Would you carry 32?

[92ThoStro]

I have read the other posts lately about 22lr and the .25 ACP I was wondering what your thoughts on a 32 S&W long would be out of a 3" barrel. The gun is a Rossi Model 69, it has been reliable so far, so I am comfortable carrying it. But it is also the only handgun I have. Can it penetrate bone? Go through someones arm and hit their chest? Effective in the chest or head?

It does seem to be able to go through wooden posts good enough.

 

[rnmcguire]

.32 is a decent round in my opinion. It's better than nothing so if it was the only thing I had I'd carry it. .32 was a popular police cartridge in the early 1900's.

 

[shawnba67]

Placement and bullet design mean more than caliber, that being said 32s+w IS better than a rock and a shout. I would never recomend it as a first choice though.Not enough energy to reliably penetrate AND expand. If you pick penetrate your delivering very small holes, expand and youll be delivering very shallow wounds??? Likely no on the bones either way. See placement above and practice well you have no built in margin of error.

 

[Colt556]

Carried a Walther PP in 7.65 (32ACP) a number of years ago loaded with Winchester Silvertips and did not feel under armed by any means. The 32 can be used effectively, just ask the millions of it's victims in WWII.

 

[wtfd661]

Yes I would, especially since you stated its your only handgun.

 

[Jacobm]

I've got an old .32 s&w my grandfather shot a guy with back during the depression. Gramps worked as a security guard and said it didn't kill the guy but he lost all desire to fight.

Not a first choice but way better than nothing.

 

[IndyDave1776]

You are bringing us back to the same point we always reach in a "would you carry a...?" thread: A rock or sharp stick is better than an empty hand. Ditto for a baseball bat or a pick handle or a knife. Any gun is better than an empty hand, although some are better than others. The best gun for you to carry today is the one you have. I will gladly take a .45, a .357, a 9 mm, or a .38 over a .32, but would much rather have a .32 than a fist and a litany of curse words. This same advice could apply to most any caliber that would lead a person to ask the question.

 

[chezuki]

You are bringing us back to the same point we always reach in a "would you carry a...?" thread: A rock or sharp stick is better than an empty hand. Ditto for a baseball bat or a pick handle or a knife. Any gun is better than an empty hand, although some are better than others. The best gun for you to carry today is the one you have. I will gladly take a .45, a .357, a 9 mm, or a .38 over a .32, but would much rather have a .32 than a fist and a litany of curse words. This same advice could apply to most any caliber that would lead a person to ask the question.

Sticky this!

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[BehindBlueI's]

A .32 is very borderline for me. I've never carried anything smaller than a .380.

It is a fairly uncommon cartridge and I have no first hand experience with victims that I know were shot with a .32, so I don't have much to add to the conversation.

 

[92ThoStro]

Thanks for the responses. Has anyone ever seen any 32 long (or even short) rounds in a brick and mortar store? I have seen them online, but have not ordered any yet. Just have what came with the gun still.
Price of ammo aside, so you would think the 32 long is adequate enough as a carry piece, until I get another? I did not mean to make a post implying it was 32 or nothing. I was thinking more along the lines of, would you take a 32 long Rossi revolver over a high point c9? Or other cheaper semi autos in the same price range? And is it an effective caliber for self defense? It is good to know it is "decent " and "borderline" or "alright" or "effective", instead of "no" or "definitely not"

I am saving up, looking at glocks and sigs in 9mm. I do recall seeing most people on here telling others to carry the biggest caliber you can handle. I have never shot a 45acp, but I will put that one on the list as well. And I know it all comes down to what fits and shoots best for me, so I need to try a lot out.

My parents do have something called a Tanfoglio, which I have never heard of. I have shot it before, and it does jam, more often than I think a gun should, but it is extremely accurate. Maybe it needs to be cleaned and lubed really good, which I don't have much experience outside of shotguns.
Or we possibly used the wrong ammo, or ammo the gun didn't like.
It is really hard to field strip as well, I have to put on gloves and put a LOT of force into getting the slide off. They load it with .380 AUTO remington. I looked online and it seems like it takes 38 super? What is the difference between .380 auto and 38 super? I don't know if this gun is in the 100-200 price range as well. The gun is all black. Didn't get many hits on " Tanfoglio 38" other than the "Witness which seemed like a $500 gun. They paid no more than 100 for it from a friend.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Thanks for the responses. Has anyone ever seen any 32 long (or even short) rounds in a brick and mortar store? I have seen them online, but have not ordered any yet. Just have what came with the gun still.
Price of ammo aside, so you would think the 32 long is adequate enough as a carry piece, until I get another? I did not mean to make a post implying it was 32 or nothing. I was thinking more along the lines of, would you take a 32 long Rossi revolver over a high point c9? Or other cheaper semi autos in the same price range?

I am saving up, looking at glocks and sigs in 9mm. I do recall seeing most people on here telling others to carry the biggest caliber you can handle. I have never shot a 45acp, but I will put that one on the list as well. And I know it all comes down to what fits and shoots best for me, so I need to try a lot out.

My parents do have something called a Tanfoglio, which I have never heard of. I have shot it before, and it does jam, more often than I think a gun should, but it is extremely accurate. Maybe it needs to be cleaned and lubed really good, which I don't have much experience outside of shotguns, or we used the wrong ammo. it is really hard to field strip as well, I have to put on gloves and put a LOT of force into getting the slide off. They load it with .380 AUTO remington. I looked online and it seems like it takes 38 super? What is the difference between .380 auto and 38 super? I don't know if this gun is in the 100-200 price range as well.

.380 and .38 super are two entirely different things and do not interchange! If in doubt, take the gun to the shop with you before taking a chance on the potential catastrophic failure you could be inviting here.

My advice is to stick with the reliable weapon you have until you can trade up to something more suitable, and when you do, buy a quality weapon, not a damned HiPoint. Unless you are either a very petite woman or a midget, I would not worry about recoil from a .45 ACP.

 

[mj.elder]

James bond swore by it. It's a fair round all things considered. nothing wrong with it at all.

 

[92ThoStro]

Thanks, will stick with it.



Well it does fire .380 Auto ( I kept one of the cartridges ) but does jam a couple times per box of 50. So I guess it isn't 38 super if they are not interchangeable.
I didn't buy the ammo, they just had the ammo, and said it's a 38 * but ammo was .380 auto on the box *
I know it is a Tanfoglio, but the only thing I could find online was the Tanfoglio EAA Witness thing in 38 super.
So if they are not interchangeable, then I was looking at the wrong gun online. It seems there isn't that much info on Tanfoglio? I don't have the gun, so I can't look for model numbers. I just know what it fires, the brand, and the color. The EAA Witness looked identical.

James bond swore by it. It's a fair round all things considered. nothing wrong with it at all.

Awesome, thanks

 

[Delmar]

.380 and .38 super are two entirely different things and do not interchange! If in doubt, take the gun to the shop with you before taking a chance on the potential catastrophic failure you could be inviting here.

My advice is to stick with the reliable weapon you have until you can trade up to something more suitable, and when you do, buy a quality weapon, not a damned HiPoint. Unless you are either a very petite woman or a midget, I would not worry about recoil from a .45 ACP.

My Hi Point .45 goes bang every time I squeeze the trigger and a 230 grain bullet has as much inertia coming out of it, as it does out of a 1911 or a Glock!

 

[chilly2477]

Used to carry a .32 derringer til I lost the damn little thing in the woods.

 

[92ThoStro]

Used to carry a .32 derringer til I lost the damn little thing in the woods.

That's horrible I lost a good knife like that once, in the woods without a flashlight and I dropped it. I could not find it anywhere! I looked forever, came back the next morning in the daylight, and it wasn't there either!

 

[IndyDave1776]

My Hi Point .45 goes bang every time I squeeze the trigger and a 230 grain bullet has as much inertia coming out of it, as it does out of a 1911 or a Glock!

True enough, but I prefer a locked breech weapon that relies on engineering and metallurgy rather than sheer mass. Besides, the way the thing is built, I would imagine that it is very difficult to conceal compared with a 1911.

 

[Fredo]

I have a .32 S&W long H&R Revolver. It shoots really good.
Here's some ballistic data on it. The .32 S&W Long: A Handgun Hunter's Perspective - By Glen E. Fryxell

 

[warren5421]

I carry a 1903 Colt Hammerless .32 ACP, have for 20 years. I use BuffaloBore +P 75 gr Hardcast FN. For the .32S&W I would use lead for the .32-20loaded to the max. Don't use HP's as they don't work as well as solids loadmax. Go to Buffalo Bore sight and see if they offer rounds for the .32 S&W.Read the blog on small caliber rounds.

 

[92ThoStro]

Thanks to both of you for the link and leads!