ATTENTION:  Effective Sept 1, 2020, the BBTI Project is in "Archive Status."  No further tests will be conducted, but we will maintain this site and data for the use of the firearms community.  Thank you.

.32 ACP Results in fps

Click here for a Muzzle Energy graph for the tests in this caliber.

barrel length Cor Bon
60 gr.
JHP
Federal
65 gr.
Hydra-shok
JHP
Winchester
71 gr.
FMJ
Winchester
60 gr.
Silvertip
HP
18" 1394 902 865 941
17" 1358 982 941 1035
16" 1292 983 891 983
15" 1354 1037 990 985
14" 1325 1071 921 991
13" 1332 1009 976 1015
12" 1291 943 944 990
11" 1345 996 976 1023
10" 1332 945 971 999
9" 1302 944 976 990
8" 1305 964 996 1009
7" 1264 957 979 1018
6" 1242 1019 959 980
5" 1231 1012 973 967
4" 1157 939 939 933
3" 1074 893 871 874
2" 944 805 782 787

 

real
world
weapon
Cor Bon
60 gr.
JHP
Federal
65 gr.
Hydra-shok
JHP
Winchester
71 gr.
FMJ
Winchester
60 gr.
Silvertip
HP
Beretta
3032
Tomcat
1000 821 774 783

Other Resources

BBTI is not the end-all of ballistics testing, just one more component available for the common good.  In addition to extensive discussion about ballistics to be found at many gun forums, here are some other great resources pertaining to ballistics testing you should check out.  (And if you would like to recommend a site to list here, please send an email.)
  • BrassFetcher:  excellent resource, with an emphasis on bullet performance in ballistic gelatin
  • The Box O' Truth:  testing ammo penetration through various barriers
  • Terminal Ballistics Research:  Specializes in the research of cartridge & projectile performance, using hard data gathered from 20 years of hunting game.

Acknowledgements

We'd like to personally and specifically thank Pat Childs at Fin & Feather in Iowa City, as he not only helped get most of our ammunition and other supplies, he was the brilliant gunsmith who worked with us to make this insane project much more practical.  Without his help all of this would have been much more difficult and perhaps impossible.  Anyone who uses our data owes him a debt of gratitude.

And thanks to our spouses, who were not just tolerant but enthusiastically supportive of this rather nutty project.

Disclaimer

This project, and all of its results, is only our fault.  We (well, Jim K, mostly) paid for everything ourselves, and we did not receive any kind of sponsorship or remuneration from anyone.  We did all the work.  We used products we were either familiar with, or because they were what was available, and mentioning them by name does not constitute an endorsement of any kind.  Furthermore, the data is provided purely for entertainment purposes - to better facilitate arguments over what ammo or caliber or gun is "best."  How you use the data is entirely up to you.  And if you think you could do better, feel free to spend the money and do the work and publish your own results.  Or not.  Your choice.