| Kel-Tec P32 | |
| Origin: | United States |
| Type: | Pocket pistol |
| Is Ranged: | yes |
| Used By: | Private citizens and police officers |
| Designer: | George Kellgren |
| Design Date: | 1999 |
| Manufacturer: | Kel-Tec CNC Industries Inc. |
| Production Date: | 1999–present |
| Weight: | 6.6oz unloaded.[1] |
| Length: | 5.07inches |
| Part Length: | 2.68inches |
| Width: | 0.75inches |
| Height: | 3.5inches |
| Cartridge: | .32 ACP |
| Feed: | Detachable box magazine; capacities: |
| Action: | locked-breech |
| Sights: | Fixed, iron (two variants) |
The Kel-Tec P32 is a sub-compact semi-automatic pistol using the short-recoil principle of operation that is chambered in .32 ACP.[5] It was designed by George Kellgren.[6] It is manufactured by Kel-Tec CNC Industries Inc., of Cocoa, Florida and was designed for concealed carry by citizens and by law enforcement officers as a back-up gun.[7]
Manufactured by Kel-Tec CNC Industries (founded 1991) in the city of Cocoa, Florida, United States, the P32 has a barrel length of 2.68inches.[8]
Unlike almost all blowback pocket pistols of the 20th century, P32 operates on Browning's short-recoil principle with a locked breech,[9] allowing to mitigate recoil despite the very low weight (this solution became popular in the following decades).
Similar in concept to a revolver, the P32 has no manual safety, relying instead on the long double-action trigger pull and an internal hammer block to provide safe operation.[9] The pistol meets SAAMI guidelines, and will not fire if dropped. The P32 has passed extensive SAAMI drop-testing at the H. P. White labs, as well as drop tests to military specifications. The trigger must physically be pulled for the gun to fire.[9]
The P32 is made of the following materials: SAE 4140 ordnance steel for the barrel and slide; 7075-T6 aluminum for the internal frame which houses the firing mechanism (machined from a solid block of aluminum); and Dupont ST-8018 ultra-high-impact polymer for the checkered grip, frame, and trigger.[8]
. Massad Ayoob. Gun Digest's Backup Guns for Concealed Carry eShort: Get the best backup gun tips and inside advice on concealed carry handguns, CCW laws & more.. 2012. Gun Digest Books. Iola, Wisconsin. 978-1-4402-3423-1. 12. "Today tiny 32 autos like the Seecamp, the North American Arms Guardian and the irresistibly slim and light Kel-Tec P32 have found their way into the backup position on the bodies of many police officers and armed citizens alike.".