.32 ACP

The .32 ACP, short for Automatic Colt Pistol and also sold as the .32 Auto, the .32 Automatic and, in Europe, the 7.65mm Browning or 7.65x17mmSR, is a centerfire pistol cartridge with a semi-rimmed, straight-walled case. John Browning developed it for the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol, and Fabrique Nationale introduced it in 1899. The straight wall and small rim suited reliable blowback operation and feeding from a box magazine, and the light bullet and low recoil let designers build small pocket-sized self-loading pistols. It was soon chambered in pistols such as the Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless, the Savage Model 1907 and the Browning Model 1910, and dozens of countries and government agencies adopted it. Europe has used it more widely than America, including limited military and police issue, and compact concealed-carry pistols keep it in production today.