Discover

The '.32 ACP' ('A'utomatic 'C'olt 'P'istol) pistol cartridge is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, for use in semi-automatic pistols. It is also known as the '7.65 x 17 mm Browning' or '7.65 Browning'. Introduced in 1899 by Fabrique Nationale, the cartridge was first used in the Browning M1900.

Contents

Design

Performance

Synonyms

Guns

See also

References

Design

It was designed for early blowback semi-automatic pistols which lacked a breech locking mechanism; the relatively low power of the .32 ACP round made it a practical blowback round.
It is still used today in blowback semi-automatic pistols, as well in modern locked-breech, single column magazine, deep-concealment, semi-automatic pistols.
Cartridges in .32 ACP are also sometimes used in caliber conversion sleeves, also known as ''supplemental chambers'', for providing an alternative pistol caliber carbine functionality in .30-caliber hunting rifles.

Performance

The .32 ACP is compact and light, but short ranged, having marginal stopping power. Weapons chambered in it are often valued for their compactness and light weight relative to larger caliber pistols, particularly for concealed carry use. In the United States, it has long been considered by some to be inadequate for self defense because of its limited penetration ability. Others in the United States consider .32 ACP to be the bare minimum for self defense because of its limited power, rating in the 65% range for single shot stops compared with larger calibers such as the .357 magnum and .45 ACP which rank in the 90% range. FMJ ammunition is required to meet the FBI's requirement of 12" to 18" penetration in calibrated tissue simulant; hollowpoint ammunition which successfully expands is not able to meet this requirement in .32 ACP.
In Europe, the .32 ACP is more widely accepted, having a long history of use for civilians as well as military and police agencies. The cartridge has had somewhat of a recent upsurge in popularity due to some very compact and lightweight concealed carry pistols chambered for it, such as the Kel-Tec P-32 and the Seecamp LWS 32. This increase in popularity has led many ammunition manufacturers to develop new, better-performing loads for the cartridge. The bullet that Gavrilo Princip used to assassinate Franz Ferdinand was from a .32 ACP cartridge.

Synonyms

★ 32 Auto (typical designation in America)

★ .32 Browning Auto

★ 7.65 x 17 mm

★ 7.65 x 17mmSR (SR designating Semi-Rimmed)

★ 7.65 mm Browning (typical designation in Europe)

Guns

★ Beretta 3032 Tomcat

★ Beretta M1934

★ FN Model 1910 and 1910/22

★ Cobra Arms of Utah, Inc. Standard Series Derringer

★ Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless

★ CZ-Scorpion vz.61 machine pistol

★ CZ 50/70

★ Davis D-32 Derringer

★ Frommer STOP (A modified version of the cartridge)

★ Kel-Tec P-32

★ Mauser HSc

★ Mauser Model 1934

★ NAA Guardian

★ Remington 51

★ Sauer 38H

★ Savage Pocket Model 1907

★ Seecamp LWS 32 (see ammo recommendations here: [1])

★ SIG Sauer P230/232

★ Taurus Model 132 [2]

★ Walther PP

★ Walther PPK

★ Zastava M70

See also

★ .32 NAA

★ 7 mm caliber

★ List of firearms

★ List of handgun cartridges

★ List of rifle cartridges

References

1. Federal Cartridge Co. ballistics page