Armybrat
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Remington model 51 and Colt Govt. 380.
Locked breech .32 or .380 pistols that aren't tiny pocket guns?
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Terry G
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The Colt 2000, of which I had a hand in testing for the DOJ, was the worst Colt I ever fired bar none. It's something I hope my enemy is carrying.
Skylerbone
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When it came out I was working another sporting goods counter at a department store and thought it was the most deformed looking pistol I’d ever seen hands down. Intriguing, but nothing I wanted any part of.
Ohen Cepel
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There are high end .32 target guns. Pardini, Walther, etc if that fits you need. Not cheap but can find deals at times and are a LOT of fun even if you're not trying to go to the Olympics.
Tallball
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Someone mentioned the Berettas. I have the double stack 380 and the double stack 32. They are duty-sized pistols like the CZ, but also are blowback and they have aluminum frames. The 380 has some sting to it. The 32acp Model 81, though, has very little recoil. Its wide grip, overall size and weight, and puny cartridge make its recoil very soft.
I took it shooting with my friend and our four teenaged daughters a couple of months back. Some of the girls didn't like the recoil of some of the handguns (my daughter refused to even shoot the 357 LCR, for instance), but they all loved the Model 81. They shot up every round I brought and would have gladly shot a bunch more.
I took it shooting with my friend and our four teenaged daughters a couple of months back. Some of the girls didn't like the recoil of some of the handguns (my daughter refused to even shoot the 357 LCR, for instance), but they all loved the Model 81. They shot up every round I brought and would have gladly shot a bunch more.
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Mauser lover
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What makes you all think the Beretta 81 (and family have been mentioned a couple of times) isn’t straight blowback?
I’m confused about the OP. Do you want a pocket pistol, or something bigger?
I’m confused about the OP. Do you want a pocket pistol, or something bigger?
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The Beretta 80s series are straight blowback. I assume the OP wants locked breach to reduce recoil? I can tell you despite being straight blowback the Beretta 81 in 32 acp has zero recoil. Feels like shooting a 22LR. The grip is also large enough for your full hand.
I had only ever shot small 380's like the Taurus TCP and Ruger LCP. A couple months ago I had the opportunity to shoot with someone who had just got a Glock 42. I don't normally care for how a Glock feels in my hand, but that thing was pretty darn nice. Way less felt recoil and much easier to shoot accurately. It felt like shooting a bigger/ heavier gun
OP
OP
TTv2
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Being smaller isn't really the goal here, I would like something with some size to it to make it easier to shoot.
Basically, I'm not looking to make this a carry gun and the Mustang, P238, and Kimber are built for carry while the impression I get from this .380 Rock Island is it can be carried, but that's not its main purpose. It really looks to me like something they built specifically for people who are familiar with the 1911, but need the lowest recoil possible to shoot effectively.
OP
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TTv2
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They're nice guns, but while I'm not looking to use it as a carry gun, I would still like whatever .32 or .380 I'm looking to get to have the potential to be one.
If I really wanted a super accurate .32 wadcutter pistol, I think I'd more likely go with a Thompson Center single shot over the Pardini and Walther because at that point these are just range toys and the T/C just feels like it'd be more fun.
OP
OP
TTv2
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Yes, looking for locked breech for recoil reduction. I have the 81, it doesn't have much recoil, but I'd like to know if there are any other .32 or .380 ACP pistols that are a similar size (preferably a bit thinner than the 81) and have less recoil due to being locked breech? The entire point is I want lowest possible recoil in a pistol with good sights and a decent trigger.
I'm a bigger fan of .32 ACP over .380 ACP, but it doesn't seem like there are more than a couple options of locked breech .32's in the size I want with the trigger I want, so .380 seems like it's going to be it.
I wouldn't have a problem going down to the .22's like the .22 TCM or 5.7x28, but they're bottlenecks and I don't want to deal with reloading them.
Jim Watson
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My Colt .32 is not a hard kicker, a .32 doesn't have to be locked breech to be mild.
Otherwise, I will note that my Glock 43 will function with loads too light for bigger 9mms. I once got a P229 down to 88% of max and a 1911 type to 9mm Makarov ballistics, very pleasant. I didn't go ahead with that project because the supply of heavy ball Mak ammo dried up before I had the barrel design finalized.
Otherwise, I will note that my Glock 43 will function with loads too light for bigger 9mms. I once got a P229 down to 88% of max and a 1911 type to 9mm Makarov ballistics, very pleasant. I didn't go ahead with that project because the supply of heavy ball Mak ammo dried up before I had the barrel design finalized.
OP
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TTv2
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While true, it's universally accepted that a locked breech pistol has less recoil than an equivalent blowback does. The Colt 1903 doesn't have much recoil due to its weight and I could accept more weight for this gun, but the 1903 has truly awful sights.
The best .32 I could find with sights that were acceptable was the Beretta 81. I feel I could get less recoil with a locked breech, even in .380.
gc70
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Beretta's website describes the 8-round 85FS as having "a slimmer profile" than the 13-round 84FS, although both models show an overall width of 1.4".
Other than width, the single-stack Cheetah models are very similar in comparison to the S&W EZ. The Beretta width is nearly certainly across the ambidextrous manual safety levers and the S&W specifically excludes safety levers on models which have them.
One aspect of the EZ is that it is certainly easy to rack the slide. I can rack the slide on my wife's .380 using only the end of my little finger on the front sight!
Other than width, the single-stack Cheetah models are very similar in comparison to the S&W EZ. The Beretta width is nearly certainly across the ambidextrous manual safety levers and the S&W specifically excludes safety levers on models which have them.
One aspect of the EZ is that it is certainly easy to rack the slide. I can rack the slide on my wife's .380 using only the end of my little finger on the front sight!
lincen
Member
As has been mentioned, the Colt Government model 380 is a really soft shooter. The Llama 380's have been made in locked breech and blow back. One of my favorites is the Star model S in 380. It is certainly not bulky and is a joy to shoot. It does have a locked breech. The Star model SI in 32acp, while having a linked barrel it has no locking lugs. Still it is a great shooter. I have good number of 32 acp's and mainly shoot the Beretta 81's and a CZ83 in 7.65mm.
Tallball
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It was a typo. (I corrected it.) I've field stripped my Beretta 81 and 84 enough times to know they're both blowback. 
Though they are rare, there are CZ83's in 32acp. It would be similar to the Beretta 81, but slightly larger and a steel frame. It must be like shooting a 22.
If the OP already has a Beretta 81, they will be hard-pressed to find a 32 or 380 with less recoil. I would have to shoot them side by side to be sure, but I don't think that my Colt Government 380 has less felt recoil than my 81, even though the Colt has a locked breech and is made of steel. It's also a little smaller with less grip to hang onto, and shoots a more powerful cartridge.
IMHO, the locked breech vs. unlocked breech doesn't matter as much in a larger 32acp pistol. The initial recoil is not much, and the slide doesn't slam back hard like a 380 can. That's probably why a locked breech 32acp is such a rare bird.
I had a quirky personal goal of having 32acp and 380acp pistols that were accurate out to 15 yards (about as far as I can actually see the bullseye from).
After shooting and purchasing a bunch, the two winners were the Beretta Model 100 in 32acp, and the FN1971 in 380acp. They're both simple SD pistols with long barrels and larger adjustable sights added for "import points". Their triggers are decent. The large sights and long barrels make them pretty accurate... definitely more accurate than I am. They're both blowback, but the recoil is mitigated by the size, longer barrels, the FN's steel frame, etc.
Though they are rare, there are CZ83's in 32acp. It would be similar to the Beretta 81, but slightly larger and a steel frame. It must be like shooting a 22.
If the OP already has a Beretta 81, they will be hard-pressed to find a 32 or 380 with less recoil. I would have to shoot them side by side to be sure, but I don't think that my Colt Government 380 has less felt recoil than my 81, even though the Colt has a locked breech and is made of steel. It's also a little smaller with less grip to hang onto, and shoots a more powerful cartridge.
IMHO, the locked breech vs. unlocked breech doesn't matter as much in a larger 32acp pistol. The initial recoil is not much, and the slide doesn't slam back hard like a 380 can. That's probably why a locked breech 32acp is such a rare bird.
I had a quirky personal goal of having 32acp and 380acp pistols that were accurate out to 15 yards (about as far as I can actually see the bullseye from).
After shooting and purchasing a bunch, the two winners were the Beretta Model 100 in 32acp, and the FN1971 in 380acp. They're both simple SD pistols with long barrels and larger adjustable sights added for "import points". Their triggers are decent. The large sights and long barrels make them pretty accurate... definitely more accurate than I am. They're both blowback, but the recoil is mitigated by the size, longer barrels, the FN's steel frame, etc.
Mauser lover
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Just so you are aware, a Browning 1911-.380 kicks a whole bunch more than a Beretta 81 despite the breech being locked. I had both, and still have the Beretta, if that tells you anything.
MrChicken
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That's a surprise to me. My 1911-380 kicks hardly at all. I've never shot the Beretta, but in my estimation for the 1911-380 to kick a whole bunch more the Beretta would have just about zero kick at all.
The S&W 380EZ sounds like it might be what the OP is looking for. I have one and highly recommend it. The 9mm EZ might also be something to look at if the 380EZ feels too small. Yes, it's 9mm but it is a soft shooting 9mm.
Also maybe a full size 22mag? I think Ruger makes one.
Mauser lover
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What ammo are you using? Maybe I only found ammo that kicked too much? It seemed to me that the 1911-380 was a fair bit snappier than my CZ-75 compact, and that wasn't what I was looking for, so down the road it went.
Also, yes! The Beretta 81 kicks barely more than a .22.
I'm hoping for a chance to handle a S&W EZ sometime. I've been spoiled by single action autos, how is the trigger? I know it is hammer fired (unlike the Shield and full size M&Ps), but that doesn't actually mean it has a good trigger. Do you have anything against which you can compare the trigger?
bannockburn
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Nothing in .32 but I do have three locked breach .380s: a Colt Mustang a SIG P238, and a KelTec P3AT. The Colt and the SIG are both super reliable, have great ergonomics, very good accuracy, and are actually fun to shoot with very little felt recoil. The KelTec is reliable, a bit of a handful, not a lot of fun to shoot, has good enough accuracy (at around 20 feet), but it's so incredibly small that it's a frequent take-along in one of my pant's pockets!
MrChicken
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Speer lawman FMJ and Speer Gold Dots
EZ triggers on mine have just a bit of take up, a little bit of creep them a clean break.
Pretty good but not quite 1911 good.
I haven't measured the pull, I'd guess it's 4.5 to 5.5 lbs.
toivo
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For what it's worth, a SIG P238 with a Hogue rubber grip and an extended magazine doesn't feel like a pocket pistol in the hand. It's locked-breech, it has plenty of heft to tame recoil, and it's not so small that you can't get a decent grip on it.
MedWheeler
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@Walkalong should be along here to show his Taurus PT132.
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