best loads for each.
I think the Terrier is done withe the Buffalo Bores, but the Tomcat needs to be fine tuned.

 

[jimmyj]

My wife was CCW a S&W M642.
She saw and fell in love with a Glock Model 42 .380acp which she CCW. Seems it conceals better with her dress mode.

 

[Jessie]

I'll look into that too.
I have a 642 and 442 but I don't think she'll like the recoil enough to practice.

 

[glenncal1]

Jessie, Dave- they are harder to find but you might want to have your wife/daughter look at the 332's in .32 H&R mag. They can practice with .32 longs and carry the H&R mags. The trigger on my 332ti is very nice and with longs a pretty soft shooter. There are some good defense loads in H&R.

 

[Buford57]

Another .380 that she may be able to manipulate is the Remington. My wife's problem is arthritic hands and the Remington and the SIG 238 were the only ones she could manage.

 

[DWalt]

Consider .32acp standard velocity Silvertips

Winchester Silvertips in .32 ACP have a good reputation. But the most important thing is to find the brand/load which functions 100% in your gun, even if it's FMJ. Having been a .32 ACP user for many years, I'm ashamed to admit I have never heard of a .32 ACP +P load. And I wouldn't use it even if there is such a thing.