[Ocean_Ranger]

A recent article by Chris Baker ( The Frustrating Search for a Double Action Carry Pistol - Lucky Gunner Lounge ) recommends the Kel-Tec P32:

"Among the few DAO hammer-fired semi-autos still in production, most are pocket pistols or budget guns of questionable quality. For a DAO pocket pistol, the Keltec P32 and the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard would be at the top of my list."

Happy P32 owners know why...

 

[mark40]

Happy P32 owners know why...

You bet and thank for the heads up about the article. Had one of the little gems out to the range today.

 

[gonzogeezer]

I didn’t need his recommendation to convince me to carry mine every day. But it is nice to see some positive press.

 

[Charley]

My wife has .been carrying a P32 for several years now. Loves it.

 

[autofull]

i have three, two from year one of production. mine work great and i carry them. best piece out there.

 

[smittyinva]

The P32 in a pocket holster is a great little CCW.

 

[autofull]

The P32 in a pocket holster is a great little CCW.

how could i not agree with that statement.

 

[darkwriter77]

As of yet, there hasn't been a whole lotta competition for the P32. The only other .32 ACP pistols I know of in its size category are the Beretta Tomcat (MUCH thicker, more expensive, a bit heavier, and prone to frame crack failures) and the Seecamp 32/North American Arms Guardian 32 (both similar in design and VERY heavy, being all stainless steel, and much more expensive). Also, the P32 is the only one using a locked-breech/short-recoil design like conventional full-sized pistols, making it a very soft shooter, whereas all of the others made by competitors use blowback designs, which tend to make them heavier and have more felt recoil (although still quite mild). So really, at the moment, Kel-Tec kinda has the market cornered as far as itty-bitty .32 ACP pistols go.

That said, I still feel like KT is going to end production of the P32 eventually, perhaps sooner rather than later, as they've already killed off other models in their lineup (P11, PF9, P3AT) in favor of newer designs (P15) and due to slumping sales. The .32 ACP cartridge isn't exactly a hot rod of a round, being quite small and slow and lightweight compared even to .380 ACP, and anything but FMJ is inadequate to reach minimum penetration depth, so .32 ACP pistols aren't exactly hot sellers, in general. I don't imagine it'll take a lot to convince KT to kill off the P32 for that reason alone - not enough demand to justify continuing production.

 

[autofull]

As of yet, there hasn't been a whole lotta competition for the P32. The only other .32 ACP pistols I know of in its size category are the Beretta Tomcat (MUCH thicker, more expensive, a bit heavier, and prone to frame crack failures) and the Seecamp 32/North American Arms Guardian 32 (both similar in design and VERY heavy, being all stainless steel, and much more expensive). Also, the P32 is the only one using a locked-breech/short-recoil design like conventional full-sized pistols, making it a very soft shooter, whereas all of the others made by competitors use blowback designs, which tend to make them heavier and have more felt recoil (although still quite mild). So really, at the moment, Kel-Tec kinda has the market cornered as far as itty-bitty .32 ACP pistols go.

That said, I still feel like KT is going to end production of the P32 eventually, perhaps sooner rather than later, as they've already killed off other models in their lineup (P11, PF9, P3AT) in favor of newer designs (P15) and due to slumping sales. The .32 ACP cartridge isn't exactly a hot rod of a round, being quite small and slow and lightweight compared even to .380 ACP, and anything but FMJ is inadequate to reach minimum penetration depth, so .32 ACP pistols aren't exactly hot sellers, in general. I don't imagine it'll take a lot to convince KT to kill off the P32 for that reason alone - not enough demand to justify continuing production.

im happy to report i own three full functioning p-32s and im an old man so it should work out.

 

[Vigilant24]

That said, I still feel like KT is going to end production of the P32 eventually, perhaps sooner rather than later, as they've already killed off other models in their lineup (P11, PF9, P3AT) in favor of newer designs (P15) and due to slumping sales.
... I don't imagine it'll take a lot to convince KT to kill off the P32 for that reason alone - not enough demand to justify continuing production.

I'm a bit worried about that, too. OTOH, they are still producing them, and they sell out quickly when a batch hits the streets. Because this is a unique gun (combintion of concealability, shootability, reliability), I am hopeful it will remain in demand and in production. Honestly, the pandemic/gun prices today show that there's room in the market for KT to raise their wholesale price on the gun, and they can reap the benefit rather than having as much go to retailers and others in "the chain."

The political environment is unpredictable. One "event" might induce restrictions that we can't anticipate now. Having a diverse product line can help KT weather the storm. They already own the tooling, the item has a good reputation, and there's zero competition from other manufacturers, allowing KT some "pricing power." I don't want to pay more for my next one, but that would be better than not having them produced.

RE the OP: Lucky Gunner has given good reviews to the P32, and they aren't kind to everyone. Chris Baker also appreciates the >32 ACP cartridge. It's not perfect, but it performs a function very well. As Baker has said in the past: their sales of .32 ammo indicate that owners of the .32 ACP guns shoot them a lot more than owners of .380 pistols, in general. More shooting= more proficient.

 

[buzzsaw]

The .32 ACP case is as long as a .380's. FWIW, John Moses Browning considered it his favorite cartridge even though he also developed the .380 ACP and the .45 ACP, among others.

.32 ACP fmj rounds do more damage to the human body than one might expect from their low power and lack of expansion. The bullets tend to tumble and bounce around in the thoracic cavity, cutting and dinging important stuff like large blood vessels, the heart and even the spinal cord instead of just passing through like more powerful fmj rounds.

The P32 is reliable, easy to carry and easy to shoot. I have always preferred it to the P3AT because of the reliability and lower recoil. Apparently, I'm not the only one.

buzzsaw

 

[streetprowler]

I've had one in my pocket for I can't tell you how many years. Never failed yet on the range.