.327 Fever

Oninotaki said:

I didn’t really like the .327 federal magnum until I got my GP100 chambered in it. Prior to that I was shooting them out of my Taurus 327 and the caliber was just too much out of a snubbie for me. That said the caliber is smooth as ice out of the GP 100 and I aggressively started checking local and out of the way gun shops for it once I discovered that.

Well this week I got lucky and I just found a shop that sold me their entire stock of .327 for close out prices. 32 boxes of American Eagle 100 grain JSP, and 10 boxes of Federal Premium 85 grain Hydra-Shok JHP for $700. 1800 rounds of ammo I can almost never find for $0.39 a round? Why thank you, don’t mind if I do.

For a guy who only is set up for shot shell reloading, this was an absolute score. Now I really gotta find a Henry chambered in it.

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Wow! Great score. I’ve found a stash of all those loads people love but are discontinued or just unavailable. They only want $70 per box. So they will stay there

Smoking deal!

I did well on my SP101 as the range wanted it gone. Had been rarely fired. I missed it the first time they had it on sale, next time it came down another $50 or maybe $100 and I was able to go get it. I'm thrilled with it but the public was not into it.

Off topic a bit....you guys that are shooting the .327, have any of you shot .32 H&R as well? I'm interested in how it groups when shot through that longer bored cylinder. I've had good luck with .38 specials grouping at least as well as .357's when shot in my magnums...just wondered if the .32 H&R in the .327 performed similarly. Thx in advance, Rod

Rodfac said:

Off topic a bit....you guys that are shooting the .327, have any of you shot .32 H&R as well? I'm interested in how it groups when shot through that longer bored cylinder. I've had good luck with .38 specials grouping at least as well as .357's when shot in my magnums...just wondered if the .32 H&R in the .327 performed similarly. Thx in advance, Rod

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I have had no problems with with accuracy from .32 H&R, .32 S&W Long, or .32 S&W Shorts from either of my .327 revolvers, but I also rarely shoot farther than 20 yards.

Rodfac said:

Off topic a bit....you guys that are shooting the .327, have any of you shot .32 H&R as well? I'm interested in how it groups when shot through that longer bored cylinder. I've had good luck with .38 specials grouping at least as well as .357's when shot in my magnums...just wondered if the .32 H&R in the .327 performed similarly. Thx in advance, Rod

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It's not a problem for H&R Mag or .32 S&W Long, but I do advise against regular shooting of .32 ACP or .32 S&W because the jump from case to throat, in addition to the gap, leads to a lot of velocity loss. I've clocked .32 ACP doing under 500 fps, while .32 S&W Long with a heavier bullet at a lower PSI was doing 700 fps.

Now, there's nothing wrong with shooting the .32 S&W from the .327, I just think it's a waste, but the .32 ACP I've had one squib from shooting it in the SP101 and also have had it lock up the cylinder twice.

Rodfac said:

Off topic a bit....you guys that are shooting the .327, have any of you shot .32 H&R as well? I'm interested in how it groups when shot through that longer bored cylinder...

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If you're looking for someone firing same-brand factory ammo in the two calibers, I can't help you. But I can give you a reloader's perspective.

I looked over my shooting records. I don't shoot .32 Mag defensive loads in my .327 guns, so there is no info on that. Speaking in generalities reloading cast bullets for plinking and target shooting:

1. Trying to replicate light 95gr .32 Mag loads in .327 didn't work for me. The light .327 loads always had larger groups than light .32 Mag fired in the same .327 gun.
2. Moving up to medium .327 loads in a heavier 115gr bullet gave equivalent accuracy to light 95gr .32 Mag loads.

So basically, I never found an accuracy drop off with .32 Mag fired in a .327. They just have their own niche. The sweet-spot .327 loads are much more powerful than their .32 Mag counterparts, and are better suited for varminting or light hunting.

^ I can attest to that. I have found moderate power 115gr lead in .327 to be a very accurate load. Now if only Hornady would make us a 115gr .312 XTP that would be great because Speer sure never will again.

Barbaroja said:

Wow! Great score. I’ve found a stash of all those loads people love but are discontinued or just unavailable. They only want $70 per box. So they will stay there

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Yeah there is a reason I only have a single box of Speer gold dots in .327. They were nuts expensive for a while. Although I think gun broker has some lots of them at about $1.50 a round right now. I would be tempted if I hadn't just scored the bulk purchase that I did.

.32 H&R on the other hand is proving practically impossible to find and those insane prices get harder and harder to resist. There needs to be some sort of .32 caliber family Co op we can all belong to to get the purchasing power we need to convince manufacturers to do larger more frequent runs of the stuff.

Oninotaki said:

There needs to be some sort of .32 caliber family Co op we can all belong to to get the purchasing power we need to convince manufacturers to do larger more frequent runs of the stuff.

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Good idea, especially for the guys that have no access to reloading equipment.

A decade or so ago, I suspicioned .32 H&R was going the way of .41 Magnum brass...& bought 500 cases from Starline, also bought two Accurate Molds, and an RCBS 31-98 LSWC for my casting room set up, so I'm set for feeding the .32 L and four .32 H&R's in the safe. Primers are ok too, at least for the next 4-5 yrs as my present shooting rate.

TTv2, if you've got casting equipment, Lyman's old 311008 (a tapered LSWC for the .32-20) runs 115-120 gr from my mold depending on alloy. For the .327, it might work out for heavy bullet load. Does very well in my .32 H&R's (3 Rugers and a Smith), but I like the looks and zero location with the RCBS 31-98 better...it's tough to find an inaccurate load with that bullet!

Thanx for the responses guys...Rod

I have the Henry and really enjoy it. I just wish it had the side gate feed option!!

I'd love to find a 32. I've got dies already but just haven't run across one for sale that I could afford.

Seen 2 Single Six .32 H&R at last gun show.
Crazy, stupid high $$$$.

Haven't seen a .327 Fed in years.

Wish I had had the $$$$$ 3 - 4 years ago, when they were available and reasonably priced. I would settle for a .32, but want the .327.

I do have the rimless equivalent, .30 Carbine. That 7 1/2" barrel Blackhawk is BIG gun for that little cartridge. But, soooooo much FUN.

I have a Ruger LCR in .327 that a regularly carry with .32 mag. But man I can't hit the broadside of a barn with the .327 loads. And I really dont know why. I am a pretty good revolver shooter and regularly shoot .357, .41, and .44 mags. And I am also no stranger to DAO J frames. But I am worthless with the .327 in it.

Doesn't really matter since I never planned on carrying it with anything other than .32. But still, it is kind of hard on my ego.

Rodfac said:

Good idea, especially for the guys that have no access to reloading equipment.

A decade or so ago, I suspicioned .32 H&R was going the way of .41 Magnum brass...& bought 500 cases from Starline, also bought two Accurate Molds, and an RCBS 31-98 LSWC for my casting room set up, so I'm set for feeding the .32 L and four .32 H&R's in the safe. Primers are ok too, at least for the next 4-5 yrs as my present shooting rate.

TTv2, if you've got casting equipment, Lyman's old 311008 (a tapered LSWC for the .32-20) runs 115-120 gr from my mold depending on alloy. For the .327, it might work out for heavy bullet load. Does very well in my .32 H&R's (3 Rugers and a Smith), but I like the looks and zero location with the RCBS 31-98 better...it's tough to find an inaccurate load with that bullet!

Thanx for the responses guys...Rod

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I did the same when I scored my 6.5” Single Six, then I added another 500-count box of .32H&R cases that is sitting unmolested in reserve. (If only .327 cases would return!)

I have shot everything from 85 and 100 gr XTP’s to 100 gr DEWC and 100 to 125 gr RNFP .32-20 bullets through the Single Six. The MBC 120 gr RNFP over 3.7 gr Unique is a real winner for me in that gun.

One thing I have had to do is use small rifle primers in my .32 Cases. The firing pin on my SS must be just a bit long, as it punctured several primers per cylinder in just about every Winchester and Federal primer fired load I have tried. The SRP fire just fine and the punctures stopped.

My .327 SP 101 is going to the range on my next trip. I have a hundred rounds loaded up so I can compare the .327 loads to my 120 gr MBC .32 H&R load.

Stay safe.

Stumbled across some .327 Federal Premium Hammer Down 127 gr yesterday at a Dunhams. Snagged up both boxes. Not cause the price was good, but because the price didn’t look like gouging and I hadn’t seen any in 2 years. Now I really gotta get a Henry in .327 cause I ain’t wasting these in my GP100.