Beretta 32 price?

[max503]

Not sure where to post this, so if I break any forum rules I apologize.
I might have a chance to buy this gun and I'm wondering what it's worth.
-I would be buying it from an individual.
-It's a Beretta 32 Tomcat, I believe.
-Probably hardly ever fired, but I don't know if its been properly stored and cared for.
It seems fairly new. Its in a plastic box.

I've heard some Beretta 32's have frame problems; they crack. If its one of those I don't want it. I would reload for it and shoot it. Maybe not a lot, but I would shoot it.
Thanks in advance.

 

[murphydog]

Don't know about the frame cracking issue, but I would guess it to be in the $300 range for value.

 

[Toddlars1]

I recently sold a 25 year old Tomcat with about 200 rounds thru it for 450....It was minty with no cracks

EDIT checked my spreadsheet it sold for 400

 

[JohnRippert]

If you do a advanced search on GB and check the completed auctions most that actually sold went in the $300-350 range.

 

[Gene L]

The older Tomcats did, indeed, have cracking problems. Beretta beefed them up; maybe that helped cure the problem.

I don't want a Tomcat, however. They're kinda large for what they are and you can get a smaller, flatter .32 for less money. Small caliber pistols have come a long way since the Tomcat.

 

[boykinlp]

How does this pistol differ from the Beretta 950? I have had one of those in .25acp in my safe for probably 35 years.
Larry

 

[Gene L]

Aside from being a .25 v a .32 the 950 is single action, the Tomcat is DA/SA. This takes up a lot of real estate. The Tomcat is wider and to me, bulkier. The 950 is probably worth more than the Tomcat.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned what I think is the key selling point of the Tomcat - it's recommended for those who lack the hand strength to rack the slide to load it. The Tomcat, and its .25ACP cousin share the tip up barrel feature. Mine is the stainless steel version that I bought used a couple of years ago. I think I paid $350.00 for it and it came with an extra magazine (no factory box). It's surprisingly accurate for a little pocket blaster thought the sights are poor (skinny front post). They also make a blued steel version with a front night sight known as the Alley Cat.

Pictured below are my .32ACP pistol collection for your comparisons for size and width. Photo #2 shows a Seecamp .32ACP atop the Tomcat, atop a CZ-70 (roughly the size of a Walther PP). Photo #3 shows the width of the 3 pistols (left to right) Seecamp, Tomcat, CZ.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Dave

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have had my Tomcat for 25+ years. It is a very early one I bought used! The ammo I use is Winchester STHP and with that ammo it is more accurate than any other 32 ACP in the family! That includes Keltec, Walther (WWII PPk) and 4 different Colt M's!

Yes most other 32's are thinner, however the 3032 Tomcat fits in a front pocket just fine, as well as any good brand ankle holster. (Great back up gun and location!)

The only cracked frame problem I know of were with German Police Surplus ammo manufactured in the 70's and sold after German Police standardized to 9mm. Thousands, if not millions of this hot ammo (by GECO/RWS) were sold bulk, without boxes, or lot numbers! The Red and Blue box GECO/RWS ammo is far "Hotter" than American FMJ and on par with Win STHP! This always made me think it was a special police +P type of load for steel PPk type pistols. (I shot some in my WWII PPk and noticed a GREAT increase in felt recoil over RWS ammo and way way more recoil over Remington FMJ!) I would think that ammo, if any is still floating around, would be unsafe in a Kel-tek also.

Ivan

 

[Grayfox]

I have one. Nice little gun.
The instruction package that came with mine had a card which warned not to use ammo with over 130 ft/lbs of energy. Almost all American made ammo is ok to use. Its the European stuff that's loaded hotter. S&B 73gr FMJ is rated at 176 ft/lbs!
CCI Blazer and Federal 71 gr FMJs both rate 128 ft/lbs and work very well in my gun.

Average price for these is around $300-350.

 

[nutsforsmiths]

I purchased a Tomcat when they first came out back in the late 90s and after less than 300 rounds, the frame indeed cracked.

I sent it back to Beretta and they said it was not fixable, so they gave me credit toward another pistol, but wouldn't just exchange the Tomcat for another one. So, with the credit, I got a 22 Neos, which I didn't like all that much and sold it, for a profit no less!!

I have heard that the cracked slide problem has been fixed though.

 

[Mrnurse]

I worked PT at the MD facility in the 1980's...the Only cracked framed were on Very early M9's at the barrel Locking support. Any Civilian or Italian Police issue wont have that trouble. The 81/82/84/85 in 32 and 380 are solid pistols. I did see a Beretta 93 with a Cracked barrel support but it had over 20K rounds and was a demo weapon for the Company.