The gun is ultra lightweight at 9 ounces. The grip is Du Pont ST-8018 plastic, and compared to the Beretta or the Walther, it seems like you could step on the P32 and break it. In reality it is not that easy.
The Kel-Tec P32 is by far one of the lightest, smallest, easiest to conceal and operate handguns out there.
To load the chamber, the slide must be pulled back manually as there no exterior slide lock. There are no levers to operate beyond the trigger itself. At rest the hammer is blocked and can only be set free by actually pulling the trigger.
The grip is very narrow, but the molded-in “checkering” provides excellent grip. The magazine release protrudes from the left side, but the spring is heavy enough to prevent accidentally releasing the mag. The only real pitfall is getting too much hand on the pistol and contacting the slide, which could cause abrasion or a simple malfunction.
The trigger is double action only; thus, the shooter need only concern himself with pressing and releasing the trigger smoothly and equally forward and back. This is a big advantage, in our opinion, especially under stress. We often see arguments over how to draw, how to clear a jam, how to stand. But the most successful firearms instructors preach simplified options as the way to survive in combat.
One necessary motor skill clearly defined and strictly ingrained beats a full menu of techniques under stress. That may be one reason why the Kel-Tec P32 had the fastest time over the course of our practical test. While producing nine out of ten hits on target (one X, two 10s, two 9s, one 8, and three 7-ring hits), overall elapsed times for the two runs were 1.71 and 1.72 seconds. First shots rang out at 0.41 and 0.49 seconds respectively. While not as impressive in the hand as either the Walther or the Beretta weapons, with these times it served the purpose of a close-quarters deep concealment piece the best, in our view.
At the bench it took some shooting to realize that gauging elevation with the supplied sights (for lack of a better word) was a challenge. The white insert guide-points were easier to reconcile right and left than up and down. Mounting the targets on the same level as the pistol produced the best results. Asking the sights to report to the shooter an adjustment in elevation was asking too much. But on the B-27E silhouette, hits and split times were consistent. Split times varied only from 0.29 to 0.33 second for an average of 0.32 second. While this is not a blistering pace, it is one that was consistent and provided enough accuracy for effective shot placement. Despite being available in a range of colors, this is not a toy.
