I posed this question on another board and received few good answers. Walther, Colt and Savage all produced 32ACP and 380ACP small autoloaders of about the same size since shortly after the turn of the last century up through WWII. Although the 380 is the more powerful, the 32 proved to be decidedly more popular. My question is why. One respondent on the other board cited better penetration of auto doors with the 32. Another suggested that the Euros did not really want to kill anyone anyway. A couple suggested that carrying a handgun was merely a status symbol for Police and Military officers. Walther and Colt 32s vastly outnumbered 380s. Why? Did they know something we do not? Only the Remington 51 chambered more 380s than 32s. Would love to hear your opinions on this topic.
Why did 32ACP win over 380ACP?
bonasa20
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Why did the .32acp win over the .380....?
I believe your question is flawed.....I don't believe it did...! I think more .380 pistols have been produced and used compared to the .32acp.
The .32acp was the first centerfire pistol designed by JM Browining, and was introduced by Fabrique Nationale in 1899. It was very popular and often replaced the .32 pocket revolvers of the time.
JMB also designed the .380, which is slightly more powerful than the .32acp. The cartridge was introduced by Colt in 1908.
"The .380 ACP has experienced very widespread use in the years since its introduction (1908 USA, 1912 Europe). It was used by Gavrillo Princip to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophia, the event which is credited with starting the First World War. It was later adopted by the armies of at least five European nations as their standard pistol cartridge before WWII; Czechoslovakia (Vz.38), Hungary (FEMARU 37M), and Italy, all of whom used domestic designs, as well as The Netherlands and Yugoslavia, both of whom adopted the FN Model 1922. It was also used extensively by Germany, who captured or purchased hundreds of thousands of pistols in this caliber during World War II. Popular German built commercial models, such as the Walther PPK were very popular with German officers. The Italian Army used the Beretta M1934, but the Italian Air Force and Navy stuck with the 7.65mm/.32 ACP when they adopted the Beretta M1935.
While .380 ACP was considered to be a moderately powerful service pistol round before WWII when compared to the .32 ACP pistols it replaced, no nation retained it as a military service cartridge for very long after the war (when it was largely replaced by its more powerful 9×19mm Parabellum cousin). It was widely used by police forces in Europe until at least the 1980s when more powerful 9×19mm handguns began to replace it in this market as well. It does find some use as a backup gun due to the generally small and easily concealable size of the weapons that chambered it (very few "mini pistols" are made in calibers larger than .380 ACP, and those few that are recent developments), and is popular on the civilian market as a personal defense round. The .380 ACP round is marginally suitable for self-defense situations as a choice for concealed carry pistols."
I believe your question is flawed.....I don't believe it did...! I think more .380 pistols have been produced and used compared to the .32acp.
The .32acp was the first centerfire pistol designed by JM Browining, and was introduced by Fabrique Nationale in 1899. It was very popular and often replaced the .32 pocket revolvers of the time.
JMB also designed the .380, which is slightly more powerful than the .32acp. The cartridge was introduced by Colt in 1908.
"The .380 ACP has experienced very widespread use in the years since its introduction (1908 USA, 1912 Europe). It was used by Gavrillo Princip to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophia, the event which is credited with starting the First World War. It was later adopted by the armies of at least five European nations as their standard pistol cartridge before WWII; Czechoslovakia (Vz.38), Hungary (FEMARU 37M), and Italy, all of whom used domestic designs, as well as The Netherlands and Yugoslavia, both of whom adopted the FN Model 1922. It was also used extensively by Germany, who captured or purchased hundreds of thousands of pistols in this caliber during World War II. Popular German built commercial models, such as the Walther PPK were very popular with German officers. The Italian Army used the Beretta M1934, but the Italian Air Force and Navy stuck with the 7.65mm/.32 ACP when they adopted the Beretta M1935.
While .380 ACP was considered to be a moderately powerful service pistol round before WWII when compared to the .32 ACP pistols it replaced, no nation retained it as a military service cartridge for very long after the war (when it was largely replaced by its more powerful 9×19mm Parabellum cousin). It was widely used by police forces in Europe until at least the 1980s when more powerful 9×19mm handguns began to replace it in this market as well. It does find some use as a backup gun due to the generally small and easily concealable size of the weapons that chambered it (very few "mini pistols" are made in calibers larger than .380 ACP, and those few that are recent developments), and is popular on the civilian market as a personal defense round. The .380 ACP round is marginally suitable for self-defense situations as a choice for concealed carry pistols."
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Gun that killed Archduke Ferdinand and his wife.....
Unfortunately, this is one of those examples where one historian claims it was a .32acp, while other historians state is was a .380acp...... This is a quote from
Wikepedia....
"An FN M1910, serial number 19074, chambered in .380 ACP[1] was the handgun used by Gavrilo Princip to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, the act that precipitated the First World War.[2] Numerous previous sources erroneously cited the FN Model 1900 in .32 calibre as being the weapon Princip used.[3] This has led to confusion over the calibre of the pistol actually used."
Here is a very extensive account about the murder of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife Sophia.....this historical account states it was a .380 acp.....?
"At this moment the Archduke’s car was spotted by Gavrilo Princip, armed with his FN-Browning M1910 he stepped forward and opened fire.
The Archduke’s eventual assassin was a 19 year old Bosnian Serb, Gavrilo Princip came from a kmets/serf family but was an educated man having been enrolled at a merchant’s school in Sarajevo for several years before he was expelled when he was 17 for taking part in anti-Austrian demonstrations. Throughout his adolescence Princip had admired fellow Serbs who fought against the Austro-Hungarians. In 1914, he was recruited into the Young Bosnia by Danilo Ilić to take part in the assassination of Franz Ferdinand.
Princip’s first round entered the Archduke’s neck piercing his jugular, cutting the vein and lodging itself in his spine. The .380 ACP projectile mushroomed as it struck Franz Ferdinand’s neck tissues losing its momentum before lodging in his spinal column, probably somewhere in his Cervical vertebrae. Considering how difficult to pick up the Model 1910’s sights are Princip was either extremely lucky to hit the Archduke or was a skilled snap shooter."
http://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/97683056689/the-gun-that-killed-archduke-franz-ferdinand-fn
It was stated in the article that six men were involved in the assassination, and all were captured. Three were hanged, but the actual assassin, Gavrilo Princip, was 19 years old and by law, could not be executed due to his age, and was given a 20 year sentence.....even so, he died in prison from TB. Sadly enough, many historians will agree that this senseless act of violence led to WWI that led to the death of an estimated 8.5 million lives.....
Unfortunately, this is one of those examples where one historian claims it was a .32acp, while other historians state is was a .380acp...... This is a quote from
Wikepedia....
"An FN M1910, serial number 19074, chambered in .380 ACP[1] was the handgun used by Gavrilo Princip to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, the act that precipitated the First World War.[2] Numerous previous sources erroneously cited the FN Model 1900 in .32 calibre as being the weapon Princip used.[3] This has led to confusion over the calibre of the pistol actually used."
Here is a very extensive account about the murder of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife Sophia.....this historical account states it was a .380 acp.....?
"At this moment the Archduke’s car was spotted by Gavrilo Princip, armed with his FN-Browning M1910 he stepped forward and opened fire.
The Archduke’s eventual assassin was a 19 year old Bosnian Serb, Gavrilo Princip came from a kmets/serf family but was an educated man having been enrolled at a merchant’s school in Sarajevo for several years before he was expelled when he was 17 for taking part in anti-Austrian demonstrations. Throughout his adolescence Princip had admired fellow Serbs who fought against the Austro-Hungarians. In 1914, he was recruited into the Young Bosnia by Danilo Ilić to take part in the assassination of Franz Ferdinand.
Princip’s first round entered the Archduke’s neck piercing his jugular, cutting the vein and lodging itself in his spine. The .380 ACP projectile mushroomed as it struck Franz Ferdinand’s neck tissues losing its momentum before lodging in his spinal column, probably somewhere in his Cervical vertebrae. Considering how difficult to pick up the Model 1910’s sights are Princip was either extremely lucky to hit the Archduke or was a skilled snap shooter."
http://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/97683056689/the-gun-that-killed-archduke-franz-ferdinand-fn
It was stated in the article that six men were involved in the assassination, and all were captured. Three were hanged, but the actual assassin, Gavrilo Princip, was 19 years old and by law, could not be executed due to his age, and was given a 20 year sentence.....even so, he died in prison from TB. Sadly enough, many historians will agree that this senseless act of violence led to WWI that led to the death of an estimated 8.5 million lives.....
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Predominance of .32 acp in prewar autos....
Since the .380 was adopted by five military armies in Europe prior to WWII, and later by the German military and the Italian army during WWII, I would have to say the .380 has been produced and used in greater quantities than the .32acp:
"It was also used extensively by Germany, who captured or purchased hundreds of thousands of pistols in this caliber during World War II. Popular German built commercial models, such as the Walther PPK were very popular with German officers. The Italian Army used the Beretta M1934 (.380)."
I would image .380 pistlols were made and used in greater quantities than the .32acp, but after the surrender of the Axis powers in WWII, many of the German and Italian army .380 pistols were confiscated and destroyed.
Without knowing the actual production quantities of .32acp and .380 acp, we can only guess which was "the winner" (meaning more produced and sold)
Your original question did not specify any time frame nor period of time....only calibers. The above statement of 32 over 380 in prewar autos at on-line auction sites does not indicate how many of each gun was produced and sold, .....it does indicate there are many pre-war .32acp guns for sale.
Since the .380 was adopted by five military armies in Europe prior to WWII, and later by the German military and the Italian army during WWII, I would have to say the .380 has been produced and used in greater quantities than the .32acp:
"It was also used extensively by Germany, who captured or purchased hundreds of thousands of pistols in this caliber during World War II. Popular German built commercial models, such as the Walther PPK were very popular with German officers. The Italian Army used the Beretta M1934 (.380)."
I would image .380 pistlols were made and used in greater quantities than the .32acp, but after the surrender of the Axis powers in WWII, many of the German and Italian army .380 pistols were confiscated and destroyed.
Without knowing the actual production quantities of .32acp and .380 acp, we can only guess which was "the winner" (meaning more produced and sold)
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