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Posted: 5/21/2023 3:17:28 PM EDT
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Good afternoon My wife needs a small pistol for summer CC, carrying a smaller purse and her Ruger EC9 and a holster is a little bulky and large for her purse. I was thinking of a Kel Tec in .32 acp. Can I get a few opinions? Thank you |
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I think the 32acp is inadequate for primary personal protection. I do like the little Kel-tec, but would want my wife to carry something more substantial. ETA: While my experience with Kel-tec 32acp and 380acp pistols were both overwhelmingly positive, I would still want my wife to carry something more substantial. I have owned both pistols I mentioned. |
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I have never fired a kel tec, but they don't have a great reputation for reliability. What about a Glock 380 with a kydex trigger guard. I have one and it shoots like a real pistol, not a lady's purse gun. It's still pretty small. If not what about a Beretta .32 tomcat? I'm not sure how great the newer US pistols are but I bet you could easily find a Italian one and then she has a safety also |
“You read too many books”-ATF agent
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I’ve met 2 people that have shot 3 people with that Keltec in 32. One was a woman that had a stalker try and abduct her. It stopped the threat with a couple of hits the the chest & he lived. Other was professional firearms instructor that touched it to 2 dudes head in a holdup when being robbed and 1 shot on each forehead permanently stopped them from ever committing any more crimes. While not ideal for a fight, It’ll do in most situations and is small enough to be carried all the time. |
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Originally Posted By shadohh: Ruger LCP max This is a good idea. If you're set on .32 ACP, check out the Beretta Tomcat if you can swing the cost. My wife likes the way it feels in her hands more than the LCP's, I still need to get her to shoot it though, its a little chunkier in the grip. All wife's are practically the same, so yours should like it too.  It also has a manual safety for that purse carry piece of mind.
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A loaded P32 weighs less than an empty LCP. It’s much easier to shoot and thus will promote practice and proficiency. I’m quite happy with mine and recommend it to many of my friends whom I work with that have difficulty with carrying and professional dress codes. The little Hogue slip on grip sleeve made this ideal fit for me. It truly is a take everywhere gun. The 32 is adequate but not ideal. If you’re concerned with efficiency teach your wife to shoot twice. After all the 32 was the standard for police in Europe for almost 100 years. |
 KelTec P32 has been my daily carry for over 20 years 1. Rimlock: this happens with short OAL or JHP bullets. JHP is nearly worthless in 32 anyway. Carry hot loaded european FMJ ammo and this won't be an issue, OR "Flyerwire" mod your magazines. 2. Shootability: the P32 is a breeze to shoot compared to the P3AT, but it takes some practice for such a small gun. I once took my P32 to an action steel pistol match to test its and my limits. I got a lot of teasing at first, but I didn't come in last, not even close to last. 7-10 yards on a 6 inch plate was about the limit. This is fine for bug-out gun. 3: Capacity: 7+1, and slidelock on empty. LCP and P3AT has 6 rounds and no slide lock 4. Carry: with a pocket holster, it literally is just as big as my real wallet. With a kydex OWB, I forget it's there. This is helpful when my bad back goes wonky. 5. Lethality: Hot loaded ball 32ACP will penetrate 10" of gel out of a P32. Penetration is king. This will work fine for a "get off me" gun. Hot 32 is nearly equivalent to 380 ball. Why would you use 380 out of a gun this size when you get one less round, no slidelock on empty, and very uncomfortable and snappy recoil? 32 does it better. 6. Longevity: I bought my first P32 in 2000? I have put over 500 rounds through it over the years, carried it everywhere. This summer I drove to Coca and had KT look over all my KTs, they replaced the frame and the springs on the pistol free of charge, but it could have gone on for more. 7. Reliability: do a fluff and buff polish on all the contact surfaces. I bought a used one that would give light primer strikes, probably why it was being sold. I compared it to my other ones and found the firing pin was just a wee bit short. KT sent me a new firing pin and no more problems. 8. I need to buy more P32s |
Don't be so open-minded that your brains fall out.
General education should not be mere job training, but training in how to be fully human.
General education should not be mere job training, but training in how to be fully human.
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.32auto fan here. I’ve tried many of them. I’d recommend against the Beretta 3032 Tomcat. They’re a chunk to carry and not reliable. If you just gotta go Beretta seek out a Model 81. Excellent weapon but large for caliber. The Kel-Tec P-32 is pretty good. Light weight. Slim. Easy to carry. Trigger is loooong to pull so practice is a must. Reliable and affordable. Recoil is snappy. Seecamp is a temperamental little beast. They carry nice but ammo sensitive to a fault. No sights suck. NAA is a little better than the Seecamp. Heavy. Also have a Ruger LCPII in .22lr. Junk-0-matic out of the box. Installed a Galloway Precision spring kit. Now it runs 100%. I carry it with Federal Punch ammo. |
I don't know nothin'. I just post here.
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Originally Posted By HellifIknow: The Kel-Tec P-32 is pretty good. Light weight. Slim. Easy to carry. Trigger is loooong to pull so practice is a must. Reliable and affordable. Recoil is snappy. Felt recoil is subjective so your opinion is your opinion and is valid. I'm not trying to discount it. However, I think you are the first person I've seen call the P32 snappy. P3AT? Sure, that sucks to shoot like all small 380s. I'm always amazed at how easy to shoot and how little recoil the P32 has. |
QC Doktor...soldier, scholar, funnyman, raconteur
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Originally Posted By capnjim: Good afternoon My wife needs a small pistol for summer CC, carrying a smaller purse and her Ruger EC9 and a holster is a little bulky and large for her purse. I was thinking of a Kel Tec in .32 acp. Can I get a few opinions? Thank you Beretta. |
"Audemus jura nostra defendere"
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Set a 43x on the counter next to a .32 automatic. Consider if downsizing to that size is worth it. Ok I probably misjudged how small you want to go and my advice isn’t that great. I want a .32 myself but I have a thing for the ppk style even though they’re ancient. My only real small pistol is a Kahr MK40 stainless and it’s a chunky tank. Very snappy recoil, I handle it fine and can actually shoot it as well as a full size glock22. The MK9 would have been a smarter buy for me. |
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Originally Posted By MRW: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/5205/8C4068E3-B123-485E-AC6D-3AAA22D4C925-981612.jpg KelTec P32 has been my daily carry for over 20 years 1. Rimlock: this happens with short OAL or JHP bullets. JHP is nearly worthless in 32 anyway. Carry hot loaded european FMJ ammo and this won't be an issue, OR "Flyerwire" mod your magazines. 2. Shootability: the P32 is a breeze to shoot compared to the P3AT, but it takes some practice for such a small gun. I once took my P32 to an action steel pistol match to test its and my limits. I got a lot of teasing at first, but I didn't come in last, not even close to last. 7-10 yards on a 6 inch plate was about the limit. This is fine for bug-out gun. 3: Capacity: 7+1, and slidelock on empty. LCP and P3AT has 6 rounds and no slide lock 4. Carry: with a pocket holster, it literally is just as big as my real wallet. With a kydex OWB, I forget it's there. This is helpful when my bad back goes wonky. 5. Lethality: Hot loaded ball 32ACP will penetrate 10" of gel out of a P32. Penetration is king. This will work fine for a "get off me" gun. Hot 32 is nearly equivalent to 380 ball. Why would you use 380 out of a gun this size when you get one less round, no slidelock on empty, and very uncomfortable and snappy recoil? 32 does it better. 6. Longevity: I bought my first P32 in 2000? I have put over 500 rounds through it over the years, carried it everywhere. This summer I drove to Coca and had KT look over all my KTs, they replaced the frame and the springs on the pistol free of charge, but it could have gone on for more. 7. Reliability: do a fluff and buff polish on all the contact surfaces. I bought a used one that would give light primer strikes, probably why it was being sold. I compared it to my other ones and found the firing pin was just a wee bit short. KT sent me a new firing pin and no more problems. 8. I need to buy more P32s edit - upgrade the KelTec p32 trigger spring if you want a better , shorter pull. I also upgraded my recoil spring. |
“When you have to shoot…shoot, don’t talk.” Tuco
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Originally Posted By MadeintheUSA: What brands of ammo do you like? S&B? edit - upgrade the KelTec p32 trigger spring if you want a better , shorter pull. I also upgraded my recoil spring. |
Don't be so open-minded that your brains fall out.
General education should not be mere job training, but training in how to be fully human.
General education should not be mere job training, but training in how to be fully human.
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Originally Posted By TSH77769: If you're willing to get some thing larger but still 32 than the cz83 is awesome and a 16rd gun. A Beretta 81 will do just fine for a larger gun at under half of that cost.  Beretta 81  |
Don't be so open-minded that your brains fall out.
General education should not be mere job training, but training in how to be fully human.
General education should not be mere job training, but training in how to be fully human.