{"id":415120,"date":"2024-02-01T15:00:57","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T21:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/?p=415120"},"modified":"2026-01-08T13:37:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T19:37:00","slug":"the-p32-vs-the-tomcat-32-acp-shootout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/the-p32-vs-the-tomcat-32-acp-shootout\/","title":{"rendered":"The P32 vs the Tomcat: .32 ACP Shootout"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the gun world, the classic ‘you get what you pay for’ is a very real thing. Spending extra money on guns and gear often results in obtaining better guns and gear. Is it always true? Well, as they say, “Only a Sith deals in absolutes.” How do we know if we don’t try? With that in mind, I took out two of the few modern production .32 ACP handguns on the market to see if the price stumps everything. Those two guns are the Beretta 3032 Tomcat and the Kel-Tec P32.\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The Beretta 3032 takes the crown as being the expensive option. Prices on this gun vary wildly. It can be had for as little as $400 and up to $600. There seem to be odd times when the gun is priced higher than usual. Regardless, it’s still the more expensive option.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The KelTec P32 is like most KelTecs, meaning it’s affordable. The P32 can be tough to find at times, but even when it’s tough to find the guns, they cost anywhere from $180 to around <\/span>$250. I purchased both of mine for less than $200.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Breaking Down Our Competitors\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Beretta 3032 Tomcat is one of the smallest DA\/SA guns on the market. In fact, it might be the smallest centerfire DA\/SA gun on the market. The little gun looks like a shrunk Beretta 92 series and has that famed open-top, exposed barrel design. The 3032 Tomcat is an all-metal gun with a simple single-stack magazine and a total capacity of just seven rounds. It’s a neat little gun and is super small, making it a great pocket pistol option.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Tomcat is the big brother to the 21A.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Kel-Tec P32 predates the .380 ACP pocket pistol but more or less sets the blueprint for the pocket .380 craze. The P32 is a double-action-only, hammer-fired, single-stack, polymer frame gun. It’s a locked breech with a short recoil system and also uses a single-stack magazine That holds seven rounds of .32 ACP. It’s uber small and a great choice for pocket carry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"p32
The P32 is ultra-small and very easy to pocket-carry.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Let’s break down which of these guns is better and see if extra cost equals extra performance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Recoil and Control\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The benefit of using the .32 ACP<\/a> over the .380 is control. The .32 ACP has half the recoil of the .380, and from these ultra-short barrels, there isn’t a big ballistic difference. With that in mind, is one gun softer to shoot and easier to control than the other? The heavier and thicker Beretta seems like it would be softer shooting, but it suffers from using a straight blowback system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"p32
Both are pocket-sized, but the Kel-Tec is a bit smaller.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The P32’s locked breech design takes a ton of sting out of the little gun. It might be lighter and thinner, but it still has less recoil and is more comfortable to shoot. For fast follow-up shots, the Kel-Tec P32 is the winner. In several timed drills, I had an easier time putting multiple rounds on target with the P32.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Keltec
The P32 is a double-action-only handgun.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The P32 is softer recoiling and a really pleasant shooter all around. With that said, the Beretta isn’t going to beat you up or hurt your hand; there is just a noticeable difference between the two guns.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Accuracy\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Tiny guns and accuracy can be an interesting conversation. Neither will be particularly impressive compared to a bigger handgun. I used a 10-inch gong and started at seven yards firing three rounds. I then repeated that at 10, 15, and 20 yards with both guns. The Beretta tended to be the more accurate option.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"handgun
Notice the rear sights; the Tomcat’s sights are a little bigger.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Both guns have very small sights, but the Beretta sights are slightly larger and the better overall option. Being able to swap to a single action on demand made a huge difference in accuracy. The light and short trigger pull helped eliminate some of that human error. If we compared double-action triggers, the Kel-Tec would win, but the Beretta’s single-action system is excellent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Tomcat’s sights are quite substantial.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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