Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns If you only had a 32acp..

To rely on for self defense what would you load it with

The one in the chamber would be Buffalo Bore 75 gr. Hardcast Flat Nose (1150fps/ M.E. 220 ft. lbs.). Thereafter would be FMJ. Flat Nose doesn't feed too well, which is why I'd only keep one in the chamber and none in the mag. No expanding bullets, because with such a weak round, you really need as much penetration as you can get.

What TRH said.

Some sort of cast SWC or TC in the 75 - 85 gr. range. I prefer penetration over expansion.

Winchester white box 71 grain FMJ flat point is what is in both magazines of my KelTec P32. I found boxes with round and some with flat points, I bought three boxes of flat points and still have about a box and change left.



But to be honest, after shooting that next to a Kahr CM9 and seeing the shotgun pattern of teeny holes from the KT and the tight group of 9mm from the CM9, I doubt I'll ever carry that .32 again.

I've got Hydrashocks in mine....

Been a while since I tested a number of different rounds, but "IF" memory serves me right, Cor-Bon had the best penetration through 3/4" pine boards. Seems like it made it through 3 and stuck in #4? Might have to test rounds again, now you've got me wondering.

BTW, I never tested the Hydrashocks.

It all depends on what 32 ACP I had. The 32 ACP for a short while was THE pocket gun round. Then the 380 started being available in the same size gun...actually the same gun. That was the end of it. Now you have little use for the 380 if you're getting a new gun because 9's of the same general size can be had. The platform to get was the Seecamp and it only took Silvertips. Beretta came out with their Bobcat then because you could not hardly get a Seecamp and they were expensive when you did. The Beretta could supposedly digest anything but never did have the reputation of the Seecamp. If I had to have one, I'd want a Seecamp and I'd fill it with the specified ammo.

I've got Gold Dots in mine but would like to hear pros/cons.

The Gold Dots are excellent expanders, but that's not what you want in a .32 ACP, IMO, because to the exact extent you achieve expansion, you lose penetration, and with a .32 ACP you are already handicapped in that department, thus you want to maximize penetration, which suggests FMJ. What good is expansion if you're not reaching the vitals?

Spot on TRH.

TRH nailed this one

Man I love this forum...I didn't know Winchester made such a thing. Thanks!!

The .32 ACP has neither size nor velocity. Since it has very little mass and low velocity, you have to pick one or the other; you don't get both...expansion or penetration. I will opt for penetration every time. Expansion does you nothing if the bullet doesn't penetrate deep enough to reach something vital. So the solids, such as the cast FP, Winchester's jacketed FP, or just standard FMJ are the way to go IMO.

Kevin, there's nothing on the outside of the box to distinguish between the round and flat, I just bought flat points by chance and then after that opened the boxes in the store to verify which kind they contained before buying them.

Something to note if you're looking for any.

I happen to think TRH nails a lot that he's not given credit for.

Any thoughts on the winchester silver tip in 32 ACP ?

Thank you fellas

See my previous post about hollow points in the .32 ACP.

The Silvertip is a reliable expander in .32 ACP; but an expanding bullet isn't a good idea in a .32 ACP IMO.

This. Good reasoning, TRH.

I have a Beretta Tomcat, 32 ACP auto that I like to carry - just because I like the handgun.

I will load it with whatever ammunition I have available, because I sometimes carry something even less,
such as a vintage Beretta 25 ACP Auto, or a new Ruger LCR 22 LR.

But other times I carry a 9MM, 40 S&W, or 357 Mag. -
So (to me) the differences in 32 ACP ammo powder loads and bullet designs don't much matter.
Just my feelings, not a recommendation.

If I want more power, I carry more gun.