Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns New (to me) Beretta

I've been eyeing the AIM Surplus ads for the Beretta 81BB pistols in 32 ACP. At $230 they seemed like a neat toy to go with the Savage, H&R, and other pistols I have in that chambering. It might make a decent pistol for the wife as it is getting harder for her to pull the trigger on her Model 10.

Well, this evening I stopped into a local shop to kill some time. Lo and behold, they had 3 of these pistols in the used rack. They appeared to be in decent shape and I decided to buy one when the tag read $170. Now, I can't wait until Monday so I can shoot it. I have plenty of ammo to run through it and I even have some self defense ammo for it. Next step is to get a couple of extra mags.

Oh, the shop also had a few kegs of Hodgdon Clays and Universal on the "sale" table. This is where odds and ends the shop gets when someone brings in things other than firearms go. Price are typically ridiculously cheap and one can get some decent deals.

While waiting for the NCICs check to go through, I looked over the table. On the floor were a couple large cardboard boxes. Inside were 12 8# kegs of the above powders (8 Clays, 4 Universal) as well as 2 of Red Dot and 1 of Clay Dot. I bought 2 kegs of Universal for $75 each plus he gave me 10% off for being a firefighter. I would have bought more but the table is cash only and that took all that I had on me. If there is anything left after work tomorrow, it is going home with me.

Nice work, woodsmaster. Hope the wife enjoys her new gun... if she ever sees it.

Good deal on that powder, too.

I’ve been tempted to order one, also. Seems like a great deal on a very cool little gun. Only thing is the caliber would make it hard to find ammo, and expensive to shoot, not to mention a bit anemic. Also, new mags are like $40.00 a pop.

got an email from aim last night, on cosmetically blemished beretta's they were 189dollars.
32.acp can be expensive relatively on a local basis, but you have to shop around. target sports had it a few years ago at 10.00 a box, free shipping on a case of it.
if you get that supply of brass, it's inexpensive to load with lead bullets.

My main interest was to pick up something in 32 ACP that was reasonably priced and more modern than the Savages, H&R, Webley, FN, et al pistols I currently have. They are all at least 90 years old and repairs can get a bit difficult. This gun fits that bill. It might suffice as a house gun for the wife as it carries 12 +1. As a carry gun it is big for what it is.

I have a bunch of factory already on hand plus brass saved from shooting the other guns. I have died and bullets on hand but haven't reloaded any yet. Price of factory is less than most 45 ACP ball and has mostly been comparable to 40 S&W. I bought the dies cheap as a "just in case" measure but ammo has been available and reasonable so far.

Fella picked up one of these the other day at the LGS on a transfer. Neat looking pistola.

Factory .32 acp is widely available around here and FMJ is not too expensive. Don't know about your area.

By today's standards a 32 ACP is rather anemic but in the heyday of mouse guns it was rather effective at changing hostile minds. This was not due to any tremendous shock delivered to the target or any bullet driven deep into vital areas but, instead, to the medical abilities (more like inabilities) of the times. It wasn't surgical practices so much as the ability to prevent or defeat infection that became the game changer. People of the time were not nearly as afraid about getting hurt as they were of developing an infection their body could not handle. A fair number of people knew of someone who had died of infection and those who didn't were aware of the slow, painful process in which one succumbed to infection. That later infliction was as much of a stopping power as the immediate chance of death.

The prime time of this class of cartridge ran up to WWII when the ability to fight infections became common and widespread. Before 1930, infection was a serious concern as there was little other than home remedies to fight it. Penicillin, sulfa drugs, and tetanus shots became available in the 30s and were widespread after WWII. As the dangers of infection lessened, the effectiveness of this class of cartridge faded. Add in the advances in surgical procedures and abilities and the mouse guns with their related cartridges became even less of a threat. I still wouldn't want to shot with one but I'd rather chance a wound with them to one from something larger.

That 32 ACP Beretta was a new one to me as well.

paul harrel has a interesting youtube on the .32acp.
i have always kind of liked the dinky little round, given what it was shot in early in the last century. some of those little pistols are pretty neat.
on the beretta, probably a combination of weight of the gun and the dinky round, but almost no muzzle flip when firing.

what also makes me snicker a little, is the .32acp has been in use in europe for 100years, police, military etc. Guess all they got to worry about is skinny little guys, no big fat italians from too much pasta. seems they have seen the need for a .45 caliber gun.

those beretta's are in several different grades, not all the outlets selling them got the same condition firearms.
some are in like new condition, others much less.
I tore one apart last night, no signs of wear inside the slide at all. I think it spent it's life in a warehouse.
For a 200 bill approximately , they are a darn good value.
as to the mags, there is a youtube video of a guy taking a mag for a m84 which is the .380 version, and miking then beating down the lips for the .32acp. supposedly it works.