.380 vs >32 H&R Magnum

[mtgianni]

They seem to be going for 30 to 40 a thousand, best I can tell.

18 a hundred seems waaay high and 18 a thousand is waaay cheap. What did you mean to type?

Wideners had them for for 18 @ 1000 last month. [That was before their fire] Original post corrected .

 

[Wayne02]

My local small shop has both ammo.

I am waiting for the new SW Pro 640 in 327 Federal, 6 shot.

Have shot the Ruger SP101 in 327 and it is a screaming round!

Ok thanks. I ask because some folks are not necessarily interested in maximizing power to weight/size ratio. My wife likes the 642 J-frame sized gun but doesn't like the .38 recoil.

Just wondering if the 32 or 327 might be more manageable. Although I admit that I've yet to seek out a powder puff load in .38 for her to try. Maybe some wad cutters or something.

 

[Rule3]

38 special and 9MM are pretty equal 380 is pathetic even though it has bagged and tagged its fair share.
what makes or breaks a defensive round is the amount of time between the shot, and the drop.
big boys like 45 autos have a much shorter pop to drop time than 38's 32's 9's and 380's
CCW's really need to think about that factor given the role of the gun they are packing.

But back on the subject.
I could more than stand to play with a good 32 H&R and I'd anticipate finding it at least as useful as a 38.
I cannot say the same for a 380 which is close to exclusively a bottom feeder cartridge.
between minimum impulse to operate the action and its redline ... thats a rather small playground.

I do not like ballistic comparisons and of course bigger is better but look up the percentages of one shot stops between 380 and regular 38 special. Yes, ever-ones stats can be debated, skewed, interpreted but that's all we have. I have my own wet newspaper tests with 380's and would not like to be hit by one.
Here in 95 degree Florida with equal humidity, with docker shorts and a t shirt, can't really carry a 40 or 45. Those pocket 380's give me 7 rounds of much easier and accurate than a 5 shot 38 snub. Todays 380 ammp (Speer GD or Rem GS (102gr) are by no means "pathetic"

 

[venomballistics]

Ok thanks. I ask because some folks are not necessarily interested in maximizing power to weight/size ratio. My wife likes the 642 J-frame sized gun but doesn't like the .38 recoil.

Just wondering if the 32 or 327 might be more manageable. Although I admit that I've yet to seek out a powder puff load in .38 for her to try. Maybe some wad cutters or something.

I'd walk a 38 from mouse fart up to +P rather than invest in a new gun in these cases. Its more about acclimation to recoil than accommodation to perceived limitations.
SOME people actually SHOOT 500 magnums!!!!

 

[JcMack]

I had a 632 and currently carry a 432. I bought a bunch of federal ammo early last year when supplies of .32 H&R started drying up. I like the extra shot in the 432 and the cyl seems a tad smaller in diam. than a .38 spec.. I had a Det. Sec. in .32NP that I almost reamed out to accept .32 H&R. I don't know if the 432 could be safley reamed to accept .327. The CYL. in the Det. Spec. in .32NP is built on the .38 spec..

 

[Jellybean]

Ok thanks. I ask because some folks are not necessarily interested in maximizing power to weight/size ratio. My wife likes the 642 J-frame sized gun but doesn't like the .38 recoil.

Just wondering if the 32 or 327 might be more manageable. Although I admit that I've yet to seek out a powder puff load in .38 for her to try. Maybe some wad cutters or something.

In my outvoiced opinion, you'd be better off finding her some light .38s. Even if you have to go to .38 short colts, .38 long colts, wadcutters, cowboy action ammo or etc. With them you always have the chance to go up in power if she ever decides she can handle it.

The big lure to the .32 magnum in a J frame was that it would hold one more round than a .38/.357 J frame gun. While they may be close to a .38 mid range in power, the little tiny bullet doesn't live up to expectations. That is why they are bringing out the .327 with it's rifle like pressure limits. I'm no expert, but unless the magazine writers can convince enough people of it's usefulness in a J frame, I predict a marketing failure.

I have a .32 magnum and love to shoot it, but it is a Taurus 76, which is similar to a K frame in size and has a six inch barrel. The .327 may even become popular in similar sized and type of firearms, but not for personal defense. The idea, like venom touched on, is to match the gun, cartridge and bullet to the purpose. People that are mad, crazy, drug induced or etc. aren't the same as bunny rabbits or squirrels, or even coyotes. By the time you jack the .32s up to do the job, you might as well carry a .357 magnum. A .32 magnum out of a 3" barrel is no better than a .380. The difference would be that a .380 in a gun the size of a J frame revolver would hold 13 +1 rounds instead of six.

Now, let's get into the area of availability. Yes, the .32 magnums and .327 are commercially available. .32 magnums have always seemed to be hard to find and aren't all that popular even with those that like the cartridge. That seems to be the picture I get off the earlier posts too. Factory loadings were limited to two offerings from Federal when I bough mine and didn't care for either one of them. The .327 is new and factory ammo will be available as long as the firearms sell. If they don't sell very well their availability may be even worse than the .32 magnums. And you might want to ask who in your area is stocking them before you buy one.

 

[kenster]

Going to take the girlfriend to the range to try the SP101 in .327 mag. May end up being a Christmass present. As far as a .380 being a wimpy round, I'll disagree. I carry a Bersa 380 on occasion in summer weather with a loaded mag of Glaser Pow'R Ball's, 70GR @ 1100FPS. I wouldn't want to get shot with one. Then again I wouldn't want to get shot by a .22, stabbed by a knife or bit by a dog.

Just Saying...

 

[Thicker]

".32 magnums. And you might want to ask who in your area is stocking them before you buy one. "(From above post)
****You got that right..........