.32 Mag J-Frame

My never-ending quest for the perfect EDC pistol has got me looking at the discontinued .32 mag J-frames, both the 431PD/432PD and the 331.

I currently own J-frames Airweights in both .38 and .357, and while I shoot them accurately (and carried the .38 as a BUG before I retired as a federal law enforcement officer), I am looking for a bit more capacity and also easier follow-up shots.

I'm looking for any feedback on these models, things I should look for, and if there are any inherent issues with the Ti construction of the 331.

Any help is much appreciated....

Welcome to the Forum.

I have a 431pd and carry it often.

Very nice accurate gun. With most ammo, very light recoil. But the Buffalo Bore loads are a lot hotter and those kick pretty good.

I had trouble with sticky extraction with the BB 100 gr jhp.

I pocket carry it and forget I have it with me -- very light.

The 331 is even a couple oz lighter. I've never seen a 331 or 332 for sale around here.

Thanks, good to be here.

I'm a long-time revolver lover who cut my teeth on revolvers when I first learned how to shoot (and back when revolvers were my agency's duty weapon).

After decades of owning all kinds of semis, I've fallen back in love with revolvers.

Feels like coming home.

Cal44 said:

I have a 431pd and carry it often.

Very nice accurate gun. With most ammo, very light recoil. But the Buffalo Bore loads are a lot hotter and those kick pretty good.

I had trouble with sticky extraction with the BB 100 gr jhp.

I pocket carry it and forget I have it with me -- very light.

The 331 is even a couple oz lighter. I've never seen a 331 or 332 for sale around here.

Click to expand...

I have the same problem shooting .357 out of my M&P 340. Very frustrating.

Good to hear about the recoil. If I get one, I'll buy the BB--amongst others--to see how it feels. I know from sad experience that shooting .357 out of my J-frame can make you see God.

My daily carry is a 632 with the Buffalo Bore 100g rounds. It has the boot-grip-size Crimson Trace laser grip on it that has no cushioning over the backstrap (but it makes for the most concealable package.) Muzzle energy exceeds that of Remington's 38 Special +P 158g lead hollow point from a 442, and it kicks accordingly.

It is NOT fun to shoot, but the BB ammo is too expensive to shoot much of anyway, once you get the sights dialed in. I do feel confident carrying that gun/ammo/laser combination, as it's very accurate and I get 6 rounds of it in the cylinder. (I do not recall any extraction problems with the BB ammo.)

Any other H&R Mag ammo runs from tolerable to pleasant to shoot in that light gun, and of course any 32 Long stuff is just a delight. For any extended shooting I prefer one of the heavier steel 32s, either a 2" Model 30 or a 3" Model 31, both of which I've had reamed to take 32 Mag.

One of the few S&Ws I’m still looking for seriously is the Model 631 with 4” barrel and adjustable sights. Ever since my buddy Dale53 let me shoot his I’ve had an ongoing love affair with the model. The 632 is similar, but the only ones I’ve seen have been ported, a feature I think is unneeded on a gun chambered in 32 H&R.

Froggie

Boscobarbell said:

My never-ending quest for the perfect EDC pistol has got me looking at the discontinued .32 mag J-frames, both the 431PD/432PD and the 331.

I currently own J-frames Airweights in both .38 and .357, and while I shoot them accurately (and carried the .38 as a BUG before I retired as a federal law enforcement officer), I am looking for a bit more capacity and also easier follow-up shots.

I'm looking for any feedback on these models, things I should look for, and if there are any inherent issues with the Ti construction of the 331.

Any help is much appreciated....

Click to expand...

I own and carry a 432 and 332 frequently. Sometimes both.
I also own a Regulation Police (31-1) 4" and a 30-1 (snub) with spare cylinders converted to 32 magnum. I load 85 grain lead bullets for practice and carry Hornaday Critical Defense 85 grain HP. I also own both the 642 and 342 38 Specials. Between the options, the ones carried vary based on whether I carry a 357 as primary or the 432 as primary. I find I prefer the 32s as I get older due to health and upper body strength. If you can shoot the 38s fairly effectively, you'll love the 32s. I like the 332 and 342 for ankle carry.

Boscobarbell

Also welcome to the forum, you'll learn that there are many knowledgeable folks here, all willing to share their considerable knowledge. I'll add that the S&W "J" Frame Models you seek are discontinued, as you likely already know but they will also command a premium price when there is one for sale. Good luck with your search.

I'm a little partial to .32's. I have had both the 431PD and still have a 432PD as well as a 16-4 (and several pre 30 & 3's in 32 Long).


The 432PD weigh's 13 oz empty and right at 16 oz fully loaded with my 100 gr XTP load. This load from the 431 or 432 exceeds a little over 1000 fps. It is comfortable to shoot.



This is the 432PD with a Culinga boot grip. It does give you a little more grip to hang onto, without being appreciably larger.

A 332 is my primary carry gun. Carry it a pocket holster, hardly notice it's there. I like the DAO of the 332 and much more snag free than a hammer gun. No issues with the ti but I don't shoot it that much. I carry Federal JHP's in it.

I carry a bobbed hammer 431PD. 16 ounces loaded. Buffalo Bore Outdoorsman is too much for me. I Use Georgia Arms 32 mag HP's. They are 270 foot pounds so quite strong. It is light, strong, extremely reliable, and powerful. And it is a 6 shot.. i have quite a few guns and i choose to carry the 431PD because it is the best choice. IMHO it is the best personal protection platform there is considering i don't feel the need for high capacity where i live.

Thanks for all the great responses, guys. You've confirmed my desire to find one of these.

I'll be sure to post back if I find my Holy Grail.

It may have been a one-time thing, but I bought a 432 new from Bud's in 2016. It worked fine, but the hammer stud was slightly proud of the frame and S&W said to send it back. They declared it nonrepairable, and had no 32 caliber anything to offer as a replacement. (I offered to wait as long as it took to get something in 32, but they said I had to pick a replacement from currently available stock.) I picked a 7-shot 686, sold it without firing it, and found another new 432 available from an online vendor.

I bought from Bud's initially because I got a notice from a Wish List request that I'd put in at least a year earlier for a 432 that they showed as Out of Stock at the time. So apparently S&W made a run and sent 'em out in 2016 - where they didn't last very long. It's probably worth setting a reminder notice at Bud's, and any other place that offers the service, if you're interested in any of the S&W 32 caliber revolvers that they have listed in the past. (Personally I'd love to get a humpback in 32 H&R, although I don't think they ever made one in 32 anything.)

My experience might also serve as a cautionary tale of S&W factory repairs for 32 caliber anythings. If you send one in and they decide it can't be repaired by them, you may not get it back. Had I known what was going to happen I probably would not have sent the first 432 back. Would have just kept it and shot it, keeping an eye on the hammer stud (it was only a few thousandths proud, enough to see and feel, but not enough for its other end to have been hanging free of its support hole in the side plate.) If it never moved out any farther, so be it. If it had crept out I'd have worked with a machinist friend to make an anvil with a hole to support the inside of the frame around the hammer stud, tapped the stud back flush, and kept an eye on it again.

wrangler5 said:

It may have been a one-time thing, but I bought a 432 new from Bud's in 2016. It worked fine, but the hammer stud was slightly proud of the frame and S&W said to send it back. They declared it nonrepairable, and had no 32 caliber anything to offer as a replacement. (I offered to wait as long as it took to get something in 32, but they said I had to pick a replacement from currently available stock.) I picked a 7-shot 686, sold it without firing it, and found another new 432 available from an online vendor.

I bought from Bud's initially because I got a notice from a Wish List request that I'd put in at least a year earlier for a 442 that they showed as Out of Stock at the time. So apparently S&W made a run and sent 'em out in 2016 - where they didn't last very long. It's probably worth setting a reminder notice at Bud's, and any other place that offers the service, if you're interested in any of the S&W 32 caliber revolvers that they have listed in the past. (Personally I'd love to get a humpback in 32 H&R, although I don't think they ever made one in 32 anything.)

My experience might also serve as a cautionary tale of S&W factory repairs for 32 caliber anythings. If you send one in and they decide it can't be repaired by them, you may not get it back. Had I known what was going to happen I probably would not have sent the first 432 back. Would have just kept it and shot it, keeping an eye on the hammer stud (it was only a few thousandths proud, enough to see and feel, but not enough for its other end to have been hanging free of its support hole in the side plate.) If it never moved out any farther, so be it. If it had crept out I'd have worked with a machinist friend to make an anvil with a hole to support the inside of the frame around the hammer stud, tapped the stud back flush, and kept an eye on it again.

Click to expand...

Thanks...definitely something to bear in mind.

I had a similar issue with a Kimber Solo. It went back in to Kimber for what I thought would be a minor issue, and Kimber informed me that it was irreparable and that I had to choose another model from their lineup since the Solo had been discontinued.

I ended up taking a K6S and promptly sold it to my LGS...nice gun, but I had no need for a 23-ounce revolver.

I will certainly try my local gunsmith first if I find a .32 and it has an issue down the road.

If you can't find a S&W 32 mag another option would be a Ruger LCR 327 Federal .

I have one and carry it also. Sometimes loaded with 32 mag Critical Defence and sometimes with 327 Federal loads.

It's heavier than the s&w guns you mentioned at 17 oz, but it does enable you to shoot the more powerful 327 loads.

It's still in production.

Cal44 said:

If you can't find a S&W 32 mag another option would be a Ruger LCR 327 Federal .

I have one and carry it also. Sometimes loaded with 32 mag Critical Defence and sometimes with 327 Federal loads.

It's heavier than the s&w guns you mentioned at 17 oz, but it does enable you to shoot the more powerful 327 loads.

It's still in production.

Click to expand...

Yes, I had given those a look, too. I love the cartridge, but the weight has kept me from jumping on one.

Oh, and also the look of them. In my eyes, they are just *****. The latter alone would not be disqualifying, but for the price it sure would be nice to get an attractive piece!

I've been eyeballing a 331 for a while, but I feel like I'd be more partial to a blued steel gun. I've always been a 38/357 guy in a mid to small sized snubby, but lately the 32 magnums have been turning me on. Not just for me but I'm trying to get my girlfriend into revolvers and I feel like the 32 magnum might be the ticket.

My experience with a 327 Federal LCR

I have the LCR in 327 Federal. It does have a wonderfully smooth trigger action right out of the box, for which the LCR is famous. But after less than a hundred rounds I stopped shooting it. I just haven't gotten around to selling it yet.

First, the 327 Federal can be an exceptionally powerful and LOUD round. In the LCR, the kick of the two really powerful rounds (Speer Gold Dots and American Eagle, both 100g HPs, IIRC) reminded me of the single 357 Magnum round I let off in a steel J frame. Not something I would want to shoot enough to master multiple rapid shots, and certainly nothing I would ever want to shoot without hearing protection, preferably plugs AND muffs. (In addition to the inherent energy of the hot 327 Fed rounds, the LCR bore axis seems quite a bit higher in the hand than a J frame's, which (I think) made the recoil seem even greater.)

The other 3 or 4 commercial loads for 327 that I tried were all barely above or even below some 32 H&R power levels. So not nearly as nasty to shoot, but I'd rather use a J frame for that level of power.

Second, I really like a Crimson Trace grip on my carry gun. I have 'em on the J frames that I've carried and find they make it easier - for me - to make fast and accurate hits compared to iron sights. But the CT grip for the LCR places its laser housing at a slightly different place relative to the hand compared to the J frame, and I got smacked on the knuckle at the base of my trigger finger with every shot. With the hot loads that was quite a painful smack. It made the CT grip unusable, for me, which made the LCR even less attractive.

Some people with younger hands and joints may not mind the recoil of hot 327 rounds in the LCR. And some will have younger eyes or simply may not have any interest in the Crimson Trace grips. But for me, these were negatives that made the LCR unattractive, compared to a 32 caliber J frame (with the Buffalo Bore 100 grainers) for regular carry.

YMMV, but my dissatisfactions were nothing I'd ever read about in any of the reviews I'd seen on the gun over the years, so I hope they're of some use to somebody. (Of course, if you just want a new-in-box snub nose revolver for 32 H&R and lower powered rounds and don't want to go hunting for the elusive J frame, you can probably have an LCR in hand in a couple of days.)

I like the 85 gr hydra shok in 327 mag.

It's between the 32 mag BB and the 327 gold dots in muzzle energy.

The recoil is not a huge problem for my 70 year old hands. Thankfully no arthritis yet.

But, I carry the 431pd more often just because it's lighter.