I’m a bit of a .32 ACP nut. If I see the words 7.65 Browning printed on anything, I’m going to check it out. My recent obsession has been spending more on ammo than ever before! I often lament the lack of new .32 ACP pistols in the United States, and I hope the cartridge makes a comeback. We have gotten two .32 ACP pistols this year from Beretta and Walther, but I won’t hold my breath. If you’re researching .32 ACP pistols, you’ll eventually find yourself on an Indian firearms forum eyeballing India’s .32 ACP pistols.
India is all about the .32 ACP for civilian use. Numerous gun laws restrict certain calibers. There are two classifications: PB, or Prohibited Bores, and NPB, Non-Prohibited Bores. From my rough understanding of Google Translated forums, calibers like .32 ACP, .380 ACP, and .22LR are non-prohibited bores.
It seems like .380 ACP is tough to get, as are 9mm and 7.62 TOK. However, .32 ACP and .32 S&W Long are widely available and have become the de facto calibers for Indian self-defense firearms. This has created a market for .32 ACP pistols, and I figured we could examine India’s .32 ACP pistols.
India’s .32 ACP Pistols – New, Old, and In Between
One thing you’ll notice right away is that most of these guns are clones of other guns. There isn’t a ton of new designs. There doesn’t need to be. The .32 ACP works well in blowback-operated and short recoil guns and has a proven track record. Even so, there are some very creative options on this list that I’m quite jealous of.
Webley Fox
The Webley Fox is pretty close to an original design, but it isn’t much different than any other blowback-operated pistol. What makes it different is the size; it’s not super small or compact. It has a 3.8-inch barrel and a height of 4.91 inches. This makes it just a hair smaller than a Glock 19. It houses a 13-round magazine in a metal frame.
The gun sticks to a hammer-fired design with what appears to be an ambidextrous manual safety. The Fox seems to be fairly close in function and design to a CZ 83 series. However, the maker brags it’s designed and built entirely in India. It’s certainly a unique-looking gun and an interesting .32 ACP. I also can’t find direct information on the price, but it seems to be one of the most expensive of India’s .32 ACP pistols. The closest estimate I can find is about $ 3,000.
Webley Ranger
Another Webley, Webley of India, of course. This time, they didn’t make an original design but rather used a 1911 layout. It’s not a true 1911, but a blowback-operated .32 ACP design. It doesn’t cling to the overall 1911 layout if you shrink it considerably. The gun has a 3.75-inch barrel and is quite small and thin. Like the classic M1911, we get an eight-round single-stack magazine.
It’s got the same manual safety and grip safety as a 1911, and a single-action only design. One odd choice was to equip the gun with a vent rib for some reason. It looks like a Hungarian Hi-Power or maybe a Llama 1911. It’s an odd choice, but it appears to be a neat little gun.
Astr Atal 32X
Most of India’s 32 ACP pistols aren’t original, but the Astr Atal 32X breaks that mold. This might be the most modern gun on this list. This is what happens when someone designs a SIG P365 in .32 ACP. The Astr Atal 32X features a machined allow frame, a short recoil system, and a striker-fired design. When Astr says the gun was first made and designed in India, it seems to be true.
They did take some inspiration from the P365. They even use the same marketing hook with 365 days mentioned. The Atal 32X also features a chassis system and the ability to swap grip modules, although it doesn’t seem like any other grip modules are available. The gun can hold 13 rounds in the magazine and appears very small and concealable. In American dollars, the price point is roughly $2,300.
Ashani Pistol
When people say it’s what’s on the inside that counts, they’re talking about the Ashani pistol because it’s the ugliest of India’s .32 ACP pistols. This gun copies the FN M1910/22 series of firearms but uglifies it with a massive, unsightly grip. They also added a hammer to the design, which is interesting enough.
It’s a bare-bones pistol that seems fairly cheap for India—about a grand in American dollars. There are several variants organized as Mk 1, Mk 2, and Mk 3. There are differences in the slide design and grip, but they are all simple blowback guns with single-stack magazines that hold between 8 and 10 rounds of .32 ACP.
Stallion S-32
The Stallion S-32 directly copies the Beretta 81 Cheetah series. This compact-sized .32 ACP features a double-stack magazine capable of holding 12 rounds of .32 ACP. It maintains the Beretta DA/SA design with a frame-mounted safety and exposed barrel. It’s all Beretta to its core. Like most of India’s .32 ACP pistols, it’s not an original design by any means, and that’s okay.
These are direct blowback guns, and their large size and wide grips make recoil a nothing burger. I can easily see why someone would copy this design. It works, is incredibly ergonomic, is very easy to shoot, and you get 12 rounds of ammo with the flush-fitting magazine. According to Stallion’s website, they also have a 15-round magazine that’s slightly extended. Stallion produces various finish and grip options for the gun, but I can’t seem to locate a price.
The Little .32 ACP
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want a few of these guns. My number 1 choice would be the Stallion S-32, but the Webley Ranger and Astr Atal 32X would be welcome in my gun safe. India’s .32 ACP pistols are diverse and make for some fascinating designs. Sadly, we won’t see them in the States.
