[ahpd1992]

I was at my local gun store (GAT guns in Dundee, IL) and was talking with one of the managers about a Taurus in .327 fed mag and I was lamenting the fact that S&W has not come out w/ a version of this gun. Lo and behold, I was told that a dealer notice has been sent out and Smith plans on releasing one in 09 on the j-frame platform.

Anyone have anymore info, because now Im waiting (with drool collecting on my keyboard)

Tom

[Runningman]

I would wait and see what happen before I bought one. The 327 Federal is rated at 45,000 PSI. I can't see a j-frame platform holding up well with the 327 myself.

[MMCSRET]

I did see one of the new Charter Arms 327 Magnums in the local True Value hardware store the other day, good looking revolver.

[Old Fuff]

Indeed! In terms of performance it ranks with the U.S. M1 Carbine. In a longer barreled L-frame it might be interesting, but I'll be happy to let someone else buy it in the J-size. :eek:

[Kleanbore]

From Old Fuff: In a longer barreled L-frame it [(.327)] might be interesting,

I have been thinking K-frame.

.... but I'll be happy to let someone else buy it in the J-size.

Same for me. The fact that the recoil is allegedly 20% lass than that of the .357 means that it's a lot more brutal than the .38, which is enough for me. And what about muzzle blast?

[rcmodel]

Me too!

I have about the same level of interest in the .327 Magnum as I do in Oprah Winfrey & Paris Hilton.

I already have a 32-20 SAA if I want a .30 cal handgun for varmint hunting & ear-drum busting.

There is just something about .30 cal revolvers that makes your ears bleed!

rcmodel

[Deadmanwalking_05]

+1 For a K-frame gun in 327

4-inch barrel and adjustable sights,now the only thing is would it be a six shooter or an 8 shooter?

[Old Fuff]

I don't think you'll see a K-frame/.327 Magnum. S&W is trying to get away from that frame size, so a 7 or 8 shot L-frame is more likely. I don't see them going too deeply into .327 revolvers, as sales of all .32 revolvers have been modest in recent years. Still - in a slow market they might do almost anything if they saw a demand.

[ugaarguy]

Yes, S&W is going to make a J frame in .327 Federal Magnum (I know two people who handled a prototype a few months ago).
Same for me. The fact that the recoil is allegedly 20% lass than that of the .357 means that it's a lot more brutal than the .38, which is enough for me. And what about muzzle blast?
Folks are buying J frames like carzy, and that includes the .357 Mag Scandium AirLites.
I don't think you'll see a K-frame/.327 Magnum. S&W is trying to get away from that frame size, so a 7 or 8 shot L-frame is more likely. I don't see them going too deeply into .327 revolvers, as sales of all .32 revolvers have been modest in recent years. Still - in a slow market they might do almost anything if they saw a demand.
Great logic, but it runs entirely counter to the market. The market is slow except for black rifles and pocket pistols (which includes Airweights and AirLites). People want more power than .38 Special +P, less recoil than .357 Mag, and they want it in a light weight gun. .327 Mag is the caliber the market wants, but Ruger doesn't have the gun they want it in; S&W will soon.

[Jim Watson]

Easily done, they have the specs left over from the .32 H&R series and it would not be much trouble for the factory to turn out .327s on the same pattern with a magnum heat treat.

But they won't do it unless they think you will buy. Send them your thoughts, preferably on paper so they will know you mean it.

[GEM]

There's some distributor who has details on their site for a Performance Center type 632 or something like that. I forget the name but seen in discussed on the Smith forum or TFL. Kind of like that fancy dancy Model 60 they have. Supposed to be introduced at the Shot Show.

I have a 432 and it is a very nice light pocket gun.

[sidheshooter]

I don't think you'll see a K-frame/.327 Magnum. S&W is trying to get away from that frame size...

Can you say more about this? IMHO, that's like Fred Astaire trying to get away from Ginger Rogers, or America trying to get away from Mom and Apple Pie... I mean, the K-frame ranks right up there with the nautilus shell as one of God's perfect creations...
?

[S&Wfan]

I'm happy with my current J-frames for self defense. A .38 spl. is the minimal I want to use to protect my loved ones.

Also, since I won't buy a S&W with a lock on the side, I'm not interested in this caliber in the least.

IMHO, I see Smith's greatest chance for success of this round in a J-frame mousegun for those who are recoil sensitive/inexperienced handgunners. In a K-frame, make mine in .357.

T.

[LightningMan]

I have a S&W .357 J-frame and really have no interest in the .327 chambering. I have no problem shooting full house loads through it and especially like bigger and heavier bullets than what the .327 offers. I figure that if I can't get it done with 5 rounds that 6th round of the .327 probably ain't going to do me much good. LM

[Old Fuff]

The Old Fuff dearly loves the K-frame Smith & Wesson's, especially older ones. But as buyers shift to pistols the revolver market is shirking. If it weren’t for snubbies and cowboy six-shooters it would be struggling to say the least.

When a market shrinks, makers tend to consolidate their lines, and combine two or more into one. It saves in inventorying parts and time lost in tooling changeovers. If Smith & Wesson can wean customers over to the L-frame they can eventually eliminate the K, and as an incentive offer more chambers in the cylinder. Or going the other way they can offer larger rounds then the maximum size .38/.357 usually found in a K-frame.

All of the handgun manufacturers will gladly make want people will buy, at least within reason. But there has to be enough demand to justify a production line. S&W depends on an export market to justify a lot of revolver production, but in case you haven’t noticed, K-frame guns are far from the mainstay that they were in this country.

I suspect that the J-frame snubby in .327 will be popular ‘till the buyer goes out to shoot it. Then first shock will come when they see what a box of cartridges cost, and the second when they get to the firing line. But to each his own, The Old Fuff is over the hill anyway… :uhoh: :D

[Sarvisian]

I'll be buying one as soon as it becomes available. I already have an SP-101 in .327 and as soon as I see a Charter version here in California I'll buy that too.

This round is awesome and nothing but fun. The noise isn't as bad as a full house .357 and from what I hear, that's a fairly popular round. :rolleyes:

I'm amazed when folks who don't own one and have never shot one jump right in and say it's no good.

[mnrivrat]

I'm amazed when folks who don't own one and have never shot one jump right in and say it's no good.

I think the points made had little to do with the idea of the round being "no good" . The main issues with this round are muzzle blast and market desires. There is always something that will fit a nitch , and do it just fine, but is the nitch big enough ?

I carry a .32 H&R mag and have no desire for the .327 mag. I get enough muzzle blast out of a short barrel without stretching the pressure up to near double what I shoot now. That's my take, if there is enough market to build them, they will come .

[Stainz]

Don't lose sight of the Ruger .327 Magnum's beginnings. Everyone, Ruger included, had dropped the .32 H&RM due to poor sales. Ruger had a glut of 3" SP101s left - and was introducing other 'Ruger' round offerings, so another one was easy. Just ream the chambers a tad deeper, restamp the frame for caliber, proof test, find an ammo-maker for the feed for such, and - voila, a new caliber!

I had a 4" SP101 and a BHG SSM in .32 H&RM. Fun poppers - but even finding loading supplies for them was not fund - or any more frual than .38 Special. I sold away even my dies last summer - and don't miss them at all. A .357" diameter bullet, to me, has always been as small as I feel safe protecting myself with - .429" to .452" being better. YMMV.

Before you go ga-ga over the new miniature round, check for shooting statistics - you'll see the +P .38 Special 158gr LHPSWC has earned quite a reputation - and it's available, as are it's pocket-sized launch platforms.

Stainz

[jfh]

I have to admit, my interest is piqued. Mostly, though, that interest is driven by reloader's psyche and curiosity.

I probably should rent a Ruger at the LGS range this winter and see what the excitement is about.

Jim H.

[Monster Zero]

I just don't get it.

IIRC 30-06 is 42,000 psi.

I wouldn't mind having one of these revolvers but I wouldn't shoot anything except .32 H&R magnum in it.

(HI, BILLY MAYS HERE WITH THE AMAZING .327 FEDERAL CARTRIDGE!! AVAILABLE NOW FOR SELECTED REVOLVERS MADE BY RUGER, TAURUS, AND CHARTER ARMS, AND COMING SOON FOR THE SMITH AND WESSON J-FRAME FAMILY OF REVOLVERS!!)

[krs]

"The Old Fuff is over the hill anyway…"



boy howdy.

[L-Frame]

I've gotta say that I love the Ruger SP101 in a 5 shot .38/357. as a CCW piece. And, if I can get a 6 shot SP that shoots a 115 gr. Gold Dot round at over 1300 fps that sounds like serious stuff to me. I don't own one yet, but I've talked to a few who do and they say that recoil, blast, noise, etc. are all MUCH less than 125 gr. .357's. and are on par with 110 gr. 357s.

That sounds like a plan to me. And, the "if I can't do it with 5 then I probably can't do it with 6" theory is pretty silly to me. That one extra round might very well save your butt some day, and I want numbers on my side as much as possible in a fight.

[Guillermo]

Interesting discussion.

My gun safe has enough calibers in it presently. I am not looking to add another.

[ahpd1992]

Im glad this has sparked a lively debate. I am excited to see what smith has in store, ie: is it only gonna be a stainless offering along the lines of the model 60, or will there be lighter weight options.

One of the reasons I didnt jump on the Ruger was the weight of the gun, is almost as much as one of my 45 autos. Ive learned from carrying a firearm for the last 16 years (LEO off duty, I mean) that weight is much more of a factor in what I carry more than anything else.

I had a scandium .357 j-frame, and it was just too incredibly painful for me to see it as a realistic option and I sold it to a braver soul than I. I was getting ready to pull the trigger on a 431PD I found on gunbroker, but the .32 h&r out of a short barrell doesn't do anything more than I can do with my Ruger LCP .380. Its interesting that since I bought the LCP I never leave the house unarmed, even though Im fully aware of the limitations of .380acp.

The long and short of it is, I want s&w to do an airweight version of the gun, if stainless steel is the only option Il save the money and buy a Taurus, Im have no problem w/ Taurus steel revolvers and if the .327 goes away, then Il have a nifty lil conversation piece.

[L-Frame]

SP-101's are heavy for 5 shot small frame revolvers (about 30% less than a 1911 style .45), but for me, weight only matters if you're dealing with pocket carry, which I can't do. If I could, I would be waiting with eager anticipation for a 6 shot airweight .327 from S&W. But then, I'd have to eventually shoot the little beast, and I'm too much of a wimp for that. 28 ozs.(SP-101) for a 6 shot in an IWB holster is perfect for me. I'll wait to see if the ammo becomes more available (or maybe not)

[Johnboy53]

I have been hoping for a stainless "K" frame myself.

[ArchAngelCD]

I don't think you'll see a K-frame/.327 Magnum. S&W is trying to get away from that frame size...
Are you sure S&W is trying to get away from the K frame? I find that hard to believe since they just developed and released a new K frame, the M315NG.

[ahpd1992]

L or K frame would be fine if they then made an 8 shot version, now shorten the barrell to 2" and you really have a CCW option to counter the auto loader guys. Make a lightweight version and a stainless version, I think it would/could be an excellent gun for hiking in a longer barrelled version and a short barrelled version for CCW.

Im wondering what is the difference between an L frame and a K frame?

[bannockburn]

ahpd1992

You know, that was just what I was thinking too; a 2" or 3" barrel, 7 or 8 round cylinder, and a stainless and lighweight version with a round butt. Wouldn't mind seeing it on a K frame, but it would be just as nice on an L frame as well.

[Old Fuff]

Are you sure S&W is trying to get away from the K frame?

It depends on what's selling.... :scrutiny:

Smith & Wesson, like the rest are in business to make guns, and make money while doing it. If you exclude pocket revolvers they're revolver market is shrinking. At some point it will make sense to consolidate on either the K or L frame, and the L is a stronger contender in a market where:

Buyers what more then 6 chambers in the cylinder. Cartridge capacity is one of the biggest reasons that hi-cap pistols are so popular.

Other buyers want bigger-then-38-diameter cartridges that won't fit into a J or K frame sized revolver, without having to go to the larger/heavier N-frame.

Understand, I like K-frame revolvers, and for most purposes prefer them over the larger/heavier L-frame. But I saw the handwriting on the wall when the company switched the Military & Police trademark to a line of hi-cap polymer pistols and AR-15 clone rifles.

Still, so long as people are buying K-frame revolvers they'll make them, and if they do make K or L size .327 Magnums they might pick up some business from countries such as Italy and Mexico where the ordinary folks can't own larger calibers. Also if the demand is there, short (but expensive) special runs for large distributors are always possible.

But if you want something, be sure that they, not the members on this forum, know it.

[Old Fuff]

Im wondering what is the difference between an L frame and a K frame?

Not a whole lot. They took the K-frame, went to a slightly larger-in-diameter cylinder, and raised the top strap to accommodate the larger cylinder. Then they beefed up the front so that they could use a barrel with a larger diameter shank - which was one of the K-frame's major weaknesses. In effect they duplicated the size of a Colt Python or Ruger GP-100.

But in doing so they created a platform that could safely chamber 5-10mm automatic rounds (with moonclips) or 5-.44 Specials. Or 7-.357 Magnums or I presume 8 or 9 .327 Magnums.

They also have the tooling to make an L-frame with an inclosed hammer, like the >42 series of J-frames.

Now do your thinking... :cool:

[ahpd1992]

5 10mm rounds! in a med sized revolver, make and I will buy it as a companion to my 610. IMHO the most overlooked and versatile combination there is if you must ONLY own one (OMG NO!) gun

[ugaarguy]

http://www.rsrgroup.com/cgi-bin/cgirpcux/WTM-002O

[Eightball]

I"d have to shoot a .327 before I start dissing it, but I think it could potentially be a contender--if not me, then for my dad, who isn't quite the recoil junky I am. I think a .327 "638"-type could be an amazing firearm to poke around with. The whole "inexperienced/recoil sensitive shooters" bit? Well, for people who can't spend the money to experiment with what load feeds the best out of X or Y magazine manufacturer, etc etc etc with some of the wonder-autos out there, a good S&W will always fit the bill; and if they want something just a titch stronger than .38spl but not .357 Mag out of a j-frame, then the .327 would offer a good option--especially with another round or two thrown in there for good measure. I mean, my dad's intrigued by the .327 and all, but is wary of buying an new caliber for a revolver if Smith and Wesson isn't making a model chambered for it; to our family, Smith seems to be a decent bellweather as to the market viability of a cartridge for revolvers. YMMV.

[ahpd1992]

Ugaarguy I just did a search on the link you provided, and found a s&w 310, so a 6 shot night guard in 10mm. S&W is really committed to relieving me of my $$$, so many temptations

Didnt find a J-frame in .327 though

[ugaarguy]

Sorry, I thought it was the direct link to the item description. Search them for RSR item # SW170329FC - that's the 632 info.

[Click Click Boom]

I would like to see a 10 Shot N frame 2.5" or 3" bbl. 327 fed. mag.

[ahpd1992]

10 shot N frame? I could dig that, make a scandium version for hikers, why not...

[ahpd1992]

Smith finally has their new 2009 products on the website. The 327 magnum is they showed is a 3" , not exactly what I was looking for, but im sure a 2" or 1 7/8" version will be in the works. I like all the suggestions on the 8 shot k/l frame models, we'll see what they come up with. For now Im thinking Il get the Taurus 2" snubby.

[Dr.Rob]

You know that Ruger with the beefier barrel looks like THE platform to shoot this. If you don't like +p from a j frame this .357 'light' will probably still smart. Shockingly I had never HEARD of this round... but I was in England when this was released.

[krs]

They're definitely targeting the pocket carry market but I'd like the idea much better if one of them could see clear to build a slightly larger 8 or even better 10 shot version.

A little less ooomph would be OK too if those astronomical pressures are what limits the number of chambers that a block can withstand.

I mean, really, this cartridge is 50% more powerful than 9 mm luger. Why so much? Does the bullet desintigrate and blow off arms and other appendages like the 55 gr 5.56mm 'black death'?

[David E]

I see the 632 role to be that of a trail gun. More oomph than a .22 in a nice size package.

For me, this would be in addition to my "serious" gun.

I'd reload for it, and/or find some .32 H&R loads. (might be easier to find them in a 'cowboy' load)

This one has a 3" ported barrel, blackened stainless steel and adjustable sights.

S&W has a pic of it:

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=86957&langId=-1&isFirearm=Y

[ahpd1992]

I keep hearing that the .327 would make a good trial gun. I guess all the more reason for a lightweight 8 shot K/L frame