I’ve been looking for a nice pocket pistol and since I favor wheelguns, I’ve been looking at J-frames. Then I saw this:
Why the Best Snub Nose Caliber is .32 - YouTube

This video was recommended by the “GunSmyth” from Brownell’s and Ken Hackathorn. I’ve been smitten by the 32 H&R Magnum ever since. That brought me to the S&W 332Ti.

I’d like to petition S&W to reintroduce this pistol. The reviews I’ve read have been all very positive and with it weighing in at around 13 oz and chambered in 32 H&R, it sounds ideal!

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Lest anyone think the 32 H&R Magnum is an inadequate round:

Mine sits in an Uncle Mike's pocket holster, drops in the pocket, so light you forget its there. Couple of benefits of .32, one you get six shots, two recoil is lighter for easier follow ups. The 632 is a good gun as well, although a little heavier and they have gotten extremely pricey.

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

The 332Ti is particularly appealing because it is an ideal pocket/carry gun chambered for a 6 potent round.

I'll buy two. I just know I'll lose one in a lake

I have recently rediscovered .32 revolvers.

First a Ruger SP101 in .327 Federal Magnum. That is so much fun, especially with handloaded .32 S&W Long, that I went looking for, and found, a S&W 31-1.

S&W, if you are listening, here is what I want:

K-Frame
.327 Fed mag
7 shots
3" barrel
Stainless
Round butt
Fixed sights

(Ok, while you are at it, I would probably buy that, as well as a 4" with adjustable sights.)

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Only a cold warrior

Although a Colt, my Detective Special in 32 is a great revolver. A gem to shoot.

A detail - recoil is NOT lighter if you're using the hot Buffalo Bore 32 H&R loads. The 100 grain version is my daily carry, and it calculates out to just a bit more energy than a Remington 158g +P 38 Special (from 2" J frames - 442 and 632 - over the same chrono at the same session) and the recoil felt the same. It would be worse in a titanium gun.

Given the fantastic prices the 32 guns bring on the used market, I've been surprised that S&W hasn't brought a few of 'em back into production. They DID run some 432s a few years ago, but apparently just one batch and they all went out immediately. (I bought one that was defective, and when I sent it back they had none to offer as a replacement - had to take a 38 instead.)

It has always struck me as a "how hard can it be" manufacturing question. Seems like it would take a different barrel, cylinder, extractor and maybe a hand, and the rest of the J or K frame parts should be the same, right?

The fact that they haven't done this suggests they're running all of their machinery 24/7, they're selling all the 38/357 product they make, so it just isn't worth the trouble to switch some machines to make 32 caliber parts for a while. (But I still wonder about that batch of 432s - what caused 'em to do that? Inquiring minds want to know.)

I really wish that S&W had offered more, and cheaper 32's. I would love to buy one for my wife, but the price tags on GB have been out of my reach. =(

*edit*
Actually, considering a 32 for my wife has made me look long and hard at ruger's lineup. It seems like they are the only company left that believes in offering their models in multiple caliber options.

I would think that a 632 shouldn't cost any more to make than a 642, which I believe is one of the least expensive revolvers in their lineup. (Yeah, they have to drill 6 holes in the cylinder instead of 5, but they're smaller holes, so . . . )

They just have to decide to make 'em, which apparently they don't want to do.

I bought my wife a Ruger in 327 Federal Magnum . That thing barks when you shoot it . I don't know if I'd want to shoot 327 FM in a small revolver .The Ruger , I don't know if it's the grips or the shape of the Rugers grip , but it's not a lot of fun to shoot . I would love to have a S&W chambered in it , and so would others . That's probably why it's a popular subject in the Gunsmithing section , along with reaming .32 to .32 magnum .

The 432 weigh's 13 oz. empty and 16 oz. loaded with 100 gr. XTP's. It is a pretty potent package.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

SP- you may want to look at Charter Arms as well, they have (or had recently) some models in .32

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

I have a CA Professional in 32 H&R. 7 shot, 3" black oxide covering and a walnut grip it was $398.00 out the door at a Butte MT shop. I shot it one time with 21 rounds and the DA pull was locking the cylinder up. It was returned to the factory and back in 6 1/2 weeks. The report was that the trigger was activating the cylinder stop early in DA and the trigger was replaced, crane adjusted and work verified. I have not been able to repeat the problem with a second range test. I don't care for the green fiber sight but it is what it is. My loads group OK but to be on target I have to have all of the green on the bull at 25 yards with a 100 gr bullet @950-1000 fps.

One of the oddities of this gun is it is pinned together rather than having an easily removal sideplate. It is now available in 357 and on the same frame so it should hold up. I previously had a 327 CA Target Patriot that I traded as I didn't think the cartridge fit my needs. Apparently there were problems with the design as the CEO of Charter Arms says they will not venture again in the 327 Federal market. I see big differences with a cartridge @ 42500 PSI and one at half that. For the price as a run around gun, small game, defensive use, canoe or boat gun I don't think it can be beat.

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Front sight and squeeze

<<It has always struck me as a "how hard can it be" manufacturing question. Seems like it would take a different barrel, cylinder, extractor and maybe a hand, and the rest of the J or K frame parts should be the same, right? >>

IOW, somebody who was into it could set up a small production line to make .32 conversion kits...

If you want a 32 mag pocket gun take a look at the Ruger LCR 327.

It shoots 32 mag just fine, but you can step up to 327 Federal if you want.

I have my 431PD in my pocket as I type. It's a 331 with a steel cylinder and weighs about 2 oz more than the 331/332.

431PD carry setup:

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truth is NOBODY wanted these things when S&W made them. They were real orphans. At the time you could not say the word "32 mag." without somebody trying to compare it to a 357 and saying they had NO use for it. S&W gave up on 32mag , briefly tried again with the 327 in the 632-1 and -2 , and gave up again.
Ruger kept the faith, did the work and got them reborn.
Now everyone wants S&W to get back into 32s but Ruger owns that game.

Some unloved orphans from the past.

A 632,


An 032,


And a 632-1,

Sound advice, with a couple of caveats. I have the LCR in 327, and it sits much higher in the hand than a J frame. Compared to my wife's 432 with the Crimson Trace green laser grip, the overall height is almost identical, but the Ruger standard grip is much "thicker" behind the trigger guard, such that the gun sits about 1/2" higher in your hand. (It sits almost 3/4" higher than a bare J frame.) I get 3 fingers on the J frame/Crimson Trace grip, but my pinky finger hangs below the Ruger grip.

For laser grip fans (my old eyes really appreciate 'em - I have CT lasers on both the 432 and 632) the CT laser grip for the LCR puts its laser "pod" in a slightly higher place than the S&W models. The result was, at least for me, that the laser pod smacked the knuckle of my hand/trigger finger with every shot. And except for the softest of 32 Long puffballs it was REALLY PAINFUL. I took the laser off the Ruger and sold it after trying it a couple of times and determining there was no way to grip it without getting a painful smack on every shot. (And I'm not sure this is a YMMV situation, because I think the shape of the grip and location of the activation button pretty much locks in the place of your hand relative to the laser.)

Of course, the LCR in 327 has all the plusses that that design is known for, including a terrific trigger pull. But that high position in the hand is something I don't particularly like, and the painful laser grip killed the deal - for me. I just haven't gotten around to selling it yet.

The Charter Arms Professional has been mentioned and it is CLOSE to being a good trail gun .
If they would market it with an adjustable rear sight and a dovetail front (make that FO optional .) it could be a contender .

Also in the CA lineup ,and struggeling along for many years, Is the Undercoverette . An easy way to get into a 32 pocket gun. You can probably get 3 of these for the price of one S&W.

And part of that is, of course, that "factory" 32 H&R is limited by the strength of the original H&R guns, which was pretty feeble. Common factory loads are only a small step beyond 32 Long in energy, and nowhere near even garden variety 38 Specials.

The hot Buffalo Bore loads say ON THE BOX - Not For Use in H&R Revolvers. But most gun stores aren't going to stock that stuff, and won't talk to a potential gun buyer about having to order effective ammunition for a 32 H&R revolver online. Much easier to sell 'em a nice 38 Special, for which there is (or used to be, at least) a selection of ammunition on the shelves in the store.

Arguably, that's what 327 Federal was intended to get past. The 85 grain 327 Federal factory loads I checked were at the energy level of the 100g Buffalo Bore H&R loads, while the 100g loads from Federal and Speer were fire breathing dragons, up in low 357 Magnum territory.

But 327 Federal never got past a niche in the market as far as S&W making and selling 'em is concerned. Ruger either has more manufacturing flexibility, or a different view of the market, than S&W. Maybe both. Much as I'd like to see S&W back in the Potent-32 revolver business, I wouldn't bet a nickel on it happening.

Truly ,factory ammo has always been , and continues to be ,the 32mags biggest enemy.
If a 32 mag is meant to be a flexible shooting tool handloading is a must.
Fast powders for short barrels and slow powders for long barrels with stout frames .
This little derringer would get it done with Bullseye and a 100 grain double ended wadcutter.


On the other end are Ruger single actions . With 115 gr cast and a bunch of #9 they run a little behind a 327,,,,, but not much.

Well, the Single Seven in 327 Federal is just right, IMHO. Heavy enough to make the full power 327s tolerable (you've still got to protect your ears, though) and small enough to feel like you're not shooting a sub-caliber in a great big gun. And they take everything from mousefarts up to the fire breathing dragons.

You would think that the S&W 332Ti, with its titanium cylinder, would be able to handle Buffalo Bore’s 32 H&R +P loads.

Why would it not be? I've been advised by Buffalo Bore that their 32 H&R +Ps are safe for unlimited use (their term) in my 30-1 and 31-1 32 Long revolvers that have been reamed to take 32 H&R. A 332Ti has to be at least that tough.

And might I throw in a word for the .32 ACP, just for fun and because?

That's one snappy little round and this gun will be carried after I shoot it some more to be sure it is reliable.



This one is a whole nuthuh smoke.....

But I am not happy with it.....................yet.............

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Come and take it!!

S&W, are you listening? Bring back your 32s!

Oh yeah and BTW, especially the 332Ti !

I had a gorgeous Model 16 in 32 H&R Mag with a full lugged 6" barrel. Went brain dead and sold it. Anyone know how much it hurts banging your head on the corner of a filing cabinet?

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

I really like my .327 FM GP100s, they're like shooting a .22 out of a K Frame because of the weight of them. But, I don't know how they would feel out of a lighter weight gun. The best part is that if they hurt too much to practice with, in the lighter revolvers, you can step down to any other .32 caliber cartridge. I don't think there's a big enough fan base to restart that FM caliber for S&W. It would make for a cool snubnose. Ear plugs are a must though!