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Beretta Tomcat?? .32 ACP as a whole??

14K views 29 replies 26 participants last post by  Skysoldier 
#1 ·
These seem like largely ignored pocket pistols...with the right ammo they wouldnt be any worse than some of the other borderline SD pocket guns carried by many of our members They are a Beretta. You can even get CT grips for them. Give me your thoughts? Who here can make a case for or against a .32 for a pocket gun? I would primarily be looking to this for a "no gun" gun or a BUG.
 
#2 ·
I'm a big fan now of pocket pistols. Although I find it hilarious that the Grendal P-12 in my back pocket is invisible to everyone, despite the fact it prints the worst I have ever seen.
 
#3 ·
i have one

i have a tomcat, which i bought used. despite the somewhat sketchy reputation they seem to have for wearing out, mine works fine- never had a ftf or fte or any sort of jam with it. it shoots the hollowpoint rounds just as well as fmj stuff. i use winchester silvertip when i carry it, which i admit isnt too often.
easy to shoot- very little recoil. it is possible to accidentally push the barrel tip-up latch, which is a pain. the gun is quite heavy for its size. like all berettas, the quality is good.
i prefer my j frames by a large margin, but i would carry it if it was what was usable or available to me.
as for the 32 acp, it is marginal of course. fiocchi makes some hotter stuff- sort of like P+ maybe. but i wouldnt think it was possible to make this round really adequate. on the other hand, the ammo is CUTE! :wave:
God Bless
 
#4 ·
I have a Tomcat that's on my "will never get rid of" list. Fun little gun but as a SD firearm, I'm afraid it's been greatly surpassed by other offerings. The little Tomcat weighs 15.8 ozs. empty compared to 8.3 ozs. for the P-3AT or 9.4 ozs. for the LCP. When you look at the ballistics for standard ammo:
Hornady Custom Ammunition 32 ACP 60 Grain XTP Jacketed Hollow Point
Muzzle Velocity: 1000 fps
Muzzle Energy: 133 ft. lbs.

Hornady Custom Ammunition 380 ACP 90 Grain XTP Jacketed Hollow Point
Muzzle Velocity: 1000 fps
Muzzle Energy: 200 ft. lbs.​
there seems to be no reason or advantage to carrying the Tomcat over one of the small 380s unless you find the tip-up barrel to be a necessity.

Hoss
 
#5 ·
I was going to purchase one back in early 2009 but after reading threads from the Beretta forum, I decided against it. I actually had a deposit on a Beretta here in NY. But apparently the Tomcat, has had issues with cracks within the frame soon after firing. As a result I purchased a S&W 642 and most recently a .45 ACP Kimber Ultra Carry II. Please see the forum: Welcome to the Beretta Forum for more information. For those who do own one, please perform a disassembly and check the frame thoroughly. From what I also understand the Beretta Tomcat Inox is stainless and hence can withstand more pressure and recoil. No problems on that particular model. Hope this helps.
 
#6 ·
Here is my $.02 on the Beretta Tomcat. Both my son and I had Tomcats that we bought new. Mine never jammed, and his always jammed.

Neither one of us have the Tomcat any longer, for the following reasons:
.32 caliber= too anemic for serious self defense.
Although the gun is small, it is conciderably heavy for its size.
The weight of the Tomcat is the same as the S&W airweight, and I'd rather carry 38 +p than 32.
Finally, the Tomcat is expensive for what it is. I think they are going for around $450 now, and for that money there are better choices.

There are some of us who trade a gun and then regret trading it. To me the Beretta is one of those guns that not only do I NOT miss it, I totally forgot I ever owned it until I read this post.
 
#7 ·
I debated on a Tomcat for a while, but started finding the threads regarding the frames cracking. Some of the posts included the results of conversations with Beretta getting getting the problem fixed or the gun replaced.

While the warranty/customer support appears good, I decided against the gun due to number of people experiencing the same problem in the same area (I also was unable to find any posts regarding the problem being fixed in newer models [Blued model only] - but it is possible that I missed it).

I have read that the INOX model, while heavier, doesn't seem to have the problem.
 
#8 ·
The 32 is still viable under certain circumstances. While there are some 380 and even 9 mm that is "small" it is also harder to control for some who have a hard time holding the gun (and it is a better choice than 22 and much more than a 25).

Remember those who are recoil sensitive. And arthritis. And after an operation.

The gun itself does weigh more than some at that size... but if it is reliable than consider that the very same weight helps absorb perceived recoil and the tip up is a savior for those who have issues pulling back the slide.

I would consider it a "get off me" gun and who here would volunteer to get shot by a 32 at contact distance. ;-)
 
#9 ·
Without getting into the inevitable caliber debate, the Tomcat has something of a sketchy reputation for reliability. It's also significantly heavier than many of the other alternatives available.

For both reasons, I wouldn't personally choose it as a pocket gun.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I like my (380) PPK, even though it is heavy. If you can go with a higher caliber, why not? :comeandgetsome:

That is, for people who can physically handle it; the kick of 380 is surprising for such a small cartridge and the PPK slide is impossible to rack for someone with weak hands.
 
#13 ·
I carry a .32 almost daily. I chose the Seecamp for my pocket carry over the Beretta, (my second choice), primarily due to the size and weight issue. A good, reliable, easy to carry pocket gun is the most useful tool in the arsenal of concealed carriers, IMHO. As to the .32acp being potent for self defence... of course it is.
 
#14 ·
I have two KelTecs, a .32 and a .380. There appears to be very little difference in size...almost identical, so concealment makes little difference in choosing one over the other.
When it comes to power, the .380 may have a little more power, but not much for my wife to even notice. I like both little guns, but if I had to pick one over the other, I'd obviously would go the 'slightly' more powerful P-3AT.
 
#15 ·
I have been looking all over at pocket guns...and the Tomcat seems to be available more so than the LCP or others. Guess I am answering my own question here.:twak:

The .32 round can't be that bad...James Bond carried it...LOL
Really thought there are LOTS of PPKs out there in .32 that got the job done for many a person in years previous. Like one poster said, it would be my "get off me" gun. I probably wont go with the Tomcat but I am getting a pocket gun and .32 is not out of the running.
 
#16 ·
We bought a LCP for my wife, but she has difficulty racking the slide. Loaded it with Hornady Critical Defense and alternating FMJ-Flat Points (for more penetration) for reliable feeding. Since the slide does not lock open when empty, she has to hope the 7 rounds are enough and that the thing does not jam.

The Beretta Tomcat with its tip-up barrel would be a possible option for her, but not sure she would tolerate the extra weight (she is petite). Does the slide lock open when empty on those?

We also looked into the usual revolvers...the cylinders printed with her clothing, so a thinner pistol was the only viable option for her.
 
#18 ·
Ammo selection is everything in the 32acp, I actually prefer it to 380. I also really like the P32 for my when I'm not armed gun. In fact, its on my right now wearing a pair of board shorts. Its hot today. I'm not sure anything else would work in my current outfit.
 
#19 ·
Hi,

I am new to the site, but wanted to weigh in on my experience last Sunday at the local range. The gentleman in the stall next to me just bought a tomcat (used in great shape) and he was showing the range master and I his new addition. We shot the breeze while he loaded up the gun and prepared to shoot. Keep in mind, this created a little build up of excitement because we were all talking about the new gun. The guy fires the first round and the gun went bang, then it proceeded to jam after every single fire. The ejector was not catching the lip of the cartridge and the spent casings were stuck.

Frankly I was a little shocked because I can't remember the last time my gun jammed or had a FTF. I just don't see it too often and not nearly as much as this tomcat jammed. This might just have been a lemon, but this particular gun was worthless.
 
#20 ·
I own a Tomcat and have had some FTF issue, depended on the ammo you feed it, doesn't really like hollow points much. When I did carry it, I used 37gr. Total Fragmenting Soft Point ammo from RBCD, which fed fine. Since inheirting my Dad's S&W 342 airlite, the Tomcat has stayed in the safe, may trade it sooner or later on something else.
 
#21 ·
Some of the Tomcat have serious issues. For pocket revolvers I carry my S&W 642 .38 Sp at least for the summer. I can place that puppy in the pocket of my shorts and no one knows anything. For the colder weather months I plan to carry my Kimber .45 ACP Ultra Carry II. SEASONAL carry for the SERIOUS Individual.
 
#22 ·
I had one. It was accurate and carried easy in a pocket. I like to shoot my carry guns a lot. It did not hold up well. I sent it back to Beretta and they replaced it for a fraction of the cost. They all so enclosed a letter that stated the gun was not made to be shot as much as I shot it. I sold it to a Friend that new the story and shoots it very little. It's his dog walking gun.
 
#24 ·
They all so enclosed a letter that stated the gun was not made to be shot as much as I shot
Really?! Wow. :rolleyes: I also do not subscribe to the "gun is made to be carried a lot and shot a little" school of thought. If you are going to carry it, you need to be able to practice with it - a lot. If your carry gun cannot stand up to regular practice use, find something else...

Can't believe they put that in writing!
 
#23 ·
I have a Tomcat with CT grips. I had only one problem with it, the night sight died less than a week into owning it. It was replaced quickly and for free. When I could get it, I shot Cor Bon JHP in it. If it didn't wear out with that.... I put Flyer Wires in it, but never had a rimlock problem. I did it for prevention. My wife carried it until she gave up CCW altogether.

I think its a great gun for the arthritic or the small handed. The medium size is an advantage. It's easier to shoot than the smaller KTs and Seecamps. More to hold on to, bigger sights, etc. It's easier to shoot than the bigger and heavier .38 snubs with heavy DAO triggers. It's easier to load than any other semi-autos for those who can't pull back the slide easily.
 
#26 ·
I had a neat little Inox Tomcat, it would only feed roundnose, I pocket carried it for about a year. I traded it after I bought a pm9 and LCP. Imo these two are the best for pocket carry. Neither of these have malfunctioned in any way. I can hit with each of them, although it took me 100 rounds to get the hang of the lcp, and they carry well.
 
#27 ·
I had a Tomcat back when they first came out and never had a problem with it in over 500 rounds fired through the little gun. The only reason I traded it was because .380s such as the Keltec P3AT and the Ruger LCP (which I currently own) came out that are lighter and thinner then the Tomcat. However I do see your point about the difficulty your wife has racking the slide of her LCP and I can think of no better alternative than the Tomcat with its tip up barrel eliminating the need to rack the slide to load the chamber. The ole standby .32 WW Silvertip hollowpoint is still good medicine for self defense.
 
#28 ·
Beretta Mouse Guns
I own the Beretta 21A Bobcat (.22LR version of the .32ACP Tomcat). It was my first mousegun way back when I first got my CHL.
https://www.berettausa.com/e2wItemM...5&parentLink=2100000084:3100001364:3100001371


Beretta makes a quality weapon and I would not disqualify it on account of quality.

IMO, both the Bob & Tom lose out to newer designs in the pocket carry category. The gun that really knocked them for a loop was the Kel-tec P32 in .32ACP. It weighs half what the Bobcat weighs and less than half what the Tom weighs. It is also much thinner. Recoil, given the p32's action, is very mild.

The P32 displaced my Beretta mousegun from pocket carry duties for me.

If one does not have the hand strength to rack the P32 slide, the Tom might be just the ticket.

I keep my Bob around as a backup in case my P32 goes TU and as a cheap trainer, given that .22LR is cheap to shoot. I'll warm up with it and cooll off with it at most every range session.

.32ACP Suitability
In a word: NOT.

Minimum suitable for CCW is .38spl, and I rank that above .380ACP due to bullet weight (heavier), bullet shape (SWC vs FMJ), and +P capability. HP rounds do not improve the mouse-calibers, as they usually do not open up and, if they do, generally reduce already-insufficient penetration.

If you can in any way manage to tote a more powerfully chambered handgun instead of a mouse-caliber mouse gun, do so.

For instance, .38spl/.357mag lightweight snubbies are nearly as concealable. Matter of fact, once I got my snubbie, I almost never carry my P32, post-snubbie. Kel-tec's PF9 and the high-dollar Rohrbaugh (spelling?) are similarly-sized options.

.22LR, .25ACP, .32ACP, and .380ACP mouseguns are for when you truly do not want to be detected packing and you are wearing next to nothing suitable for concealing, say, a snubbie. Deep CCW is also another role, so as to supplement a more effective firearm. Like you wrote, a "no gun" gun or BU.

--------

ICTsnub said:
I carry a Seecamp 32 everywhere, tell me it's a mouse if I screw it in your ear.
I would caution against contact firing with most semi-autos, as pressing the SA against the opponent can cause the SA to come out of battery and not fire or move it out of battery, fire, and cause hot, pressurized gasses to blow out the now-unsupported case, likely doing damage to self and weapon.

The Seecamp is a fixed-bbl, blowback action, but the slide goes all the way to the muzzle. Push too hard and surrounding tissues could move the slide out of battery. The Kel-tec P32 is the browning style action and is even more susceptible to being pushed out of battery, as it does not need as strong a recoil spring.

A contact "in his belly/ear/etc" weapon calls for a revolver.
 
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