.32 or .380...."Reliability" only

[Lavan]

In GENERAL, which will have most feed problems?
I'd ..suspect... .380 due to case proportions.

Any experiences considered.

I want a smaller caliber for CCW and accuracy also has to be sufficient for 3-4" groups at 15 yds which is our qual distance here in Sacramento.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Cheapshooter]

I haven't had one FTF with my 380 LCP in over 500 rounds. Mostly practice with FMJ ammo, but also HP, and Critical Defense in testing for CCW ammo.
I have had a few jams with my only other 380. That is a Beretta M34 C&R.
My only 32's are a French Manurhin Walther PP, and a CZ50. I don't shoot them very often, but i don't remember any problems with either.

 

[carguychris]

Some .32ACP guns can suffer rimlock or double-feed problems due to the fact that the cartridge is semi-rimmed, i.e. the rim protrudes past the case, it just protrudes much less than a traditional revolver-style case rim does.

.32ACP pistol magazines categorically have to be loaded very carefully to ensure that the rim of each cartridge is in front of the rim below it.

That said, most modern .32ACP firearms are perfectly reliable if this precaution is followed, but some .32ACP firearms may have problems with rims shifting around during firing due to worn parts or other malfunctions. (Frankly, some older .32ACP pistols were poorly designed from the get-go, and don't really ever function properly even if all the internal bits are in good working order! )

The .380ACP / 9mm Browning Short case is rimless and therefore does not have this problem.

 

[Carry_24/7]

No issues with my LCP. I've never owned a .32, but have fired other folks; no issues there either.

As a matter of fact, the only pistol I've ever owned that had any failures worth talking about was my Glock 19, which was picky with cheapy range ammo. But then again, I never judge a guns reliability with anything other than what I would use in defense.

 

[micromontenegro]

In my experience, the 380 is more reliable, probably due to the .32 semi rimed case. An exception would be the Walther PP series, in which .32s seem to be more reliable than 380s, again in my limited experience.

 

[dsk]

The semi-rimmed .32ACP almost never has a problem with rim-lock as long as you're using full-length FMJ rounds. The problem usually manifests itself when you use shorter JHP ammo, which can shift back and forth inside the magazine and allow the rim of the top round to catch behind the rim of the round directly underneath. You need to keep with the maximum OAL somehow or else put a spacer inside the mag if you're using short OAL ammo.

 

[Webleymkv]

Both cartridges have potential issues which, under the right circumstances, can compromise reliability. As has been mentioned, the semi-rimmed case of the .32 ACP can cause rimlock if cartridges with a shorter OAL, as is the case with many JHP's, is used in a magazine long enough to accommodate normal RN 71-73gr FMJ.

.380, on the other hand, can be more prone to malfunction in small, light pistols which are sensitive to the firmness of grip because it has more recoil than .32 ACP does. A firsthand example of this that I've seen is with two similar Walther pistols. My dad had a PPK/s .380 which would have chronic malfunctions unless held with a death grip so tight that the shooter experienced slide and hammer bite. My own PP .32, however, has no such issue and only seems to have problems when loaded with weakly loaded ammo like Winchester White Box (it has no issues with S&B, Prvi Partizan, Magtech, American Eagle, UMC, Fiocchi, or Winchester Silvertip).

 

[MphsTiger1981]

I've owned several of the small .380s and the small .32 acps. I found the .32 to be the perfect take it everywhere you can legally go pocket gun. The two I owned were both Kel-Tec P32s. The recoil of the .32 is very manageable, whereas the .380 is not as comfortable to shoot for some who may be recoil sensitive to such a small gun. If I was going to buy one of the two tomorrow, it would be another KT P32.

 

[Buckeye!]

Bersa Thunder 380 7 shot single stack...this is a great 380 caliber pistol...feeds very well...alot of the time with smaller striker fired pistols you may have feeding problems with different types of ammo.....alot of fellows I know who carry these small striker fired pocket pistol only trust FMJ ammo....the Bersa will be bigger heavier ..but they tend to be alot less finicky about ammo...

I lean toward light weight J frame(or J frame size handguns) in 38 Spl. caliber..they are easily concealed and are tried and true...and I feel more comfortable carrying a handgun that handles the 38 Spl. ammo

 

[mrt949]

Had rimlock with my kt p32 .But kt made a spacer to put in the mag to stop the problem. SEECAMP mags already have this upgrade built in. I like the 32.

 

[lamarw]

I have a Beretta Tomcat (.32 ACP) and a Beretta 85 Cheetah (.380) and both are reliable. I did have some problems with my Bersa Thunder .380. So, I would be more concerned about the manufacturer than the caliber as far as reliability.

In my opinion the .380 is a much easier round to reload than the .32.

 

[Kreyzhorse]

I have fired a .32 Tomcat extensively and haven't seen any feed problems. My Ruger .380 has been 100% reliable with all types of ammo so I can't say that either cartridge is really prone to issues based on my experience.

I'd say in general, both will feed fine assuming you buy a well made gun.

Since you mentioned that you want this gun for CCW, the .380 is a better SD round that the .32 based on energy. That will equal better pentration and a bigger hole, both of which you want in self defense.

 

[WildBill45]

In GENERAL, which will have most feed problems?
I'd ..suspect... .380 due to case proportions.

I think you hit the nail on the head! In my experiences with ALL of my 380's over the years, as I have owned almost all the big names to carry as a backup in my body armor ... Walther's, Mauser, Sig, etc ... they all had issues!

My Seecamp .32 had very few issues, but was not fired often!

 

[Gazpacho]

Reliability issues aside, accuracy is generally a matter of technique, given a quality firearm.

I have fired a good number of "inaccurate" firearms and got acceptable combat accuracy, with no prior experiene with that particular weapon.

4" groups at 15 yards is doable under slow fire conditions, but I would expect that to expand to at least 40" if I was trying to save my life. I'm primarily a recreational shooter, so I would say my expectations are reasonable.

 

[gyvel]

.32 autos have long been a favorite of mine and I have collected dozens of them over the decades, yet I have never had the rim lock problem with any of them. That includes the Spanish junkers, too.

My .380s are less prolific, but my "shooters" include a couple Walther PPs, a Colt Pocket M, a CZ 24, and a few Beretta 34s. All of them have performed admirably.

 

[Qtiphky]

I have a Walther PPK/ss in 380 and carry it every day. I love it and the only time I had a feed/eject problem was in developing my own hand loads for practice. I started low and worked up and the starting loads wouldn't cycle the action. Since then, no probs. As far as accuracy, I draw and the gun just naturally goes where it is supposed to for me. Four inch groups at 15 yards for me with this gun is no problem, even in quick double taps. YMMV.