Any Berretta 3032's with a High Round Count?

[rhoggman]

Many people are (have been) complaining about cracked frames on Berretta Tomcats.

I have heard so many negative things (post purchase), I am curious if there are any success stories out there.

Anybody out there with 1,000 plus rounds w/ no cracks?

Anyone just love this firearm?

I am catering to a woman with weak hands. The tip up barrel seemed to be the selling point; however, I feel like I have a lemon and the thing is still unfired.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I had a TomCat back in the late '90's. It did crack the frame and slide. I sent it back to Beretta and they replaced it.

Mine had perhaps 3,000rds through it.

Most were light cast bullet loads with a 78gr Lyman RN over 1.8gr of Bullseye for 775fps. This load was mild and extremely accurate through the little gun. Specs were very close to the US manufactured factory ammo.
However, my carry load was the Fiocchi 60gr HP and/or Fiocchi 73gr RN-fmj. Both are very hot loads- loaded to the European CIP standard, much warmer than the SAAMI spec loads from Federal and Winchester, ect.

I'd shot perhaps 3 boxes of each of the Fiocchi loads through the gun, and perhaps 200-300 of Hornady 60gr XTP's and Speer 60gr GoldDots loaded over 2.7gr of Win231 which approximated the Fiocchi Ammo. (FWIW I preferred the 60gr GoldDots.)

I sold/traded the new one NIB and unfired.

I'm told the new Stainless Steel version has a steel frame and slide and don't have the cracking issues the Aluminum frame and crome/moly steel slide versions do.

If you will use only Remington, Federal, or Winchester ammo, I don't believe that in your intended use, that you'll have a problem with the gun. I doubt that you'll shoot it enough to see any problems given the supply and cost of .32acp at present.

However, the Double action trigger pull on mine would preclude the use by someone with insufficient hand strength to pull the slide back. So, the tilt barrel feature may be moot if she can't pull the trigger......

 

[benderx4]

The Inox version seems to do better. Have you considered a Beretta Cheetah 86 for your wife?

 

[rhoggman]

Have you considered a Beretta Cheetah 86 for your wife?

The version with the tip up barrel is not easily found, but the size and weight is an issue as well.

I need something small, light, easy to operate, and something that is appealing to the masses.... In the event of a future resale.

I was leaning toward the LCR because of the even, smooth trigger. I have shied away from the idea because of face to face reports from people I know and trust.... Maybe in a couple of years when they have worked out the kinks.

LCP is not recoil friendly; some people find it too snappy. I love mine.

Saw a good deal on a never fired 3032 and I jumped on it based on what little I knew about it. Mainly that it was a Berretta, and I used to be in the Army; however I also knew it had a metal frame, and was a fairly expensive .32 pocket pistol being in the mid $350 - $400 range (Compared to the p32 one would assume a $400 gun is of higher quality). From that little bit of knowledge I snagged it up, and then started doing research on grips, holsters et cetera. ONE CANNOT DO A GOOGLE SEARCH AND MISS THE NEGATIVE PRESS. I also was ignorant to the Berretta waranty of 1 year. I would have never guessed that one. This is really a case of me reacting to what was a good price. Yes the pistol was an unfired safe queen, but I am beginning to believe the original owner may have not shot it for a reason. The warranty card was never filled out either.... This extends the warranty to 3 years. I will try to fill it out and send it in if I cannot sell the gun.

I am now leaning towards the SIG P238. For a couple of hundred dollars more you get so much more. Reports that I have read claim recoil is less snappy in the SIG than in all other small .380s (including LCP, P3AT, 738, KAHR model), and one report of accuracy being better than the PPK. With added benefit of night sights, and the fact that if she doesn't like it I do this is a win win Lots of hype around the P238, and I may have been suckered.

I hate to say this but she also loves the Walther P22, which now has a cousin in .380. Size wise it does not really fit the bill, but ease of use is really a seller.

 

[benderx4]

Do a Google on that Sig P238 and you're going to find some growing pains with that new gun as well. I did, however, fondle one the other day in my LGS and it feels real solid. Mini 1911, carry it cocked and locked. Pretty expensive too.

Yes the Cheetah 86 is tough to find, but it can be done. (I've got the 87 in 22LR) The increase in size over the Tomcat makes it MUCH more comfortable to hold and shoot. And the tip up barrel means no cocking. (which my wife can rarely do.)

Another option is the Beretta Jetfire in .25acp. I've got two of these babies and they are a hoot to shoot and give you all the same advantages of the Tomcat and the Cheetah 86, with a sweet SAO trigger/short reset.

 

[rhoggman]

I realize there was a recall on the 238 for a potential safety problem, but just like the LCP it was a "precautionary measure".

Berretta has a pistol with a widespread problem. If you go on the Berretta forum you might even come to the conclusion that this pistol is starting to ruin their reputation.

At least other manufacturers are standing behind their product. Plenty of people talk about the Kel-Tecs being junk; however, they work, they last, and they go bang.

 

[IdahoSkies]

I have a Berretta 3032 and love it. I have not put thousands of rounds through it, hundreds but not thousands. The frame cracking problem was a concern of mine, but what I heard was that the problem came from the frame being to thin and that they have since solved that problem by widening the frame. It makes the gun beffier and wider. From what I understand this new "model" has been referred to as "wide body" tomcats as opposed to the original model.

With that information behind me I felt alright purchasing a NIB 3032, but passed on a used one as I did not know when it was manufactured. My $.02 hope its helpful.

 

[rhoggman]

I have a Berretta 3032 and love it. I have not put thousands of rounds through it, hundreds but not thousands. The frame cracking problem was a concern of mine, but what I heard was that the problem came from the frame being to thin and that they have since solved that problem by widening the frame. It makes the gun beffier and wider. From what I understand this new "model" has been referred to as "wide body" tomcats as opposed to the original model.

I have heard this as well; however there are all kinds of people who are purchasing new ones made in 2009 that are having the same problem. Even the INOX versions are cracking in the same place. Supposedly the newer ones are coming with a warning in the box not to shoot any load producing more than 130 ft/lbs of muzzle energy. Sure enough I found that insert in the paperwork included with the gun I purchased.

I could be wrong, but I thought what I read on the Berretta forum was that they increased the size/ weight of the slide on the INOX version, which in turn reduced the force/ stress applied to the frame.

The matte blued version of the 3032 is the most common version that this problem is found in, but many people make the argument that they sell and produce mostly this version.

Sadly after reading thread after thread on the Berretta forum I am basically lead to believe "if you shoot it enough, it will crack".

Many people are also confused why an Italian gun maker is producing a 32 ACP pistol that cannot shoot European 32 ACP rounds. Go look at Fiocchi ammo. S&B, and even some american made ammo. Not much of a reloader so I cannot comment on the SAAMI specs and all that, but basically most range ammo is about 125-130 ft/lbs. You would expect that it could handle more than that. What happens when your 129 ft/lbs range ammo exceeds that by a little? The point is you can't find a whole lot of stuff loaded any lighter. You void the warranty by shooting the stuff you would want to carry. Surely you would not carry something you have not shot..... Not to mention the fact that most ammo manufacturers do not print the muzzle energy on the box, and if they did would it be the right figure for the Tomcat? They have a # you can call before you shoot to make sure the ammo is safe in the Tomcat..... They had to make a 1800 line but they are not doing a recall???? *** are you kidding me? It is also widely reported they are replacing cracked framed gun with the INOX, but are charging people to upgrade.... To me it all just seems ridiculous, plus I feel like I am stuck with a brand new lemon.

You always hear about people bashing on guns they don't own.... here is new one for you. I am bashing on a gun I do own but have not shot. Really, I am afraid of having to deal with Berretta when the frame cracks. Kinda just want to get my money back by selling it, but then of coarse I am passing my junk along to another ill informed idiot like myself. Poor Guy I don't think I could do that after what I have learned. Berretta has put me in the middle of a moral dilemma.

Go check out the Berretta Forums.... It is like a horror story come true. I have had pretty good luck with firearms. Everything I have bought has basically been solid. In the end I may just say the hell with it and shoot it until it cracks, and or document it.

 

[benderx4]

Rhoggman: First off, I agree with you wholeheartedly, this is a tough position to be in. I've wanted a Tomcat in .32 forever, but never purchased one due to all the hoopla on the internet forums. (I do have one in 22LR) Seems like they never strengthened the original frame to handle the larger caliber. I'm a huge Beretta fan, but the "Tomcat Saga" has got me baffled. Nowadays, when folks send in their blued Tomcat, they just say, "Send us $150 and your brand new INOX Tomcat will be on it's way." God forbid they actually change the design, improve the materials, and/or actually "fix" the gun. Anyhow, if you were me, I would trade that puppy in on something your wife would be happy with. (Seecamp LWS32) Good luck.

 

[Gixerman1000]

I have had an INOX Tomcat for several years now and mine has been a good gun, every time I go to the range even if I’m not particularly practicing with the Tomcat that day I pull it out of my pocket in whatever current state of maintenance it’s in from being carried every day and shoot the ammo that had been carried in it, even dry and full of pocket lint it has always functioned reliably, it’s also pretty accurate for pocket gun.

The frame cracking problem is with the early blued Tomcats, the narrow slide didn't have enough weight to absorb the recoil energy so it would cycle to fast and with too much force and beat the frame to death.

The INOX (stainless) Tomcats and the newer blued Tomcats have a much wider slide and do not have the problems the early ones did.

Here are some comparison photos I took of the newer wider and heavier 3032 Tomcat slide next to the older blued 3032 Tomcat slide and the differences are obvious. The width of the slides are 1.060” wide for the newer slide vs .925” wide for the older slide making the newer slide .135” wider.




Not only was the newer slide wider but it was also slightly taller in the rear half and much taller in the front open half, the front open half of the newer slide being much taller was beveled at the ejection port to match the height of the older slide.

 

[makarovnik]

The Kel-Tec P32 is a locked breech. Have her try pulling the slide back on it before thinking she can't do it. Otherwise it is smaller, lighter, flatter and probably more reliable than the Tomcat.

Sorry, no offense to Tomcat owners. The inox version is a quality piece usually.

The slide on the P32 is easier to pull than the Tomcat.

How about a Bobcat loaded with Stingers or mini mags? Just carry an extra mag to make up for the lesser round.

 

[rhoggman]

Mine definitely looks like the one in question..... Hopefully I can get rid of it.