Beretta Tomcat, .32

[3StrikesNC]

Beretta Tomcat Purchase, Do I?

So I like the Tomcat pistol and have seriously considered purchasing a new one (.32 cal). I am not soliciting comments on the caliber, just the gun. I read good and bad (cracked slides on the blued models).

Have the problems been fixed (if they are real)? Would you buy one?

Yhanks. Appreciate the constructive input.

[Kendrickson]

I have one, and it is the Inox (stainless) version. Mine is very accurate and feels very nice in my hand. I like the fact that I can shoot in single action...most of the pocket guns are DAO. The main drawback is that it is a little bulky for a pocket gun. As far as cracked slides, I think the blued models had problems, but not the stainless.

[Bigjim3]

I had a stainless its a little thicker. Than the blued I looked at. But was a great gun.

[Technosavant]

Have a blued one, I like it. It's thicker than the Keltec P3AT, but much more pleasant and easier to shoot. I'd recommend the Inox one to avoid the frame issues (I didn't know about them when I got mine).

It's a good pocket gun- yeah, there's thinner and lighter, but there aren't many pockets the Tomcat won't fit into.

[mec]

it is really not very bulky and has the advantage over other mini 32s of working with full -length ball ammunition iinstead of being limited to circa 60 grain jhps.
I'd get the inox version in case it really is more durable.

[rockycat]

If it is blue it will have a frame crack.If you crack it before warranty runs out you can ask for a inox replacement. If out of warranty then a small fee for a inox replacement. Mine went through about 75 rounds and was less then a month old and locked up and was cracked and a piece broke off causing the lock up. Good thing i was at the range and not in a life or death thing when it broke. I would not buy another in blue.

[Mark whiz]

Yeah - I liked the one I had.................up until the frame cracked and broke a chunk off. The Blue version is just bad news - avoid it like the plaque. The Inox version can be a good piece for you though.

A couple things to watch out for is that it likes hotter ammo - I worked up my own loads for it and it just would not feed decently unless the loads when on the top end of the load chart. Also, this little thing has quite a bark to it - more than you would think for "only" a .32...................so you need to stay on top of making sure all the screws stay tight, especially the ones holding the grips on. My grips splintered into a bunch of pieces after a year or so of use, possibly because the holding screws got a tad loose.

If I could get a good deal on one, I'd buy an Inox version.............but I sure wouldn't pay anything near full price for one.

[ROGER4314]

That type of blowback action has a pretty stout slide (recoil) spring so my lady, who is pretty small, has a difficult time in racking the slide back. The tip up barrel on the TomCat takes care of that. She can tip the barrel up and load or unload the first/last cartridge without any sweat.

The first round being double action is way cool. It's ready to go anytime without a "hair" trigger.

She has had hers for about 6 years and has had no problems with it. I gave her a mini Glock in 9mm. That Glock is a first class pistol but she seems to change off pretty regularly between the Glock and TomCat for carry.

She took her CHL test and renewal 4 years later with the Glock but that was primarily due to the availability of 9mm over the 32ACP ammo.

She gave about $250 for hers new and she just grins knowing it is worth at least that much used.

In all, it's a great pistol and we have had zero problems with it.

I ought to mention that it is NOT pleasant to shoot. It bucks, blasts and you know you've touched off a round for sure. The TomCat isn't a pistol that you'd take out for a day of plinking.

She puts hearts on a pink sheet of paper and is REAL good at putting holes in them. That might be a little quirky or even unnerving but she gets the scores that way. She can shoot the Glock or TomCat equally well but the Glock is more comfortable to shoot.

Flash

[Dustin0]

I had a blued 1 but and older model got in 01 or 02. Put 500 rounds down the pipe no problems at all. I have been wanting to get another.

[Tom2]

if you are making a gun that .32 ACP will not just malfuntion, but break the gun, time to go way back to the drawing board! Disappointing to hear that about a Beretta.

[RJay]

The only gun that was chambered for 60 grain Silvertips only was the Seecamp .32, and even they changed that after a couple of years. All the new Mini .32's now on the market will shoot any and all over the counter ammo. The reason the Tomcat has a tip up barrel is because it doesn't have an extractor. In the rare case you have a misfire you can't rack the slide and re chamber a new round, you have to " tip up the barrel and dig it out with your finger tips". At one time I was in the procession of the Kec-Tec, NAA and the Tom Cat and was personally able to fire and evaluate all three. The only one I sold ( as quickly as possible,) was the Beretta. The gun that is with me now most of the time is the Kel-Tec . I have access to a number of carry guns but I choose the Kel-Tec over all of them ( yes, even over the vaulted 45 ). By the way I had to contact Beretta several times for replacement parts, the last part that broke was the firing pin. I know most people ask for advise only to reinforce that which they already believe or know to be true, so your choice.

[abuyalos]

I have a Beretta Tomcat that is blued and so far have had no problems with it. I hadn't heard of all of these frame cracks, but I still recommend the gun.

[Chesster]

I had one and sold it. Chunky, unreliable, then that cracking thing. If I want a small Beretta, I would go with a 950 in 6.35mm. If I want the 7.65mm, I'd go with a Seecamp.

[Shawn Dodson]

I bought one of the early ones. Never had a problem with it. I must be extremely lucky in that I never have the problems with my guns that others carp about.

It was spot on accurate.

I replaced the grips with Pearce neoprene grips.

I carried it as a backup when I was on patrol.

I don't recommend it as a pocket gun. It's too bulky.

The wide frame made it a pleasure to shoot - virtually no recoil.

I just sold it as I no longer had a use for it.

[smax]

I had a blued one that cracked after about 500 rounds. Traded in the replacement for something else.

[Double Naught Spy]

I bought one for my mom. She never got it. I don't believe the gun to be reliable enough for self defense. More over, the design is such that one cannot readily clear a malfunction.

[Kreyzhorse]

My buddy owns the Ionx version of the Tomcat. He hasn't had any issues with it and it's been 100% reliable so far as I know. I've put a lot of rounds through it and been with him when he's put a lot through it and haven't seen any issues at all. It's a great little gun.

Now as far as the cracked frames on the blued version, I believe that was early models of the Tomcat.

The only draw back with the Tomcat is that it's a little bulky for pocket carry. If you don't plan on pocket carry, no worries

[rockycat]

Early and late versions crack. The tomcat was a 22 cal. to start with then chambered for 25 cal. then to a 32 cal. the frame was never made heavier for the larger caliber.

[Bill DeShivs]

The frame size for the .32 is larger, but Rockycat is basically correct.
The basic 950 series gun was designed as a .25/.22 short gun. It worked exceptionally well in this mode. The action was modified to D/A in 1974 for the model 20-still a .25 auto. These guns worked exceptionally well, also.
The 950 was then "upgraded" by lengthening the frame/action to take the longer .22 LR cartridge as the model 21. The model 21 began to show reliability problems.
When the Seecamp became popular, the basic gun was then adapted to the .32 ACP as the model 3032. Reliability with the 3032 was better than the 21, but durability suffered. The 3032 was further "upgraded" as the 3032 "Widebody" which had a much thicker slide, but the same frame size.
Sadly, the original 950 series guns have been discontinued in favor of the larger D/A .22 LR and .32 guns. The model 21 is available in .25 ACP, but it is much larger than the 950 and 20 guns.

[trespass]

carried beretta tomcat 32 for a good while in a motorcycle jacket...
nothing bad to say...works like a charm. the thing is a bit thicker
that it's competition (seecamp, etc)...but makes a good shooting
gun with the extra bit of "grab" you can get on it..so, is a trade.
but, I highly recommend it..in fact, it is now my daughter's and I'd not give her anything I thought was junk.

[ice monkey]

Bought one last year; blue. It cracked … sigh. Sure Berretta sent me the Inox in return, but the shipping still cost me $90.!!! Left me kind of disappointed; the Inox is heavier, and in my opinion not as good looking in stainless.

I bought it because it has a bit wider a grip, and hence I can get a good hold of it ... making me accurate with it. I find it a ton of fun to shoot.

If it was for ccw though, I wouldn’t buy it. Too heavy, and too wide compared to say a LCP; which is just a pleasure to carry.

Oh, and I have had a couple of failures to extract – using the “pop-up” barrel instead of raking the slide (which makes things worse), takes a bit of getting used too! It’s a training issue I guess.

[3StrikesNC]

Thanks folks.

Now I don't know what to do, especially scince recent Tomcats reported aboved still crack.

[bryceadamprescott]

Beretta claims to have fixed the problem. Almost all gun companies have had a bad run or two of guns and had some problems like these. Manufacturing 100% perfection all the time is impossible. I have small hands and the gun seems to fit well, but if you have large hands I can foresee problems with being able to handle the pistol well.

[NWCP]

The Tomcat is a decent pocket pistol. For .32 ACP I still fall back to my Colt 1903 Hammerless. Not nearly as small, but comfortable to shoot, accurate and as slim as any pistol made. The .32 ACP in the right pistol is a pleasant round to shoot. In the Tomcat it is a handful due to the small size of the pistol. It is however more comfortable to shoot than the KelTec.

[3StrikesNC]

So if the claim is Beretta has fixed the cracking problem, at what serial number?

Is that the best way to identify it?