I recently picked up a Ruger Bisley Single Six w/a 6.5" barrel chambered in .32 H&R. It is a very fitting stable mate to my 432UC & my 632UC. Shooting .32 H&R is easy on the arthritic paws.
Anyone have a 432?
- Thread starter Telecaster
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I would be recommending.32 H&R revolvers to a lot of non-gun people with limited hand strength who want something simple for self defense if you could stroll into more random gun stores and walk out with .32H&R/.32 S&W Long ammunition.
Model 15-4ever
Member
S&W introduced these "Ultimate Carry" guns to try to get a revolver to appeal to the majority pistol shooters, with a a bunch of "features" of questionable value that a pistol shooter might identify with: ultra light trigger pull (with resulting weak trigger return, misfires and unreliable lockup), bizarre grips with a distinctly non-revolver grip angle, and tall "high-visibility" sights that are out of place on a small revolver. Whether you agree with the features or not, what's undeniable is that S&W did the same job of assembling and inspecting of these guns as they do with all their other J frames. In other words, horrific and shameful. This is not a premium offering in any sense of the word. It's all marketing buzz.
I finally bought one this past spring to evaluate my observations. The gun was an out-of-the-box QC disaster; I've noted it in other threads (canted barrel shroud, weak/faulty trigger return, rough/inconsistent DA pull, burred cylinder ratchets). Repaired it myself since S&W is incapable of doing a consistent quality revolver repair (again, based on experiences of the past 3 years).
A friend of mine - another decades-long revolver shooter - also purchased one. His was also defective and he returned to S&W for repair. It came back somewhat less defective.
There are many threads on these guns, both on this forum and others. Your chances of getting a good one are equal to your chances of getting a bad one. Most buyers have no idea what to expect from a properly made S&W revolver, so are oblivious to flaws that would have never left the factory even 5 years ago. Most buyers also hardly shoot their guns to any kind of standard, and so are also oblivious to issues, or blame their own shooting.
PS. Yes, the front sight is very snaggy, as is the rear sight. This is both in a holster and a pocket. They are too tall and squarish on the rear edge for what is supposed to be a pocket/deep cover concealed hammer revolver. Most existing J frame holsters will not fit the 432UC properly (that is cover the trigger) without binding or snagging - both leather and kydex. I found a leather one that I modified to fit.
PPS. I've done quite a bit of reloading for .32 H&R Magnum in various guns. At the pressure limit for the cartridge (21,000 cup), you can achieve ~1050-1100 fps with a 100 grain bullet in a 1.9" barrel, using Lil'Gun. That load is definitely not pleasant to fire in a 14 oz J frame. Anything more that that is going to be over SAAMI spec and not recommend in an airweight .32 J frame, for a host of reasons including that the cylinder bolt notches (weakest point) are directly over the chambers. Most people buy a .32 defensive revolver for reduced recoil so I see little point in firing mini nukes out of it. The Federal 95 grain JHP and Hornady 80 grain FTX factory loads (both about 975 fps in the 432 UC) have lighter recoil than most .38 Special loads and penetrate well enough and expand.
PPPS. There is a thread on another forum - with pics - about an owner of a 632 UC who blew his gun apart with a handload. It was not a squib but some kind of inadvertant over-pressure situation... which seemed to me to be difficult to achieve in this cartridge due to capacities, proof limits and the assumed material strengths. After seeing how his cylinder blew apart, I question the material standards in these guns, and would be hesitant to fire anything other than standard pressure loads. Certainly not any Buffalo Bore Boutique Bombs.
Don't mean to be a debbie downer, but it's well known that S&W continues to have serious problems with consistent quality revolver production. Don't order one sight unseen and bring someone along who understands S&W revolvers to evaluate it.
I finally bought one this past spring to evaluate my observations. The gun was an out-of-the-box QC disaster; I've noted it in other threads (canted barrel shroud, weak/faulty trigger return, rough/inconsistent DA pull, burred cylinder ratchets). Repaired it myself since S&W is incapable of doing a consistent quality revolver repair (again, based on experiences of the past 3 years).
A friend of mine - another decades-long revolver shooter - also purchased one. His was also defective and he returned to S&W for repair. It came back somewhat less defective.
There are many threads on these guns, both on this forum and others. Your chances of getting a good one are equal to your chances of getting a bad one. Most buyers have no idea what to expect from a properly made S&W revolver, so are oblivious to flaws that would have never left the factory even 5 years ago. Most buyers also hardly shoot their guns to any kind of standard, and so are also oblivious to issues, or blame their own shooting.
PS. Yes, the front sight is very snaggy, as is the rear sight. This is both in a holster and a pocket. They are too tall and squarish on the rear edge for what is supposed to be a pocket/deep cover concealed hammer revolver. Most existing J frame holsters will not fit the 432UC properly (that is cover the trigger) without binding or snagging - both leather and kydex. I found a leather one that I modified to fit.
PPS. I've done quite a bit of reloading for .32 H&R Magnum in various guns. At the pressure limit for the cartridge (21,000 cup), you can achieve ~1050-1100 fps with a 100 grain bullet in a 1.9" barrel, using Lil'Gun. That load is definitely not pleasant to fire in a 14 oz J frame. Anything more that that is going to be over SAAMI spec and not recommend in an airweight .32 J frame, for a host of reasons including that the cylinder bolt notches (weakest point) are directly over the chambers. Most people buy a .32 defensive revolver for reduced recoil so I see little point in firing mini nukes out of it. The Federal 95 grain JHP and Hornady 80 grain FTX factory loads (both about 975 fps in the 432 UC) have lighter recoil than most .38 Special loads and penetrate well enough and expand.
PPPS. There is a thread on another forum - with pics - about an owner of a 632 UC who blew his gun apart with a handload. It was not a squib but some kind of inadvertant over-pressure situation... which seemed to me to be difficult to achieve in this cartridge due to capacities, proof limits and the assumed material strengths. After seeing how his cylinder blew apart, I question the material standards in these guns, and would be hesitant to fire anything other than standard pressure loads. Certainly not any Buffalo Bore Boutique Bombs.
Don't mean to be a debbie downer, but it's well known that S&W continues to have serious problems with consistent quality revolver production. Don't order one sight unseen and bring someone along who understands S&W revolvers to evaluate it.
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geeollie
Member
Yesterday I checked the velocity of 2 loads I am interested in.
I was shooting an LCR rated for .327 Federal Mag.
Since the discussion included Hot loads for a 32 H&R I will comment.
Federal Ammunition 327 Federal Magnum 85 gr Hydra Shok Low Recoil averaged 1,184 fps. It has strong recoil.
Compare this to Buffalo Bore 32 H&R 100 gr Hollow Point +P that they say can be used in the S&W 32 H&R albeit with increased wear. This averaged 1,165 fps and the fastest recorded was 1,186. That is a 100gr .32 H&R that exceeds the 85gr .327 magnum, low recoil.
I don't know enough to say if this is good or bad, just saying this is what my equipment measured.
I was shooting an LCR rated for .327 Federal Mag.
Since the discussion included Hot loads for a 32 H&R I will comment.
Federal Ammunition 327 Federal Magnum 85 gr Hydra Shok Low Recoil averaged 1,184 fps. It has strong recoil.
Compare this to Buffalo Bore 32 H&R 100 gr Hollow Point +P that they say can be used in the S&W 32 H&R albeit with increased wear. This averaged 1,165 fps and the fastest recorded was 1,186. That is a 100gr .32 H&R that exceeds the 85gr .327 magnum, low recoil.
I don't know enough to say if this is good or bad, just saying this is what my equipment measured.
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That’s the way I went as well. So far 235 rounds over two range sessions have been flawless. Three different types of .32 H&R Magnum and two different types of SW long.
Just ordered an XS sight that should make the LCR sight a bit easier for me to see. Doesn’t specify the .32 but should be same size as the .327 Fed, just lighter.
Non-Tritium Revolver Front Sight - Ruger
A grip detail about the LCR
I tried the LCR in 327 Fed Mag and liked it out of the box. Especially since it was both available and affordable, something you can't say about any S&W in 327 Fed. But my ageing eyes really benefit from a Crimson Trace laser on my carry snubbies.
The two different styles of CT grips that I have on S&W 432 and 632 models are both comfortable and effective. Even the Buffalo Bore 100g load in H&R, which is just above +P 38 Special in terms of energy, was as tolerable as that round gets in a short J frame. And the laser significantly improved both my speed and accuracy (especially the green one.)
But the design of the only model CT grip available for the LCR places the laser hump in a place that smacks the knuckle at the base of my trigger finger - painfully - on every shot. I could never stand to shoot even 6 shots with any level of 32 H&R or 327 Fed defensive load without starting to flinch from the anticipated pain. So I let that one go, despite being a general fan of Ruger revolvers. (I did keep the Single Seven in 327 Federal that I bought at the same time as the LCR - now there's a fun gun for that round.)
It may just be the size/shape of my hand, or the way that I grip the gun. But keep this in mind if you're a CT fan and are looking at the LCR in 327 Fed.
I tried the LCR in 327 Fed Mag and liked it out of the box. Especially since it was both available and affordable, something you can't say about any S&W in 327 Fed. But my ageing eyes really benefit from a Crimson Trace laser on my carry snubbies.
The two different styles of CT grips that I have on S&W 432 and 632 models are both comfortable and effective. Even the Buffalo Bore 100g load in H&R, which is just above +P 38 Special in terms of energy, was as tolerable as that round gets in a short J frame. And the laser significantly improved both my speed and accuracy (especially the green one.)
But the design of the only model CT grip available for the LCR places the laser hump in a place that smacks the knuckle at the base of my trigger finger - painfully - on every shot. I could never stand to shoot even 6 shots with any level of 32 H&R or 327 Fed defensive load without starting to flinch from the anticipated pain. So I let that one go, despite being a general fan of Ruger revolvers. (I did keep the Single Seven in 327 Federal that I bought at the same time as the LCR - now there's a fun gun for that round.)
It may just be the size/shape of my hand, or the way that I grip the gun. But keep this in mind if you're a CT fan and are looking at the LCR in 327 Fed.
IIRC, you can get the 632UC sans IL?
Qwerty357
Member
I bought a 632UC and shot it flawlessly for approx 100 rounds and gifted it to the queen. Put some pretty white grips and a Tiffany Billie hosted on it for her. She wasn’t impressed, but she will have something to carry taking the kid to jiujitsu practice at night.I’ll feel better. Something easy to draw and shoot and train a bit with. Not her interest at all.
I replaced it with a 432 UC for my fast deteriorating arthritic hands. Currently carrying a M&P 340 set up to run 9mm. I can’t imagine that working for too much longer with these hands.its not bad with 38 wad cutter cowboy loads for practice, but I must be getting a lot of miles for my age. Ouch. Too many little guns. Too many rounds down range.
I replaced it with a 432 UC for my fast deteriorating arthritic hands. Currently carrying a M&P 340 set up to run 9mm. I can’t imagine that working for too much longer with these hands.its not bad with 38 wad cutter cowboy loads for practice, but I must be getting a lot of miles for my age. Ouch. Too many little guns. Too many rounds down range.
catcus-jack
Member
My 642 UC has been flawless in fit and function after 700 rds.
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I think that it's great that J-frames are being produced again for the .32 cartridge.
However, S&W needs to pull it together and perform some QA/QC on their guns. Its reputation of producing a quality firearm is wearing thin and it cannot continue to get away with releasing so many of such poor quality.
I highly recommend that you DO NOT buy one unless you can examine it before purchasing and you know what to look for.
However, S&W needs to pull it together and perform some QA/QC on their guns. Its reputation of producing a quality firearm is wearing thin and it cannot continue to get away with releasing so many of such poor quality.
I highly recommend that you DO NOT buy one unless you can examine it before purchasing and you know what to look for.
OP
Telecaster
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I took the 432 out today and shot about fifty .32 H&R reloads. Flawless performance and a delight to shoot. The trigger has smoothed nicely.
The club has a new plinking range with hanging steel, and you can bring soda bottles as targets. Fun stuff. More fun if you shake them first.
The club has a new plinking range with hanging steel, and you can bring soda bottles as targets. Fun stuff. More fun if you shake them first.
Dutch87
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Has shooting the 432 made you leave the 642/442 in the safe (if you have one of course)?
OP
Telecaster
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My 640 has been in the safe for quite a while. It’s still one of the best firearms I’ve ever experienced, but it’s heavy for a pocket size gun.
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