327 MAGNUM BEST REVOLVER CARTRIDGE EVER!

If it had caught on and ammo was readily available; IMO it would be a great alternative concealed carry and Kit gun use........ but it didn't!!!!!

That said I'm quit happy with a 3" 60-10 "micro 686" for my "kit gun" needs and a 3" 65 or 66 as my general purpose six shot 38/356.
 
For someone like me, who's hand is too large to comfortably shoot a J-frame, there is no logical reason to put a down sized cartridge like the 327 Mag in a K-frame when more potent cartridges are both readily available, and cheeper. Afraid the OP's argument is lost on a number of us.

Dave
 
For the OP's benefit, I tend to agree that S&W missed the boat an the J&K Frame 327 magnums. As for a a carry gun that is light, potent, and has 6 rounds, look for the 431PD and 432PD. They are the airweight models of the 32 H&R Magnum. Some more have recently been made up form available parts, and are out in the distribution networks. A 1 7/8" barrel, airweight frame, 6 round steel cylinder, a grip that fits your hand.



I was lucky enough to find one of each, and the 100 gr Hornady XTP can be loaded to above 1000 fps form the 1 7/8" barrel. It fits my bill well.
 
dandyrandy said:
45 colt is probably one of the best if not best ever revolver cartridges BUT thats like cowboy walking around the ranch with his big heater off the hip type of gun stuff ya know????
Click to expand...


I can't help but think of what a K frame 2.5" barrel 45 Colt would be like.

One can dream...
 
H Richard said:
For the OP's benefit, I tend to agree that S&W missed the boat an the J&K Frame 327 magnums. As for a a carry gun that is light, potent, and has 6 rounds, look for the 431PD and 432PD. They are the airweight models of the 32 H&R Magnum. Some more have recently been made up form available parts, and are out in the distribution networks. A 1 7/8" barrel, airweight frame, 6 round steel cylinder, a grip that fits your hand.
Click to expand...

I have one of the recent 432PDs. In exploring loads for it I found that the Buffalo Bore 100g JHP +P load offers 1100fps and 269 lb/ft of energy out of the 2" barrel, compared to Remington's 38 Special 158g lead HP +P (their version of the "FBI Load") at 820fps and 236 lb/ft, also from a 2" barrel. More energy and 6 shots with highly accurate lower powered alternatives and slightly cheaper reloading costs (lighter bullets, less powder) has led me to switch to 32 H&R from 38 Special for daily carry and for general fun shooting.

BTW, that Buffalo Bore load in a 3" Model 31 (that has had its 32 Long chambers extended to take the 32 H&R round) delivers 1234fps and 338 lb/ft of energy. This load is probably inherently equal to if not greater than the energy of Federal's 85g Hydra Shok load for the 327 Federal Magnum, which delivers 1351fps and 345 lb/ft from a Ruger Single Seven's longer (4 5/8") barrel.

So I can have low end 327 power in the 32 H&R. (Buffalo Bore has advised that their load is suitable for unlimited firing in the modified M31.) But a J frame with 327 Federal chambers would offer the next step up in power for those who want or need it. Federal's 100g JSP in 327 Federal gives 1422fps and 449 lb/ft of energy out of the Single Seven - a 30% boost in energy over the Hydra Shok load in that gun. (And way beyond anything I'd want to try to stuff in a 32 H&R case.)

I don't know what 357 Magnum energies are like out of 2" guns, and I'm not willing to endure the pain of firing any to find out. But I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the 327 Federal is close if not equal to at least some 357 loads from short barrels.
 
A couple of years back I was in the market for a few revolvers, a J-frame and a 686 were on my short list. I got the 2 1/2" 686-3 that was one down, Next I was looking for the snubby J- frame. I came across a few of those 327 magnum ones, didn't really know the caliber, never reloaded for them, plus I wasn't looking to pick up a new caliber or dies for it. I feel for me I made the right choice, in the model36 in 38 spl. But one thing is for sure, I love the enthusiasm the OP has for his gun and it's caliber. That is the attitude we need more of.
 
Well, learning something new...

Learning something new is always good. I've never heard of the .327 magnum. However, I do have respect for the .32 round, since it served well until larger calibers became popular. I feel that part of the attraction is the higher velocity obtainable in a not-so-heavy gun for carry and close range work.
 
I do enjoy shooting my sp101 4 inch in 327 magnum. Also my sp101 3 inch 32h&r magnum has been a fun gun to own. As I've read on other forums if Henry or another manufacturer began making a rifle in 327 magnum it just might make the round a bit more popular.
 
dandyrandy said:
Heavy three inch barrel j frame six shot 327 magnum is the way to go boys
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Got a source for any reasonably priced samples?

That's the problem I see with all S&W 32 caliber anything these days. Gunbroker offerings all seem to start around $1300 and some have reserve prices of $1700 or so. I'd reeeeealy have to want one to pay that much, however nice a package it might be. (That's what drove me to a Ruger Single Seven when I decided it was time to at least try the 327.)

Given the prices that all of the newer 32 caliber guns seem to fetch on the internet, S&W must have terrific minimum volumes they need to predict before they will set up for anything but their highest volume guns. I wouldn't think the cost differential is that great to drill 32 caliber chambers and rifle 32 caliber barrels, although if they don't make any other 6 shot J frames maybe they don't have the machinery any more. (Anybody know if cylinders are bored on multi-spindle machines, or is each chamber done separately on CNC machines? If the latter, it should only be a matter of changing cutters.)

I can't imagine they would have to charge anything near current internet sale prices to make a profit on a new run of 327s. (OTOH, maybe there really are only 12 of us out here who like 32s any more, and just talk about 'em a lot.)
 
Does the 32 h&r maganum essentially match the 380 in ballistics?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Best....pppffff. Nothing is best at everything.

Yes, it's power to weight ratio is impressive.

so, a commonly available gun in 327 would be a....SP101? Which is even more common in .357. So why not just load up some 115gr 357's, and use a caliber a with more available components.
 
philly01 said:
Does the 32 h&r maganum essentially match the 380 in ballistics?
Click to expand...

Only if you can find a 380 that will send a 100g bullet out a 3" barrel at 1230fps. The Buffalo Bore 32 H&R +P load with a 100g JHP bullet does that out of my 3" revolver, for ~338 lb/ft of energy. One of Buffalo Bore's several 380 +P loads has a 90g JHP bullet that they say goes 1123fps out of a 2.75" automatic, for ~252 lb/ft of energy.
 
wrangler5 said:
Only if you can find a 380 that will send a 100g bullet out a 3" barrel at 1230fps. The Buffalo Bore 32 H&R +P load with a 100g JHP bullet does that out of my 3" revolver, for ~338 lb/ft of energy. One of Buffalo Bore's several 380 +P loads has a 90g JHP bullet that they say goes 1123fps out of a 2.75" automatic, for ~252 lb/ft of energy.
Click to expand...



I am thinking about a short barrel revolver. I.e. Ruger lcr. Vs a typical short barrel 380.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
That 32 H&R +P round goes 1100fps out of my 2" 432PD revolver. Buffalo Bore says their 90g 380 +P goes 1100fps out of a KelTec, which has about a 2.5" barrel. That works out to ~269 lb/ft of energy for the 32 H&R and ~242 lb/ft for the 380.

For perspective, Remington's version of the 38 Special "FBI Load", a +P round with a 158g lead HP bullet, goes 820fps out of my 2" Model 49, for ~236 lb/ft of energy. (Energy is a function of velocity squared, which is why the smaller, faster bullets generate more of it than the heavier, slower 38 round.)
 
Best?

While I respect the OP's opinion, for me, one of the criteria for a best this or that is ammunition availability. If the local gun stores don't have it, then you need to stock up when your find it or become a hand loader.

Worse, with little-used cartridges, there's also the danger of manufacturers dropping cartridge production altogether. I think this may happen with the .45 GAP, another really good SD round but ignored by all gun manufacturers except Glock. .38 SPL. .357 Magnum, .380 ACP, 9mm and .45 ACP will be around until all handguns are replaced by some form of alien technology. I'd stay with these.

There are some really good proprietary rifle rounds that are great in the deer woods such as the .250 and .300 Savage rounds. They certainly fill the freezer but you best be a hand loader if you acquire a rifle so chambered.
 
wrangler5 said:
Only if you can find a 380 that will send a 100g bullet out a 3" barrel at 1230fps. The Buffalo Bore 32 H&R +P load with a 100g JHP bullet does that out of my 3" revolver, for ~338 lb/ft of energy. One of Buffalo Bore's several 380 +P loads has a 90g JHP bullet that they say goes 1123fps out of a 2.75" automatic, for ~252 lb/ft of energy.
Click to expand...

I'll stick to my 125gr .357 magnums out of a 3" barrel. 1500fps and over 400ft lbs.
 
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