[Baldanders]

When I first got my p-32, I shot worse with it than I had any other pistol in my life. I blamed the gun. A few weeks later, a friend of mine showed me it could shoot sub-2" 5 shot groups at 10 yards. I am not quite up to his level yet, but I now find the p-32 one of my favorite shooters, and I like it more with every session. The trigger has become much smoother (and lighter? hard to say) and I am shooting it far more accurately these days. I have put somewhere around 700-800 rounds through the gun. However, I still have three issues:

1) It has a FTE every now and again, particularly if I shoot it one handed. It's not "stovepiping" -- the brass is horizontal. This problem seems to be slowly resolving, but as I intend to carry it, reliable one handed operation is a must. I'm definitely not limp wristing the gun. Could a pachmyr grip help this? Or is this most likely to be an extractor issue?

2) Every 4 or five mags, it spits something at my face. My guess is unburnt powder. It happens several shots in a row. Is this a cleaning issue? I often fire 200 rounds between cleanings.

3) The sights are terrible. I'm thinking about getting the slide cerakoted with orange back sights and a white blade. How is the Crimson Trace sight?

I have been mostly shooting PPU ammo in it, but I ran into the same issues with Geco. I got it used, but I am unsure how much it was fired beforehand. It was filthy.

Any feedback will be much appreciated!

 

[midmofly]

Baldanders--I am no expert but when I got my Gen 2 P32 a few months ago, I had similar problems. (1) On the FTE I would recommend a fluff and buff (polishing) on the ammo ramp and the bullet chamber (may not be the right name)---these areas can have rough machine surfaces that can cause fte. (2) On the the spitting something at your face, I would try a different ammo---Fiocchi fmj and see if the spitting stops---I had some blow back with PPU (burnt marks down the side of the shell). (3) this gun is more a point and shoot than aim---after a few hundred rounds I have gotten pretty good at it. I put and orange dot on the front sight and 2 white dots on the rear, but rarely use them now. I would also recommend cleaning after every shooting. I am sure that the experts here will be able to give more and better advice.
Hope this helps---good luck,
Gary

 

[dsgrey]

I have some PPU & Federal in 380 that likes to spit but similar to midmofly, I bought my P32 back in the spring and have 450 rounds. Beyond the first box of ammo, I only use Fiocchi FMJ and have had zero issues since. Bright model paint works well on the minimal sights. Again, I've used paint on a 380 I own but haven't put any on the P32 since I have a laser.

 

[4given]

I have some PPU & Federal in 380 that likes to spit but similar to midmofly, I bought my P32 back in the spring and have 450 rounds. Beyond the first box of ammo, I only use Fiocchi FMJ and have had zero issues since. Bright model paint works well on the minimal sights. Again, I've used paint on a 380 I own but haven't put any on the P32 since I have a laser.

Best front sight paint out there is Salon Perfect Neon Pop "Traffic Cone" Nail Polish. I have it on all my Self Defense pistols. $4 at Walmart

 

[Baldanders]

Thanks for the responses y'all! I would like to use Fiocchi, but it is not recommended by Beretta for use in my wife's Tomcat, and I don't like keeping ammunition around that isn't kosher for all guns we have that can chamber it. Anyone have experience with Aguila in their p32?

 

[Blue_State_Saint]

I haven't shot Aguila in my P32, but I did have a squib round while shooting it in my grandfather's old Savage 1917 about four-five years ago. I haven't shot the Aguila stuff since. I use Remington 71-grain FMJ in my P32, as it seems to work when I pull the trigger.

 

[GUNMAN]

Thanks for the responses y'all! I would like to use Fiocchi, but it is not recommended by Beretta for use in my wife's Tomcat, and I don't like keeping ammunition around that isn't kosher for all guns we have that can chamber it. Anyone have experience with Aguila in their p32?

Fiocchi FMJ for break in. After break in almost any ammo will work. If you need more input do a search on this site. PPU ammo results = 67, PPU results = 250, Ammo results = 5200.

 

[Baldanders]

Thanks Gunman. I think I will be cleaning up my gun today then shooting some PPU, PMC and Winchester and seeing what happens. If I'm still getting FTEs, I think I'll order some Fiocchi and write NOT FOR TOMCAT all over the boxes and see if it fixes my issues.

 

[TxCajun]

Sellier and Ballot ammo is usually a good P32 pick.

 

[pmwizard]

I use Seller and Ballot with my gen 2 p32 and have not had either of the issues . Feeds flawlessly with no fte or stove pipes.

 

[Baldanders]

Is it better than Fiocchi? It's way higher priced at sgammo.

Had the gun slidelock on partial mag of Winchester FMJ. The top round in the mag was forced down tight. It took a bit of force to loosen it. One fte out of 64 shots of PPU, all one handed. 24 rounds PPC & 24 rounds Aguila , no failures.

 

[dsgrey]

S&B would be nice to try but looking around it's still about $6 more per box. No issue with Fiocchi red box but at least another brand to try to reliability.

 

[WildWes]

I shoot both out of my P-32's. My local indoor range won't allow my S&B rounds as they are magnetic (steel core), while the Fiocchi isn't.

 

[TxCajun]

Is it better than Fiocchi? It's way higher priced at sgammo.

It's not necessarily better - just different. Guns that are ammo-selective may do better with certain rounds due to slight variations in dimensions, materials, construction, etc.

 

[Baldanders]

Results of last shooting sesson: 100+ rounds of PPU through my p-32 (which was filthy) with no malfunctions of any kind. I think I feel fine about carrying it whenever my CCH finally goes through.
My takeaway from my experience and this thread is that my next p-32 (which seems inevitable, a backup for my EDC is a "must," right?) will get a break in with Fiocchi or other "hot" ammunition. I will probably order some Fiocchi on my next order from sgammo.com, as I might use it for carry, anyway. I'll stick with PPU for general practice, though. I can deal with the occasional "spitting" for the price and general reliability in both my p-32 and my wife's Tomcat. I'll probably order a 50 round box of S&B too, just to check it out.
Thanks for all the responses here, guys. Y'all have been informative! It's nice to be on a forum without the usual raging Internet hate for for Kel-Tecs and the usual hate of .32acp.

 

[TheLastDaze]

hmm... fte one handed sounds like limp wristing to me...

ive never had ONE single malfuntion and shoot 95% handloads with mixed headstamps with my gen2.. not one malfuntion in over 1200 rounds...

now my gen 1 however needs to be addressed, it has had a ftf but may have been user error as i may have not let it reset all the way, little different trigger on gen 1... which only has 200 rounds through it... supposedly 50 before i ownes it and it shows...

 

[TheLastDaze]

op in response to your last sentence post above... I agree, lot of internet ninjas rag on .32 but rewind a few decades ago and it was nothing to sneeze at even with sub par ammo back then... im actually looking to collect older handguns in .32 just for the novelty and fun range guns.. like cz 27, 70. colt 03 and perhaps someday a walther as well and in that order...

 

[Blue_State_Saint]

op in response to your last sentence post above... I agree, lot of internet ninjas rag on .32 but rewind a few decades ago and it was nothing to sneeze at even with sub par ammo back then... im actually looking to collect older handguns in .32 just for the novelty and fun range guns.. like cz 27, 70. colt 03 and perhaps someday a walther as well and in that order...

I remember my dad questioning my choice of the P32 when I bought it, saying, "A .32? Why not something bigger?" My response was something along these lines: "Are you volunteering to get shot with one?" He didn't answer me. Funny how that happens . . . Now, the P32 is one of four concealable handguns I have (SIG P238, Glock 42 & 43), but it is the smallest and lightest, and it was the first CC handgun I purchased. It 'blends in' better during the summer months than the other three. I shoot Remington 71-grain through it, because that seems to be the only round that the LGSes stock around me. It'll still make a hole in a BG.

 

[dsgrey]

I remember my dad questioning my choice of the P32 when I bought it, saying, "A .32? Why not something bigger?"

I was halfway watching one of those real-life murder shows on Saturday evening. Something about a woman found shot to death after a football game. Of course the ex-husband did this but what caught my attention was the narrator saying she was shot 3 times by a .32. I thought that narrows down the models and possible suspects versus a 9mm or .45. Later they showed the gun at trial and it was a Kel-Tec P32!

 

[TheLastDaze]

seems maybe 9 or so years ago any forum you'd go to there would be a corner specifically for caliber wars, all the redundant posts etc... And yours truly would chime in as well (being the respected internet warrior i was i had to drop my two cents)..

fast forward today, i have hung up my black belt and realize more civilians have been killed with a .22 than any other caliber... So those that *cough (family included) about my choice to carry the most comfortable/lightest handgun to carry in the world, i simply ignore their ignorance... I used to be bullied over a decade ago because i chose to carry 9mm exclusively, .40 was huge then and even the .45 guys were slammed for carrying a slug around.. Yes ive carried and have the 27 as well and really cant see a difference in recoil but its about capacity sometimes, besides i enjoy loading and carrying the 9mm.. Kinda the same reason i like the .32 more capacity, lighter and im just found of the cartridge to be honest...

Sure i still carry my 26 and highly doubt any new and improved subcompact will ever replace it, but for convenience i will carry my 43 and even moreso you will most likely ALWAYS find I have my little beloved P32 on me..

Concealed Carry Citizens sometimes find ourselves on a never ending road for the perfect carry gun (and manufacturers know this) kinda like an addict on the quest for the perfect high... that said i have been on the fence for years in this regard and have many subcompacts to prove it but i think in my journey im convinced i found the right system many years ago...

in hindsight i really do need to part with a few ive accumulated over the years that dont meet my criteria and first on the list to go is Kahr...

internet ninja warrior signing off...

take care,
Rob