.32 for self defense

[jbwk254]

My wife and I have been looking at pocket guns for her to carry. She has held all the .380 guns and liked the tcp the best until our local gun store showed her a seecamp. Beautiful gun and she loved how small it was. They had both the 380 and .32 version but there is a huge price difference. I asked over at the see camp forum and they pretty much all suggested the .32 over the 380. From my searching online it seems the differences are negligible. Any thoughts?

Please no suggestions of going 9mm or bigger. She will not dress for the gun or carry it in her purse.

[FCRPhila]

Your wife needs to carry no less than .45ACP!


My personal advice is to not go below .380ACP, but the best advice that I have heard is carry the smallest gun in the biggest caliber you can be competent with. So try and find a place where your wife can try both. If she sucks with the .380 but is sharp shooting with the .32, then you have your answer and vice versa. I wouldn't want to use a .32, but that is just me.

All of the above is my opinion, worth every penny you paid for it

[Pkspawn]

There are handful of news articles where a 22 was enough to save a life or take one.

Find out which she can handle better, shoot better and she is more willing to carry. If we all suggest that 380 is better, but she isn't willing to carry a 380.. Then there is no point.. Go with what works for her.

Try and rent one, or find someone that would let her shoot theirs and see how she likes it..

Then practice, practice, practice..

How many people have been shot and complained about the bullet type or caliber chosen?

[65mustang]

Nothing wrong with a 32, I carry a Keltec P32 most of the time. It is a good shooting gun for it's size. I think it packs a good punch for a smaller caliber. Many will dispute this but I wonder how many have actually shot a 32.
I had a Beretta Tomcat and was good until the frame cracked. Now the Keltecs won me over not being afraid to lifetime warranty their products.
However, if I go somewhere higher risk I usually take my Keltec PF9 9mm (some people claim this is inadequate as well).

I have not heard any bad on the Seecamps. You also may want to check out NAA Guardians which also come in 32 and 380. They are very close to Seecamp but at a lesser price

[spblademaker]

I know that I wouldn't enjoy being shot with a 32.

[Hawk]

Regardless of what pocket pistol you buy her, make sure she can rack the slide. I like the Keltec P-32. Smallest-lightest 32 out there.

[K.C.]

I'd go with the 380, the 32 caliber is too expensive to shoot for my taste. Having said that, If it were my wife 32 beats a blank.

[Brian Ahearn]

My wife current range pistol is the Cz 83 in 32 acp could be carried but they are on the larger end of the small carry guns. She does not like the recoil of larger pistols ,she will probably end up with a Bersa thunder in 32 acp for carry, holds 10 rounds ought to get the job done. There is no sense in getting anything larger if she can't actually hit a target with it. Go as large a caliber as she can handle and accurately shoot with. Brian/EFR p.s. A smaller caliber will always be better than no gun at all if they can't handle 380 ,9mm and up it will give them a fighting chance if they are well trained in how to use it. Key here is range time and some training!

[CHEMICAL]

A .32 is better than nothing. My wife carried an Inox Beretta Tomcat for years.

[theduke]

If it isnt my P11 on my hip, its a P32 in my pocket. The P32 is good to shoot. My niece and step daughter both liked the P32.

And to what has already been said, I wouldnt want to be shot with a 32!