Need advice
- Thread starter Doc Holliday 1950
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TruthTellers
New member
One of the few reasons I have a couple .40 cal guns.
However once the off caliber rounds disappear they stay disappeared for a much longer time because the ammo companies are busy producing the common stuff that everyone is hoarding.
I've seriously considered getting one of the GP100's in .327 but everything about the caliber is inconvenient. As a reloader and caster it should be easy to justify the purchase however it's not just the loaded ammo that's hard to find. Bullets, bullet molds and even load data is sparse. The industry does a much better job supporting .38/.357.
Lots of on line ammo companies give a little bit of a break on cost if you buy in bulk. I tend to buy ammo cheap and stack it deep. I don't know how much you shoot but if you buy 500-1000 rounds it should last you awhile. You may hit some gun show and look for commercially reloaded ammo. There are some very reliable companies out there that use the same machines that make new ammo. Enjoy your new guns and have a Happy New Year.
TruthTellers
New member
Not necessarily, .22 Magnum is more common than .32, .40, etc. but when there's a panic and ammo disappears, .22 Mag is the last to make a return to the shelves, at least more premium .22 Mag. The general FMJ stuff is everywhere, but I have no use for that stuff.
Load data is not sparse, it's just not as numerous as .38/.357, same with bullet selection and molds.
The problem with the industry not supporting .32 revolvers like .38/.357 is a self fulfilling prophecy; they refuse to do more for the caliber citing "lack of market demand" and the consumer who would buy more .32's do not because of the lack of manufacturer support.
22 Mag is more popular than .40??? Ammoseek shows "thousands" of results for .40 ammo vs "hundreds" for 22 Mag. Any gun shop I've ever been to would also favor .40 in terms of guns and ammo vs .22 Mag.
Missouri bullet company has 9 pages of bullet bullets for .38/.357 vs 2 pages for .32 S&W to .327.
Alliant powder has 29 recipes for .38 Special, .38 Special +P and .357. They have 5 recipes for 32 S&W long, .32 Mag and .327 Fed. Mag.
When it comes to bullet molds the results are even more skewed in favor of .38 vs .32.
And of course the whole premise of the original post is that .32 ammo isn't easy to find locally
TruthTellers
New member
Just because there are a lot more manufacturers of .40 ammo doesn't mean it's more popular. There aren't a large variety of loadings for .22 Mag, but I do believe there are more people who own a .22 Mag and not a .40 over those who own a .40 and not a .22 Mag.
I own both, .40 in both pistol and rifle, .22 Mag in handgun only.
TruthTellers
New member
Yup. What happens is all the manufactuers for rimfire get caught with their pants down, rush to make .22 LR, changeover the machines that were making .22 Mag and switch them to .22 LR, and stop making .22 Mag for years to come.
Good and interesting thread.
however I feel I should give you a very good piece of advice here.
you started out by telling everyone you don't reload.
Why?
It's easy and was less expensive then factory rounds and it's fun. My wife also enjoys it and I have found most ladies do to if you get them into it.
If you are only going to reload one cartridge it actually quite cheap to get into. You need a set of dies,
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011201072/lee-carbide-3-die-set
and a press
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/807734/lee-breech-lock-reloader-single-stage-press
with a priming tool
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/728999/lee-ram-prime-priming-unit-for-single-stage-press
and a powder scoop, which is super easy to make out of a cut off shell and a wire handle. (heck, I'd make one for you for free if you like)
Add a powder funnel.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/842036/rcbs-quick-change-powder-funnel-kit
That's it and that's all.
If you load that way you must always stay with one bullet and weight, but that's easy too.
Here is what the bullets can be had for.
https://rimrockbullets.com/xcart/-32-dewc-100-gr-per-500.html
if you add up all the costs of everything I just showed you and compare it to a few boxes of loaded ammo you will see how much better off you will be getting a reloading set-up.
however I feel I should give you a very good piece of advice here.
you started out by telling everyone you don't reload.
Why?
It's easy and was less expensive then factory rounds and it's fun. My wife also enjoys it and I have found most ladies do to if you get them into it.
If you are only going to reload one cartridge it actually quite cheap to get into. You need a set of dies,
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011201072/lee-carbide-3-die-set
and a press
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/807734/lee-breech-lock-reloader-single-stage-press
with a priming tool
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/728999/lee-ram-prime-priming-unit-for-single-stage-press
and a powder scoop, which is super easy to make out of a cut off shell and a wire handle. (heck, I'd make one for you for free if you like)
Add a powder funnel.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/842036/rcbs-quick-change-powder-funnel-kit
That's it and that's all.
If you load that way you must always stay with one bullet and weight, but that's easy too.
Here is what the bullets can be had for.
https://rimrockbullets.com/xcart/-32-dewc-100-gr-per-500.html
if you add up all the costs of everything I just showed you and compare it to a few boxes of loaded ammo you will see how much better off you will be getting a reloading set-up.
TruthTellers
New member
^ It's a question worth asking, but the two or three reasons why one doesn't reload are either no time, lack of space, or can't afford to spend the money on the equipment.
If one is going to or wants to own a gun that doesn't shoot .22, 9mm, .40, .38/.357, maybe .45 ACP they would do themselves a favor by reloading. .32 and .45 Colt are what got me into reloading and I find it so easy and rewarding that I bought dies to do .38 and .357, even though I can get factory .38 cheap.
The big bore revolvers are where a lot of money can be saved by reloading and something like .44 Mag, normally stout recoiling, one can load it light to .44 Special levels and make it more enjoyable without having to pay the .44 Special premium.
Same with .327, but .32 S&W Long is quite affordable.
The only cartridges I find aren't worth reloading are 9mm, .40, .357 Sig because either because the ammo is cheap enough to afford or in .357's case, too much time spent prepping the case. About the only auto handgun cartridge I think is worth reloading is 10mm. .45 it depends, if you want to reload a hollow point, it's great, FMJ... eh.
If one is going to or wants to own a gun that doesn't shoot .22, 9mm, .40, .38/.357, maybe .45 ACP they would do themselves a favor by reloading. .32 and .45 Colt are what got me into reloading and I find it so easy and rewarding that I bought dies to do .38 and .357, even though I can get factory .38 cheap.
The big bore revolvers are where a lot of money can be saved by reloading and something like .44 Mag, normally stout recoiling, one can load it light to .44 Special levels and make it more enjoyable without having to pay the .44 Special premium.
Same with .327, but .32 S&W Long is quite affordable.
The only cartridges I find aren't worth reloading are 9mm, .40, .357 Sig because either because the ammo is cheap enough to afford or in .357's case, too much time spent prepping the case. About the only auto handgun cartridge I think is worth reloading is 10mm. .45 it depends, if you want to reload a hollow point, it's great, FMJ... eh.
32 S&W long and 44 special are the main reasons my FiL reloads.
We shoot those two a fair amount (especially the 44's), and they are somewhat expensive and/or not widely available in local stores.
He also reloads other common calibers. He admits that the 9mm is barely worth it. ("But I'm retired anyway, so why not?") He does save some money on the 38 special, 40 S&W, and 45acp.
But back on topic, if it weren't for him reloading for both of us for our "father and son" range trips, I would probably get a basic setup and reload my own 32's and 44's. Then again, I go to the range every two or three weeks and usually shoot about 300 rounds. If I went less often and shot fewer rounds, it would be less worthwhile.
And again, to the OP, I think that those are great choices. One reason that I shoot 32's so much is that my wife can tolerate them with her damaged wrists, and my daughter thinks they are fun to shoot. 327 magnum is a serious SD round. You did well!
We shoot those two a fair amount (especially the 44's), and they are somewhat expensive and/or not widely available in local stores.
He also reloads other common calibers. He admits that the 9mm is barely worth it. ("But I'm retired anyway, so why not?") He does save some money on the 38 special, 40 S&W, and 45acp.
But back on topic, if it weren't for him reloading for both of us for our "father and son" range trips, I would probably get a basic setup and reload my own 32's and 44's. Then again, I go to the range every two or three weeks and usually shoot about 300 rounds. If I went less often and shot fewer rounds, it would be less worthwhile.
And again, to the OP, I think that those are great choices. One reason that I shoot 32's so much is that my wife can tolerate them with her damaged wrists, and my daughter thinks they are fun to shoot. 327 magnum is a serious SD round. You did well!
Doc Holliday 1950
New member
From what I understand, the 327 LCR/LCRX is really catching on. One of the main reasons is like the 357. With the 327 in mag revolver, one has quite a few rounds to choose from to shoot with, especially like the 32 H&R ammo, plus the 327 in mag ammo is really not that expensive($20-$22 per box of 50). Also the 32 S&W long runs around $13 - $15 / box of 50.
Seriously, we go to the range & go thru 1-2 boxes/visit. Since I finally got my wife onboard, we go at least 4 times/month & sometimes once a week. Tallball
really hit it right on. His rational was very similar to mine as were quite a few of the responders to whom I am very pleased with their advice. If I were to go to the range every week & shoot a couple of hundred rounds/visit, then I'll learn how to roll my own. I stocked up on 32 H&R, 32 S&W, 327 in mag ammo. I'm not taking any chances of the ammo to disappear.
Thanks everyone. You all gave great advice & all of your critiques were right on.
Seriously, we go to the range & go thru 1-2 boxes/visit. Since I finally got my wife onboard, we go at least 4 times/month & sometimes once a week. Tallball
really hit it right on. His rational was very similar to mine as were quite a few of the responders to whom I am very pleased with their advice. If I were to go to the range every week & shoot a couple of hundred rounds/visit, then I'll learn how to roll my own. I stocked up on 32 H&R, 32 S&W, 327 in mag ammo. I'm not taking any chances of the ammo to disappear.
Thanks everyone. You all gave great advice & all of your critiques were right on.
TruthTellers
New member
IDK if .327 is catching on, I have yet to meet anyone IRL who has a gun that shoots it. The experiences I've had talking to people in gun stores has ranged from ".32 is a $1 per shot" to "I think I've only ever transferred one .327 since working here."
I don't think I've even seen a .327, new or used, at any gun store I've been to. To me, that's not something that's taken off and every time I talk to people at the range about it, they all mumble something about .357 and .38 in response.
If .327 is able to catch a niche in the market, if there's any one gun that's going to get the .327 to that place, it's the LCR, both 2 and 3 inch.
I should talk my uncle into getting a .327 as then he'll start casting bullets for it and he'd give me some for free.
I don't think I've even seen a .327, new or used, at any gun store I've been to. To me, that's not something that's taken off and every time I talk to people at the range about it, they all mumble something about .357 and .38 in response.
If .327 is able to catch a niche in the market, if there's any one gun that's going to get the .327 to that place, it's the LCR, both 2 and 3 inch.
I should talk my uncle into getting a .327 as then he'll start casting bullets for it and he'd give me some for free.
Doc Holliday 1950
New member
Back from the range. After my trigger job because the 32 S&W L would fire only on SA.(We changed it to a shade under 9lbs." That worked. As we where were magtec c32 Fe I kept asking her if she wanted to shoot more & she said load her up. I gave her a box of Hornady H&R 80 grain Critical Defense & she said that the Hornady was the smoothest to shoot & keepmon target. Last load was using a 85 grain JHP Fed Hydra-Shots. She asked what I had put into that last round & I told her.That load was a hand stinger but her rational was that in an emergency she could handle it.Jersey Girls are tough.
I forgot we stated at 10 feet & she said further away an finally got out Went to 20 then 30plus.
I forgot we stated at 10 feet & she said further away an finally got out Went to 20 then 30plus.
Cosmodragoon
New member
I shoot .327 Federal and don't reload. There is a lot to love about the .327 Federal. It can really shine for self defense in a small revolver and is a ton of fun in larger revolvers or those Henry rifles. It's versatile in its own loadings, even without taking into account all those other types of cartridges it can fire. I think .327 represents the cutting edge in revolver technology but therein lies the problem. It wasn't developed until long after the wheel gun's heyday was a distant memory for a lot of people.
So factory ammo is in the same category as other niche calibers like .41 magnum. The best prices I see are on the American Eagle JSP. The 100-grain version is very hot. It can be a little much in the LCR but should be well-suited for hunting applications from the longer-barrelled revolvers or the rifles. The 85-grain version is much more manageable and has similar ballistics to those more expensive "low recoil" Hydra-Shoks that I like for self defense in the LCR.
So factory ammo is in the same category as other niche calibers like .41 magnum. The best prices I see are on the American Eagle JSP. The 100-grain version is very hot. It can be a little much in the LCR but should be well-suited for hunting applications from the longer-barrelled revolvers or the rifles. The 85-grain version is much more manageable and has similar ballistics to those more expensive "low recoil" Hydra-Shoks that I like for self defense in the LCR.