Why do you think a .32 ACP is not a good carry gun?

[warren5421]

Why do you think a .32 ACP is not a good carry gun? Think for yourself before you reply. Don't repeat what some stuped gun writer put out there to sale their gun rag. The .32 cal round has put a lot of people in the ground. In 1849 Gold Rush the most carried pistol was in .32. If you have never shoot a .32 ACP gun you have missed a lot. The .32 has more stopping power than a .22 and the felt recoil is about the same as a .22. in the 1940's Wild Bill Donavon's boys carried more .32's than .45 ACP's. A lot of Germans died from the .32 ACP.

If you have never played with a .32 ACP gun why do you think a .380 ACP is better? Think for yourself!!!!

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I've seen a lot of people shot with it. It's a reliable suicide gun, unlike the .25. Not what I'd pick for self defense.

 

[oldpink]

Flagrant click bait

 

[Bigtanker]

A .22 lr has probably killed more people than most other calibers BUT most people shot with it are not stopped right now. It will do for a physiological stop (the OK, I've been shot so I must stop attacking you). But when it becomes a matter of making it a physical stop, there are better options than the 32.

All common handgun calibers suck for a physical stop compared to a rifle/shotgun. I'll take any advantage on the handgun side I can.

Would I carry a 32? It wouldn't be my first choice but if was all I had, I'd use it.

 

[medcoxo]

My mini gun choice was the kel tec.. The P3AT is the same size, and only slightly heavier than the P32. Granted the recoil and precision is not that good, but I have always understood, the first shot/ first hit usually wins. Now if I was spending the day at the range shooting, then I would choose the 32.

 

[Dean C.]

32 makes about ~140 ft lbs
380 makes about ~ 210 ft lbs
9mm makes about ~320 ft lbs
45acp makes about ~ 410ft lbs

Why would.anyone carry a 32 when you can carry a 380 in the same general sized firearm like a Ruger LCP? Not very many guns are even made for 32 anymore, plus the other calibers mentioned are easier to find generally as well. It might be sufficient to get the job done but I would have no idea why anyone would choose it currently.

 

[oldpink]

32 makes about ~140 ft lbs
380 makes about ~ 210 ft lbs
9mm makes about ~320 ft lbs
45acp makes about ~ 410ft lbs

Why would.anyone carry a 32 when you can carry a 380 in the same general sized firearm like a Ruger LCP? Not very many guns are even made for 32 anymore, plus the other calibers mentioned are easier to find generally as well. It might be sufficient to get the job done but I would have no idea why anyone would choose it currently.

Don't forget that it's much harder to find, and the price is generally higher.
Contrarian instincts would be my guess why anyone would even bother, unless it was the only handgun that he had.

 

[Coach]

Unloaded guns kill a lot of people in this nation every year, but I don't carry one of those either.

 

[Brickmandan]

There are so many small 9mm handguns on the market that are not any bigger than most .32's. 9mm is also much cheaper to buy fmj target ammo so you can get more actual shooting practice in. Any round can kill but the benefits of 9mm far out number the benefits of .32

 

[hog slayer]

32 makes about ~140 ft lbs
380 makes about ~ 210 ft lbs
9mm makes about ~320 ft lbs
45acp makes about ~ 410ft lbs

From ammoseek.com:

32 acp: $0.21 - 0.31 per round
380 acp: $0.18 starting price
9mm: starts at $0.13 per round!
45acp: starting at $0.22 per round

just for fun
40 s&w: $0.19
38 spcl: beginning at $0.22 per round
357 mag: starts at $0.29 per round

I already own a 32 but I never carry out and wouldn't buy another. Why would you? You can get a shield at a nearly stolen price right now, ammo is plentiful and CHEAP!

 

[walleyepw]

Check out a couple of things.
1. F=ma
2. TKOF=(mb x vb x db) / 7000

While formulas can not cover all situations, they do give a representative of outcome. Of course if shot in the pinky toe with a .460 Weatherby or in the face with a .32 acp, well you can make the choice.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I don't think I would carry a .32 if I had a choice, but there are some pretty neat old pistols in that caliber that I wouldn't mind having.

The Colt 1903 for example...

 

[BehindBlueI's]

As physics equations and ft/lb are now being thrown in, remember that those measures alone are meaningless. Energy is just potential work. It tells you nothing about the work being done.

Two bullet with the exact same ft/lb may behave radically differently when shot into bare gel vs an intermediate barrier, and what performs better in one may perform worse in the other test. The softer bullet may expand more in bare gel but fragment easier vs intermediate barriers, as an example. I suspect you will have difficult finding a .32 load that penetrates adequately, expands, and does will vs round bone strikes, intermediate barriers (to include things like forearms before hitting the torso), etc. You will, however, find plenty of proven loads in common duty calibers. It's probably why they are common duty calibers...

 

[Route 45]

The .32 ACP is a semi-rimmed cartridge and can suffer from rim lock, a condition where cartridges get jammed in the magazine. This does not happen with rimless cartridges like .380, 9mm, etc.
That alone is enough to consider it obsolete as a defensive caliber. With the more powerful and much more common .380 available in the same size pistols, why mess with .32 ACP? Other than for nostalgic fun while shooting older .32 ACP pistols, I see no reason for the caliber nowadays.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

The .32 ACP is a semi-rimmed cartridge and can suffer from rim lock, a condition where cartridges get jammed in the magazine. This does not happen with rimless cartridges like .380, 9mm, etc.
That alone is enough to consider it obsolete as a defensive caliber. With the more powerful and much more common .380 available in the same size pistols, why mess with .32 ACP? Other than for nostalgic fun while shooting older .32 ACP pistols, I see no reason for the caliber nowadays.

I'd not heard that before (about the rim lock). The 32 always looked the same as the 380 or 9mm to me.

 

[walleyepw]

As physics equations and ft/lb are now being thrown in, remember that those measures alone are meaningless.
No not meaningless, but as I said they can not cover all situations. I in no way implied that .32 acp is the perfect personal protection round. There are other circumstances that come into play, as many others have pointed out. Projectile construction, shot placement, follow up, intermediate barriers, firearm used, reliability of the round, functionality of the firearm....

 

[Bigtanker]

.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

[h=2]Why do you think a .32 ACP is not a good carry gun?[/h]

I've had a lot of guys shot with .32s.

Last Att Murder with .32 was 6 rounds--1 in the head, 1 in shoulder, 1 in the backside, 3 in a Saturn. Shot drug dealer had head ache at scene but was around to testify.

 

[Leadeye]

I just like shooting them and if you hand load for the 1903 Colt you can run the bullet weight up. Savage 1907 pistols carry 10 rounds, compact and handy guns although the mag release takes some getting used to. They look good too, Bogie liked them.

 

[JT1968]

I believe when Massad Ayoob was researching data for his 1 shot percentage report he mentioned that the lowest caliber he was going to include was the 380. However, he kept finding data on the 32acp. I believe it was shown, according to Mas, as having a higher 1 shot stop percentage than the 380. Besides, James Bond always carried one.