.32 Caliber Round

The .32 caliber round is a small guns ammunition found in Fallout 3. It is used with the .32 pistol, the hunting rifle and their unique variants. The in-game image depicted in the Pip-Boy appears to resemble the real life .32 Winchester Special round, which is a rifle round that would be unsuitable for handguns due to its recoil. It could also be modeled after the .32 Winchester Centerfire round, which is commonly used in both handguns and rifles.

Used in

 * .32 pistol
 * Wild Bill's sidearm (The Pitt)
 * Hunting rifle
 * Ol' Painless

Description
Generally speaking, the .32 round is second most common small guns ammunition found in the game, behind 10mm rounds. After Picking up the Trail it becomes less available as enemies start carrying assault rifles in place of hunting rifles.

With the possible exception of the hunting rifle, .32 caliber rounds are not particularly useful, as the .32 pistol is far weaker than the 10mm pistol the player is given early in the game. The hunting rifle is eventually superseded by the sniper rifle, but as .308 caliber rounds are not as common and super mutants have a strong tendency to carry hunting rifles, it may be necessary to rely on .32 caliber rounds for long range combat.

One can find .32 caliber rounds along with 5mm rounds and 5.56mm rounds anywhere super mutants tend to congregate, particularly in Washington, DC. The abandoned Brotherhood of Steel bunker near the Washington Monument is a good spot to farm .32 ammunition, as a number of super mutants spawn here frequently, as is the GNR Plaza.