.32 ACP: The Round that Made the Auto Pistol

[Annihilator]

Interesting read on some history of the .32acp. Good read, this is one caliber I have not owned……yet….

.32 ACP: The Round that Made the Auto Pistol - The Mag Life

There is no getting around the fact that the .32 ACP has its issues. On paper, it doesn't have much power, and the rimmed case can be an issue. It also does not help that it is mostly older designs that use it. With all that in mind, the .32 ACP can't help but seem antiquated. But that might be...

gunmagwarehouse.com

 

[Lab4Us]

Seems like more cons than pros in the article. I have been eyeing a Walther PPK, but not sure I’d forego .380 for .32 as a “carry” caliber. Though the 9 oz pistol carry option seems blissful . I’ll have to research what .32 9oz pistol they were referring to and see if it’s pricing is a bit more reasonable than a PPK!

 

[Grayfox]

This is another round I'm fond of and have several guns in this caliber. Its no powerhouse, but if you do your part, it'll get the job done.

 

[Recusant]

The other concern is that most of those pistols that shoot the .32 acp round have single stack mags. If one is going to carry a single stack mag then 9mm may be a better choice.

 

[3L120]

Excuse me if you have heard this before…in 1961, I went thru the LAPD Academy and ended up working South L.A.. at the time, the preferred caliber of the residents was the .32, usually a revolver, but occasionally a semi-auto. Took a number of reports on deceased folks because of them. At the time, the 9mm was not common and the lowly .32 ruled the roost, with an occasional .38. Back then the gangs were not as violent and a lot of homicides were over gambling, especially after drinking some rot-but, with a few robberies thrown in the mix for good measure.. high times 50+ years ago.

 

[Scevaph]

They hit like a brick thru a plate glass window.

 

[HansGruber]

I really want a Vz.63 Skorpion…shoulda bought one a while back when they were pretty common.

 

[HansGruber]

And also—the finest .32 there is is the Colt 1903.

 

[Grayfox]

They hit like a brick thru a plate glass window.

Only the Walthers do that. I have two Walther PP Series .32s.

 

[Shibadog]

Though poo poo’ed today, back when the .32 was carried by a lot of European police depts (including the Gestapo). Also, you’ll remember when M issued the .32 PPK to James Bond to replace his .25 Berreta he stated “it’s a real stopper”

 

[shanneba]

There are a few who like the 32 ACP for Center fire competition in Bullseye.
(Some use semi autos in 32 S&W Long)

Here is the Pardini HP 32 ACP, it's only $3,099.00

Pardini HP, Cal. 32 ACP, 5" Barrel for NRA Bullseye | Pardini USA

 

[bc22wm]

Claude Werner was an advocate of the 32. Many years ago I had one of the "ring of fire" "saturday night special" made of zinc blow your fingers off" 32. I could lean across the hood of my truck and keep all six shots on a paper plate at 50 yards all day long, and still have all my fingers. Okay by the time 32 gets to 50 yards it's going slow enough so one could light a cigarette and step out of the way but paper plate don't smoke. Oh by the way those 32's would routinely punch through the pine boards we used to staple the targets to.

 

[UC_Guy 1971]

I think I want a .32 now. Looking at the Beretta 30x.

 

[Shibadog]

Seems like more cons than pros in the article. I have been eyeing a Walther PPK, but not sure I’d forego .380 for .32 as a “carry” caliber. Though the 9 oz pistol carry option seems blissful . I’ll have to research what .32 9oz pistol they were referring to and see if it’s pricing is a bit more reasonable than a PPK!

9 Oz .32 sounds like a Keltec P32

 

[UC_Guy 1971]

Maybe there can be a .32 acp conversion for my CSX? That would be cool. Wishful thinking because the CSX is a failure with no support either aftermarket or from S&W, but it would be cool. Stoopud CSX.

 

[3L120]

Let’s see…I sold off a Brownong 1910 and 2 1910/22s. Have left an Ortgies, Walther PP, 2 MAB Ds, all in .32. Also a .32 Short which belonged to my grandfather (1917 was not a good year for those of German background in 1917). 2 .32 longs and 2 32-20s. Suffice it to say, I like the caliber.

 

[HayesGreener]

.32 acp was a popular backup with some police officers 50+ years ago. It was a common caliber we found at crime scenes. NIJ did a study of police handgun effectiveness in about 1970 and came up with the Relative Incapacitation Index which favored rounda in the range of .38/9mm to .45.

I have a 1876 patent S&W break top pocket revolver in .32 S&W that I shot in CAS side matches. It is an accurate revolver and I am confident I could defend myself with it. And it is nickel with pearl grips!

 

[UC_Guy 1971]

.32 acp was a popular backup with some police officers 50+ years ago. It was a common caliber we found at crime scenes. NIJ did a study of police handgun effectiveness in about 1970 and came up with the Relative Incapacitation Index which favored rounda in the range of .38/9mm to .45.

I have a 1876 patent S&W break top pocket revolver in .32 S&W that I shot in CAS side matches. It is an accurate revolver and I am confident I could defend myself with it. And it is nickel with pearl grips!

I have never worked a scene where .32 was used. Also, in all of my agencies (sad that there is more than two) the smallest caliber that was ever authorized was .380, at least as a BUG.

I did got to one where a .25 had been used. It was a gang shooting. Only one guy was hit. In the leg. He was wearing jeans. The round punched through the the first layer, made it all they way through his calf muscle and got hung up trying to get through the second layer of denim.

If his shooter had hit something more substantial he probably would have been dead. As it was he was in a parking lot with a big bandage ranting and raving about the lack of police response while we were verifying that it was wasn't drug related but gang on gang violence.