Best 32 Pistol

sledge

sledge

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
141   0   0
Location
Ottawa
My wife seems most comfortable with a 32 pistol and I want to get something for her that will be a good shooter. Accurate, reliable, and most importantly - fun.
Any thoughts on what you guys would recommend? I have 12.6 so no problem getting an older surplus 32. Thought the Beretta 34 may be something to look at but never fired or handled one.
Thoughts?
 
Personally, my two favs in .32ACP's are:

Hammer/double action: Walther PP.

2008-01-19_134932_WaltherPP.jpg


Hammerless/single action: Colt 1903.

2008-01-19_134849_z1903Colta1a.jpg


Both are 12(6), though....

It's easy to get spare mags for the Walther PP.

Spare original mags for the Colt 1903 are very hard to come by.

I've owned/handled/shot the Beretta 1934 .32 ACP as well [it is a hammer/single action]. Not a bad choice but the two above still trump it for me. Plus spare mags might be an issue, too.

:canadaFlag:
-------------
NAA.
 
Skip the Beretta and the Llama.

I'd give the Colt and FN/Browning 1922 even marks, the 1922 will of course be much cheaper. Skip the FN 1910 unless you can find the target (1955?) version with big sights.

+1 Walther PP, excellent choice
NAA's lovely pre-war example will have a smoother action and lighter trigger, typically, than the later (ULM marked) pistols made after the war.

+1 Savage 1907, surprisingly accurate (at least mine is) and 10 shot. Still gives the illusion of an external hammer, and is very Art Deco.

The PPK in .22 (or even the PP) is a treat and will not bite the web of your hand (smaller people won't suffer this) if you forget to touch your thumb to your non-trigger fingers to pull down your hand a bit... If you want more blast, switch to stingers.

It's a shame you're so far away, I love taking the .32 pistols to the range and I don't think there's one on this list I don't have... Hence the "skip the ..." advice.

If you're on a budget, I have a clunky little single action MAB that cost less than $100, and that shoots quite well too. I can dig it out and take a picture and get a model number if you're on a tight budget, there are plenty out there, but you really can't be too poor if you're going to burn .32 ACP at the range in any quantity.
 
I've never shot the Beretta, but all of these older .32's are from a different era, solid craftsmanship.
I'm with the PP or PPK folks. I don't shoot my .32 as much anymore as I don't reload it (I reload the .380 though). They look right and more importantly, feel right to me. If you're ever out the Toronto way, actually a little further north, you could try out my Walthers to see if they fit. Who wouldn't want James Bond's gun?

Cheers, Will
 
I lived in the US for many years and had a carry permit. For part of that time I carried a PPK and for some years, before moving to Canada, I carried a Seecamp 32. The PPK was much easier to shoot, but it has a very stiff double action trigger. I think if your wife wants to carry a pistol with a round chambered, the PPK or one of its clones is about as good as it gets, but really requires a fair amount of practice to make a first shot, double action hit. Guns that need to be cocked usually are better off without a round in the chamber, even if they have external hammers like the Beretta. Then you have to practice the cocking motion. But they're much easier to learn for first shot/first hit probability. My wife did not "carry", but she liked to shoot a Colt 1903 in .32 and a Remington 51 in .32 because she could shoot them pretty accurately. Of guns of that era, I liked the Savage 1907 because of the magazine capacity, but the gun I shot most accurately was the Remington 51, maybe because I have small hands.
 
Well I have 4,

A Beretta Model 70, a Cz 50, a Cz70 and a Walter PPK.

They are all good but if I had to pick one, it would be the PPK.
 
Guys - thanks for the good advice.
Shooting a 12.6 prohib is no problem as I have the license and ATT for it. My wife only shoots with me surpervising.
I have a Mab D but the mags seem to have issues loading. I also own a Browning 22 but it also has some reliability issues.
I love the PPK and yeah I am a big James Bond fan, but it is a pricey handgun.
I have heard talk about the 1903 Colt Hammerless and I must confess I am wondering what all the talk is about - seems i have to shoot it to find out.
The CZ 50 or 70 also seems like a decent shooter, and a lot less than a PPK.
Of course 32 ammo is pricey but I am reloading it and it is as cheap to reload as 9mm once you get into it. Also hoping a handload recipe may cure the jamming issues of my Mab and FN 22.
We do have a 22LR pistol but in her words "this is not big enough". Insert any joke you want. She wants a larger calibre but 9mm is too much for her to handle. Ok, no more jokes. :)
 
sledge said:
We do have a 22LR pistol but in her words "this is not big enough". Insert any joke you want. She wants a larger calibre but 9mm is too much for her to handle. Ok, no more jokes. :)
Click to expand...

If she wants something big without the recoil, how about getting her a revolver? Someone let me try a .357 magnum this weekend loaded down with light .38 loads @650 fps. It was accurate and functioned perfectly even though it only felt like I was shooting a .32 acp. Something like that doesn't have the stigma of being a purse-gun plus with a longer barrel you can transfer it to her when she gets her own RPAL. ;)
 
Sledge - I've got a MAB D, that I am positive was manufactured in 1945, but of course it's very difficult to prove that based on serial numbers alone for the MAB D as a result of renumbering completed after the war.

It shoots good, but I haven't had it out for some time. If you think you want it - maybe it will feed better than what you have now - shoot me a PM and it will be easy to work something out. I'd rather have it used, than sit in the safe.
 
Check the index of the barrel and slide of the MAB. Then buy a 380 bbl with the same index and magazines. Best of both worlds. If defense is the issue 380 is better than 32.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom