Hamilton Bowen Modified S&W 16-4 Get's some Range Time

Hammerdown

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Hello
A couple of Year's ago, I had Hamilton Bowen from Friendsville, Tennessee perform a Caliber Modification on my model 16-4 S&W revolver. He changed it from it's .32 H&R Factory chambering to the new Federal .327 Magnum. Shortly after I got it back I hand loaded some rounds for it as Factory Federal Ammo was non existent then, and harvested a Large Tennessee Bobcat with it during Deer season, less than Two week's after getting out of Bowen's shop. I was so fond of the Hand Load that I produced that I decided to take it back to the range and re-visit the very same load that took down my Bobcat.





It did a fine job piling up the Bobcat but now I want to try it out on some Deer. ;) The Hand load I assembled consists of a Sierra 90 Grain Sport's Master Bullet with a Hollow Point lead nose design. I used Accurate Arms # 7 Powder dispensed at 10.5 Grains and a CCI-350 Small Pistol Magnum primer with an AOL of 1.500" and heavy crimp. I also Put together a Heavy Target Load using a Rainier 100 Grain Hollow point bullet & Hornady HS-6 Powder dispensed at 7.7 Grains with a Standard Winchester small Pistol primer and medium crimp.






I took my Chrony F-1 velocity meter with me to the range and set it up to see exactly what these two loads were clocking, as I was so Pushed for time the last time I loaded it and took it hunting that I did not see what the velocity of the load really was. The average velocity of the 90 Grain Sierra Sports Master bullet's showed to be 1630 F.P.S. 14" In front of the barrel, while the Rainier bullet Target load showed to be a consitent 1230 F.P.S. The Sierra Bullet load extracted fine and showed to have Moderate medium flatness to the primers. The Rainier Bullet load extracted fine and showed milder primer flatness. Both Load's were shot from a Plastic Pistol Rest as shown below on the Range shooting bench at the 25 Yard line and I was Very Pleased with the accuracy of Both Loads that I tested.







I feel I can increase the Sierra Load some more with out pressure issues, and will do so my next trip to the Range.The spent Cases showed to be super clean in nature as far as the powder used being the Accurate Arm's # 7 Powder, but the Hodgen HS-6 showed some Light soot to it's spent cases. I retrieved the slugs shown behind the target back stop's that they were shot at, and as you would suspect the Sierra 90 Grain Hollow point bullet expanded Very much compared to The Rainier copper flashed hollow point bullets. I will work some more with the Sierra Bullet load to see if increasing it's velocity help's or hurts the accuracy, and I will do some experiments with Speer 115 Grain Gold Dot bullets that I have on hand in the near future, but I will also expand on the loads for the Rainier hollow point bullets as they seemed to keep most of their Pre-fired weight when I recovered them as shown from the Dirt Berm.







The Load information I have shown here was from my Past experience of working up the Federal .327 Magnum cartridge. Loads of this nature or velocity should Only be shot from a medium frame Gun as my S&W Model 16-4 is, for those that would like to work on their own loads I can't express enough caution when working with this round, Pressures of the Federal .327 Magnum run quit high compared to any other .32 caliber cartridge, so I would suggest hand loaders start at least 15% lower than what I have shown here and pay close attention to high pressure signs as you slowly work up with it. In other word's, I aint Responsible if you Blow up your gun or hurt Your self loading this round, do it carefully starting low and working up to Maximum Level's....:o






The Chrony set Up and a Pistol Rest in Position



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The Six shot Results from the Sierra 90 Grain Sport's Master bullet load and Four Recovered Sierra slugs




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The spent Cartidges of the Sierra Bullet load showing medium to heavy flatness to the primers



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Four Sierra 90 Grain Slugs recovered from the Dirt Berm behind the Target stand's. A Special note while looking for these slugs I passed by Many .357 and .45 ACP Bullets in the Dirt. I could only find Four Sierra slugs as I dug 10" in the Berm Dirt for them, This aint your typical .32 Round, it is a True Magnum Cartridge. ;)







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This Target was also Six shot's at the 25 Yard line using the Rainier 100 Grain Hollow point Bullets. It's accuracy was very close to The Sierra bullet load, with Two Rainer slugs recovered from the Dirst berm




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These are the Rainier Hollow point 100 Grain Bullet's that I found in the Dirt Berm. Note they kept most of their actual weight when recovered compared to The Sierra bullets these seemed to hold up better but did not expand near as much. They too were far past any other slugs I found in the dirt berm being .357 & .45 ACP slugs




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In conclusion of my Testing Loads of the Federal .327 Magnum cartridge, I feel it will cleanly Take down a Buck Deer for me this hunting season if I do my Job right, all I need to do is have a buck walk into the sight plane of this Revolver. I have no Regrets of having Hamilton Bowen modify this gun to now shoot the Federal .327 Magnum cartridge, as when he was done matching the cylinder throats of this gun it fired the previous caliber of .32 H&R Magnum much more accurate as it did prior to him working on it, and to me, The Federal .327 Magnum Cartridge is everything that the .32 H&R Cartridge should have been....;)
 
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I had thought of doing this with my M-16, do you mind sharing how long your gun was gone and the cost?
 
I appreciate you doing the R&D on load workups. :)
I haven't had the time.

I plan to try mine out on a backyard doe too, if the opportunity presents itself. When the .32-20 was introduced, it was touted as the perfect deer rifle (I've seen the old ads!). Things sure have changed. Anyway, a properly loaded and placed .327 will have a lot more energy than a black powder .32-20.

Here's mine again. It's on a pre-Model 14 5-screw frame with a Model 17 cylinder rechamberd so it's pinned and recessed like a good magnum should be. Barrel is a new 8-3/8 Model 16-4, scope is a Leupold 2X, mount is a vintage Buehler.

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I recently picked up a 6" model 16-4 that a previous owner had drill and tapped for a red dot scope. I initially offered it up as trading material but after remembering your earlier post with the bobcat I decided to send my cylinder to Mr. Bowen for modification to the .327 Federal magnum. Hopefully, it should be arriving at his shop as I type this. Thanks for providing us with your experience.
 
Kurt.... what a screamer! Lookit' those primers!:D

That's one impressive group. A good lookin' gun (and grips) that'll shoot like that, I'd think you could hunt about anything with it.

Well thought out modification and a great post.

GF
 
Kurt, that is one finely tuned package of converted firearm and carefully developed load. I love it!

At 25 yards from a rest, I'd be happy with any of my small-frame or medium-frame .32s to have a bunch of holes spread around inside the 8 ring, let alone bunched up in the center circle. I don't think I will ever be a One-Ragged-Hole shooter, but I can dream.

Nicely done!
 
You should get guiness to come over and witness you shooting this gun with these loads. I think you may have the most accurate revolver in the world!

Did you have to re-adjust the sights between groups or did that tack-driver shoot both loads to the same POA?

Amazing!
 
Is it me or does this load seem a bit light for deer hunting?

Seems to me too. Well, maybe not if you're stalking a fawn! ;)

All kidding aside, I love what you've done with the revolver and the velocities you're seeing. I just wonder if the K frame can stand up to that. I might be watching for flame cutting of the frame.
 
This post shouldn't go away this early on a holiday weekend. Shooting this spectacular should be viewed by all ! I was thinking about suggesting a friendly, forum members only postal match but with members/revolvers this accurate what's the use?
 
Seems to me too. Well, maybe not if you're stalking a fawn! ;)

All kidding aside, I love what you've done with the revolver and the velocities you're seeing. I just wonder if the K frame can stand up to that. I might be watching for flame cutting of the frame.

Deer are a thinned skinned game animal. THe 32-20 is more than adequate for whitetail and the 327 exceeds that.

Despite common attitude the deer does not need a 7mm mag or 375 or 300 win mag to take it. Not even cleanly.

Most who believe such things try harder to overcompensate for their lack of shooting ability.

Bring that cool little gun down to my neck of the woods and we'll stack some deer up.
 
I had thought of doing this with my M-16, do you mind sharing how long your gun was gone and the cost?



Hello Mule88
It took Two weeks and all that was needed was the Gun's cylinder and crane assembly. The cost Two years ago was $95.00. The Original gun was Not this accurate. He matches the cylinder throats when he does the conversion and it really improved the guns accuracy...I have No Regrets, I expanded as far as I could with the .32 H&R Magnum before having it converted, but shooting This Federal .327 Magnum is no comparision to the .32 H&R Magnum....;)
 
Deer are a thinned skinned game animal. THe 32-20 is more than adequate for whitetail and the 327 exceeds that.

Despite common attitude the deer does not need a 7mm mag or 375 or 300 win mag to take it. Not even cleanly.

Most who believe such things try harder to overcompensate for their lack of shooting ability.

Bring that cool little gun down to my neck of the woods and we'll stack some deer up.




Hello Celticfisherman
You are exactly Righ here with your response. My thinking on Hunting and Harvesting Deer coinsides with yours Sir...;)
 
Is it me or does this load seem a bit light for deer hunting?

I think he would be just fine using the Rainier Hollow point 100 Grain loads as they held together. I might be a little concerned on the lighter loads as they could explode at them high velocities when hitting heavier bone and not penetrate to the vitals. I'm not an expert on the round or the bullets you are using but a well placed shot through the lungs/heart will do a number on a deer.

I can say this with 100% certainty. That is one BEAUTIFUL revolver and fantastic shooting! My 6" 17-3 and 4" 586 are the only revolvers in the safe that will come close up with your groups IF I'm having a very good day with the right load. Mr. Bowen did you right, both on the conversion and the low cost to perform the gunsmithing. I've actually been looking at one of them handsome revolvers but two back to back trips to the hospital for pneumonia in the last 5 months has depleted my "Gun Fund" and then some.

Excellent post, pics and report. Hope the deer will soon be running for cover. They are in serious danger with that revolver out in the woods if you can shoot that baby close to that accuracy out in the field as well as you do from the bench. Nice range bag too!
 
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Hammerdown, I'm still curious, did you have to adjust the sights between the Sierra group and Ranier group? Also, how did you get those hollow point bullets to cut such clean holes?
 
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