Haven’t shot one but have handled every variety of the Kimber. No love for the Kimber revolvers. And they’re ugly.

No love for any Kimber.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Well said.

I spoke with S&W sales rep recently, and asked about the sales of the new 30 SC ... and he stated that sales are very much non-existent (nationally). Sad.

As for the .327 caliber Ruger LCR and LCRx the shops in my area can't keep them in stock, as well as the 9mm chambered models.

Kimber's sales do exceptionally well in my vicinity.

I agree that revolvers aren't dead, but it seems to me and like others have said, that the 9mm semi-auto is king of the hill. It's all about reduced size and capacity. Honestly, I think the Sig P365 is the catalyst for booming sales.

Now every gun manufacturer wants a piece of the pie. It feels to me that Smith wanted it too, but their approach was to develop a smaller diameter cartridge without having to re-engineeer a magazine and such. And the results are ... (the sounds of crickets).

All credit to Sig. They were aggressive in their marketing, and it very much changed the landscape of the small concealed handgun market. Yes, I did own P365, but I didn't care for the ergonomics. I prefer Glock hands down when it comes to the plastic semi-auto.

I wish that Smith will truly catch on and approach the J frame in the .32 caliber with the same level of prowess that Sig did with their p365. Interestingly, I wouldn't be surprised if Sig came out with their own revolver. Perhaps, they will collaborate with Manhurin. Well, that is food for thought and my day dream. Carry on.

I’m too old to switch. I’ll stick with my 38 Snubs and my 9mm semi autos. What I see is 38+P Gold Dot 135gr. Did the job just fine for the NYPD. 9mm. seams to be working for a lot of Departments. I’m not adding any more guns or calibers. Next summer it’s off to The GunRunner on line auction. Time to slim the herd again.

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Two Handguns every day

The blast from a 327 Federal out of a 2 inch snub probably is really something... sort of like shooting a 30 carbine out of a handgun.
Think about your unprotected hearing if you choose to use it.
38 still loud but not as sharp.

158grainer is nothing to frown on.

Who was it that said "Ain't no need for a 32 magnum, we have the 32-20?"
32-20 case length is longer than the 327. Like a 357 necked down to 32. Nobody makes high powered 32-20 ammo or modern c carry revolver because someone will shoot that hot ammo out of a 100 year old gun.

You need to carry what you can hit with!

Some of these new revolvers are so light I don't see how most people can hit anything past 5 yards.. unless you are Dan Matthews on HIGHWAY PATROL, and can hit a moving car tire at 20 yards with a 38 snub.

Ah the caliber wars! the debate just goes on.. and on.. and on.. and on.
First off, bear in mind that the vast majority of gun owners just ain't as "into it" as the members of this board. Many just own a rifle or shotgun for hunting. If they do have a handgun, its usually for home defense. And those that actually carry a gun do so with minimum knowledge or training. Most of what they know came from social media and the internet.
For many years the keyboard commandos have been screaming that "anything less than 9mm will just get you killed!". And many gun owners believe that and just aren't interested in anything else, much less a puny little .32.
I, OTOH, believe its more about skill, shot placement and understanding the capabilities and limitations of what you carry.
I've told the story many times about my wife's arthritis and how it led her to a 2" Model 30-1 in .32 long. She shot that gun very well and had complete confidence in it.
I, myself, have been known to carry nothing more than a tiny mouse gun in .25acp from time to time.
If you wanna carry a .32, more power to ya. I personally think that the .32acp and the guns made for it are seriously under rated.
It ain't about caliber. Its about knowing your gun and yourself.

It ain't about caliber. It's about knowing your gun and yourself.

Well said! Your reply is very much appreciated.

Kimber revolvers are ugly to us, purists. But that is a modern revolver.

What S&W should have done was the “Goldilocks Principle”. 2 inch K-frame is to big, 2 inch J-frame is too small. Make something in between, that was just right. When cops carried revolvers, I knew a few patrolmen who pocket carry a two inch Model 10 so they could use their primary revolver’s speedloaders.

They don’t feel good in my hand either. But they do seem well made. But I think Colts has them beat there. I h as ve and like the 3” King Cobra. 28oz.

How about the return of a 2 1/2” Scandium K frame along the lines of the 315 NG. But with a titanium cylinder to reduce weight.

I have a 386 PD, a seven shot Scandium L frame 357 with a titanium cylinder that weighs 18oz. Carries well, but a bit big. I carry BB + P SWCHP-Gs in it. It carries easier than the 315NG just because of weight. 315NG 24oz.

With a Scandium K frame with a titanium cylinder you could practice with 2 1/2” Model 66, reserve the Scandium revolver for a few rounds at the end of a session.

I have two K6S Kimbers. One 4" and one 2". I put a Crimson Trace grip on the 2" and can shoot it very good with 38+P. The 4 inch reminds me of my Model 19s and out of the box has a better trigger. Regular power 357s are not that bad on recoil. I already have enough guns or I'd jump on a K6XS that's on GB at $619, Buy Now, free shipping and no CC charge.

That would be the Colt "D" frame revolvers. Detective Special, Cobra, Police Positive Special and Diamondback. Bigger than a J-frame, yet smaller than a K-frame. Small enough to conceal well, but still big enough to shoot extremely well. I'm very fond of these.

Vive la difference!







If finding ammunition is not an issue, but weight/recoil is an issue, then .32 H&R Magnum has many advantages:

* For a lightweight revolver for slipping into a pocket, or carrying IWB with lightweight clothing (athletic, fleece, etc), an aluminium frame .32 Mag weighs very little;

* Since in those circumstances, you are probably not carrying a bunch of spare ammo, the extra round in the .32 Mag cylinder (as opposed to .38) is helpful;

* In a lightweight carry revolver, the .32 Mag recoils noticeably less than the .38 Spl, which makes hitting the target easier and faster.

Is .38 Special "more powerful"? Depends on how you compare them, but overall yes it is. But I find the difference not worth it in comparison to the recoil in a aluminium frame revolver. Heavy .38 Special +P loads are a much better fit in a steel frame gun in my experience. What about "Lite" loads in a .38 Special? Might was well use the .32 Mag and gain the extra round.

Ammunition at the moment is the problem with .32 Mag - like a lot of other great rounds. Factory JHP ammo is often made from unobtainium, and practice ammo is hideously priced. You just about have to reload for this round at the moment.

9mm has ruined everything with panache.

Right now on Ammoseek, the cheapest price for 32 S&W Long and 38spl practice ammo is almost the same. $17.78/box of 50 for 32 and $17.10/box of 50 for 38.

@ Model 15-4ever

Wow! Your post is very much appreciated. Excellent response, and the pics are huge plus! Thank you again. Two thumbs up!!

Yeah, but how do they shoot?

No better than any other gun.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Since they don’t fit my hand well, I can only presume not well for me. And aftermarket support is still slim, so finding grips which would help isn’t an option either.

You can get a Taurus Model 327 on GunBroker for around $285.
Not a S&W, but a very reasonably priced and decenct quality j-frame sized 6 shot all steel 327 Federal magnum. I like mine a lot. BUT, a others have said, handloading your own is the answer to the ammo problem. If you don't reload then this one probably isn't for you.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

From reputable dealers with low shipping costs, I found the same thing. But you won't find any .32 H&R Mag ammo at those prices.

I've shot quite a bit of the commonly available PPU .32 S&W Long 98 grain LRN. It's an incredibly anemic load, which barely breaks 600 fps out of a 2" barrel. OK for low recoil practice I suppose, but doesn't hit anywhere close to POA.

FWIW, they shoot 32ACP just fine, and it tends to be a bit hotter than 32SWL. Slightly lighter bullets, but right around 1000fps +/- 50fps, and the price is much more reasonable - around 35 cents per round.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

I have carried a 640 and later a 340 for many years and they have been great.
A few years back I bought a K6s and have carried it as well. It holds 6 (.357) and hides under my belly very comfortably.
Now that the K6xs is out there I will have one soon.
They are selling local for $600-$620. Trigger is good out of the box. The rubber Hogues would be changed and I already have the holster from the K6s.

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Some assembly required..

S&B and Remington shoot to the sights of my 3” 30-1. Even Remington 32 S&W shoots close enough.

As far as shooting to the sights and practice, I don’t care, so long as the given ammo reliably groups. If I’ve figured out that X brand shoots 2” high, I can still select the same POA and judge my shooting by factoring in the 2” offset.

I get that 32 H&R or 327 Federal ammo is expensive (as is good, carry quality 357 compared to practice 38spl,) but how much do you really need to shoot?

I don’t shoot much 357 in my 357s, far more cheap 38spl.

Instead they let Kimber eat their lunch with a true 6 shot lightweight revolver with decent sights. I can’t find a K6XS to buy because they sell as fast as they hit the counter.[/QUOTE]

MSRP is $679. With reports of LGS asking $1200? I would make sure that store knew where I wouldn't be shopping anymore.

Anyway I spent a boat load of money a couple of years ago on a Kimber K6s 3" DAO. Very disappointed when I found the revolvers cylinder would lock up and not ah, rotate. Sent it right back and had it back in a week. OK that service was good but the consumer is not supposed to be the quality control person. There is a good number of reports complaining of this cylinder jamming problem.

Good luck to the new Kimber buyers, I'm sticking with J frames.

As I said above, I already have two K6S revolvers and even told you all where the new K6XS was only $619 delivered no one bought it so now I'll have one of them too.

Last year I broke the last good ash handle I had for my 8 lb sledge. At the nearby gianormous building supply big box store I found a choice between already warped, wide-grained handles and a fiberglass-handled 10 lb sledge for a couple of bucks more and took the heavier hammer home.

I simply would not have believed the extra striking, driving, breaking, and splitting power a slightly larger sledge would provide had I not experienced it.

Yeah, 2 pounds doesn't sound like much, but in this case it is a 25% increase in weight. That makes a HUGE difference, especially in an application where kinetic impact force is the only metric under consideration.

On the other hand, you aren't going to be able to swing that heavier hammer as many times non-stop either.

So there is a tradeoff.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

I was at the Marine Barracks at NWS Seal Beach as the Guard Chief. Seal Beach PD carried Colt Series 70's in .45ACP. Then I moved over to NS Long Beach as an advisor to the Security Department and I carried a Colt M1911A1.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Great post Data!

I'm a few months shy of 70 and been shooting since I was 5. I never thought I would see the time when I couldn't go to a shop with reloading supplies that didn't have a barrel of 5.56 brass next to their barrel of 38 special brass. Those times have come. Revolvers are as out of favor as the rimmed cartridges that fit them.
I expect that the percentage of any conflict I might witness would be a four legged creature rather than a two legged by a huge margin. I am comfortable carrying around my cast loads whether they are 7 rounds of 32 Mag or 5 of 38 special. I might have a 40 or a 22 lr in my pocket instead. I will not pack what I cannot get ammunition for.

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Front sight and squeeze

I love shooting revolvers in .32 S&W Long, .32 H&R Magnum, .327 Fed Magnum, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and .45 ACP.

I carry a Sig P365 9mm.

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Only a cold warrior

[QUOTE=Sistema1927;141907063]I love shooting revolvers in .32 S&W Long, .32 H&R Magnum, .327 Fed Magnum, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and .45 ACP.

I carry a Sig P365 9mm.

The Sig P365 is a very nice platform. What is your current setup? Are your magazines flush, or do you carry the extended magazines? Red Dot? Standard Sights? Barrel Length?