[sum1_special]

hi guys, i am looking to buy this gun for my mother as she is intent on getting something small and light to fit in her purse, and the P-32 seems perfect. thing is I have no idea if this .32 caliber pistol is powerful enough to stop a deranged killer. especially in the hands of someone like my dear mother :loveydove. i tried to suggest something like a cz-52, makarov, or even one of those nice Polish P-64. but she is looking for something a little smaller or more modern... and since modern firearms are so darn expensive, and the fact that I love my momma, i even offered to pay half the price and maintain it for her. i was planning on getting a CZ-52 one of these days but seems since i am paying half for the P-32 I just cant anymore. I also have this thing about buying more than one type of gun, if I buy one and then buy 5 the first one wont be as special to me anymore(sorry, i'm a bit crazy). anyway, my question to guys is this... is the kel-tec P-32 a good choice for concealed weapons carry and can it double as a decent plinker? with a 7 round magazine will it be able to stop a hardened criminal in trembling hands? if not what do you recommend? judging from reviews I really want to buy this pistol but if its not good enough I might go with the Polish P-64 or Kel-Tec P-3AT.

 

[SilverRun]

The P-32 would not be my first choice in your situation. I have a P-3AT and really like it. If you want feel you must buy a kel-tec, go with the P-3AT. The .380 is much better than the little .32. However, neither of these is a good plinker. They are perfectly adequate if you want to hit a man size target out to about 10-15 yards, but that is about it. To me they are not really enjoyable to shoot (i.e. difficult). They are a tool more than a toy. I would suggest a .38 special revolver with a 2" barrel. It is heavier than the kel-tec, but women carry about 10 pounds of junk in their purse anyway. A revolver is very simple to use, won't jam, very safe (no safety on the kel-tec) and would be more fun to plink with. Also, if you get a name brand, it will likely be more accurate than the kel-tec. I would stick with something like a S&W, Taurus, and maybe a Rossi. I have a Taurus model 85 that I really like. Taurus revolver's are inexpensive as well. I paid like $200 used (new condition) for mine. See this website http://www.taurususa.com/products/gunselector-results.cfm?series=SF2 for more info.

Don't get me wrong, the Kel-tec P3AT’s are great little pistols, but I think it is the wrong choice for what you are wanting. The CZ-52 is also a good pistol, but it would be a worse choice. Could your Mother even get the slide back on that CZ-52? Go with a good revolver for now - you can always save up for a CZ for you. They are fairly inexpensive as well ($150 or so). Also, get over not wanting to buy more than one gun. One gun will not do everything.

Good Luck. I applaud you for looking after mother so dutifully! Good Job!

 

[sum1_special]

Thanks for the reply, SilverRun. i will talk to her and see what she would rather go with. a revolver sounds good but over the past few hours i've been looking into the Polish P-64 from aim. looks like a very well built pistol and its chambered in a decent caliber. out of all the articles ive read so far i have heard nothing but good things. been wanting one of them for a long time... does anyone have any experience with these little guns? where do you think it ranks in women's self defence?

 

[Uncle Red]

I have to agree with Silver on his recommending the revolver over the auto for the reason he just touched upon. For the most part, women do not have the hand strength to rack the slide of a small frame auto, especially older woman, or those with smaller hand size. While opening and closing the cylinder of a revolver is quite easy. In a "combat" situation if the auto has a fail-to-fire, the slide must be racked to clear the offending cartridge. With a revolver (DA), all you need do is pull the trigger again. Also, most woman/non-enthusiasts do not put in a lot of time "fondling" their selected weapon in order to become well acquainted enough with it that it's operation becomes second nature to them. My wife is 4’10†and has small hands and didn’t like the feel of most autos (grip frame). Consequently I now have a hard time getting her permission to use my own Ruger SP-101 that she has pretty much claimed for herself. If your Mom is set on getting an auto take her to a gun show or several gun shops and let her hold and manipulate several pistols to see what suits her best. In the end she’ll be much more likely to carry and use a pistol that she picked out, rather than one that she is not comfortable using. And remember, “Quality will be appreciated long after the price is forgotten. “ Don’t be afraid to spend the right amount of money to get what she likes and is well suited to her needs. Forgive me if this sounds like I’m “preachingâ€, that’s not my intent. I just hope I could help. -UR

 

[Logansdad]

http://www.bersa-llama.com/cat_thunder380.html

 

[NRAJOE]

I saw one of those at the pawnie where I got the SKS LD...nice looking gun...$249...

 

[troylaplante]

http://www.bersa-llama.com/cat_thunder380.html

I like it, the wife likes it.
:nod:

 

[sum1_special]

Logansdad, that is a nice looking gun, Spittin' Image of the PPK. do you own one? any complaints?

god, i've been beating my brains out all day trying to think of the right pistol! yesterday i thought it was the kel-tec p-32. this morning it was the Polish P-64 or PPk. mid day it was a revolver or P-3AT. and now upon closer examination its logansdad's bersa thunder! lucky for me my local dealer sells it Brand New for $200 with a Duotone finish, since the suggested retail is 300 something dollars i reckon its a steal. my only real concern is the size and weight of it compare to the kel-tec P-32 or P-3AT... if anyone has any other recommendations or comments ill take all the help i can get!

thanks Logansdad

 

[sum1_special]

finally

ok, i've made up my mind. my mother wants something small she can conceal in her purse and i want something with a moderate caliber to handle a dangerous situation. I have decided on the Kel-Tec P3-AT. all thats left is to take a trip to the dealer and get one. but before i do i need some input from someone who knows how they shoot. i read a couple reviews but i'd rather hear it from you guys. is this handgun any good? what are the known issues?

i have heard about the recoil but my mom is a pretty strong moman, I think she can handle it just fine :target:. and i'm definitely gonna have some fun with this as well.

edit: here's the Picture that won her over. man, its a beauty!

 

[asgard_prince]

I carry a P-3AT, it's a very reliable gun as long as you know how to use it. The trigger pull is very heavy (to make up for the lack of a safety), it is not accurate at all past 15 feet, if you don't hold it tight enough it will stove pipe on you. Beyond that it's a very good gun, but she would be better off with a revolver.

 

[Laserlips]

For a lady, or man with small/medium hands the Bersa/Firestorm 380 is gonna be hard to beat. I have a P32 and am happy with it. The Bersa/Firestorm is just a total different pistol.. It's like a Walther PP/PPK type, but 1/2 the price and IMO a better product all around. Lifetime warrenty. You never see negative posts about them. www.BersaTalk.com has lots of happy customers of Bersa/Firestorm products. Just my 2 cents worth. If you purchased the P3AT hope it was what you were looking for. Best Wishes

 

[Habakkuk21]

My Kel-Tec .380

I wanted a Kel-Tec .380 since I read a review in one of the gun magazines, that showed the little gun in the big hands of the reviewer. I liked the idea of it's concealability.
So, I bought one. I told my wife I had bought it for our 16 year old daughter for Christmas, but since it's not legal for my daughter to carry a concealed weapon, she doesn't get it for five more years. Until then, it's in hte console of my wife's car.
But my daughter was really happy to be the 'owner' until we took it to the range and she fired it. It's no fun to shoot. The gun is so light, all the recoil goes up your arm. The trigger pull is about a million pounds, because there is no safety. My beautiful princess actually burst into tears & wanted to go home, because she had been imagining how cool the .380 was, and what a great shot she would be with it. I let her shoot a 9 mm so she could have a good experience.
I explained to her that the ONLY thing the Kel-Tec was meant to do is shoot somebody who was threatening her, and that it was a good thing it was so uncomfortable because that would keep her from blowing away minor irritations.
It's small, and that's why I bought it. I wish it were easier / more fun to shoot, but it's not. Since it really IS only intended as a self-defense gun, I guess I'm okay with that. At least now I won't have to buy .380 reloading dies.

Pat