The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Kel-Tec P32 or NAA Guardian 32?

Alerion · July 9, 2002, 03:34 PM

Well, I have a Kel-Tec P-32 and an NAA Guardian .380 (not quite the same as the .32 but probably representative of the class.)

The Kel-Tec has the definate advantage in weight and price. And I'll give its sights a slight advantage.

The Guardian has the advantage in most other respects, especially in terms of perceived attributes. ie: the Guardian DOES look more like a "real gun." The P-32 is the gun that I'm most scared of my grandchildren playing with (and NO, they don't have access to my guns) because it does look so toy-like. And molded plastic parts are no where near as classy as stainless steel with a nice set of Hogue grips.

I won't comment on reliability. Both have had their share of problems and I don't think comparing the number of complaints on the board is of any real value in determining reliability. For one thing, I suspect there probably are 10 times more Kel-Tecs out there than Guardians. Sales tend to drop exponentially with price increases.

All that said, if I didn't own a .32 and wanted one, I'd do exactly what I did all over again. I'd buy a P-32. And if I wanted a gun that was roughly the same size and had roughly twice the muzzle energy I'd buy a Guardian .380.

BTW, I might point out that while the Guardian is a lot heavier than the P-32, it's still roughly the same size. (The Kahrs are considerably larger.) I carry both my P-32 and my Guardian .380 in rear pocket holsters. PocketHolsters.com As far as concealability, both guns are dead even.

Tom

July 9, 2002, 03:34 PM	#23
Alerion Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2002 Location: Bloomington, IN Posts: 287	Well, I have a Kel-Tec P-32 and an NAA Guardian .380 (not quite the same as the .32 but probably representative of the class.) The Kel-Tec has the definate advantage in weight and price. And I'll give its sights a slight advantage. The Guardian has the advantage in most other respects, especially in terms of perceived attributes. ie: the Guardian DOES look more like a "real gun." The P-32 is the gun that I'm most scared of my grandchildren playing with (and NO, they don't have access to my guns) because it does look so toy-like. And molded plastic parts are no where near as classy as stainless steel with a nice set of Hogue grips. I won't comment on reliability. Both have had their share of problems and I don't think comparing the number of complaints on the board is of any real value in determining reliability. For one thing, I suspect there probably are 10 times more Kel-Tecs out there than Guardians. Sales tend to drop exponentially with price increases. All that said, if I didn't own a .32 and wanted one, I'd do exactly what I did all over again. I'd buy a P-32. And if I wanted a gun that was roughly the same size and had roughly twice the muzzle energy I'd buy a Guardian .380. BTW, I might point out that while the Guardian is a lot heavier than the P-32, it's still roughly the same size. (The Kahrs are considerably larger.) I carry both my P-32 and my Guardian .380 in rear pocket holsters. PocketHolsters.com As far as concealability, both guns are dead even. Tom __________________ Well, sometimes we’d travel right down the green river To the abandoned old prison down by Adrie hill. Where the air smelled like snakes and we’d shoot with our pistols But empty pop bottles was all we would kill. -John Prine, Paradise