.32 ACP

.32 ACP
.32 ACP rounds. Left: standard FMJ. Right: military FMJ with nickel coating.
Type	Pistol
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Designer	John Browning
Manufacturer	Fabrique Nationale
Produced	1899
Specifications
Case type	Semi-rimmed, straight
Bullet diameter	.3125 in (7.94 mm)
Neck diameter	.3365 in (8.55 mm)
Base diameter	.337 in (8.6 mm)
Rim diameter	.358 in (9.1 mm)
Rim thickness	.045 in (1.1 mm)
Case length	.680 in (17.3 mm)
Overall length	.984 in (25.0 mm)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy 60 gr (4 g) JHP 1,100 ft/s (335 m/s) 161 ft·lbf (218 J) 65 gr (4 g) JHP 925 ft/s (282 m/s) 123 ft·lbf (167 J) 73 gr (5 g) FMJ 984 ft/s (300 m/s) 158 ft·lbf (214 J) 73 gr (5 g) FMJ 1,043 ft/s (318 m/s) 177 ft·lbf (240 J)
Test barrel length: 4 in, 4 in, 5.9 in, 3.9 in Source(s):

.32 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol), also known as the .32 Automatic is a centerfire pistol cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol. It was introduced in 1899 by Fabrique Nationale, and is also known as the 7.65×17mmSR Browning or 7.65 mm Browning Short.

John Browning engineered a number of modern semi-automatic pistol mechanisms and cartridges. As his first pistol cartridge, the .32 ACP needed a straight wall for reliable blowback operation as well as a small rim for reliable feeding from a box magazine. The cartridge headspaces on the rim. The cartridge was a success and was adopted by dozens of countries and countless governmental agencies.

When the .32 ACP cartridge was introduced, it was immediately popular and was available in several blowback automatic pistols of the day, including the Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless, the Savage Model 1907 Automatic Pistol, the Ruby pistol and the Browning Model 1910 Automatic Pistol to name a few. The popularity of the .32 ACP in the early half of the 20th century cannot be overstated—especially in Europe. Firearms expert Geoffrey Boothroyd of the UK informed author Ian Fleming, his countryman, that James Bond's side arm should be a Walther PPK chambered in .32 ACP. A significant factor in recommending this round was its near universal availability throughout the world in the 1950s.