toivo
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Physically bigger, but much, much lighter.
Is the Seecamp a good pistol for $350?
- Thread starter TTv2
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Shawn Dodson
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- Dec 28, 2002
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Prior to my Seecamp, I bought a friend's Kel-Tec P32. I didn't own it for very long and I sold it shortly after I got range time with it.
I found its felt recoil to be sharp, probably due to its narrow backstrap. The protruding grip tang snagged whenever I tried to draw it from my pocket making it unacceptable for pocket carry.
I am a bit of an pocket pistol collector and user. I have never owned or shot a Seecamp but have wanted one ever since I purchased my NAA Guardian in .32 acp ~30 years ago.
I carried my P32 everyday for about 6 years (before covid). I worked in an office where printing wasn't an option and the P32 was perfect in this low risk environment (I worked behind 2 lock security doors which only a very few people had access to). For this environment the P32 is a perfect pocket carry gun. In all my 30+ years of pocket carrying weight has always been a bigger factor than size for me.
If I bought a Seecamp it would be in .380. For me a .32 Seecamp would be useless as I would ALWAYS choose the P32 over the Seecamp. I am showing that the Seecamp is 11.5 oz empty where the P32 is 6.6 oz empty. The dimensions of the P32 are bigger but it is an incredibly thin lightweight gun that can be carried with just about any clothing I own.
Recoil be damned! I do not choose my carry pistols based on perceived recoil I choose them on power + reliability vs concealability. My P32 is a baby when it comes to recoil vs many of my other carry guns. The DiamondBack DB9 is the biggest gun I can pocket carry and it packs a wallop of a recoil due to its incredibly small size, lite weight vs the 9mm cartridge it shoots. The DB9 filled a need so I bought one and practiced with it until I was comfortable with it and very proficient with it. It has been 100% reliable for me since Day One just like my P32, LCP and other pistols I carry. I am 55 and don't have a problem with recoil. This is mostly due to desensitizing myself to mean guns by practicing (my XDs in .45acp is another hand slapper). These aren't range guns where I want soft easy to shoot pistols, they are tools that come with trade offs of pocket-ability vs cartridge size/power.
I understand that some people have conditions that prevents them from being effective with certain arms. Above is just what I found works for me.
P.S. As a collector of pocket pistols I would purchase a Seecamp in .32 acp for $350 even though I know there is not much chance of me ever carrying it.
I carried my P32 everyday for about 6 years (before covid). I worked in an office where printing wasn't an option and the P32 was perfect in this low risk environment (I worked behind 2 lock security doors which only a very few people had access to). For this environment the P32 is a perfect pocket carry gun. In all my 30+ years of pocket carrying weight has always been a bigger factor than size for me.
If I bought a Seecamp it would be in .380. For me a .32 Seecamp would be useless as I would ALWAYS choose the P32 over the Seecamp. I am showing that the Seecamp is 11.5 oz empty where the P32 is 6.6 oz empty. The dimensions of the P32 are bigger but it is an incredibly thin lightweight gun that can be carried with just about any clothing I own.
Recoil be damned! I do not choose my carry pistols based on perceived recoil I choose them on power + reliability vs concealability. My P32 is a baby when it comes to recoil vs many of my other carry guns. The DiamondBack DB9 is the biggest gun I can pocket carry and it packs a wallop of a recoil due to its incredibly small size, lite weight vs the 9mm cartridge it shoots. The DB9 filled a need so I bought one and practiced with it until I was comfortable with it and very proficient with it. It has been 100% reliable for me since Day One just like my P32, LCP and other pistols I carry. I am 55 and don't have a problem with recoil. This is mostly due to desensitizing myself to mean guns by practicing (my XDs in .45acp is another hand slapper). These aren't range guns where I want soft easy to shoot pistols, they are tools that come with trade offs of pocket-ability vs cartridge size/power.
I understand that some people have conditions that prevents them from being effective with certain arms. Above is just what I found works for me.
P.S. As a collector of pocket pistols I would purchase a Seecamp in .32 acp for $350 even though I know there is not much chance of me ever carrying it.
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1KPerDay
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Hokkmike
Member
A friend once told me, "When you buy tires for a car that your family will ride in is the first criteria budget and price or quality and safety? Shouldn't the same thing be true for something that explodes and goes BANG inches from your head?"
aaaaa
Member
I forgot about that. My Seacamp .32 bashed my finger. The Kel Tec does not. The Kel Tec is not near as snappy IMO as the Seacamp .32.
I have not had the privilege of shooting any Seecamp. I think the only chance I will get to shoot one is if I buy one. I will never know if I can manage a Seecamp in 380 unless I own one and can work with it. There have been several guns that were offensive the first time I shot them that I eventually was able to come to terms and make friends with.
My XD mod 2 subcompact in .45acp was love at first shot. It was just a perfect fit and shot great. My DB9 and XDs in .45 acp each took a fair getting acquainted period (and rubber grip sleeves). I carry my DB9 often and carry my XDs when I go to the big city. The XD mod 2 is my night stand and camping gun but I rarely carry it because I usually don't like that much bulk.
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I’ve got 3 of the 32 Seacamps. The reason I have 3 is that I thought I only had one, and I wanted a pair.
I have only shot one of them and it ate the 3 or 4 different makes of ammo that I had on hand. I was expecting it to only feed the Silvertips, but I was pleasantly surprised.
I have only shot one of them and it ate the 3 or 4 different makes of ammo that I had on hand. I was expecting it to only feed the Silvertips, but I was pleasantly surprised.
LimaCharlie
Member.
I have the 380 and love it as a pocket "get off of me" secondary handgun.
I really wish I'd have kept mine I got rid of it when Ks passed concealed carry cause I figured if it's legal I'll always carry something bigger, after a few years packing bigger I kinda missed having the little guy I could just drop in a pocket.
They are very well built, and they're not as ammo sensitive as folks make them out. They're just set up to run with shorter JHP. Mine would run with about anything that would fit in the mag including the old Fiocchi 60gr 1/2 jacket that runs about 200fps faster than most domestic fodder.
They are very well built, and they're not as ammo sensitive as folks make them out. They're just set up to run with shorter JHP. Mine would run with about anything that would fit in the mag including the old Fiocchi 60gr 1/2 jacket that runs about 200fps faster than most domestic fodder.
Jimfern
Member
I bought a steel gauge off ebay that is cut to the max cartridge length for the Seecamp. The Seecamp is a jewel of a pistol, very well built.
Had one, not a fan, heavy, better not let it get dirty or dry inside, insides were poorly made......rough & crude.
I caught lots of flack the last time I said this, but I stand on it, got rid of mine, too many better options these days.
I caught lots of flack the last time I said this, but I stand on it, got rid of mine, too many better options these days.
I’m very disappointed to hear that about the Seecamp. It used to be known as the Rolls Royce of pocket pistols…I never found one I could afford
sgt127
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- Apr 29, 2003
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- 2,124
I have a (Probably) first year .32. Back when they were bringing $900 at the gun shows. It became my “The gun I can carry anywhere” gun in a wallet holster. Even modified a handcuff case to carry it in uniform. The original Silvertip was perfect. But, Silvertips are hard to find. I want to say I bought 500 rounds of PMC HP that seems to work fine.
A few years ago, they reintroduced the .25 auto. I got one of those.
I prefer the .25 as it will cycle ANY round I feed it.
If you think of the Seecamp as a stand off, 7 or 8 try ice pick. It has its place.
If you plan on running towards an active shooter and taking him down, not so much.
A few years ago, they reintroduced the .25 auto. I got one of those.
I prefer the .25 as it will cycle ANY round I feed it.
If you think of the Seecamp as a stand off, 7 or 8 try ice pick. It has its place.
If you plan on running towards an active shooter and taking him down, not so much.
herrwalther
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- May 1, 2013
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- 8,143
The Misses bought one on an impulse buy. This was at the height of Covid so there was no 32ACP at the store for it. And the guy behind the counter thought 32NAA was the same round which it very much isn't. As per my custom, I went to clean it when we got it home. Hated how it came apart compared to nearly every other pistol on the market. Gave the wife my honest opinion of it and she decided to get rid of it the same day she got it. It got traded for something that she actually carries.
sgt127
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Some people claim it works.
I’d be leery. That’s a really small package, even for .32 auto. It was actually designed around the .32 Silvertip At 60 gr.
I think heavier ball ammo would really hasten wear. 71-74 gr as I recall.
I also have a NAA guardian. It’s a little heavier and chunkier than the Seecamp. With ball ammo, it smacks the bottom of my trigger finger.
I’d be leery. That’s a really small package, even for .32 auto. It was actually designed around the .32 Silvertip At 60 gr.
I think heavier ball ammo would really hasten wear. 71-74 gr as I recall.
I also have a NAA guardian. It’s a little heavier and chunkier than the Seecamp. With ball ammo, it smacks the bottom of my trigger finger.
aaaaa
Member
Yes the spacer is easily removed, but also serves at the bottom to lock in the magazine cap. Some have simply cut off the spacer leaving enough to still serve as a lock. I didn't want to butcher mine, so cut some little pieces of sheet metal such to sit in there and lock the cap on. It worked after a little tinkering.
As for shooting ball ammo. I had some Fiocchi and it varied in length enough that some would not fit the spacerless magazine and some would. I went to PPU and they all fit.
So yeah, cut a small flat piece of sheet metal to fit in the bottom under the spring. As I recall it should be a little shorter than the spacer bottom as the edge of the sheet metal will hook into the tang on the bottom cover.
Or real simple just pull the spacer and be careful to not let the bottom cover slide off. You will be able to shoot a few mags that way at the range without having to fabricate the locking piece.
For me, the ball ran nicely but the HP with spacer jammed a lot. Of course there may have been other factors, like that by the time I tried the ball ammo, I finally figured out how not to limp wrist (limp grip maybe more like it) a pistol that you can only get 1.5 fingers around the grip.
