Is a 327 worth my time

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SSBN617b

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First off, due to too many head injuries writing is difficult, please bear with me.
Is the Ruger 327 a good option for woods carry and cc. Woods carry involves areas with coyotes, dogs and black bears. I currently own a French police trade in Sp101 in 38 sp and really enjoy it. My thinking is to buy another in 357 or 327 if I find a deal. Also I own a GP100 5 inch in 357 which is a little too big for some hiking purposes.
Any thoughts and advice are welcome.
Mitch
 
Im enjoying the 327 mag round. I have a sp101 in 327. For the critters in you area. I would want at least a 357 mag. I carry a SBH 7.5 inch barrel. And 10mm 1911 in the woods. I hear you about the comfort. I grin and bear it. Rather be well armed and not need it. VS under armed and need it. The 327 would be fine for K-9'S. Bears not so much.
 
I don't know how big the black bear get around you but as long as they are on the smaller size the 327 Magnum might work for you. Here is an interesting thread on the subject from two years ago.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/federal’s-327-magnum-is-a-griz-cartridge.875184/

I looked up the specs for the GP100 with a 5 inch barrel. The 327 GP100 weighs the same as the 357 GP100, both are listed at 39 ounces.

The advantages of having the 327 is one extra round plus it definitely won't have as much felt recoil as the same size 357.

The disadvantage is less energy with the 327 and a smaller bullet. On average the 357 produces about 80 ft-lb more than the 327 does.
 
I have a 4.2" SP 101 327. I also shoot a 3" LCRx in 38 SP and a 4" 357 GP-100.

His comment about the GP 100 size makes sense to me. My SP-101 is a lot less bulky but still not really light. The LCRx is the hands down winner in the easy to tote category.

I have read of real studies that indicate that smaller guns are not that bad for this type of use. For the OPs stated purpose, I would lean toward a 357 only if real worried about black bears.

To get good defensive loads in the 327, it is tempting to go well above 32 H&R power levels. If you do, muzzle blast and noise get real objectional. And this is in a 4.2", a snubby would be even worse. I value my hearing too much to go in this direction. If I were to carry the SP-101, it would be loaded just barely above 32 H&R power.

For me, I would probably be more happy with the 3" LCRx in 38 SP +P. The gun is much lighter than any of the other choices. With a 3" barrel and a 158 gr load, I would expect it to be good enough. Probably more effective than my mid range 327 loads. FYI, the recoil for this load is pretty nasty in the light gun.
 
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I bought a .32 H&R Single Six a couple of years ago. Its been a LOT of fun to load for and to shoot. I am very happy I finally got on the .32 bandwagon.

I just picked up a 4.2” SP 101 in .327 a couple of weeks ago. This gun is fun to shoot, but I did get some Pachmayr grips for it because the factory ones were not cutting it after my first range session. It shot pretty well for a smaller gun, recoil wasn’t bad with 100 and 115 grain handloads and accuracy was acceptable to good with both .327 loads and two of three .32 H&R loads.

6B5A2A39-5490-4BBA-BDEF-BFCC3003A362.jpeg

Finding components for any .32 is a scavenger hunt, but if you watch the Starline website and get on the wait list, cases do pop up for sale once in a while. Being patient, I now have 1,500 .32 H&R cases and I am building on my initial 300 .327’s.

As for the downside, I wouldn’t take the SP .327 if bears are potentially encountered. ( I would personally want a bit more horsepower. ) But, for everything from rabid raccoons to knife-wielding serial killers to feral dogs, the SP .327 would do the trick and be easily totable to boot.

Stay safe.
 
If you hand load the .32’s are very versatile and useful but the truth is as others have said it’s a reloaders proposition. Ammo is just not that available. They are fun to shoot and super accurate. Again if you roll your own you can make the ..38 do everything you need also. Either way for the black bears it’s a hard cast flat nosed bullet at max safe velocity. Probably overkill for the pesky critters but who cares. If you don’t hand load there are a few ammo makers that make hard cast bullets that split the difference between .38 and .357. In either caliber self defense ammo in the form of expanding hollow points won’t help you with the bears as much as something that gives good penetration. Even though Black Bears have the reputation as being docile I had a not so fun experience with one many years ago. So I always have a revolver with a wide nosed Semi Wadcutter of some caliber with me in the woods.
 
Off the shelf ammo cost is steep for the .327FM WHEN you can find it. I by passed both issues by reloading for it. As it's a straight walled pistol case reloading for it is VERY simple and a number of common powders work well in it. Starline does runs of the brass and surprisingly a lot of major manufacturers produce a broad spectrum of bullets for it.

I've been buying bullets for it from a local caster for several years now and am partial to the 120-grain hard cast RNFP and SWC's. As of late I've been ordering them powder coated.

Some examples of what I have on hand for the .327FM in the 115-120 grain range:

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For about 10 years a Ruger SP101 in .327FM has been my CCW. I find I'm able to shoot it very accurately. As of late I've toyed with the idea of possibly moving to something with a mag for more capacity not because I feel undergunned because of the caliber. I have not made that decision as of today.

My personal opinion is that a 3.2-4 inch SP101 in .327 makes a fine trail gun and I've used it for that prior to purchasing some other options.

To me a trail gun isn't just for protection but a gun I carry during certain seasons that would allow me to take an opportunistic shot on a game species I'd like to bag. Based on that description my choices for that purpose are as follows...

Of the ones below I would prefer the 4.5 inch (2nd from left) as my first option for a trail gun with the Birdshead grip version to the left as my second. Both are Ruger Single Sevens and chamber 7 rounds vs the SP101's six. The nice thing about a .327FM SP101 being your daily carry is you're ready to hit the trail anytime without having to swap out guns.

vy6dMHz.jpg
 
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Frulk said:
Off the shelf ammo cost is steep for the .327FM WHEN you can find it. I by passed both issues by reloading for it. As it's a straight walled pistol case reloading for it is VERY simple and a number of common powders work well in it. Starline does runs of the brass and surprisingly a lot of major manufacturers produce a broad spectrum of bullets for it.

I've been buying bullets for it from a local caster for several years now and am partial to the 120-grain hard cast RNFP and SWC's. As of late I've been ordering them powder coated.

Some examples of what I have on hand for the .327FM in the 115-120 grain range:

View attachment 1107049

View attachment 1107050

For about 10 years a Ruger SP101 in .327FM has been my CCW. I find I'm able to shoot it very accurately. As of late I've toyed with the idea of possibly moving to something with a mag for more capacity not because I feel undergunned because of the caliber. I have not made that decision as of today.

My personal opinion is that a 3.2-4 inch SP101 in .327 makes a fine trail gun and I've used it for that prior to purchasing some other options.

To me a trail gun isn't just for protection but a gun I carry during certain seasons that would allow me to take an opportunistic shot on a game species I'd like to bag. Based on that description my choices for that purpose are as follows...

Of the ones below I would prefer the 4.5 inch (2nd from left) as my first option for a trail gun with the Birdshead grip version to the left as my second. Both are Ruger Single Sevens and chamber 7 rounds vs the SP101's six. The nice thing about a .327FM SP101 being your daily carry is you're ready to hit the trail anytime without having to swap out guns.

View attachment 1107051
Click to expand...
Do you know of anyone who makes a coated, true .312 “Keith style” 115-120 gr swc? I have some LBT gas checked SWC but it has a bit of a rounded profile and not much of a swc shoulder compared to other bullet diameters on the shelf.

Stay safe.
 
"The number of fatal black bear attacks per year in the US comes to about one fatal attack a year. Unprovoked attacks are rare and abnormal black bear behavior."

For everything else (other than a bear), 327 is fine. Bear spray probably works better than either 327 or 357.

I like the 32 handgun calibers and shoot them often. 327 is fine for SD. The recoil is NBD to me. The same revolver can also shoot the other 32 revolver cartridges, and some examples will fire 32acp (some won't). I probably shoot more 32 S&W long than any of the others.

I have a couple of SP101's, but am not a big fan of them. Their grips and triggers are awkward for me. For woods carry/plinking/small game hunting I would choose a Single Six or Single Seven in one of the 32 calibers. For SD, a lighter 2" snubby in 32 H&R is plenty. Several companies used to make them. Charter Arms still does.

These are some nice Thai grips, but like many of us, I ended up with Hogue Monogrips in the end.

Ruger SP101 327

Ruger SP101 327

 
Are you looking to the 327 because of your hand injury, and need something that is not too much of a monster?
 
The injuries were to my head, my hands are fine.
#1 I don’t reload
#2 I like to snowshoe like I am in a race, that’s the weight concern.
#3 I had the unfortunate experience of walking between momma and her two cubs as well as surprising a black bear when taking a corner in heavy cover.
#4 I carry a SP101 38sp with BB outdoor loads when not carrying the GP100 357.
Thanks for all the responses. The cost of the 327 ammo is the deal breaker.
 
If your not reloading .327 is not for you. I actually found a huge pile of .327 the other day. All the loads that everyone wants, american eagle, Speer gold dots and some others. And there it will rot until the end of time for the $70/box they want
 
I'm a big .32 fan in general, but still am unsure of the purpose for the .327 Magnum. In my view it is too small for defense - though probably adequate for dogs and coyotes - and too boisterous for recreational shooting. For the OP's purposes, I would vastly prefer the .357 - loaded with hot 158s for defense (still light for bears, in my opinion) and .38 wadcutters for play. Where size and weight are concerns, a J or K frame gun can be a winner, along with things like the Kimber K6s and the Ruger SP101 in .357 Magnum.

And probably the easiest way from here to there, for the OP, is Buffalo Bore's .38 +P, claiming 1250 FPS with a 158 SWC. That's pretty solidly into Magnum territory, and while it ain't cheap, it's a lot less than a new revolver!
 
I personally would rather have a .357 but a .327 would be great if you prefer a little less recoil. I have a this 4.2" 357 sp101 and its my absolute favorite gun. It is very accurate but it is a bit of a handful with full power heavy weight .357. I bought my father in law the exact same one for when he goes trapping. He does not like recoil so I load a "357 lite" load for him, which is a 125 grain XTP at 1200 fps, which is very manageable to shoot. They are very slim and pleasant to carry compared to an L or K frame smith and wesson. The downside is that the trigger pull is pretty crumby on them compared to a S&W, but that is easy to solve with some simple polishing and a $15 spring kit.

65-B83-AF5-9680-4590-8-B06-F2075-EF581-C6.jpg

50 yard accuracy from a sandbag back when my eyeballs still worked.

image.jpg
 
I got interested in 32 caliber with the purchase of a vintage 32-20 Winchester 1873. I have 32 S&WL (S&W Model 30, 31), 32 H&R Magnum (S&W Model 16-4), and 327 Fed Mag revolvers (Ruger SP101, Single Seven and GP100).

I had been dispatching small critters such as raccoons, opossums, and ground hogs with a 22 RF but it usually takes several hits to put them down. Recently, I've decided to try a 327 Fed Mag 4" SP101 loaded with 98 gr SWC midway between 32 H&R Mag and 327 Fed Mag. We have several ground hogs around the property but they appear when I do not have the pistol. Maybe someday I'll see how effective it is.
 
SSBN617b said:
First off, due to too many head injuries writing is difficult, please bear with me.
Is the Ruger 327 a good option for woods carry and cc.
Click to expand...
Not in my opinion, considering you already have a 38 and a larger 357.

Woods carry involves areas with coyotes, dogs and black bears. I currently own a French police trade in Sp101 in 38 sp and really enjoy it. My thinking is to buy another in 357 or 327 if I find a deal. Also I own a GP100 5 inch in 357 which is a little too big for some hiking purposes.
Any thoughts and advice are welcome.
Mitch
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My thoughts:
  1. Buy a nice shoulder holster for the GP100 in the woods; that is a proper woods carry outfit, and you would get the full benefit of the 357 Magnum: the ability to shoot heavy, expanding bullets at 1400 fps.
  2. If you really won't do that ↑, at least stoke your 38 SP-101 with some hot Cor-Bon or Buffalo Bore +P defense ammo for the woods carry days.

Side Note: I wish I'd gotten an SP-101 in 38 Special instead of 357. I never shoot 357 in it; it's just TOO much in a little gun like that. I DO shoot 38+P, though. (I'm not sure they made the 38 SP-101 with the 3" barrel I prefer, though)
 
Jeremy, I do carry the GP100 in a Simply Rugged chest rig. I was just looking for a lighter alternative and now I know the 327 is not it. When going lightweight my sp101 with proper Buffalo Bore loads is my go to load. The SP101 contracted to the French Police in 3 inch is what I have and am quite pleased with.
 
I have a bit different outlook on the 327 FM
than most .. I carry a LCR327 …at times as a carry option.. I like the idea of using 32 Longs and
32 H&R ..both are pussycats in the LCR .. and the option of using the 327 FM ….
The 327 FM in my LCR recoils less than 38+P in my LCR357…
2155532C-2EFA-43CE-9C97-88B02E85C7F4.jpeg

Black Bear , we have a real Bear problem in East TN.. actually had a 400+ lb bear turn over my trash can last night…
If I go out at night to one of my sheds .. my
SA XDME loaded with UW 200gr XTP goes with me
 
When people ask about .327 it boils down to two questions that will be the deciding factor.

1. Do you reload? If not, it's difficult to recommend if you want to shoot a lot and affordablely.

2. Do you currently have a .32 caliber revolver? If yes, I don't think there's much reason to get into .327 unless we're talking about a .32 S&W "Short". Those that have a .32 S&W Lg or .32 Mag already have checked the curiosity box, moving up to a .327 isn't going to change much other than more power.

If you reload, go ahead, I think they'll be enjoyable and practical as you can load ammo cheap that isn't full power for plinking fun or easy practice, but always have the option of full power.
 
Barbaroja said:
If your not reloading .327 is not for you. I actually found a huge pile of .327 the other day. All the loads that everyone wants, american eagle, Speer gold dots and some others. And there it will rot until the end of time for the $70/box they want
Click to expand...
When there's another panic and they have a .327 in the case, it will sell.

Just remember tho, there's no price gouging going on by the LGS or distributor, it's all from Covid or inflation from that anti gun Biden. ;)
 
About three years ago Federal did a run of 327 ammo with a rebate. Even then it seems like they only produce that round once or twice a year. Glad I bought 1,000 rounds for what amounted to $22 a box after the rebate. I still mainly shoot the 32 longs and magnums more often. Until there is a steady supply of ammo or reloading components, I would not advise buying into the 327.
 
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