Any .327 Federal Mag. aficionados out there?

[carl3989]

The .327 mag seems to be a pretty cool cartridge, yet doesn't seem to have a lot of followers on this forum. From what I read it was created as an improvement on the .32 H&R mag so the S&W model 632 can shoot not only the .327, .32H&R but also the .32 S&W long. Kind of like the .460 XVR which can shoot the .460 Mag..454 Casull and 45 Colt. Both revolvers use a straight wall case and one could argue the Model 632 is a J frame mini XVR. Heck the little 632 even has a ported barrel just like its bigger brother. So I'm thinking this Mod 632 needs to be added to my collection. If for no other reason that soon the .327 Fed. Mag. will be as rare as hen's teeth judging by the lack of interest. So if there are any of you who own the Mod 632 and share my thoughts, or think my thoughts are wrong, I would love to hear from you and better yet see some photos, accuracy results, favourite loads etc..

 

[Green Frog]

Check out the interest that was stirred by my "Project 616." I'm having a sort of K-327 built in SS by Andy Horvath. There were a couple of pages of responses and discussion about that back in the Summer. When it is complete and I start talking about my experiences with it, I think you will see more interesting discussion here.

Froggie

PS Try here; http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...hats-everyones-opinion-327-mag-other-32s.html

 

[snubbiefan]

People have been poo-pooing the round and predicting it's demise ever since it was introduced. I don't own one now, but I have and like many others.....decided there is no need for another round that can do anything the 38-Special can for a lot less money. You can pretty easily load a 38-special down to something that replicates the recoil of the 32-Long or up to approach something close to the 327 Federal Mag....close enough anyway. The ammo is just too darned expensive and scarce unless you reload for it.

That's a practical side....for the idea of having another gun...now that's a good idea.

 

[Green Frog]

People have been poo-pooing the round and predicting it's demise ever since it was introduced. I don't own one now, but I have and like many others.....decided there is no need for another round that can do anything the 38-Special can for a lot less money. You can pretty easily load a 38-special down to something that replicates the recoil of the 32-Long or up to approach something close to the 327 Federal Mag....close enough anyway. The ammo is just too darned expensive and scarce unless you reload for it.

That's a practical side....for the idea of having another gun...now that's a good idea.

Snubbiefan,

Not to be argumentative, but you are debating yourself here. First you extoll the possibilities opened when you reload for the 38, then concerning the 32s you say "...ammo is too darned expensive and scarce unless you reload."

Of course I come at it assuming that I will reload, so I look at what the possibilities are within that realm. The little I-frame guns are fun to shoot with the full range of the 32 S&W Long and handle them well. My coming K-frame on the other hand will reach into the power range available to the larger size and be effective there. JMHO, of course, and YMMV!

Froggie

 

[peyton]

Guys, please don't use the dark blue when typing, it blends in with the grey background and I can't read it.

 

[mag318]

The 327 Magnum is a great cartridge and S&Ws 632 is a good platform for it. When I bought mine I let several friends shoot it and 4 of them bought 632s they were so impressed with it. 32s were very popular in the early 1900s and the 32 H&R Magnum sold well in various S&W revolvers. The 327 Magnum changed everything though as it is a true Magnum with excellent loads such as the Speer 115 Gold Dot (see pic). I really enjoy shooting this pistol with all the different 32s from the shorts up to the mags. Smith had 2 versions in their lineup and they are still available on auction sites. Try one if you can and see what you think of it.

 

[Gunhacker]

I had my 16-4 cylinder reamed to .327 Federal from .32 H&R Mag about mid-last year by Clements Custom... best investment I've made in a long time.

I hear the same arguement about the .41 Magnum... too expensive, must reload, handloaded .44 Mag can do anything it can do.

Maybe so... but I simply like having stuff that is not "part of the usual herd", so I'm willing to devote a bit more time/effort and expense into it to shoot something that's uncommon.

 

[AirForceShooter]

It's a fantastic cartridge and gun.
Versatile as all get out.
Light and shoots flat as Paris Hilton.

AFS

 

[Stainz]

As I've said in other posts, it is a 'universal' .32 shooter, capable of loading and discharging .32 ACP, .32 S&W, .32 S&WL, .32 H&RM, and it's designed for .327 Federal Magnum. Of course, clean those chambers after shooting the short-cased rounds and before loading Magnums. Also, the 632 Pro, with it's 2 1/8" non-ported barrel, is still available. That barrel is not much shorter than the unported length of the 3" ported models. The 60 Pro style grips are a great improvement.

Also - those 115gr Speer Gold Dots in .327 Federal Magnum rounds in that speedloader produce a brisk almost .357 Magnum from a 60 style recoil. Certainly more than a +P 158gr LHPSWC .38 from my 642. The fixed elevation tritium Night Sights are drift adjustable in windage and seem well regulated for the Federal 100gr JSP and Speer 115gr GDJHP rounds at 7-12 yd using a combat sight picture. I cannot use the weak tritium sights - a fiber optic sight would do better for me. Neat revolver - neat round. Of course, .38/.357 ammo and reloading components are more easily found and afforded, but, if economy was the rule, we'd be talking about the 3" 63 (8x .22LR).

Stainz

 

[carl3989]

I find that "too expensive" in describing the .327 some what subjective. I just ordered some from Cabelas for just about $25 a box with free shipping. I also ordered the RCBS reloading dies (3 in set) for the .32H&R mag which I'm lead to believe works for the .327. My understanding is that there is not a die set specifically for the .327.

 

[snubbiefan]

Frog....I do reload and did reload for the 327. BUT....you have to build-up the supply of brass first and invest in the dies. I think the 327 is a fantastic little round (if you want to call it little). I taught my wife how to shoot using the 32 S&W and long from the 327. No doubt that you can do the same thing and in some cases more with the 115-grain 327 load than you can a 38-special, if you're a chronograph-nut, but a 38-special will do the same job....that's my only point.

I like to be able to find ammo for any gun I have off the shelves at Wally-World if necessary. 327 is plentiful....but you usually have to order it.

Carl.....yep....the H&R dies will reload the 327 mag stuff, but I buckled a few cases before I got the hang of crimping the heavier 327 brass. The 327 case is a bit longer and heavier. That issues was likely just my problem. Everybody that I know that reloads the 327 have to use the H&R dies.

I think the 327 is a great round. I (like may others that had it and left it and those that never owned it) just decided it was an unnecessary round. But then again, I am one of those that doesn't see the need for a 41 Magnum either.

 

[Green Frog]

snubbiefan,

I'm enjoying this discussion because it is reassuring me of the decisions I've already made. I have a set of RCBS loading dies with carbide sizer, so I can load all of the series from 32 S&W through 327 Fed Mag, and the bullets I have chosen to use (and the moulds I have obtained) will work for all of them (except perhaps the shortest 32 S&W) so have only to buy the brass for whichever round I want and I'm good to go. My friend and co-conspirator Dale53 encouraged me to get an ample supply of the StarLine 327 Fed Mag brass when it became available. With that 1000 rounds plus the other 250 rounds of Federal brass I had already gotten, I think I'll be able to shoot the FM for quite a while. It doesn't look like S&W Long brass will be in short supply in the foreseeable future and I'm not going to really concern myself with H&R Mags or S&W "shorts" so I think I'm pretty good to go.

Now, why should I fool with a caliber I can't walk into Wally World and buy? Why not? I don't buy all that much ammo (other than 22 rf) from WW anyway. I am currently able to buy at least some type of "ready rolled" ammo for my two favored rounds if needed, but really would routinely reload most of my own stuff anyway. Again it's a personal decision, and I've made mine, but definitely YMMV

Froggie

 

[Gunhacker]

Carl3989 brings up something I forget to mention... while it is not as readily available as being able to walk into a Wallyworld of even your LGS and snag a box, the .327 Federal is readily available online from places such as Cabela's, Midway, Cheaper Than Dirt, etc. and unlike the .41 Mag factory ammo, it's not prepetually "out of stock", nor $60 a box.

I had a 16" barrel made for my Thompson Contender in .327 Federal and turned my TC Super 14 into one sweet little small game carbine. I would love to get a Marlin 1894 in either 32-20 or .32 H&R Mag and see if I could get it re-worked to handle .327 Federal. So you see, this round isn't just a handgun caliber, it is great for use in a rifle.

 

[peyton]

Gunhacker, you can convert the 32 H&R Marlin to 327, I had mine done. The gunsmith who did it said the 32-20 would not work, the base of the cartridge to to large. So the rechamber would not work. Where did you find the TC barrel in 327?

 

[snubbiefan]

Never get the idea that I am poo-pooing the 327. I said "others" poo-pooed it. When I got mine, I was told that I was an idiot (friend talk) and the cartridge would die like many other novelty cartridges and soon become a relic.

I have a self-imposed limit on what I want to keep and one of my rules is that I want a gun where ammo can be found anywhere if needed. I also think a shooter should always have something that shoots a NATO round, so you need one something that shoots a 9MM. Yep...you can load 327 just as cheaply as you can 38-special and you can do the same thing with the 32 H&R and 327 (even more in terms of energy and knock-down power), but for me....it just came down to which gun and caliber would I keep that fit my needs. When I added it all up...the 38-special was my choice.

If you consider what I considered....the 38-special is the best all-around choice and I simply could not find a reason to keep the 327.

There is nothing at all wrong with the 327, but for me 22, 38, 45ACP and 9MM were the best calibers to keep. You can find this stuff anywhere. Call me paranoid, but I travel a good bit. If I travel with the 327....I have to pack more ammo than I do if I travel with the 38....that's my only point.The 38-special can be found on just about any street-corner in America.