If the last true firearm innovation was the polymer frame, we're about 50 years into the current technological drought. Like a bag of Legos®, a successful gun maker must put together something that is (or appears to be) a new combination of existing ideas if it wants to be novel. Another option for success might be a new product that does something that's been overpriced or neglected in the market. In the late 1990s KelTec CNC Industries did all three with its P32. Sturm, Ruger & Co. took note and designed its LCP® vest pocket gun line some years later. Here's how they compare. The original KelTec P32™ combined the twin innovations of lightweight polymer and aluminum materials with the well-established Browning tilting barrel recoil mechanism to make a pistol smaller, lighter and more controllable than any predecessor in the same caliber. Due to all this and the general economy that's a hallmark of KelTec CNC, the cost was and has remained affordable. The P32 has an empty weight of less than 8 ounces, dimensions of 0.75x3.5x5 inches and a capacity of 7+1. The magazine orientation is nearly vertical which makes for a compact, efficient size while allowing cartridge placement that avoids the problem of "rim-lock" with the semi-rimmed .32 ACP cartridge. Magazines are made by Mec-Gar—another brand name synonymous with reliable quality. Dual recoil springs round out the features that mitigate recoil while keeping the weight down.
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