.32 ACP (

Automatic Colt Pistol Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP) denotes various John Moses Browning cartridge designs primarily used in Colt and Fabrique Nationale de Herstal semi-automatic pistols. All of these cartridges are straight-sided and appear similar. The .32 ACP, . ...

, also known as the .32 Auto, .32 Automatic, 7.65mm Browning, or 7.65×17mmSR) is a

centerfire Two rounds of .357 Magnum, a centerfire cartridge; notice the circular primer in the center A center-fire (or centerfire) is a type of metallic cartridge used in firearms, where the primer is located at the center of the base of its casing (i. ...

pistol A pistol is a type of handgun, characterised by a gun barrel, barrel with an integral chamber (firearms), chamber. The word "pistol" derives from the Middle French ''pistolet'' (), meaning a small gun or knife, and first appeared in the Englis ...

cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer

John Browning John Moses Browning (January 23, 1855 – November 26, 1926) was an American firearm designer who developed many varieties of military and civilian firearms, cartridges, and gun mechanisms, many of which are still in use around the world. He ...

, initially for use in the

FN M1900 The FN Browning M1900 (known at the time in Europe just as Browning pistol) is a single action semi-automatic pistol designed c. 1896 by John Browning for Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN) and produced in Belgium at the turn of the 20th century. ...

semi-automatic pistol. It was introduced in 1899 by

Fabrique Nationale , trading as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale, or simply FN, is a leading firearms manufacturer based in Herstal, Belgium, and former vehicle manufacturer. It was the largest exporter of military small arms in Europe . FN ...

History

John Browning engineered a number of modern semi-automatic pistol mechanisms and cartridges. As his first pistol cartridge, the .32 ACP needed a straight wall for reliable

blowback operation Blowback is a system of operation for Semi-automatic firearm, self-loading firearms that obtains energy from the motion of the cartridge case as it is pushed to the rear by expanding gas created by the ignition of the propellant charge. Several bl ...

as well as a small rim for reliable feeding from a box magazine. The cartridge headspaces on the rim. The cartridge was a success and was adopted by dozens of countries and many governmental agencies. When the .32 ACP cartridge was introduced, it was immediately popular and was available in several blowback automatic pistols of the day, including the

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless The Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless is a .32 ACP, .32 ACP (7.65mm Browning) caliber, self-loading, semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and built by Colt's Manufacturing Company, Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company of Hartford ...

, the

Savage Model 1907 The Savage Model 1907 is a semi-automatic pocket pistol produced by the Savage Arms, from 1907 until 1920. It was chambered in .32 ACP and, from 1913 until 1920, in .380 ACP. Although smaller in size, it is derived from the .45 semi-automatic p ...

automatic pistol, the

Ruby pistol The Ruby pistol was a semi-automatic pistol of .32 ACP calibre made by Gabilondo y Urresti and other Spanish companies. It saw use in both World Wars as the service weapon of the French Army under the name ''Pistolet Automatique de 7 millim.65 ...

and the Browning Model 1910 automatic pistol. Gun popularity rose after firearms expert

Geoffrey Boothroyd Geoffrey Boothroyd (1925 – 20 October 2001) was a British expert on firearms who wrote several standard reference works on the subject. He provided weapons advice to author Ian Fleming for the James Bond novels and their film adaptions. Caree ...

, of the UK, informed author

Ian Fleming Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer, best known for his postwar ''James Bond'' series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., and his ...

, his countryman, that

James Bond The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...

's sidearm should be a

Walther PPK The Walther PP (, or police pistol) series pistols are blowback-operated semi-automatic pistols, developed by the German arms manufacturer Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen. Design The Walther PP series feature an exposed hammer, a double-action ...

chambered in .32 ACP. A significant factor in recommending this round was its availability throughout the world in the 1950s. Between 1899 and 1909,

produced 500,000 guns chambered for .32 ACP.

Heckler & Koch Heckler & Koch GmbH (HK or H&K; ) is a German firearms manufacturer that produces handguns, rifles, submachine guns, and grenade launchers. The company is located in Oberndorf am Neckar, Baden-Württemberg and also has subsidiaries in the United ...

produced the

HK 4 The HK4 is a pocket pistol, first introduced by Heckler & Koch in either 1964 or 1967. It was distinctive for allowing shooters to swap barrels chambered for different cartridges without tools and for having a durable but light hard-anodized alumi ...

, their first handgun, in 1967. 12,000 HK 4 pistols were produced in .32 ACP for the German police and other government agencies. Several long guns have been chambered in .32 ACP, from the Tirmax and Dreyse carbines to the AR-15-style

Armi Jager Armi Jager, otherwise known as Adler Jager, was a German- Italian firearms manufacturer located in the small town of Loano, Italy. Early history The gun manufacturer was active since the early 1950s, manufacturing semi-automatic .22 rimfire s ...

AP-74. Modern so called " pocket pistols" are commonly chambered in .32 ACP such as the

KelTec P32 The KelTec P32 is a sub-compact semi-automatic pistol using the short-recoil principle of operation that is chambered in .32 ACP (7.65mm Browning). It was designed by George Kellgren. It is manufactured by KelTec CNC Industries Inc., of Coc ...

Design

The .32 ACP was intended for blowback semi-automatic pistols, which lack

breech Breech may refer to: * Breech (firearms), the opening at the rear of a gun barrel where the cartridge is inserted in a breech-loading weapon * breech, the lower part of a pulley block * breech, the penetration of a boiler where exhaust gases leave ...

locking mechanisms. It was John Pedersen with the

Remington Model 51 The Remington Model 51 is a small pocket pistol designed by John Pedersen and manufactured by Remington Arms in the early 20th century for the American civilian market. Remington manufactured approximately 65,000 Model 51 pistols in .32 ACP and ...

that delivered a true locked breech for the .32 ACP cartridge. The low power and light bullet of the cartridge allowed Browning to incorporate a practical blowback mechanism in a small pocket-size pistol. It is still used today, primarily in compact, inexpensive pistols, unless the pistol is used for ISSF competition, where the cost then escalates. Cartridges in .32 ACP are also sometimes used in

caliber conversion sleeve A caliber conversion device is a device which can be used to non-permanently alter a firearm to allow it to fire a different cartridge than the one it was originally designed to fire. The different cartridge must be smaller in some dimensions tha ...

s, also known as ''supplemental chambers'', for providing an alternative pistol caliber carbine function in .30-caliber hunting and service rifles. Some comparison of the .32 Automatic as defined by

SAAMI The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI, pronounced "Sammy") is an association of American manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, and components. SAAMI is an accredited standards developer that publishes several A ...

and the 7.65mm Browning as defined by CIP may be useful. Although some of the cartridge measurements differ by as much as , the names are considered to be synonymous. However, the maximum average pressure as measured by a transducer on the test barrel is according to SAAMI, while CIP allows up to . This may explain why the cartridges from European manufacturers tend to chronograph at higher muzzle velocities than those from American manufacturers.

Performance

The .32 ACP is compact and light. While some believe it has marginal

stopping power Stopping power is the supposed ability of a weapon – typically a ranged weapon such as a firearm – to cause a target (human or animal) to be incapacitated or immobilized. Stopping power contrasts with lethality in that it pertains only to a ...

, it has been used effectively by military and police worldwide for the past century. Although .32 ACP handguns were traditionally made of steel, they have been produced in lightweight polymers since the 1990s. Their light weight, very low recoil and very good accuracy relative to larger caliber pistols make them suitable for

concealed carry Concealed carry, or carrying a concealed weapon (CCW), is the practice of carrying a weapon (usually a sidearm such as a handgun), either in proximity to or on one's person or in public places in a manner that hides or conceals the weapon's pre ...

use. Some popular pistols chambered in .32 ACP include the

Walther PP The Walther PP (, or police pistol) series pistols are blowback-operated semi-automatic pistols, developed by the German arms manufacturer Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen. Design The Walther PP series feature an exposed hammer, a double-actio ...

and the

as well as the

FEG PA-63 The FÉG PA-63 is a semi-automatic pistol designed and manufactured by the FÉGARMY Arms Factory of Hungary. History FÉGARMY Arms Factory (FÉG) of Hungary started producing Walther PP/PPK clones in the late 1940s starting with their Model 48 ...

, which is a clone of the Walther PP. It offers more velocity and energy than the .32 S&W, which was a popular round for pocket defensive revolvers at the time of the .32 ACP's development. Although with lighter bullet weights, the .32 ACP also compares favorably to the .32 S&W Long in performance. Some European .32 ACP loads provide similar performance to the .32 H&R Magnum lead flat point and lead

semiwadcutter A semiwadcutter (SWC) or flat-nose is a type of all-purpose bullet commonly used in revolvers. The SWC combines features of the traditional round-nosed bullets and the wadcutter bullets used in target shooting, and is used in both revolver and ri ...

. Even though the .32 ACP is capable of killing small game, most handguns chambered for this round utilize fixed sights and are designed for use against human-sized targets at fairly close range, which greatly limits their utility as hunting handguns. .32 ACP is one of the most common calibers used in veterinary "humane killers", such as the Greener humane killer. In Europe, where the round is commonly known as the 7.65mm Browning and features a different rim sizing, .32 ACP has always been more widely accepted than it has in America, having a long history of use by civilians, law enforcement personnel, and security forces, along with limited issue by military forces. During the second half of the 20th century, several European countries developed firearms for police, chambered in

9×18mm Makarov The 9×18mm Makarov (designated 9mm Makarov by the C.I.P. and often called 9×18mm PM) is a pistol and submachine gun cartridge developed in the former USSR. During the latter half of the 20th century, it was a standard military pistol cartrid ...

while chambering the same pistol for civilians in .32 ACP and .380 ACP. Examples include the Vz. 82/CZ-83 from Czechoslovakia, FEG PA-63/AP 765 from Hungary,

SIG Sauer P230 The SIG Sauer P230 is a small, semi-automatic handgun chambered in .32 ACP or .380 ACP, .380 Auto. It was designed by SIG Sauer branch in Eckernförde, Germany. It was imported into the United States by SIGARMS in 1985. In 1996 it was replaced by ...

from Switzerland, and P-83 Wanad from Poland. The cartridge has an increased popularity in the United States due to modern compact

pistols chambered for it, such as the

, Beretta Tomcat,

Seecamp L. W. Seecamp Co. Is an American manufacturer of pocket pistols located in Milford, Connecticut from 1981 to 2014. In 2014, Whalley Precision purchased the company and took over production of the pistols from their facility in Southwick, Massach ...

LWS 32 and

North American Arms North American Arms is a United States company, headquartered in Provo, Utah, that manufactures pocket pistols and mini-revolvers, also called mouse guns. The company was originally named ''Rocky Mountain Arms'' when it was founded in 1972. In 19 ...

Guardian .32. This increase in popularity has led many ammunition manufacturers to develop new loads for the cartridge to increase performance. However, these subcompact guns typically have barrel lengths around . The traditional steel guns chambered for .32 ACP have barrel lengths around . Different barrel lengths can have a significant effect on bullet performance, with longer barrels providing higher muzzle velocity and energy. For example, a

Cor-Bon Cor-Bon/Glaser LLC is a manufacturer of small arms ammunition. History Founded in Detroit, Michigan, Cor-Bon/Glaser Ammunition originated when Peter Pi Sr. started making handgun hunting ammo in 1982 because the commonly available ammuni ...

.32 ACP JHP has when fired out of a barrel and when fired out of a barrel. A shorter barrel length can also reduce the range of a bullet.

Gallery

File:Cartridge .32 ACP CC BY-SA 4.0 by Grasyl.jpg, .32 ACP cartridge File:32 mod.jpg, Modern versions of the .32 ACP include heavier bullets with advanced expansion File:.380-32 ACP.jpg, .380 ACP (left) next to a .32 ACP (right) File:32caliberhandguncartridgecomparison.png, From left to right: .32 Short, .32 ACP, .32 S&W Long, .32 H&R Magnum and .327 Federal Magnum.

Synonyms

* .32 Auto * .32 Browning Auto * .32 Rimless Smokeless (Used on early pistols chambered for it) * 7.65mm Browning * 7.65×17mm * 7.65×17mm Browning SR (SR = Semi-Rimmed)

Prominent firearms chambered in .32 ACP

* Astra A-60 *

Bayard 1908 The Bayard 1908 is a semi-automatic pistol that patented and designed by Belgian Bernard Clarus in 1907 as a short-range self-defense handgun. The Bayard 1908 was sold on the civilian market. The Belgian factory Anciens Etablissements Pieper pro ...

Beretta 3032 Tomcat The Beretta 3032 Tomcat and Beretta 3032 Tomcat Inox are semi-automatic pocket pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta. They are chambered in .32 ACP (a.k.a. 7.65 mm Browning) and are small pistols, designed for concealed-carry and use ...

Beretta M1915 The Beretta Model 1915 or Beretta M1915 is a semi-automatic pistol manufactured by Beretta, designed by Tullio Marengoni who was the chief engineer in the company, to replace the Glisenti Model 1910 which had a complex and weak firing mechanism. ...

* Beretta M1935 * Beretta Model 70 * Beretta Model 81 and 82 *

Beretta Model 90 Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta (; "Pietro Beretta Weapons Factory") is a privately held Italian firearms manufacturing company operating in several countries. Its firearms are used worldwide for various civilian, law enforcement, and military pu ...

* Bersa 84 (Lusber) * Bersa Thunder 32 *

* CZ-27 (Vz. 27) * CZ-50 * CZ-70 *

CZ-83 The Pistole vz. 82 is a compact semi-automatic pistol made for the Czechoslovakian military. "vz." is an abbreviation for "vzor", which translates to "model." A civilian export version is called the CZ 83. Overview Manufactured by the Czecho ...

* CZ Škorpion Vz. 61

Machine pistol A machine pistol is a handgun that is capable of automatic firearm, fully automatic fire, including shoulder stock, stockless handgun-style submachine guns. The Austrians introduced the world's first machine pistol, the Steyr M1912 pistol#Masch ...

* Dineley machine carbine *

Dreyse M1907 The Dreyse Model 1907 is a semi-automatic pistol designed by Louis Schmeisser. The gun was named after Nikolaus von Dreyse, the designer and inventor of the Dreyse Needle Gun. The Waffenfabrik von Dreyse company was acquired by Rheinische Metal ...

* Erma KGP-68A "Baby Luger" *

FÉG 37M Pistol The FÉG 37M is a Hungarian semi-automatic pistol based on a design by Rudolf Frommer. Design It was an improvement over the earlieFrommer 29M It was made in 2 chamberings. The .380 ACP (9x17mmSR) chambered version was used by the Hungarian Arm ...

* FÉG AP 765 Pistol * FÉG Frommer Stop *

FN Model 1910 The FN Model 1910 is a blowback-operated, semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and manufactured by Fabrique Nationale of Belgium. Development The FN Model 1910, also known as the Browning model 1910, was a departure for Browning. ...

and 1910/22 * Hamada Type pistol * Heckler & Koch HK 4 P11 * Heckler & Koch HK P7K3 *

Jieffeco Model 1911 The Jieffeco Model 1911 was a semi automatic pistol manufactured in Belgium. See also * List of pistols Underbarrel pistols * FN M1900 * Semmerling XLM References {{reflist * Brandt, Jakob H. “Magazine der Selbstladepistolen Jieffeco und Mel ...

* Llama Bufalo/Danton/Llama I/Llama X-A * MAB Model D *

Mauser HSc The Mauser HSc is a 7.65mm pistol introduced in Nazi Germany during World War II, and manufactured until 1977. The designation HSc stood for ''Hahn Selbstspanner'' ("self-cocking hammer") ''Pistole'', third and final design ''"C"''. Production wa ...

* Mauser Model 1914 *

Mauser Model 1934 The Mauser Model 1914 is a semi-automatic pistol made by Mauser. A derivative of the 6.35mm ( .25 caliber) Model 1910 designed by Josef Nickl, it uses 7.65mm (32 ACP) ammunition. In 1934, the Model 1914 was superseded by the simpler Model 1934 ...

* Ortgies Semi-Automatic Pistol * Oznobischev 1925 *

Pardini HP Pardini is an Italian surname, and may refer to: People Notable people with the surname include: * A. J. Pardini (1932–2011), American politician * Julio César Pardini (born 1984), Mexican footballer * Lou Pardini (born 1952), American singer-so ...

* Pistola Aut. Celmi * Radom P-83 Wanad * Remington 51 * Romanian

Pistol Carpați Md. 1974 Pistolul calibrul 7,65mm Model 1974, also known as ''Pistolul Carpați'', is a series of light semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Fabrica de Arme Cugir of Romania. Design ''Pistolul Carpați Md. 1974'' was designed by Întreprin ...

Ruby Ruby is a pinkish-red-to-blood-red-colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapph ...

Sauer 38H The Sauer 38H or often just H was a small semi-automatic pistol made in Nazi Germany from 1938 until just after the end of World War II by J. P. Sauer & Sohn, then based in Suhl, Germany. The "H" in the model number is short for "hahn", referrin ...

* Seecamp LWS 32 *

* Star Izarra * Star Model 1914/1919 * Star SIS * Steyr-Pieper Model 1908/34 * Taurus Millennium PT132 *

Taurus TCP 732 Taurus is Latin for 'bull' and may refer to: * Taurus (astrology), the astrological sign ** Vṛṣabha, in vedic astrology * Taurus (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac * Taurus (mythology), one of two Greek mythological ch ...

* Taurus PT57 *

* Webley & Scott M1905-M1908 *

Welrod The Welrod is a British bolt-action, magazine-fed pistol with an integrated silencer that was devised for covert operations during the Second World War by Major Hugh Reeves at the Inter-Services Research Bureau (later Station IX). Station I ...

Zastava M70 The Zastava M70 ( sr-Cyrl, Застава М70) is a 7.62×39mm assault rifle developed in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by Zastava Arms. The M70 was an unlicensed derivative of the Soviet Union, Soviet AK-47 (specifically the Type ...

Notes

References

External links

Is The .32 Mission Feasible?

Ballistics 101 .32 ACP Ballistics Chart

{{DEFAULTSORT:.32 Acp 1899 establishments in the United States

32 ACP .32 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol, also known as the .32 Auto, .32 Automatic, 7.65mm Browning, or 7.65×17mmSR) is a centerfire pistol Cartridge (firearms), cartridge. It is a Rim (firearms)#Semi-rimmed, semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge develo ...

Colt cartridges Colt's Manufacturing Company