.32 ACP

Pistol cartridge designed by John Moses Browning .32 ACP 7.65x17 mm Browning ReconTanto.jpg 230px Standard (left) and nickel-coated military (right) full metal jacket (FMJ) .32 ACP rounds United States Pistol John Browning Fabrique Nationale 1899–present Semi-rimmed, straight .3125 .3005 .3365 .337 .358 .045 .680 .984 20500 Small pistol 60 JHPhttp://www.fiocchiusa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=296&Itemid=183 32 Auto 60gr Fiocchi JHP September 29, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20150121012359/http://www.fiocchiusa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=296&Itemid=183 2015-01-21 dead 1,100 ft/s (335 m/s) 161 65 JHPhttp://www.federalcartridge.com/ballistics/ Federal Cartridge Co. ballistics page 2007-02-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20070922160252/http://www.federalcartridge.com/ballistics/ 2007-09-22 dead 925 123 71 FMJhttp://ballistics101.com/32_acp.php Geco 7.65 Browning/.32 ACP June 23, 2016 905 ft/s (276 m/s) 129 73 FMJhttps://www.sellier-bellot.cz/en/product/pistol-and-revolver-ammunition/pistol-and-revolver-cartridges/products/detail/294/ Sellier & Bellot Pistol and Revolver Cartridges October 22, 2015 1,043 ft/s (318 m/s) 177 75 Lead +Phttps://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=132 .32 ACP +P July 26, 2024 1,150 ft/s (350 m/s) 220 4 in, 4 in, 5.9 in, 3.9 in .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. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol. It was introduced in 1899 by Fabrique Nationale. Barnes Frank C. Skinner, Stan Cartridges of the World 11th 1965 2006 Gun Digest Books Iola, Wisconsin, United States 289 0-89689-297-2 History John Browning engineered several modern semi-automatic pistol mechanisms and cartridges. As his first pistol cartridge, the .32 ACP needed a straight wall for reliable blowback operation as well as a small rim for reliable feeding from a box magazine. The cartridge headspaces on the rim. Wilson R.K. 1990 1943 Textbook of Automatic Pistols Plantersville, SC Small Arms Technical Publishing Company 254 978-0-935632-89-7 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 adopted by several blowback automatic pistols, including the Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless, the Savage Model 1907 automatic pistol, the Ruby pistol and the Browning Model 1910 automatic pistol. Between 1899 and 1909, Fabrique Nationale produced 500,000 guns chambered for .32 ACP.Shooter's Bible Guide to Cartridges Skyhorse 2011 978-1-61608-222-2 Woodard Todd Its popularity rose further after firearms expert Geoffrey Boothroyd convinced author Ian Fleming that James Bond's sidearm should be a Walther PPK chambered in .32 ACP. A significant factor in Boothroyd recommending this round was its wide availability throughout the world in the 1950s.Ian Fleming March 19, 1962 The Guns Of James Bond http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1073622/index/index.htm dead Sports Illustrated https://web.archive.org/web/20131005022218/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1073622/index/index.htm 2013-10-05 2013-10-0310 Guns That Are Only Popular Because of Pop Culture 18 July 2025 https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/10-guns-that-are-only-popular-because-of-pop-culture-44821372 The first handgun by Heckler & Koch, the HK 4, was made available in .32 ACP from 1967. 12,000 HK 4 pistols were produced in .32 ACP for the German police and other government agencies.March 2026 Several long guns have been chambered in .32 ACP, from the Tirmax and Dreyse carbines to the AR-15-style Armi Jager AP-74.March 2026 Modern so-called "pocket pistols" are commonly chambered in .32 ACP such as the KelTec P32.March 2026 Design March 2025 The .32 ACP was intended for blowback semi-automatic pistols, which lack breech locking mechanisms. It was John Pedersen with the Remington Model 51 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 sleeves, 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 and the 7.65mm Browning as defined by CIP may be useful. Although some of the cartridge measurements differ by as much as 0.0063 in on, the names are considered to be synonymous. However, the maximum average pressure as measured by a transducer on the test barrel is 20500 psi MPa on according to SAAMI,March 2025 while CIP allows up to 1600 bar psi on.1984-06-14 7,65 mm Browning https://bobp.cip-bobp.org/uploads/tdcc/tab-iv/tabivcal-en-page12.pdf C.I.P. This may explain why the cartridges from European manufacturers tend to chronograph at higher muzzle velocities than those from American manufacturers. Performance thumb|.32 ACP (left) next to a .380 ACP (right) The .32 ACP is compact and light. While some believe it has marginal stopping power,Hornady Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading vol I 6th 2003 Hornady Mfg Co Grand Island, NE, USA 710 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 use. Some popular pistols chambered in .32 ACP include the KelTec P32, Walther PP and the Walther PPK as well as the FEG PA-63, 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 73 gr on .32 ACP loads provide similar performance to the .32 H&R Magnum 77 gr on lead flat point and 90 gr on lead semiwadcutter. 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 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 from Switzerland, and P-83 Wanad from Poland. The cartridge has an increased popularity in the United States due to modern compact concealed carry pistols chambered for it, such as the KelTec P32, Beretta Tomcat, Seecamp LWS 32 and North American Arms 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 2.5 in on. The traditional steel guns chambered for .32 ACP have barrel lengths around 3.5 in on. 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 60 gr on .32 ACP JHP has 130 ftlbf J on when fired out of a 2.5 in on barrel and 165 ftlbf J on when fired out of a 3.5 in on barrel. Ballistics by the Inch .32 ACP Results http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/32auto.html 2013-10-03 A shorter barrel length can also reduce the range of a bullet. Gallery Synonyms .32 Auto .32 Browning Auto .32 Rimless Smokeless (Used on early pistols chambered for it)21 Jane's Guns Recognition Guide 2005 Ian Hogg 978-0-00-718328-9 HarperCollins 7.65mm Browning 7.65×17mm 7.65×17mm Browning SR (SR = Semi-Rimmed) Prominent firearms chambered in .32 ACP 18em Astra A-60 Bayard 1908 Beretta 3032 Tomcat Beretta M1915 Beretta M1935 Beretta Model 70http://www.berettaweb.com/mod_70/mod_70_P5.htm Beretta Web 2013-09-30 2014-03-01 https://web.archive.org/web/20140301042841/http://www.berettaweb.com/mod_70/mod_70_P5.htm dead Beretta Model 81 and 82 Beretta Model 90https://www.berettaweb.com/Beretta%2090%20Roma/Beretta%20Roma%2090.htm Beretta Web 2015-09-09 Bersa 84 (Lusber) Bersa Thunder 32 Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless CZ-27 (Vz. 27) CZ-50 CZ-70 CZ-83 CZ Škorpion Vz. 61 Machine pistol Dineley machine carbine Dreyse M1907 Erma KGP-68A "Baby Luger" FÉG 37M Pistol FÉG AP 765 PistolThe FÉG AP 765 is a variant of the FÉG PA-63. FÉG Frommer Stop FN M1900 FN Model 1910 and 1910/22 Hamada Type pistol Heckler & Koch HK 4 P11 Heckler & Koch HK P7K3 Jieffeco Model 1911 KelTec P32 Llama Bufalo/Danton/Llama I/Llama X-A MAB Model D Mauser HSc Mauser Model 1914 Mauser Model 1934 Ortgies Semi-Automatic Pistol Oznobischev 1925 Pardini HP Pistola Aut. Celmi Radom P-83 Wanad Remington 51 Romanian Pistol Carpați Md. 1974 Ruby Sauer 38H Savage Model 1907 Seecamp LWS 32 SIG Sauer P230 Star Izarra Star Model 1914/1919 Star SIS Steyr-Pieper Model 1908/34 Taurus Millennium PT132 Taurus TCP 732 Taurus PT57 Walther PP Walther PPK Webley & Scott M1905-M1908https://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg/brit/webley-scott-e.html Webley & Scott M1905-M1908 22 October 2010 2013-09-30 Welrod Zastava M70 See also .32 NAA 7 mm caliber for other cartridges of similar diameter (7.0 - 7.99 mm diameter) Derringer List of handgun cartridges Table of handgun and rifle cartridges Notes References External links Is The .32 Mission Feasible? https://web.archive.org/web/20130703063732/http://shilohtv.com/?p=2720 2013-07-03 Ballistics 101 .32 ACP Ballistics Chart Golden Loki .32 ACP Gelatin Tests (Archived) Mouse Gun Addict Ammo Tests https://web.archive.org/web/20131003154718/http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/p/ammo-tests.html 2013-10-03 Category:1899 establishments in the United States 32 ACP Category:Colt cartridges Category:Colt's Manufacturing Company