# .32 ACP - Your preferred range and self defense rounds?



## Vodoun da Vinci

I'm the proud owner of two Colt 1903 Model M pistols both in .32 ACP. I'm a newcomer to this caliber and have been shooting various stuff at the range and testing some personal protection/home defense ammunition.

I have settled on the Fiocchi 73 grain FMJ stuff for the range as it is cheap, clean, and seems a little hotter than the Winchester, Federal, and Blaser stuff I have shot up. Plenty accurate and feeds fine but then I have not had *anything* FTF or FTE in the Model M yet.

I'm still working on a personal defense load and would like to try the Fiocchi Extrema 60 grain Hornady hollow points but haven't seen it in stock anywhere.

How 'bout other .32 ACP shooters? What do you feed your pet?

Thanks in Advance!

VooDoo


----------



## hrsec

I also feed my 1903 Colt 32 cal., Fiocchi 73 grain FMJ. I never have any issues with it. As for self defense round, I've had the best luck with Glaser Power Ball. In addition I've used Buffalo Bore Ammunition 32 ACP +P 75 Grain Hardcast Flat Nose. Works fine but I think it's too powerful it such an old gun.(It works great in my Berretta Mod. 70, 3 inch bbl).


----------



## DJ Niner

I use the Fiocchi FMJ for serious purposes (and practice/training for same), and whatever I can find for range blasting. 

I tried various JHPs or HPs in my little Kel-Tec, but I think the barrel's just too short to get the velocity high enough for reliable expansion. Plus, I worry about underpenetration with small calibers, and the speediest heavy FMJ you can find is probably the best chance you have to get deep .32 holes in a squishy target.


----------



## Steve M1911A1

hrsec said:


> ...As [a] self defense round, I've had the best luck with Glaser Power Ball...


Um... Exactly how many people have you shot with this load?

What were the effects? Did you achieve one-shot stops? Were they all killed outright?


----------



## DanP_from_AZ

Vodoun da Vinci said:


> . . . How 'bout other .32 ACP shooters? What do you feed your pet? . . .


Perusing my gun safe, I see I have two boxes of .32 Auto "self-defense" loads.
Speer GoldDot 60 grain "GDHP".
Federal 65 grain "Hydra-Shok jacketed hollow point".

Although Beretta calls my .32 Auto a "Tomcat", I'm afraid as a self-defense pet, it's really a "kitten".
I've used MagTech FMJ for practice ammo. And I see I'm now "out". Not a priority to get more.

When I do EDC (not too often) I move up the "pet scale" to 9mm or 38 Special "cats".

And, when hiking in our wilderness mountains, I take my "BIG DOG Pitbull". Ruger SRH Alaskan snubby in .454 Casull. :smt1099


----------



## jakeleinen1

I dont have a .32, I only have .380s. 

I don't have any problems with the .32 tho, id like one myself the P32 keltec ive had my eye on. The same people that will give you shit about carrying a .380 or a .32 are people who keep their guns at home


----------



## paratrooper

I wasn't even aware that any ammo manufacturer even marketed a .32 acp caliber in a self-defense round.


----------



## Shipwreck

Fiocchi FMJ when I had a Keltec 32.


----------



## DJ Niner

paratrooper said:


> I wasn't even aware that any ammo manufacturer even marketed a .32 acp caliber in a self-defense round.


Before the current crop of tiny .380s, the .32 ACP in something like the Seecamp, the North American Arms Guardian, and later the Kel-Tec P32, were fairly popular. Still not very powerful, but a big step up from a .22 or .25 in a pocket auto. I suspect I have a few rounds of blue Glaser Safety Slugs still laying around here somewhere, along with some .32 Silvertip HPs. Cutting edge stuff for pocket carry in the early-to-mid 90s (late 80s for the Seacamp, if you could find/afford one).

If I remember correctly, the Seecamp was designed around the .32 Silvertip HP round, which had a very short overall length, and no other .32 ACP ammo would feed through the magazine. All stainless steel, virtually handmade, and smaller than most .25 ACP autopistols of the day.


----------



## DJ Niner

Had to come back and add this video link, as it addresses the power of the .32 ACP. Kinda-sorta.

James Bond gets his Walther PPK - YouTube

Description of .32 ACP cartridge's power at 1:20 or so.


----------



## VAMarine

jakeleinen1 said:


> I dont have a .32, I only have .380s.
> 
> I don't have any problems with the .32 tho, id like one myself the P32 keltec ive had my eye on. The same people that will give you shit about carrying a .380 or a .32 are people who keep their guns at home


Or people that know better...


----------



## borris

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Um... Exactly how many people have you shot with this load?
> 
> What were the effects? Did you achieve one-shot stops? Were they all killed outright?


Dam That Was The 1st Thing I Thought Of Too ! What A Sharp Shooter ! :numbchuck:
:numbchuck: But I Do Have Feds 65gr Hydra-Shok On Hand For The Tom Cat ! :smt033.


----------



## OldManMontgomery

*Interesting caliber and firearm*

I collect old .32 automatic (or 7.65mm if one prefers) pistols. I shoot them to evaluate them and post some findings in my blog.

From my study of ammunition and defense shooting, the .32 ACP is not what anyone describes as a freight train stopper. However, with judicious application - hitting the right place - they can serve with greater results than a boy scout knife or a stern word.

However, the essence of the .32 ACP round is limited power; so one desires penetration in vital areas rather than 'expansion'. Sort of like when hunting an elephant; one wants the bullet to penetrate the vital area and not cause a grievous wound too short to reach anything important. I would stick with the full weight (71 grains) FMJ bullet and strive for accuracy.

Just for the tally book, my Colt model M, using Prvi Partizan (71 grain FMJ) ammunition clocks 737 feet per second. I haven't chronographed any other ammunition, yet. For defense use, I would find whatever load was fastest, right after most reliable (not a problem with FMJ ammo) and accuracy.


----------



## jakeleinen1

VAMarine said:


> Or people that know better...


VAmarine, not a fan of low caliber pistols?


----------



## VAMarine

jakeleinen1 said:


> VAmarine, not a fan of low caliber pistols?


They serve a purpose but in general the mouse guns just have too many negatives.


----------



## Glock Doctor

I use any 32 ACP (7.65 Browning) FMJ ammo I can get my hands on for range and target practice. Usually the brand is Magtech, 71 grain FMJ. (Because Magtech is what the local dealers stock.) For self-defense carry I use Fiocchi 60 grain XTP. I prefer to use FMJ in this, 'little BUG'; but I've become attracted to Fiocchi ammo because: (1) By comparison to other brands it's very affordable; AND (2), yes, it's, 'hot as the dickens' and burns nice 'n clean.

PS: I've been getting my Fiocchi ammo from: The Sportsman's Guide - Hunting & Outdoor Gear, Shooting Supplies, Military Surplus, Survival Gear and More! Good company! I'd recommend them.


----------



## Steve M1911A1

jakeleinen1 said:


> VAmarine, not a fan of low caliber pistols?





VAMarine said:


> They serve a purpose but in general the mouse guns just have too many negatives.


Yeah. Like me, use a real man's caliber: .380 ACP. :yawinkle:

(Jean likes it too. So, OK, it's a real-man's-and-real-woman's caliber.)


----------



## jakeleinen1

VAMarine said:


> They serve a purpose but *in general the mouse guns just have too many negatives*.


Would like to hear them.


----------



## Steve M1911A1

VAMarine said:


> They serve a purpose but in general the mouse guns just have too many negatives.





jakeleinen1 said:


> Would like to hear them.


If I might step in, since Jean and I both use "mouse guns"...

*The Biggest Negative of All:*
If you use a low-power cartridge for self-defense, you need to be extremely well-practiced, to the point where your "automatic pilot" will always deliver all-center-hits. _There is absolutely no room for error_.

*More Negatives:*
It goes without saying (Then why are you saying it, daddy?) that your presentation must be smooth and very quick, and your tactics impeccable. There is no room for error.
When you use a low-power cartridge, every shot must be a hit, and every hit must help to end the fight. There is no room for error.
There will be no such thing as "enough practice." That's because there's no room for error.
And remember that there is no room for error.


----------



## DJ Niner

But is there any room for error? No? I didn't think so. :mrgreen:

I only carry my tiny .32 when simply nothing else larger can be concealed. 
Example: bathing suit carry at the beach.

For any other situation, my "caliber floor" is .38/9mm.


----------



## Glock Doctor

I really have to agree. 'Mouse guns' and BUGS do require well centered groups and multiple hits in order to be effective. 

I know of one shooting where the man who was attacked attempted to use a short barreled 22 LR revolver in order to stop his attacker. The shooter hit with five of his six shots; BUT, the shots were widely dispersed around the target's torso and, consequently, had little or no immediate effect. The attacker succeeded in murdering the shooter and, even, went on to escape the scene of the crime!


----------



## VAMarine

jakeleinen1 said:


> Would like to hear them.


Lack of power.
Lack of capacity
Hard to get a good grip on
Zero sight radius, hell most of the time we're talking zero sights.
Harder to shoot well.
Harder to work the controls (if applicable)

As a back up they are great. As a primary when maximum concealment is required, they work but 95% of the time I can hide a larger gun.

Yesterday and today is probably the first time in almost 10 years I've not been able to carry my normal carry gun and had to strap a .380 into ankle holster...and I hate it.


----------



## VAMarine

And I still think that had I put more effort into the thought processes before hand that I could have found a workable tuckable option that would allow me to conceal a larger gun but I just didn't think about it until Sunday night.


----------



## jakeleinen1

Power - Ehhh yeah I suppose, never bought into the caliber wars thing tho. If we were talking .22s id be different
Lack of capacity - Got me there, though you can get a power mag that holds 10 for any .380/.32, need more than 10? But honestly 6 is enough for me
Hard to get a good grip on - :/ can be, I have small hands so I dont have this problem
Zero sight radius - Depends what gun you have, my BG380 has hella good sights, the Sigs do as well. Taurus TCP not so bad
Harder to shoot well - STRONGLY disagree with this all my shootings with my .380s are accurate as heck, sometimes even etter than my full size
Harder to work the controls - This i can buy, sometimes I accidentally activate the mag ejector if im not careful while im shooting


----------



## Glock Doctor

When I was a younger man I used this pistol to protect my home and family for the better part of two decades. At room fighting distances I could (and, probably, still can) repeatedly rapid-fire every round into a target the size of a grapefruit.










Smith & Wesson Model 41. 22 LR. No control problems, 30 rounds of ammo on standby, has excellent pointability, 10 round magazine capacity, and a seven inch sight radius.


----------



## VAMarine

jakeleinen1 said:


> Power - Ehhh yeah I suppose, never bought into the caliber wars thing tho. If we were talking .22s id be different
> Lack of capacity - Got me there, though you can get a power mag that holds 10 for any .380/.32, need more than 10? But honestly 6 is enough for me
> Hard to get a good grip on - :/ can be, I have small hands so I dont have this problem
> Zero sight radius - Depends what gun you have, my BG380 has hella good sights, the Sigs do as well. Taurus TCP not so bad
> Harder to shoot well - STRONGLY disagree with this all my shootings with my .380s are accurate as heck, sometimes even etter than my full size
> Harder to work the controls - This i can buy, sometimes I accidentally activate the mag ejector if im not careful while im shooting


Caliber war....there's some truth to it. .22, .25, .32 all suck pretty bad at stopping people that have a little determination. The .380 does better than them but not as good a job as a "proper" 9mm load. Regarding larger magazines, why buy a small gun just to make it bigger? I'll stick with something that holds more without some aftermarket mag that may or may not function as well as the factory mag.

The .380 is going to (on average) take 2-3 HITS to stop an attacker. Assuming I do my part stopping two attackers will empty a mouse gun and force a reload. That's if I don't pee down my leg and miss one or two shots.

Grip goes beyond just shooting. Grip size matters in accessing the gun in a hurry and getting a solid shooting grip from the get go. Larger grips are easier to get a hold of from the holster etc.

Sight radius is the distance between the front and rear sight.

What it all boils down to is more bullets = more options. I'll take more & better bullets please.


----------



## Steve M1911A1

VAMarine said:


> ...The .380 is going to...[require] 2-3 HITS to stop an attacker...if I don't pee down my leg and miss one or two shots...


...But if I pee down my leg and into my "cargo" pocket, the bad guy may not want my wallet after all. :smt083


----------



## Bhoffman

Glock Doctor said:


> I use any 32 ACP (7.65 Browning) FMJ ammo I can get my hands on for range and target practice. Usually the brand is Magtech, 71 grain FMJ. (Because Magtech is what the local dealers stock.) For self-defense carry I use Fiocchi 60 grain XTP. I prefer to use FMJ in this, 'little BUG'; but I've become attracted to Fiocchi ammo because: (1) By comparison to other brands it's very affordable; AND (2), yes, it's, 'hot as the dickens' and burns nice 'n clean.
> 
> PS: I've been getting my Fiocchi ammo from: The Sportsman's Guide - Hunting & Outdoor Gear, Shooting Supplies, Military Surplus, Survival Gear and More! Good company! I'd recommend them.


What is the difference between the Fiocchi and the Hornaday offerings? Both use the same bullet (Hornaday FTX) and have the same velocities (I have chronographed them both out of my 3032 and there isn't any difference statistically). Yes Fioucchi's published velocity is higher but there data is from a 1" longer barrel.


----------



## Glock Doctor

Bhoffman said:


> What is the difference between the Fiocchi and the Hornaday offerings? .......


I'm going to say ....... price! :smt002

(Then, again, I tend to use Fiocchi ammo whenever I can get it.)


----------



## borris

Steve , Depends Seam To Work For Most Elderly People It Will Keep Your Wallet Dry ! :anim_lol:


----------



## 4jh1zz

It seams the majority feels like a 32 or 25 does not have enough penetration to stop someone from attacking them. I am in the minority as far as a self defense caliber. If I knew that every possible scenario was going to involve only me and whoever I wanted to shoot then I would carry something big a strong. My concern is too much penetration. I only want to shoot the one I am shooting at. Will a small caliber kill ? One of my very best friends (6'2" 220lb) was killed with one shot from a 25 cal. Placement is key. Practice, practice, practice. If a 380, 38, 9mm, 357, 45, 44, etc. does not hit something vital, one shot is not going to drop them. I saw at very close range a big guy (he looked 300 lb. ) get shot 5 times in the upper torso with a 38 cal. and kept coming. The sixth shot was to the nose and took the back of his head off. All I can say to the penetration crowd is good luck and I hope you (or me) never have to use a gun in self defense and that if you do I hope I am miles away. 
FYI ... no one listens to me. One of my sons carries a 40 cal. the other a 38 special and my daughter a 380. For my home I have the S & W Governor loaded with 410 triple 0 buck. (410 000buck penetration 4 maybe 5 layers of sheet rock)


----------



## Steve M1911A1

borris said:


> Steve , Depends Seam To Work For Most Elderly People It Will Keep Your Wallet Dry ! :anim_lol:


Well, borris, that, um, depends...

Do you think that it's OK to wear my Depens under my Speedo, when I go swimming?


----------



## OldManMontgomery

*A slightly deeper look*



4jh1zz said:


> It seams the majority feels like a 32 or 25 does not have enough penetration to stop someone from attacking them.


Not penetration as such, not enough power.



4jh1zz said:


> Will a small caliber kill ? One of my very best friends (6'2" 220lb) was killed with one shot from a 25 cal.


There are two flaws with this bit of information. One: 'killed' doesn't mean anything. Cancer kills, but giving an attacker a case of terminal cancer is not much in the way of protection. It works too slowly to avoid the attack.

Two: This is what is known as 'anecdotal evidence'. Just because it happens every 1500th time, or fiftieth time, or in one of four cases, does NOT mean it will happen for the defender. The reply to this information is 'so what?' It really means nothing.



4jh1zz said:


> Placement is key.


Sort of. Perfect placement with a bb gun isn't going to make an immediate stop. Perfect placement with a potato chip won't insure an immediate stop. What is perfect placement with a 105 howitzer round isn't perfect with a .38 Special. What is 'adequate' placement with a .44 Special is 'inadequate' placement with a .32 ACP.



4jh1zz said:


> If a 380, 38, 9mm, 357, 45, 44, etc. does not hit something vital, one shot is not going to drop them.


Correct, but such a non-vital hit will cause bleeding, pain and distraction. A non-vital hit with a .22, .25 ACP, .32 ACP or even .380 ACP will range from mildly annoying to enraging. I cannot understand why the proponents of 'little calibers' assume they can shoot better. I've never met one yet.



4jh1zz said:


> I saw at very close range a big guy (he looked 300 lb. ) get shot 5 times in the upper torso with a 38 cal. and kept coming.


And you think it would be better with a .32 ACP? One might also want to know where exactly those 'upper torso' hits impacted and what was hit. One can receive a near miss with a .50 BMG and suffer no more than a friction burn.


4jh1zz said:


> The sixth shot was to the nose and took the back of his head off.


Which is where the first shot should have been applied. And, if that sixth shot to the center of the face had been a .32 ACP, it would have probably required removal and some cosmetic surgery to repair the damage. It may or may not have stopped the attacker, even with five in the body.



4jh1zz said:


> All I can say to the penetration crowd is good luck and I hope you (or me) never have to use a gun in self defense and that if you do I hope I am miles away.


Bless you my son; I hope you never have to use lethal force of any sort. Further, if I have to employ lethal force, I hope you are miles away as well.



4jh1zz said:


> FYI ... no one listens to me.


I understand. Perhaps if you thought things through better?


----------

