Any pocket pistol advice?

[armedleo]

Would like some advise on a .32 cal pocket pistol. Any recommendations on which gun maker I should check out? Any ones I should stay away from? Is there a price range I should look to stay within and feel comfortable about quality?

 

[Skans]

NAA .32 or Seecamp .32 - both pretty good makers. You can find nice Seecamps for about $400; nice used NAA's for about $300.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Both the Seecamp and NAA are good guns, but they are heavy-especially the NAA.
I prefer the Keltec P32. It's the thinnest, lightest .32 ever made. Everyone in my home carries one. I have carried one for 16+ years.

 

[armedleo]

Thank you for the advise.

 

[JERRYS.]

ive had many, beretta tomcat, kt p32, naa guardian... I now have two LWS32s.

 

[armedleo]

So, from your experience, do you have any preference among the Tomcat, NAA, Kel Tec, and Seecamp?

 

[Sharkbite]

I have a Keltec in 380. Fractionally bigger then the 32, and it just disappears in pocket carry. I even carry it in the gym.... Love the gun.

Very reliable, ultra concealable and for its intended purposes easy to shoot

 

[tallball]

32 H&R magnum revolvers are significantly more effective than 32acp. Some of them are small enough for pocket carry.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

No .32 magnum revolver is anywhere near the size of any of the mentioned automatics. The revolvers are the same size as .38 SPL/.357 magnum revolvers.
I own a NAA .32, a Tomcat, a Browning 1910, 2 P3ATs, and 5 Keltec P32s.
I have more guns than many gun shops. I can afford any gun I want. I and mine carry P32s.

 

[michael t]

Have 4 KelTec P-32 in my house wife, 2 daughter's ,and my self, Mine oldest. All of them been totally reliable. I will add another as soon as youngest get her permit.

 

[armedleo]

I was narrowing my search between two: Kel Tec P32 and the Tomcat. I am leaning toward the Kel Tec. Since reading your suggestions I went and did some more research. Is this cracked frame issue in the Tomcat still a concern in current models? Yikes!

 

[franco45]

I just gave my older model Tomcat to my nephew (no frame crack). I kept my P32.

 

[DA/SA Fan]

No cracked frame in my wide slide Tomcat. I have carried it in my pocket on occasion but I find that it's way too easy to carry a real gun IWB. Right now that's a SAR B6PC but will be upgraded to a Witness 10mm compact polymer in the future.

I like my Tomcat a lot. It has a nice trigger and I like the DA/SA rather than the DAO of other pocket guns but it's a a little heavy for a pocket carry. If I ever feel the need to have a real pocket gun again it will be a Kel-Tec P32.

 

[dannyb]

When pocket carrying .32 acp, I carry an NAA Guardian. I had Seecamps but didn't like the magazine restrictor for hollow points only and no sights at all. I had a Tomcat but didn't like the change in trigger between the DA first shot and SA second shot; the trigger creep was so long in the second shot that I thought that I had a misfire of some kind until I got used to it. The NAA was easy to carry, reliable, not ammo finicky, relatively easy to strip and clean, and disappeared in a front pants pocket.

Currently I carry a Beretta Pico.

 

[armedleo]

What caliber is the Pico? And, if I may ask, why have you chosen to carry the Pico over the NAA?

 

[TailGator]

The Pico is currently available only in .380 ACP, although IIRC there was talk of a .32 version to come later. "Later" can be a long time when dealing with Beretta.

 

[Boncrayon]

Any pocket pistol advise?

I know you referenced the .32 in your question. I'd at least step it up to a .380 (mini-9mm) for greater impact and suggest for protection the type ammo that have the best stop power. The Walther P380 or Ruger LCP are nice for carry and Hornady Critical Duty .380ammo will do the trick (provided you know the CCW rules of engagement.

 

[Big Shrek]

The .32acp is just fine for dealing with humans or large dogs...what you usually need a pocket pistol for...
people have been killing other people with .32acp for over a century, it works.

If you feel a little more punch is needed, 7.65mm is your +P option for .32acp chamberings.
Use sparingly, as its like using Stingers in a 1022, gonna beat your buffer up...

Don't get caught up in the Bigger is Better craze unless you are upgrading to 10mm

 

[sicumj]

The all steel 32 are just too heavy for year around pocket carry. I've carried most of my life and the rule is the less it weighs the more you will carry. The Keltec is the best gun for a 32 weight wise. I prefer .380 as a pocket carry and my carry for that is Rugers custom LCP. I too have more pistols than sense and can carry anything I want. My carry guns for civilian carry are NAA Black Widow for outdoors carry. LCP for casual shopping and dinning, either a 638 or a PM9 when I use a jacket. Kimber CDP Pro for picnic gun.

 

[Cheapshooter]

Kel-Tec P32. As mentioned, for pocket carry you want the lightest firearm possible in your chosen chambering. Kel-Tec also has an optional belt clip that makes small of back IWB carry as invisible, and comfortable as pocket carry.