What round for 32 ACP? - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What round for 32 ACP?

Posted: 11/15/2018 1:04:30 PM EDT

My dad recently passed away leaving my soon to be 80 year old mother home alone. At nearly 80 years old and barely 100 lbs she really isn't up for dad's 1911, but she has a Beretta 70 32 ACP that her brother gave her in 1965. It is a good gun for a little old lady. It is all steel and weighs about 23 ounces so it has very little recoil. The biggest plus is she is semi familiar with it even though she probably hasn't shot it in 30 years. I'm planning on taking it to a good local smith, and having him go over it and replace all the springs. While he is at it he can try to tune it for a given round. Any suggestion on what round? Stick with a 70 grain FMJ, good old silver tips, or a more morden round like a gold dot, hydra-shok or XTP?

Posted: 11/15/2018 1:11:47 PM EDT

[#1]

i would think with a 32 you would want a FMJ, worry more about having good penetration than expansion

Posted: 11/15/2018 1:16:42 PM EDT

[#2]

First post nails it again.

Posted: 11/15/2018 1:53:25 PM EDT

[#3]

I’d buy European FMJ as it tends to have higher velocity which more reliably cycles semi autos. Geco, S&B, PPU and maybe Fiocchi but I test a mag or two of whatever I purchased.

Posted: 11/15/2018 4:35:12 PM EDT

[#4]

Underwood Xtreme Penetrator. If not those then normal round nose FMJs.

Posted: 11/16/2018 8:21:32 AM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
Underwood Xtreme Penetrator.

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I looked at those, but I'd probably need to start a Go Fund Me page to buy enough of them to make sure they cycle reliably in a 50 year old pistol...

Posted: 11/16/2018 8:32:24 AM EDT

[#6]

FMJ. There's not enough energy to penetrate to 12” and reliably expand.

Put my MIL in a Ruger 4.5” SR-22.

Posted: 11/16/2018 8:40:46 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
I'm planning on taking it to a good local smith, and having him go over it and replace all the springs. While he is at it he can try to tune it for a given round . . .

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You must have better gunsmiths in your area that we have around here. BTW, I wouldn't bother with any springs other than perhaps the main recoil spring. Chances are that the current springs are fine and that the new replacements are not as good. I'd just clean it, run a couple of boxes of FMJ through it and call it good.

Posted: 11/16/2018 10:43:58 AM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:

You must have better gunsmiths in your area that we have around here. BTW, I wouldn't bother with any springs other than perhaps the main recoil spring. Chances are that the current springs are fine and that the new replacements are not as good. I'd just clean it, run a couple of boxes of FMJ through it and call it good.

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I don't know about in general, but there is at least one gunsmith around here with both the skills and the pride in his work to do the job.

Yea, parts are available for the model 70. I'm not sure about the quality though...

Posted: 11/16/2018 11:21:17 AM EDT

[#9]

I'm with the poster above about NOT replacing any of the original, Factory Beretta springs. Your original Beretta .32acp pistol is fine. Other than a good cleaning (by you) and maybe disassembly and cleaning of the original Factory magazines, it's going to be golden. That particular Beretta is bulletproof.

Back to the your ammo question, yes, just as others have posted before, any quality Factory European-made .32acp BALL ammo is going to work best in that Beretta. I've always had great luck with both Fiocchi and Sellier and Bellot in that caliber. Good luck.

Posted: 11/16/2018 11:40:06 AM EDT

[#10]

32 ACP HP bullets are a waste of money. Buy good ball ammo, shoot it to check reliability and leave it with her.

Posted: 11/16/2018 11:25:28 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
I looked at those, but I'd probably need to start a Go Fund Me page to buy enough of them to make sure they cycle reliably in a 50 year old pistol...

View Quote View All Quotes

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Underwood Xtreme Penetrator.

I looked at those, but I'd probably need to start a Go Fund Me page to buy enough of them to make sure they cycle reliably in a 50 year old pistol...

You are dead on there, frickin' expensive. I only cycled two boxes in my Beretta Tomcat, no FTFs, no issues at all. But it did hurt to spend that kind of money (plus shipping).

Regular ol' ball ammo is the next best.

Posted: 11/16/2018 11:58:10 PM EDT

[#12]

Do not try to use hollow point ammo in the Beretta. Due to the shorter OAL of HP ammo the gun will be susceptible to rim lock if the rounds have space to move in the magazine. ie the lower round can and will slide forward in the mag causing the semi-rimmed upper cartridge to lock the slide.

That is why there was a modification of the KelTec P32 mags called Firewire, which allowed the use of HP ammo.

As previously recommended, use European ball ammo.

Posted: 11/17/2018 1:58:46 AM EDT

[#13]

I'd say the Lehigh Extreme Cavitator load is the best .32 acp defensive load:

https://youtu.be/Lf-IF1emoJI?t=129

Posted: 11/18/2018 11:26:45 PM EDT

[#14]

FMJ, Sellier & Bellot are hotter when I chronoed them 12 years ago. Fiocchi next. PMC & Winchester are about the same. Don’t waste time on HPs.

Posted: 11/19/2018 8:51:23 AM EDT

[#15]

Turns out mom can't reliably work the slide on the Beretta. I'm going to give her a Smith model 37 as a stop gap, but recoil is more than snappy in that one so we'll be looking for something else for her. Maybe an SP 101 in 327 Federal loaded with some Black Hills 85 grain H&R magnums?

Posted: 11/19/2018 9:21:50 AM EDT

[#16]

Try looking at a s&w 351 PD

.22 WMR is a beast of a round and same size package without the harsh recoil.

Posted: 11/19/2018 10:02:01 AM EDT

[#17]

Yes, but the trigger pull is very heavy. I have ones of those, and it takes some effort to pull.

So, for an elderly woman, it may be too much for her to pull.

Posted: 11/19/2018 11:00:29 AM EDT

[#18]

https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_5_20/184200_What-round-for-Mother-In-Law-.html

Similar issue to yours, OP. She could run a Walther .380 (blowback) and the S&W Shield EZ (locked breech), but complained about the recoil of .380, likely b/c her arthritis restricts her to holding the pistol like a coke bottle. I was hoping to put her into a Kel-Tec PMR-30 .22 WMR, but she couldn't rack the slide. Finally ordered her a new Ruger SR-22 w/ the 4.5" bbl - gave her all the velocity I could w/ .22 LR 40 grn round nose while she can rack the slide AFTER cocking the hammer first.

Posted: 11/19/2018 11:15:13 AM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
Yes, but the trigger pull is very heavy. I have ones of those, and it takes some effort to pull.

So, for an elderly woman, it may be too much for her to pull.

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Yea the pull weight on the 22 revolvers I've seen pretty much rule them out in this circumstance. I've thought about one of the 4" NAA revolvers though. The trigger pull isn't supposed to be too bad with them, but tiny grip, light weight, single action, and method of reloading are all major minuses. I haven't shot one, but the little grip and really light weight probably makes them pretty snappy in the recoil department with 22 WMR.

Here is the Beretta. Pretty good shape for a 50 plus year old pistol. Dad took good care of it.

Posted: 11/19/2018 11:18:27 AM EDT

[#20]

There is a break-open NAA revolver now.

Posted: 11/19/2018 11:20:38 AM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:
https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_5_20/184200_What-round-for-Mother-In-Law-.html

Similar issue to yours, OP. She could run a Walther .380 (blowback) and the S&W Shield EZ (locked breech), but complained about the recoil of .380, likely b/c her arthritis restricts her to holding the pistol like a coke bottle. I was hoping to put her into a Kel-Tec PMR-30 .22 WMR, but she couldn't rack the slide. Finally ordered her a new Ruger SR-22 w/ the 4.5" bbl - gave her all the velocity I could w/ .22 LR 40 grn round nose while she can rack the slide AFTER cocking the hammer first.

View Quote

I've got a Browning 1911-22 that I picked up for my sweetie. I'll have to see if mom can work the action on that one. If I remember correctly pulling back the slide is easy enough. I hate to go to a 22 LR, but it's better than cursing at them...

Posted: 11/19/2018 12:18:56 PM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
There is a break-open NAA revolver now.

View Quote

I'll have to look into that. I think they make some larger grips too.

Posted: 11/19/2018 8:20:43 PM EDT

[#23]

Ditch that aftermarket Triple K magazine in your Model 70. Mine will get, on a good day with S&B ammo, about three rounds off before it jams the firearm, but with the factory Beretta mag it's as reliable as the sunrise. I don't understand how Triple K stays in business.

Oh... The Model 70 has an aluminum alloy frame, not steel.

Posted: 11/20/2018 1:25:55 AM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:
Ditch that aftermarket Triple K magazine in your Model 70. Mine will get, on a good day with S&B ammo, about three rounds off before it jams the firearm, but with the factory Beretta mag it's as reliable as the sunrise. I don't understand how Triple K stays in business.

Oh... The Model 70 has an aluminum alloy frame, not steel.

View Quote

Be happy to. If I could find one...

Posted: 11/20/2018 8:01:52 AM EDT

[#25]

I feel your pain. Been looking for another mag for my Model 70 that isn't $100+ on GunPorker, but alas, none seem to be out there at a reasonable price.

Posted: 11/20/2018 10:41:10 AM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
I feel your pain. Been looking for another mag for my Model 70 that isn't $100+ on GunPorker, but alas, none seem to be out there at a reasonable price.

View Quote

The problem with the single factory mag I have now is the base plate is broken, I don't know how or when that happened, and the spring is badly bent. I bought two of the Triple K mags with the intention of cannibalizing the base plate and spring from one of them for the factory mag.

Posted: 12/8/2018 11:13:16 PM EDT

[#27]

Look into a 3" SP101 in .327 Fed Mag.

.32H&R Mag isn't the worst load to depend on.

Posted: 12/20/2018 9:25:25 AM EDT

[#28]

Make sure she shoots the Ammo -practice and to see if it cycles for her grip

Posted: 12/20/2018 11:05:15 AM EDT

[#29]

Quote History

Quoted:
I’d buy European FMJ as it tends to have higher velocity which more reliably cycles semi autos. Geco, S&B, PPU and maybe Fiocchi but I test a mag or two of whatever I purchased.

View Quote

Posted: 12/23/2018 3:18:10 AM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:
I looked at those, but I'd probably need to start a Go Fund Me page to buy enough of them to make sure they cycle reliably in a 50 year old pistol...

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Underwood Xtreme Penetrator.

I looked at those, but I'd probably need to start a Go Fund Me page to buy enough of them to make sure they cycle reliably in a 50 year old pistol...

If it can handle +P I'd use 75gr Buffalo Bore hardcast since it has a flat nose. Or some other hardcast.

Posted: 12/23/2018 10:12:57 AM EDT

[#31]

There is no such thing as +P 32acp. according to SAAMI, or the CIP, and no 32 auto loader is certified for such a round.

You are asking for trouble shooting Buffalo Bore's hotrodded rounds in an older 32/7.65 pistol. If you want something "hotter" than the weak sauce sold by the US manufacturers, get European ammo loaded to the CIP standard.

If you feel the need for something hotter than that, buy a 9mm.

Posted: 6/6/2019 12:49:30 PM EDT

[#32]

Quote History

Quoted:
FMJ, Sellier & Bellot are hotter when I chronoed them 12 years ago. Fiocchi next. PMC & Winchester are about the same. Don’t waste time on HPs.

View Quote

Haven't chrono'd anything, but the S&B ammo definitely feels hotter than PPU and Geco. The Fiocchi "feels" somewhere in between. The S&B is usually the most expensive though.

Posted: 6/13/2019 10:00:20 PM EDT

[#33]

The Keltec forum recommends Fiocchi for the P32, the reason being the cartridge has a slightly deeper groove for the ejector to grip.

Posted: 6/14/2019 4:40:01 AM EDT

[#34]

I think the .32 acp has been covered - Underwood XD, or FMJ.

That said, I would personally go a different direction - ulta low recoil 9mm.

CZ P07 is one of the lowest recoil 9x19's, holds 15+1, with a nice safe DA/SA trigger suitable for keeping in a nightstand.

Then to keep recoil to the bare minimum, get some 65gr 9x19. Either the 65gr Lehigh Extreme Defense, or 65gr Polycase.

https://www.underwoodammo.com/products/9mm-luger-65-grain-xtreme-defender?variant=18785699037241

65gr @ 1700fps = Power Factor 110

By comparison, regular 9mm ball

124gr @ 1150fps = Power Factor 142

The 65gr will provide a low recoil option with substantially more fight ending probability, as well as more capacity, and likely better reliability as well.

Posted: 6/14/2019 7:48:42 AM EDT

[#35]

Quote History

Quoted:
I think the .32 acp has been covered - Underwood XD, or FMJ.

That said, I would personally go a different direction - ulta low recoil 9mm.

CZ P07 is one of the lowest recoil 9x19's, holds 15+1, with a nice safe DA/SA trigger suitable for keeping in a nightstand.

Then to keep recoil to the bare minimum, get some 65gr 9x19. Either the 65gr Lehigh Extreme Defense, or 65gr Polycase.

https://www.underwoodammo.com/products/9mm-luger-65-grain-xtreme-defender?variant=18785699037241

65gr @ 1700fps = Power Factor 110

By comparison, regular 9mm ball

124gr @ 1150fps = Power Factor 142

The 65gr will provide a low recoil option with substantially more fight ending probability, as well as more capacity, and likely better reliability as well.

View Quote

I doubt those rounds are going to do anything more than .380 FMJ, but they would probably be more reliable than .32.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What round for 32 ACP?

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