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Hottest ammo for P-32. P3AT

7K views 17 replies 15 participants last post by  Hvymax 
#1 ·
What is the hottest ammo (.32 and .380) that these guns can handle without excessive wear - either suggested by KelTec or actual experience?
I’m guessing this question may have been asked before but I could not find a way to search for that.
 
#3 ·
I hesitate to mention buffalo bore 380. But I haven't shot a LOT of it and none in the p3 ... I have shot it in other guns and have tried their other calibers. Its expensive and I wouldn't shoot the stuff in volumes that damage the gun because of price, but if money were no object I still wouldn't use it all the time for fear (unfounded maybe) of wear and tear.

For most guns, if you put a 15-25% stouter recoil spring, you can run hot without too much damage. Still a little harder on it, but most of the damage from pounding is the slide being thrown too hard. I still don't recommend this approach, but if you go there, consider the spring.
 
#4 ·
I run the Buffalo Bore hard cast for carry. It has about 200 ft lb energy compared to 120 or so for the others. The flat nose does more damage than fmj. The barrel is too short to develop enough speed for hollow points to expand.
I run Fiocchi, S&B, or Geco for mag change drills or just shooting targets.
 
#10 ·
I use Remington 71-grain FMJs, and I've found that they go bang when I pull the trigger every time, which is what one needs in a self-defense load. They aren't the hottest, but they do work for me. Also, and this is a consideration, most of the retailers around me only have the 71-grain Remington round as the only .32 ACP loading they sell. I'm sure that, if I special ordered, I could get the S&B load, but I take what is available and use it.
 
#11 ·
In addition to the great advice already mentioned, the P32 is more limited than the 380. With the 32, I would just stick with the Fiocchi, Geco, or S&B round nose. Hot and reliable and does the job. As much as I prefer flat nose (even over hollow points), they don't cycle well in the P32. I even did the mag mod with a wire in the back to push the "shorter" bullets forward to prevent rimlock, but with Buffalo Bore 32 acp flat noses, they push up the slide catch prematurely.
The 380 has much more offerings out there, in addition to the already said brands, I would look at Underwood ammo, they have some of the best stuff out there.
 
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