What caused small handgun calibers such as the .25 and the .32 to die off from popularity?

A few things.

-One was the realization that there needed to be a "standard" to which a handguns effectiveness could be rated. Pretty much the FBI standard of 12" into ballistic gelatin has become the minimum amount of power and penetration to consistently reach vitals. The .380acp just barely scrapes by. The .32acp is considered marginal. Marginal is not acceptable for most people.

-New technology and production methods have produced 9mm, .45acp and .380acp pistols smaller and more reliable than ever before. The size advantage has been bridged significantly.

-With most pocket guns, the carrier usually relies on either a stout double action trigger coupled with an external safety to make sure there is not an accidental discharge. That couple with the sort sight radius made for a gun that is both hard to shoot accurately, and slightly slower to bring into action. Many people prefer the advantages in accuracy, power and quickness to deploy that a slightly larger pistol using an IWB carry provides.

-In the same vein, slimmer ad tougher materials and designs used in concealment holsters have made carrying a slightly larger gun much easier.

And I can ramble on a bit more...but I think I made some pretty good arguments.

You are right- the 25 is just pitiful when compared to other calibers- but its still deadly.

Probably 380 is the most popular caliber over all. Millions of new 380 pistols have landed in households across the nation is the last few years. I personally like 380- I have 4. I have to wonder where these people are getting their ammo???

I would carry a 32 as a pocket gun without hesitation. In fact I have been looking for a Keltec P32. If you add the finger rest to the mag- it really helps.

I normally carry a Bersa Thunder 380 Plus. Occasionally a 9mm. I see no real need for a more high powered round.

Unfortunately the whole country has gone 40sw crazy. I had a G22 and a XD40, but never liked either.

I guess there have been so many BGs shot in the leg or arm with a 25, 32 and so on that some begin to think that perhaps had they been shot with a larger caliber it would have killed them?

Sure 45, 40 is more powerful than 32- but dead is dead.

The world changed. 80 years ago the deployment of a sub caliber gun would have been across a card table or craps pit. Ladies of dubious behaviour favored the small guns . The pistols were finely made, the market was there and that was what we had.

Cops robbers and professional s sought out big bored, stout handguns in 38 and 45 caliber... the gentrified prefered the smaller pistols of the day.

A couple of World Wars, improved manufacturing, evolution in engineering... all conspired to make the pocket gun obsolete.

From my perspective... I select my arms to have parity with what I am going face. Todays home invaders, strong arm robber, carjack artist is armed with modern guns.... I am too.

Look at when those cartridges came out. Things become obsolete by getting replaced with something better. I own a Colt 1903 .32 acp. It is a fun gun to shoot but I'll pick something else for everyday carry. Why trust your life to a .32 when you can carry something more likely to stop a bad guy.

Still some nice .32's out there such as the Beretta and Seecamp. I'd consider one of those as a pocket gun.

I don't think anybody could have put it any better than Lance. Thumbs up.

A lot of "worthless" calibers arose in the early days of smokeless powder cartridge development. Plus many people weren't ballistics "savvy".

Better metallurgy has something to do with it. That means larger calibers can be chambered in tiny little pocket pistols. And fifty years ago, if you bought a 25 or 32, nobody snickered at you. These days, some guy will bombard you with statistics on first-shot stops to get you to go bigger.

Both are Prohibited here....way too short and concealable. The fact that they are not that powerful, makes them a poor choice for defensive purposes. I have shot a Beretta 22LR and it was pretty nice.

50 years ago .38's and 9mm's were big heavy guns that is no longer true. Today .38's and 9mm's are light weight and sub compact which makes them easy to carry and conceal.

honestly lack of deman has made the ammo expensive ...... both cost more than .380,.45, 9mm, .40 etc....