any 327 mag revolvers

[Doc Holliday 1950]

My wife had lessons with a female NRA Instructor. She recommended that she start with 32 L slowly work up to a 327 load. This is the first time she ever wanted to go to the range with me like 2x's/week.
When her instructor & I or even she agrees that she should try out the 327 mag ammo, then she will. I'm not rushing her.

If your wife bought herself a 357 mag revolver snub & loaded it up with 357 mag ammo do you not think that she would be put off?

 

[TruthTellers]

My wife had lessons with a female NRA Instructor. She recommended that she start with 32 L slowly work up to a 327 load. This is the first time she ever wanted to go to the range with me like 2x's/week.
When her instructor & I or even she agrees that she should try out the 327 mag ammo, then she will. I'm not rushing her.

If your wife bought herself a 357 mag revolver snub & loaded it up with 357 mag ammo do you not think that she would be put off?

I shoot .380 in an LCP from time to time and that puts me off after about 3 mags worth, so of course any woman would be with .357.

I'm not gonna sit here and say .327 or .32 revolvers are awful self defense guns, no I think the snub .327's are actually the best defensive revolvers for concealed carry because they're very easy to control and have more firepower than .38 and most .357. I don't think it's fair to call the .32 revolvers ladies guns tho, but I do think that's the group that will benefit the most from shooting it vs .38 or .357.

 

[74A95]

My wife had lessons with a female NRA Instructor. She recommended that she start with 32 L slowly work up to a 327 load. This is the first time she ever wanted to go to the range with me like 2x's/week.

When her instructor & I or even she agrees that she should try out the 327 mag ammo, then she will. I'm not rushing her.

She might find the 32 H&R Magnum loads to be a good compromise, with more power than the 32 Long but without the harsh recoil of the 327.

 

[Cosmodragoon]

I carry the LCR 327 more than any other firearm. It rides easily in a pocket holster. The grips are very comfortable. The trigger is quite good. It's a six shooter. It offers an excellent balance of power for the recoil.

As we've seen, people experience recoil differently. I think almost anyone can find something that is controllable or pleasant to shoot within the spectrum of what can be chambered in the .327 guns. Personally, I like the 85-grain Hydra-Shoks in .327 Federal. They get up around 1200 fps from the little LCR and expand reliably. They feel like 120-130 grain .38 +p does in the LCR 38 but the effect on water bottles is more like .357 magnum.

As far as "harsh recoil", some of the commercial loads in .327 get a lot warmer than that. The 100-grain American Eagles get closer to light loads in .357 magnum but never quite make it in my opinion. (I save those for the steel revolvers anyway.) As far as .32 S&W Long or .32 H&R magnum being "dirty", I've gotten unburned powder with both in the LCR. The recoil is very mild but with the 85-grain loads in .327, I just don't have a lot of reason to use the shorter cartridges.

 

[Lohman446]

Am I the only one who pines for a SMALLER five (or even four) shot .327 built on a specific .327 platform rather than adding the sixth shot?

As an aside I find it amusing when adding an extra shot in a revolver group becomes a major selling point.

 

[FrankenMauser]

Am I the only one who pines for a SMALLER five (or even four) shot .327 built on a specific .327 platform rather than adding the sixth shot?

It would be nice.
But there are only two predictable outcomes, should such become reality:
1. Ruger does it, and screws up the trigger geometry.
2. Someone else does it, and it costs a fortune.

 

[Lohman446]

It would be nice.
But there are only two predictable outcomes, should such become reality:
1. Ruger does it, and screws up the trigger geometry.
2. Someone else does it, and it costs a fortune.

Your probably right. I had an old Iver and Johnson? (IIRC) break-top .32 S+W that was smaller than the current LCR / Airweight and am hoping for something in this size range (perhaps a touch larger) but smaller than the current LCR. I don't expect it to be break action as I doubt that would work well with the .327.

Then again I guess I don't really expect it. I still think there is a niche between the NAA mini-revolvers and the LCR size current revolvers.

 

[dgludwig]

As an aside I find it amusing when adding an extra shot in a revolver group becomes a major selling point.

Hilarious, I suppose-until you need it. Having 20% more ammunition at your disposal in the same size package when defending your life is no laughing matter, imo. I can tell you this: during my 26 year career in le, some of which involved interviewing people involved in shoot-outs, nobody ever complained about having too much ammunition at the ready.

There's simply no downside to having an extra bullet on board when your life is at stake and it's enough of an advantage for me when comparing 5-shot vs 6-shot snub-nose revolvers in the same size platforms, to make it a major selling point. This is not to say that a five shot snubbie has no place in a self-defense role but is to say that having an extra shot could make a life-saving difference and will never be a disadvantage.

 

[Lohman446]

Your making a strong argument for the 10+1 semis of the same size

 

[dgludwig]

Nope, my "argument" concerns only revolvers intended for use in self-defense being carried concealed and being of the same size and configuration (generally speaking, a snub nose); the only substantive difference being whether it has a five or six shot capacity. Period.

 

[littlebikerider]

It seems like every reviewer who touches one of these guns feels compelled to mention the "one more shot" and "five kinds of ammo" points. I get it! And as valid as those points may be, I think the cartridge is just a nice fit between .22/.22WMR and .38 special. I think it's a bit misleading that these go into .357 mag territory, they don't go very far. But it does seem to be a capable round, in the rifle I believe they have been chronied at 2000fps.

 

[74A95]

I think it's a bit misleading that these go into .357 mag territory, they don't go very far.

Oh, I don't know about that. I've clocked the Federal 100 gr at 1551 fps from a 4.2" Ruger barrel. That produces 534 foot pounds of ME. Double Taps' 115 cast clocked at 1444 for 532 foot pounds of ME.

That's not far from the 357's 125 gr at 1450 fps and 583 foot pounds of ME from a 4" barrel.

 

[FrankenMauser]

I've clocked the Federal 100 gr at 1551 fps from a 4.2" Ruger barrel.

Yep.
Most people forget that the AE 100 gr load is rated for 1,500 fps from the 3" barrel.

Out of longer barrels, it does even better. On a hot day, I once saw a 1,700+ fps string from the 5.5" Blackhawk.

 

[littlebikerider]

I humbly stand corrected! Honestly, I was going more off of my perception of felt recoil, as I haven't had the chance to shoot mine over a chrony. The American Eagle 100gr was pretty manageable, I thought, and at 7 yards made a 5-shot ragged hole shooting offhand (single action).

 

[TruthTellers]

Then again I guess I don't really expect it. I still think there is a niche between the NAA mini-revolvers and the LCR size current revolvers.

I do too, but it's a niche that has been totally ignored simply because you wouldn't be able to get .38's in it and for many, anything below a .38 in a centerfire revolver is a no go.

There have been .25 revolvers in Europe that are bigger than the NAA, but smaller than J frames and they'd be a great starting point to get a 5 shot .32 going. I don't see the point of staying with the .25 in that size, not enough power to make better than .22 Mag.

 

[ViperR]

Here is my .327 Fed Mag 6-shot revolver. Charter Arms Patriot 2 1/4" barrel. A little bit bigger than a J frame and much smaller than a K frame. Handles factory .327 well and I practice with 32 H&R reloads. I have the 32 H&R reloads down to around $13 a box of 50. 100 grain BadMan poly coated hard cast in Starline brass. The holster is a vintage Biancchi for a K frame 2 1/2" and fits nicely. A little loose, but draws very quickly. Love the 32 platform. 32 S&W Longs are a real kitty cat to shoot.

 

[tallball]

My 4.2" SP101 is a hoot with 327 magnums. The other cartridges are fun, but not as spicy as the 327's.

I also have several revolvers in 32 H&R, which I feel is okay for SD.

32's are fun revolvers. It's odd to me that they aren't more popular. Especially, as another poster said, it seems like they would often be a good choice for women for SD.

The threads where people act like the only choices for their grandma or wife or GF or whatever are 22 or 38 drive me crazy.

 

[littlebikerider]

I ordered a Pachmayr grip for mine, I'm eager to try it out.

 

[Cosmodragoon]

littlebikerider, glad to see the correction. As I said previously, you get around 1200 fps from the LCR with those 85-grain Hydra-Shoks. That's about perfect for a six-shot pocket gun with relatively light recoil. Even discounting the sixth round, I'd prefer that to most .38 special. It really hits a sweet spot.

To give you an idea of the difference, the box velocity for those is 1400 fps. The box velocity for the heavier 100-grain American Eagles is 1500 fps. That's a spicy little round! It's unusual because at around half the price of the Hydra-Shoks, Gold Dots, etc., they were the "budget" factory ammo for a few years. I think some of the people who got into .327 for the light recoil started out on those less expensive American Eagles and ended up disappointed.

Luckily, AE now offers a budget 85-grain soft point that's more on par with the 85-grain Hydra-Shok. This part of the .327 spectrum is great in the LCR. The more powerful loads really shine in the SP101 and GP100. As you guessed, I think all of them break 2000 fps in the 20" Henry Rifle. That's a great place for the hot budget soft point!

 

[Real Gun]

If you are going for 1200 fps, why not back off a bit and go subsonic on such a noisy, concussive cartridge? I am using Brian Pearce's subsonic load with Power Pistol, 100 gr lead. That makes it a carry gun for those concerned about needing ear protection. You could say the same about .357 Magnum.