Review of Kel-Tec’s P32 by czer 9/9/10
Well, what can you say about a cheap, polymer .32 caliber pistol small enough to fit into the smallest pocket? A lot, actually. I own mostly full-sized semi-autos and have paired it down to a few dependables including my CZ 85B 9mm and my .22 Browning Buckmark. They have both been absolutely trustworthy with many thousands of rounds expended. And now, seemingly against all odds, here comes the little P32 that seems to want to nuzzle its way into my stable.
Following this analogy, of the P32 as a cute pony, it does describe how I first viewed it. It is a diminutive, sleek, no-nonsense, very efficiently designed little gun. I guess I was possessed with the idea of owning a gun that was so concealable that it would seem to disappear. I liked the idea of a low-recoil gun as well but one that still had some respectability. After all, James Bond carried a .32 and he seemed to get around all right with it!
Lets get down to business though. Here are the specs from Kel-Tec’s website:
P-32
The P-32 is a semi-automatic, locked breech pistol, chambered for the .32 Auto cartridge.The firing mechanism is double action only. The magazine has a 7 round capacity. The KEL-TEC P-32 is the lightest .32 Auto pistol ever made. Thanks to its locking dynamics and superior ergonometry, perceived recoil and practical accuracy are comparable to much larger guns. The P-32 is mainly intended for plainclothes police officers as a secondary weapon, or for concealed carry by licensed citizens. The small grip size and light trigger pull make the P-32 ideal for female shooters. From the very beginning of the design and development, computers have been used exclusively. All machined components are also made on modern high speed computerized equipment.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Calibers: 32 AUTO
Weight unloaded: 6.6 oz. 186g
Loaded magazine: 2.8 oz. 81mm
Length: 5.1" 129mm
Height: 3.5" 89mm
Width: .75" 19mm
Barrel Length: 2.7" 68mm
Sight radius: 3.8" 96mm
Muzzle Energy Max: 200ft-lbs 240J
Capacity: 7 + 1 rounds
Trigger Pull: 5 lbs 23N
The P-32 has six main component groups: barrel, slide, firing mechanism, grip, and magazine. The barrel is made of SAE 4140 ordnance steel, heat treated to 48 HRC. The slide is also 4140 steel, and contains the firing pin and the extractor. The rectangular frame is machined from solid 7075-T6 aluminum and houses the firing mechanism. The trigger connects via a transfer bar to the hammer. The hammer is driven by a novel free floating extension spring. The light weight firing pin transmits the energy of the hammer to ignite the primer. After firing, the hammer block holds the hammer away from the firing pin, providing a mechanical safety.
Description MSRP
Blued Finish $ 318.00
Parkerized Finish $ 361.00
Hard Chrome Finish $ 377.00
Pros
Did I say this gun was light and very small? Because it bears repeating. It is less than 9 ounces with a loaded magazine! So, it does not even qualify as a paper weight. It fits handily into every pocket I own, including my back pockets. It is not only small in the usual dimensions, but may be the thinnest pistol made at .75” width. There is really no way that the size and weight could become oppressive when carrying, except perhaps if you try to carry it in a Speedo or bra. Come to think of it, a really large bra would probably be OK, in many ways. But I stray.
In terms of reliability, I cannot get this thing to malfunction. I have about 400 rounds through it and it is so far as dependable as my previously mentioned pistols. Who knew? I mean, Kel-Tec makes solely cheap, no-frills gun, right? What kind of quality can one have the right to expect for $269? Well, with the P32 you can expect a lot if my sample is any measure. The Kel-Tec magazines work like a charm too.
Its accuracy is adequate at 15 feet. The double action trigger and 2.7” barrel will forever doom it to only across the room accuracy but its purpose, in my opinion, is either as a back-up weapon, or close-range-only piece. But its small size means never having to go without protection. Slip it into your pocket on the way to the store or your evening walks trying to cure insomnia.
For all the above reasons, it is fun to shoot. It is a challenge to get good accuracy but it will be fun trying to get there.
Cons
Its small size means it has inherent weaknesses. Its grip is too small to allow my pinky a rest, so some people will not appreciate not getting the firmest hold. For some reason, I do not mind this, or its thinness.
Its weight also allows measurable recoil, even with this small caliber, but nothing that will stop the average person from practicing with 50 rounds at the range. My .38 special ultra-light snubbie has a kick, oh I would say, three times as hard, to give you a comparison.
Perhaps its weakest point is its long, heavy, double action trigger. This alone makes it very hard to produce good groups. I am finding though, that 4-5” groups at 15 feet are coming easier to me as I go along. This may be because although the pull is long, there are no other little trigger surprises. It is dependable.
The second biggest weakness is the cost of ammo, which for the power it delivers, is expensive - $17-20. Defensive rounds will be quite a bit more costly but the consensus seems to be that the .32 does best with normal ball ammo because muzzle velocity may not be high enough to allow dependable expansion of hollow points, or for that matter, penetration.
The last con is that the blued finish is not too impressive. It sort of looks cheap. The metal of the slide looks like it has no real finish to it, feels rough and has many small nicks on it. Checking other P32’s and all other Kel-Tec’s at the shop, it seems this is par for the course. But on looking closer it is not cheap in any way that matters. The internal machining is perfectly adequate.
Conclusion
This pistol defies all logic. How can something so small and so cheap, be so good? I don’t know, but it is. This will become my summer time, any-time piece. It is fun to shoot, fills a real need and is dependable.
