kel-tec 32 any good?

range

would like your opinions of the kel-tec 32 i have heard mostly negetive ones. any body have a good experince with it?

---

dearchaser

Bought one about a year ago(sale at Natchez.com) after hearing people on the Kel Tec owner's board raving about it(www.ktog.org). I found it to be a cheaply made gun (with a lifetime warranty) which has performed flawlessly each time I've fired it, although I have less than 50 rounds thru it. At 25 yards it was very accurate, but takes some getting used to if you have large hands. I own many 9mm, .357 mag, and .45 cal handguns, but due to their size are cumbersome for concealed carry and I tended to leave them at home or in the truck. The P32 is the perfect CC gun, drop it in your pocket and away you go. This is not a "shooter" which you pound the lead thru. It simply will not last (although replacement's are free). It's a gun you shoot till your confident with it and then use it for self-defense(not bears however). Many will say the .32 is not powerful enough for self-defense, but I would counter with "anything is better than nothing", and at close range I would not want to take 1 to 7 slugs from a P32. I highly recommend it for concealed carry.

Kadaver

I have one.....i like it very much.weight and size are awesome.3 things i dislike....1.) the sights....put a triangle on top of a square to make a house and thats the sight.2.) i would rather have a metal guide rod then the plastic one.....mine actually curves a bit (does not affect performance)3.) DEFINATLY made for close up shooting. 20 feet and under, further then that and you would have better accuracy throwing rocks.Over all i like it a lot. I would recommend highly for cheaper carry gun. I think if i could go back i would save up a little more and get a sig 230 however.Oh...i should add....kel-tecs have a history of problems for the first 100 rounds or so.....but i goes away.....mine jammed a few times within the first box of ammo....but every box after has had perfect operation.[This message has been edited by Kadaver (edited 09-18-2001).]

gravedigger

I saw this gun at the gun shop this weekend and I was interested. I like the look of it much more than the other mini guns I had been looking at. The feedback you guys gave will be much appreciated. Does anyone have any experience with this gun vs. the North American Arms Guardian .32? Or even the Guardian .380?-Marcus

JudgeColt

I am a big Kel-Tec fan. The designs are brilliant. For concealed carry, where I value light weight and small size most highly, they have no equal for me. The P32 is about as light as a NAA Mini-Revolver, but packs a lot more punch and is a lot easier to shoot well. Mine, and the several with which I am acquainted, have been very reilable. Kel-Tecs are inexpensive, not cheap. The plastic parts are what makes them so light. A guide rod carries very little load so plastic is fine. I believe a metal guide rod is available for the P11 for those who do not like the idea of a plastic guide rod, but I do not think a metal guide rod is offered for the P32. (Glocks have plastic guide rods too, do they not?)Kel-Tec customer service is very good if there are any problems. The Kel-Tec owners group will also be very helpful if there are any problems. To me, comparing the giant P232 with the tiny P32 is like comparing apples and oranges. Most compact 9x19 pistols are as small and almost as light as the P232, but offer a lot more power with little more recoil because the P232 is a blow-back. In my opinion, the smallest and best .380 is the locked breech Colt Pony Pocketlite, but unfortunately Colt discontinued it. In my opinion, you will be delighted with any Kel-Tec, and the P32 will be with you when nothing else, other than a Mini-Revolver, could be.

JudgeColt

While I was composing my response, gravedigger posted his response. While I love NAA products (an early Mini-Revolver has been in my pocket for decades), the Guardian .32 is an attempt to cash in on the unmet demand for the Seecamp LWS 32. It does that fairly well, but I still prefer the Seecamp over it. I prefer the P32 to both.The Guardian .380 is HUGE! It weighs about 18 ounces and is larger than a Colt Pony Pocketlite, which weighs about 12.5 ounces. The Guardian .380 is a blow back and the recoil is heavy compared to the locked-breech Colt. Between a Guardian .32 and a Kel-Tec P32, for me the P32 wins hands down. The P32 is a locked breech design, and is much lighter, while actually having a slightly longer grip that is easier to shoot. The P32 is also thinner. The fact that it costs less is merely a plus.

salzo

I have a kel-tec 40SW, and it is a great close range gun. I have to agree with earlier post, first 100 or so rounds are not pretty, but after that, no problems.

davem3

I have a P-32 and once past the break-in and the suggested polishing were done, it has been an outstanding little gun. Every time I go to the range (twice a week) I run 2 mags. through it and it never gives a problem with my lead bullet reloads or any other ammo I have tried. Great carry gun!

leeblackman

I find that most gun usually need a little extra polishing, and not only does it increase their performance, it also increases their life.What did you polish on you Kel-Tec, and what did you use to polish it.

davem3

I used hard felt pads and white rouge in my Foredom to polish outside of the bbl. etc. and 600 grit & oil inside chamber. Detailed instructions are available at www.ktog.org

davem3

I should add the instructions are listed as "Fluff & Buff" under the "Tec-Werks" heading.