# Kel Tec P32



## Silverbullit (May 18, 2014)

Looking for a good self defensive ammo for my P32.

Here are my choices:
Federal Hydro Shok
Speer Gold Dot
Hornaday Critical Defense


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

If you place the shot well, then any one of them will probably work as well as the others. If you fail to place the shot well, then none of these will make up for poor placement. So, if the shooter's skill is the main variable in the effectiveness of the load, then the shooter needs to practice regularly to reduce this variable. To me, that means I'd buy whatever I could get locally or regularly, as I'd be shooting a lot of it. 

If 2, or all 3 loads were available locally or regularly, then I'd initially buy a couple of boxes of each, and run a test to make sure the pistol would shoot each load reliably (not a given, especially with tiny pocket pistols). If it failed to function with any load, then I'd remove that load from the list of choices.

Finally, if the above still hadn't completely settled the case, I'd go with penetration as a tie-breaker. In smaller caliber, short-barreled (read: reduced-velocity) pistols, getting that tiny/lightweight bullet deep enough to reach the vital organs is critical. I'd search for any online test results showing penetration depth in calibrated gelatin for each load in a similar-length barrel, and I'd pick whichever load penetrated the deepest.


For what it's worth, I inherited a small .32 ACP many years ago. On the rare occasions it is loaded for serious use, I use FMJ (full-metal-jacket, or metal-jacketed round-nose ammo, by another name), as I want maximum reliability and penetration. Personal testing in my pistol showed expanding bullet loads didn't function reliably enough, and research showed they didn't penetrate deep enough, to meet my standards. Your goals may be different, and your pistol definitely is different, so this is not necessarily a recommendation, just a description of how I approached the problem.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Pundits supposedly wiser than I recommend plain old jacketed-round-nose bullets, as the better topping for .32 ACP cartridges.
The thought seems to be that the RN bullet will penetrate better, while a so-called "expanding" bullet might expand futilely on the bad guy's leather jacket.

In any case, I suggest that extremely accurate bullet placement will be of the utmost importance.

Truth: I carry a .380 ACP pistol, and it's loaded with Remington hollow-points.

(Sorry, *DJ Niner*-I was writing while you were posting, so we both said much the same thing.)


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

Ah, but you said it in much fewer pixels, so you win. I've never been known for my brevity. Heck, I remember one time...

...never mind. :mrgreen:


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## Silverbullit (May 18, 2014)

Thanks DJ Niner.


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## GCBHM (Mar 24, 2014)

I was going to say I recommend FMJ. In smaller calibers like .32 and .380, the FMJ usually gets better penetration than JHP, so yeah, what these guys said! Placement truly is king.


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

Fiocchi 60 grain XTP does well for .32ACP, about 11-13 inches of penetration through denim and gel. Very modest expansion but does manage more surface area than a FMJ. I stager S&B 73 grain FMJ and the Fiocchi's.


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## Mason15 (May 26, 2014)

It was not on your list, but I prefer the Buffalo Bore 75 grain +p 32 acp


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## welshdude (Mar 16, 2014)

Just purchased my wife a P32 for her birthday as she was wearying of carrying our P11 as her EDC. Said it was too heavy, bulky, printed too much and she wasn't comfortable carrying it in a shoulder bag or purse. She _loves _it. Got her some mid-priced 73 gr FMJ as I've read on any forum posts that JHPs in .25 and .32 had some penetration issues. One gentleman mentioned using Sellier & Bellot or Fiocchi in those calibers because 'European manufacturers packed their rounds a little hotter'. In my .25 I've used PMC Bronze, Blazer aluminum(NOT recommended), S&B and Fiocchi. Didn't really notice any difference in the felt re-coil, but then I'm not on the receiving end. Perhaps there may be a slight difference in the FPS travel rate? Either way, we're going to obtain significant quantities of both of the aforementioned European brands just to be on the safe side.


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## TrafficsKindaBad (Aug 23, 2013)

In my experience with carrying a P32 for a while (and other small 25 and 32 autos), rimlock is a problem when using hollow point bullets in those little magazines. There are instructions on the internet on how to place a piece of wire in the magazine to prevent this, which I did with only limited success. I had good experience with Buffalo Bore hardcast LFP as a 32 acp self defense round. The gun would feed and shoot a partially filled mag fine, but when I filled a mag with hollow points (Corbon, Gold Dots, and others) rimlock would prevent a round from being stripped off the top. Even trying to remove rounds by hand is a pain and usually requires popping the base plate off the mag and dropping out the rounds. Try it, though, and good luck.


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## cluznar (Mar 11, 2012)

I always carry fmj in my P-32 gets better penetration and I hear the fmj tumbles inside a person. I do sometimes shoot HP's at the range. :watching:

I use either PMC or Prvi Partizan 71gr fmj for carry. They both shoot well in my P-32


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

Silverbullit said:


> Looking for a good self defensive ammo for my P32.
> 
> Here are my choices:
> Federal Hydro Shok
> ...


Honestly, like above posts have stated, I would carry FMJ. A few years ago, I had a P32, and that is what I carried. Besides, I find .32 ACP kinda hard to come by. When I did find it, it was primarily FMJ anyways.


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## Mason15 (May 26, 2014)

Same here. A recent test reviewed this round from the Kel Tec p32. 14.5 inches of penetration


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## grey.ghost (May 5, 2015)

I carry FMJ. Generally European ammo because they are a little hotter loads from what I'm told.


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## MickeyD (Mar 10, 2016)

I carry Buffalo Bore 75gr HCFN +P (hard cast flat nose). Practice with Ball. Never had a rim lock with the BB, using a Flywire in mag.

The Kel-Tec Range Articles


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## insman1132 (May 13, 2016)

I use mostly the Gold Dot in mine.


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