LCR - do I get a 327 or the new 3” 357?

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I wouldn't say your a "weirdo" there AZAndy, it's not like you see a lot of 32 S&W Long wheelguns being made these days, your basically limited to 32 H&R mag and 327 Fed mag for 32 cal wheelguns.
I guess anybody who reloads .32 Long and .38 S&W would maybe be somewhere on the weirdo spectrum, but then I was already a computer nerd, so I can be cheerful about it.
 
Depends on use. If it's for concaled carry, .327 2 inch, if it's for plinking/range fun or woods walking/rural open carry, 3 inch .357.
 
I guess anybody who reloads .32 Long and .38 S&W would maybe be somewhere on the weirdo spectrum, but then I was already a computer nerd, so I can be cheerful about it.
You must own a Bankers "Special" if you reload for 38 S&W, or one Colt equivalents there AZAndy.
 
All the more reason to get a Lee turret press and some new dies to go with it.
The 32s have me wishing I was a reloader for sure. I’d like to do it but honestly I think I’d need someone to hold my hand throughout the process of getting set up and my first few runs of ammo. I just don’t feel comfortable doing it on my own.
 
The 32s have me wishing I was a reloader for sure. I’d like to do it but honestly I think I’d need someone to hold my hand throughout the process of getting set up and my first few runs of ammo. I just don’t feel comfortable doing it on my own.

I started off with a hand loaded and actually enjoyed the process of learning along the way. I would simply do one stage at at time.Focusd on one box of ammo at a time. Did some stages while just watching TV. Used a hand primer. Sometimes I feel like going back to it. Just get ya a scale and hand primer and not a big investment. Hard to make a mistake
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The 32s have me wishing I was a reloader for sure. I’d like to do it but honestly I think I’d need someone to hold my hand throughout the process of getting set up and my first few runs of ammo. I just don’t feel comfortable doing it on my own.

Well, it's good to be cautious. As you said, I had a buddy help me out when I got started.

One can learn, however, by getting any of the manuals from the industry and reading up.

I suggest an RCBS Rock Chucker to start with. It's a single stage press which means slow deliberate going but that's what you want right now. Lee also makes a single stage, bench mounted press at a price point.

Read up, and start with .38 special, which is the easiest handgun cartridge to load for IMO. You will need carbide dies and also a crimping die for each handgun cartridge you load for.

From the load data in whichever manual you're working from, choose a bullet and a load and go to work. I suggest starting at about the middle of a load range or maybe a bit below it even. These are practice loads, right?

This exploits one of the advantages of the revolver , load versatility. You can start with a light load and then according to your needs you can work your way up to hotter loads.

Don't, however, approach the minimum nor maximum loads listed in your manual. If you need a .22 load just shoot your .22. If you need a load that approaches maximum, don't be macho with your reloading, just buy a bigger gun.

Anyway yes, there's a lot to learn but there's also an entry point. Read up also in the reloading section here at THR and any other shooting forums you frequent.

BTW I'm not an expert, you don't have to go far at all to find someone whose knowledge on the subject exceeds my own.

I enjoy it tremendously though. The ability to load a wide variety of loads for any given cartridge has had a lot to do with me staying with revolvers.

For a beginner my advice would be to buy a manual, read it, don't deviate from the load data, and don't test the limits at either end.

Oh yeah... If it ain't fun you aren't doing it right.
 
For the OP.
.32 H&R Mag seems to give the best energy delivery for caliber, when recoil is factored in.
I hand load both .32 S&W Long, and .32 H&R Mag.
A 100gr Hornady XTP going North of a thousand feet per second, will git r done.

I like what I read about the 32’s. Just can’t find any here. I have to order/buy one to hold one.

I subscribe to Masaad Ayoob’s recommendation on hand loading defensive rounds though- I don’t. Causes too many issues in court if a self defense gets litigated.

I have enjoyed the 3” LCR in 38. It’d be great to have another round, so I carry a second gun instead and have 5 more rounds.

I now have the crimson trace green laser grips on it, but will probably switch to the boot grip or standard LCR grip for a few days for something different. That’s one of the great things about having the LCR lineup. Interchangeable grips etc.
 
I guess anybody who reloads .32 Long and .38 S&W would maybe be somewhere on the weirdo spectrum, but then I was already a computer nerd, so I can be cheerful about it.
.38 S&W is a bit out there, I've been contemplating buying an H&R 925 top break in .38 S&W for a while now and can never bring myself to do it mainly because I don't have the time.

.32 S&W Long is a different story tho, it's still a good cartridge today mainly because you can shoot it in almost every .32 revolver that's ever been made (only the .32 S&W short top breaks and the oddball .32 ACP revolvers can't chamber it) and it's a better cartridge to load than .32 H&R mag if you want a lower power, lower recoil round. .32 H&R brass is thin and easy to crumple cases. I've never crumpled a .32 Long or .327 Mag case in my brief time reloading.

One load I have been planning to test in my Henry .327 rifle is .32 Long loaded with a max charge of Trail Boss. That will give me very close to .22 LR power for small game, but accuracy IDK. That would also make for a nice plinking load out of my .32 handguns too, so yeah, .32 Smith Long is not a weirdo cartridge by any means.
 
I started off with a hand loaded and actually enjoyed the process of learning along the way. I would simply do one stage at at time.Focusd on one box of ammo at a time. Did some stages while just watching TV. Used a hand primer. Sometimes I feel like going back to it. Just get ya a scale and hand primer and not a big investment. Hard to make a mistake
View attachment 842299
The hand press is how I got started. Didn't mind it, but it was the powder measuring for every charge I couldn't stand, took way too long. That's when I moved to the Lee turret and auto drum and haven't looked back.

Still use the hand press for universal decapping tho and the occasional resize.
 
The hand press is how I got started. Didn't mind it, but it was the powder measuring for every charge I couldn't stand, took way too long. That's when I moved to the Lee turret and auto drum and haven't looked back.

Still use the hand press for universal decapping tho and the occasional resize.

Moving up the steps, I just bought a Lee Perfect powder measure. Mounted it to a piece of wood, put 50 shells in a tray, and would do it quickly. No problem. Had another tray on the right side for placing when I finished the round.
 
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I started off with a hand loaded and actually enjoyed the process of learning along the way. I would simply do one stage at at time.Focusd on one box of ammo at a time. Did some stages while just watching TV. Used a hand primer. Sometimes I feel like going back to it. Just get ya a scale and hand primer and not a big investment. Hard to make a mistake
View attachment 842299

I started with one of the little Lee "Wack-a-Mole" loaders and used it/them for several years. I didn't even have a powder measure or a scale. I just used the dippers that came with the kit. Worked just fine. These days I'm back to living in a smaller place with no room for a loading bench so I use one of those hand presses.. It does a fine job. I've got a scale and powder measure, but I'm back to using the dippers, but now I do check them against my digital scale. Just a couple less things to have to set up on the table. They're quite adequate for target type loads. I wouldn't use them if I was approaching anything close to max, but I've never been one to do that anyway.
 
If you don't reload, I wouldn't get either. 357 needs to be loaded lighter in a smaller gun, or it will just be a 38 Special. 327 isn't very practical if relying on commercial ammo, and the report should stop you from using that ammo for carrying. You could be pretty stunned after one shot.
 
If you don't reload, I wouldn't get either. 357 needs to be loaded lighter in a smaller gun, or it will just be a 38 Special. 327 isn't very practical if relying on commercial ammo, and the report should stop you from using that ammo for carrying. You could be pretty stunned after one shot.

There are low recoil 357 Magnum rounds.

There are also reduced power 327 Federal rounds. Have you shot a 327 Fed? Awesome cartridge. And those guns will also shoot 32 H&R Magnum for folks who want to go even lower in power.
 
There are low recoil 357 Magnum rounds.

There are also reduced power 327 Federal rounds. Have you shot a 327 Fed? Awesome cartridge. And those guns will also shoot 32 H&R Magnum for folks who want to go even lower in power.

Got a source for commercial "low recoil .357 Magnum rounds"? News to me. I reload .357 in three power levels for different size guns and still don't have the full mother S&W N-frame, 627 I think.

I have had three .327 Federal revolvers and am wearing one as I write this. In order to carry subsonic I have to make my own ammo. I could just carry 32 H&R but choose not to. My reloads are a step above, even at subsonic per a Brian Pearce load. I have both grades of ammo by Federal, and neither is what I would chose to carry or recommend doing so.
 
Got a source for commercial "low recoil .357 Magnum rounds"? News to me.
Winchester 125 Defender 1325 fps
Winchester 125 WinClean 1370 fps
Winchester 110 JHP 1295 fps

Federal Personal Defense Hydra-Shok Low Recoil 130 1410 fps, (but this is not much lower than the typical 125 at 1450 fps so I'm not sure why Federal is calling it low recoil. they must have some reason.)

Remington 110 SJHP 1295 fps
Remington 125 BJHP 1220 fps

There’s probably more but these make the point.
 
Winchester 125 Defender 1325 fps
Winchester 125 WinClean 1370 fps
Winchester 110 JHP 1295 fps

Federal Personal Defense Hydra-Shok Low Recoil 130 1410 fps, (but this is not much lower than the typical 125 at 1450 fps so I'm not sure why Federal is calling it low recoil. they must have some reason.)

Remington 110 SJHP 1295 fps
Remington 125 BJHP 1220 fps

There’s probably more but these make the point.
None of that is subsonic (with a full size, 158 or so gr bullet).
 
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