.32 vs .38

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[QUOTE = "BobWright, post: 11186812, member: 216282"] I will apologize for my post, but the title of the thread was ".32 vs .38" and my point was, that despite the hoopla print, the larger caliber may always be considered the best choice. [/ QUOTE]

No need to apologize. I guess somewhere along the way we have forgotten that some guns can be fun to shoot. That the measure of a guns worth is not always found in how well it can kill another person.
 
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Any of the ones listed would work for me. But in a .32 revolver my choice would be the .327 mag.
 
I like the 32s. At the lower end(s&w and s&w long, or even low powered h&r mag), they are a better plinker/small game round than 38spl. At the other end, the full house 327 mags are as good as 357 mags for defensive use(better for some purposes. The penetration in 32 cal is phenomenal). My Single Seven is my new favorite trail gun. The biggest issue with the 327 mag was poor marketing decisions by Ruger/Federal
 
I guess it depends on what you're going to use it for. Obviously .38/.357 is more useful in any situation where there's ammo scarcity, but .32-based cartridges have a lot of flexibility. Personally, I'd take 6 or 7 rounds of .32 S&W Long over 5 rounds of .38 in a self-defense situation every day of the week. Statistically, stopping power has no impact on the outcomes of "gunfights" (the overwhelming majority of which end after a single shot fired) and if you're attacked by a bear while hiking with friends and only armed with a small-framed handgun you're better off shooting one of your companions in the foot and making a run for it than trying to take down Smokey.
 
You can get more than 5 or 6 rounds of .357 or .38 spl in a small package. I have the S&W model 327PC and its a pleasure to carry. It gives you the same capacity as a full size 1911 in an N frame snub nose revolver. Its still quite concealable despite what some folks say. The only thing to overcome is the width of the cylinder, which is not a problem for me. The grip can be changed into something something slick and thin, but the Hogue monogrip makes the firearm so much better.
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Scandium and titanium and it weighs the same as my SS 649, which is really my daily companion.
 
You can get more than 5 or 6 rounds of .357 or .38 spl in a small package. I have the S&W model 327PC and its a pleasure to carry. It gives you the same capacity as a full size 1911 in an N frame snub nose revolver. Its still quite concealable despite what some folks say. The only thing to overcome is the width of the cylinder, which is not a problem for me. The grip can be changed into something something slick and thin, but the Hogue monogrip makes the firearm so much better.
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Scandium and titanium and it weighs the same as my SS 649, which is really my daily companion.
Clint Smith carries one on his ankle, that ought to be a testament to how easy they really so conceal.
 
I guess it depends on what you're going to use it for. Obviously .38/.357 is more useful in any situation where there's ammo scarcity, but .32-based cartridges have a lot of flexibility. Personally, I'd take 6 or 7 rounds of .32 S&W Long over 5 rounds of .38 in a self-defense situation every day of the week. Statistically, stopping power has no impact on the outcomes of "gunfights" (the overwhelming majority of which end after a single shot fired) and if you're attacked by a bear while hiking with friends and only armed with a small-framed handgun you're better off shooting one of your companions in the foot and making a run for it than trying to take down Smokey.
I'd rather have the .38, the rounds I can use made specifically for SD have come a long way from the old LRN. I am unaware that any one makes actual SD ammo in .32 long. If I had a .32 or .327 mag Id using the Hornady loadings. They're good rounds but if you don't reload it can be a nightmare to supply the gun your choosing to possibly defend your life and you should be practicing with it. That being said shooting cans with a .32 Long is really fun.
 
Clint Smith carries one on his ankle, that ought to be a testament to how easy they really so conceal.

I would take anything Clint Smith shows off with a grain of salt. He capitalizes on entertaining gun people. I'm not trying to imply anything negative about him, but he's also showed off his method of concealed carry of two Glocks with two 33-round magazines in his "EDC Carry" video. While it looks clever, I'm not taking him seriously that he packs like that every time he drives into Lakeview for gas or groceries.

But I won't argue with the concealability of the 327. In fact, I would skip the short barrel one and suggest one of the 5" barreled 327's because barrel length is much easier to conceal than grips, and the barrel length makes it much easier to shoot. No it won't go on the ankle, but otherwise it's a fine option.
 
I'd rather have the .38, the rounds I can use made specifically for SD have come a long way from the old LRN. I am unaware that any one makes actual SD ammo in .32 long. If I had a .32 or .327 mag Id using the Hornady loadings. They're good rounds but if you don't reload it can be a nightmare to supply the gun your choosing to possibly defend your life and you should be practicing with it. That being said shooting cans with a .32 Long is really fun.
Buffalo Bore. They make a hardcast 100 grain full wadcutter going about 900 fps in a 4 inch barrel. Probably 800 in a snub.

There are a couple of small companies that make .32 Long with a JHP, but the velocity with .32 S&WL. is so low that the bullets don't expand. Thus, standard target ammo is best for the caliber and your wallet.
 
I would take anything Clint Smith shows off with a grain of salt. He capitalizes on entertaining gun people. I'm not trying to imply anything negative about him, but he's also showed off his method of concealed carry of two Glocks with two 33-round magazines in his "EDC Carry" video. While it looks clever, I'm not taking him seriously that he packs like that every time he drives into Lakeview for gas or groceries.

But I won't argue with the concealability of the 327. In fact, I would skip the short barrel one and suggest one of the 5" barreled 327's because barrel length is much easier to conceal than grips, and the barrel length makes it much easier to shoot. No it won't go on the ankle, but otherwise it's a fine option.
The 5 inch 327 would be an excellent option for a full size revolver for carrying, but the fact of the matter is a .32 will give you a much easier revolver to conceal and carry whilst also giving increased cylinder capacity.

Once we get into frames larger than K or SP101 size frames, I have an issue with reducing caliber to increase capacity for a measly extra round in a revolver that weighs an extra pound and costs an extra day's pay or more. I see this most in the .357 Redhawk vs 7 shot GP100 and the SP101 .327 vs the .327 GP100.

Smith does things different in they use alloy frames and cylinders to keep weight down, but of course that means price goes up considerably.
 
Buffalo Bore. They make a hardcast 100 grain full wadcutter going about 900 fps in a 4 inch barrel. Probably 800 in a snub.

There are a couple of small companies that make .32 Long with a JHP, but the velocity with .32 S&WL. is so low that the bullets don't expand. Thus, standard target ammo is best for the caliber and your wallet.
Buffalo Bore is already a non starter in most shops and when I do find it, it is cost prohibitive. If I can't practice with my chosen load regularly what's the point?
 
I would take anything Clint Smith shows off with a grain of salt. He capitalizes on entertaining gun people. I'm not trying to imply anything negative about him, but he's also showed off his method of concealed carry of two Glocks with two 33-round magazines in his "EDC Carry" video. While it looks clever, I'm not taking him seriously that he packs like that every time he drives into Lakeview for gas or groceries.

But I won't argue with the concealability of the 327. In fact, I would skip the short barrel one and suggest one of the 5" barreled 327's because barrel length is much easier to conceal than grips, and the barrel length makes it much easier to shoot. No it won't go on the ankle, but otherwise it's a fine option.
He's one of the most recognized trainers in the industry today. What he says should be taken with a bit more consideration vs "taken with a grain of salt" that's the attitude you take when the ice cream man selling the neighborhood kids treats tells you he keeps a Draco Ak pistol there cause it's the "best" gun for defense. I know exactly what video your alluding to the one where he states his main carry is a 1911 and carries the 327 as a backup. The Glock thing can be seen as excessive yes, but I've met people in real life who carry three Glocks and I've met people who carry morning more than a berretta Jetfire in .25 ACP carry what you will.
 
Buffalo Bore is already a non starter in most shops and when I do find it, it is cost prohibitive. If I can't practice with my chosen load regularly what's the point?
You asked if anyone loaded a .32 S&WL for self defense for that purpose and Buffalo Bore is the most effective one. Otherwise, yes, if you want to practice with that load and not go broke, you're stuck with either a target wadcutter or a SWC or LRN bullet for factory ammo.

I agree on .32 Mag Hornady Critical Defense, that's what I'd use, but that's not exactly cheap either at roughly 85 cents a round. When it comes to revolver calibers tho, there's no real inexpensive self defense ammo for any of them that I know of that works. Nothing bigger than .40 caliber for revolvers is a cheap factory ammo, whether it's labeled as self defense ammo or not. In .38 Special, the cheap hollow points may work in a 4 inch barrel, but in a snub they'll do nothing and to get the performance in a snub, it costs more for a more premium ammo.

I honestly am drawing a blank as to what any affordable .38 JHP is out there that has had tests done to prove its effectiveness. The only .38 JHP I buy is Hornady Critical Defense because I saw Lucky Gunner's test with 2 and 4 inch barrels and those projectiles expanded well, sometimes too well to the point penetration was reduced. Again, that's not a cheap ammo to buy and practice with often, so the issues with affordable defense ammo that you can practice with regularly affect all revolver calibers and is not limited to just .32 Long or .32/.327 Mag.

I really haven't thought about these issues with revolvers for a while, mainly because I reload for my revolvers and now that I've thought about it, I'm starting to conclude that for sake of costs, it may be better to use our reloads for defense as they're the same ammo we shoot when we practice.

I know it's always discouraged because of legal ramifications, but a missed shot that causes bodily harm to someone else or fails to stop the attacker is worse than potentially having some prosecutor attempt to convince a jury of 12 people that solely because you made your own ammo that that indicates you're a bloodthirsty killer who has no criminal record, but was "looking for an excuse to kill" with that "assault ammunition" and that excuse came when, while you were out picking up prescriptions at the pharmacy, you were assaulted by a crazed schizo in the street with a lengthy criminal past.

The only other option is to buy a 9mm revolver and shoot the cheap Winchester White Box or Remington JHP stuff.
 
You asked if anyone loaded a .32 S&WL for self defense for that purpose and Buffalo Bore is the most effective one. Otherwise, yes, if you want to practice with that load and not go broke, you're stuck with either a target wadcutter or a SWC or LRN bullet for factory ammo.

I agree on .32 Mag Hornady Critical Defense, that's what I'd use, but that's not exactly cheap either at roughly 85 cents a round. When it comes to revolver calibers tho, there's no real inexpensive self defense ammo for any of them that I know of that works. Nothing bigger than .40 caliber for revolvers is a cheap factory ammo, whether it's labeled as self defense ammo or not. In .38 Special, the cheap hollow points may work in a 4 inch barrel, but in a snub they'll do nothing and to get the performance in a snub, it costs more for a more premium ammo.

I honestly am drawing a blank as to what any affordable .38 JHP is out there that has had tests done to prove its effectiveness. The only .38 JHP I buy is Hornady Critical Defense because I saw Lucky Gunner's test with 2 and 4 inch barrels and those projectiles expanded well, sometimes too well to the point penetration was reduced. Again, that's not a cheap ammo to buy and practice with often, so the issues with affordable defense ammo that you can practice with regularly affect all revolver calibers and is not limited to just .32 Long or .32/.327 Mag.

I really haven't thought about these issues with revolvers for a while, mainly because I reload for my revolvers and now that I've thought about it, I'm starting to conclude that for sake of costs, it may be better to use our reloads for defense as they're the same ammo we shoot when we practice.

I know it's always discouraged because of legal ramifications, but a missed shot that causes bodily harm to someone else or fails to stop the attacker is worse than potentially having some prosecutor attempt to convince a jury of 12 people that solely because you made your own ammo that that indicates you're a bloodthirsty killer who has no criminal record, but was "looking for an excuse to kill" with that "assault ammunition" and that excuse came when, while you were out picking up prescriptions at the pharmacy, you were assaulted by a crazed schizo in the street with a lengthy criminal past.

The only other option is to buy a 9mm revolver and shoot the cheap Winchester White Box or Remington JHP stuff.
If people can afford to practice with .45 ACP and stock mags for it then they can supply .38 SPL. Premium ammo is not all that great as well you can look at Winchesters 125 gr JHP whitebox that expands from a snub pretty well.
 
If people can afford to practice with .45 ACP and stock mags for it then they can supply .38 SPL. Premium ammo is not all that great as well you can look at Winchesters 125 gr JHP whitebox that expands from a snub pretty well.
I'd need to see some more tests of that Winchester ammo.

As for .45, we're talking about people practicing with defense ammo, the cheapest .45 JHP I know of is again Winchester at something over $30 a box of 50 rds. Not cheap.
 
Buffalo Bore. They make a hardcast 100 grain full wadcutter going about 900 fps in a 4 inch barrel. Probably 800 in a snub.

There are a couple of small companies that make .32 Long with a JHP, but the velocity with .32 S&WL. is so low that the bullets don't expand. Thus, standard target ammo is best for the caliber and your wallet.

One of my 94gr 32 long loads gets 850fps from a 2" barreled S&W model 30. I could boost that a little more if I wanted. I have seen data higher than mine. But whats the point? For me this is a range toy, a handy trail gun and a cheap gun to shoot that is more than a 22. If I need a SD gun I have better options.

But for anyone who wants to shoot any of the 32s they should consider reloading. But I'm a broken record. I recommend reloading to anyone who will listen. When I bought my first centerfire gun, a model 19 I bought a press. I bought one box of 38 wadcutters and after that I was reloading ammo. And during the several ammo shortages I have never been without ammo to shoot in every caliber own.

This is an article from Gunblast. The telling part is the last paragraph dealing with a 32 long for SD. https://gunblast.com/WBell_SW32s.htm

"Lefty Lewis told me a story of a 20th Century Western sheriff who was involved in a number of shootings during the “Roaring 20’s”. His weapon of choice was a revolver chambered for the .32 Long cartridge. It was said that he killed as many miscreants as any of his law enforcement contemporaries, which points out that a cool head, accuracy and thinking on your feet most often have more effect than the weapon you use in a gunfight. The .32 H&R Magnum is very controllable in the J-Frame S&W, offering portability and power in a small, plus and an increase in one round over the same gun in .38 Special. I was favorably impressed with the Smith & Wesson Models 431 and 432PD and would suggest either of them to you should your handgun needs point in that direction".
 
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You really have to put this into perspective.
The late gun writer, Charles ASKINS reputedly killed over 20 men. That would make him one of the deadliest gun fighters ever based on actual gun fights, but ASKINS was also a superb shot and apparently fearless in a real gun fight. If he had a .32 and in his book, UNREPENTANT SINNER, he had a passage where he talked about using a MAUSER HSc pistol.
Do you think it would be the caliber of the gun or his willingness to use it and the accuracy under fire that would win the day.

If I ever come to a point where the recoil of a medium size .380ACP like the BERETTA 84 or 85 or the SIG 232 semiautomatics or weight of a .38 Special K-frame size revolver with a 4 inch barrel was too much, I might switch to a .32, be it a .32ACP like the BERETTA 81 or 82 or a small frame .32 revolver using wadcutters, I would accept from the beginning that I AM STEPPING DOWN IN POWER IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND ACCURACY.
A .32 S&W Long wadcutter is a very mild load. A .32 H&R Magnum may recoil less than a .38 Special load, but ONLY IN SIMILAR SIZE GUNS. The recoil of a .32 H&R fired from a S&W model 30 or a CHARTER ARMS Undercoverette will be much closer to the recoil of a standard pressure .38 Special load from a 4 inch K-frame revolver, in my opinion.
I would want to make the most of those small rounds by getting a 4 inch barrel on the revolver. The BERETTA'S are already large for caliber, like the old COLT model 1903 Hammerless, they both have 3 3/4 inch barrels.

Jim
 
You really have to put this into perspective.
The late gun writer, Charles ASKINS reputedly killed over 20 men. That would make him one of the deadliest gun fighters ever based on actual gun fights, but ASKINS was also a superb shot and apparently fearless in a real gun fight. If he had a .32 and in his book, UNREPENTANT SINNER, he had a passage where he talked about using a MAUSER HSc pistol.
Do you think it would be the caliber of the gun or his willingness to use it and the accuracy under fire that would win the day.

If I ever come to a point where the recoil of a medium size .380ACP like the BERETTA 84 or 85 or the SIG 232 semiautomatics or weight of a .38 Special K-frame size revolver with a 4 inch barrel was too much, I might switch to a .32, be it a .32ACP like the BERETTA 81 or 82 or a small frame .32 revolver using wadcutters, I would accept from the beginning that I AM STEPPING DOWN IN POWER IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND ACCURACY.
A .32 S&W Long wadcutter is a very mild load. A .32 H&R Magnum may recoil less than a .38 Special load, but ONLY IN SIMILAR SIZE GUNS. The recoil of a .32 H&R fired from a S&W model 30 or a CHARTER ARMS Undercoverette will be much closer to the recoil of a standard pressure .38 Special load from a 4 inch K-frame revolver, in my opinion.
I would want to make the most of those small rounds by getting a 4 inch barrel on the revolver. The BERETTA'S are already large for caliber, like the old COLT model 1903 Hammerless, they both have 3 3/4 inch barrels.

Jim
None of us are Charles Askins and we don't leave the house every day expecting to get into a gun fight. The point isn't to win a gun fight or kill anyone, it's too stop someone from harming us who we're unable to escape from and without any use of force used against him would succeed in executing a violent act against us.

If you can do that with a .38, great. I just know I can shoot better with a .32 in an equally small, light revolver.
 
"A .32 H&R Magnum may recoil less than a .38 Special load, but ONLY IN SIMILAR SIZE GUNS. The recoil of a .32 H&R fired from a S&W model 30 or a CHARTER ARMS Undercoverette will be much closer to the recoil of a standard pressure .38 Special load from a 4 inch K-frame revolver, in my opinion."

Please forgive me for disagreeing. My daughter has always been recoil-shy and my wife has damaged wrists. My wife can shoot 32 H&R SD loads (please forgive if I don't recall the brands we've tried) just fine, and my daughter had no problem with them at age eight. Originally this was in my first 32 H&R, a CA Undercoverette, which my wife still keeps handy in the rare instances when I am out of town. The recoil in the Undercoverette is mild, and in my Single Six it's negligible. My wife can't shoot even mild 38 special loads without pain, and it was several more years before my daughter was willing to shoot 38 special at all (eventually it was because her friend did it, and she didn't want to be shown up). :)

Perhaps I've inadvertently only purchased mild SD loads in 32 H&R, but those are my experiences. To me it is a mild cartridge: a bit spicier than 32 S&W long, but considerably gentler than 38 special or 327 magnum. YMMV.

My wife says it's "cute"... but she thinks her large, scary, very protective dogs are "cute", too. :)
 
"A .32 H&R Magnum may recoil less than a .38 Special load, but ONLY IN SIMILAR SIZE GUNS. The recoil of a .32 H&R fired from a S&W model 30 or a CHARTER ARMS Undercoverette will be much closer to the recoil of a standard pressure .38 Special load from a 4 inch K-frame revolver, in my opinion."

Please forgive me for disagreeing. My daughter has always been recoil-shy and my wife has damaged wrists. My wife can shoot 32 H&R SD loads (please forgive if I don't recall the brands we've tried) just fine, and my daughter had no problem with them at age eight. Originally this was in my first 32 H&R, a CA Undercoverette, which my wife still keeps handy in the rare instances when I am out of town. The recoil in the Undercoverette is mild, and in my Single Six it's negligible. My wife can't shoot even mild 38 special loads without pain, and it was several more years before my daughter was willing to shoot 38 special at all (eventually it was because her friend did it, and she didn't want to be shown up). :)

Perhaps I've inadvertently only purchased mild SD loads in 32 H&R, but those are my experiences. To me it is a mild cartridge: a bit spicier than 32 S&W long, but considerably gentler than 38 special or 327 magnum. YMMV.

My wife says it's "cute"... but she thinks her large, scary, very protective dogs are "cute", too. :)
I certainly wouldn't want a .32 pointing at me, thinking it's harmless I'm sure has put many men down for the count.
 
Cowboy and TT,

I don't think anyone has called a .32 harmless. Any gun, even the much maligned .25ACP can win a fight. The question is can you improve your odds of winning decisively, not both of you wounded and dying.

However, TTv2, I would NEVER ENTER A GUNFIGHT WITHOUT THE INTENTION OF WINNING IT. The alternative is DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY!.
I do not think anyone leaves the house expecting a gun fight or they would not leave the house if they had a choice. You carry a handgun, because it is a DEFENSIVE WEAPON to defend you when you DO NOT EXPECT A GUNFIGHT. If you wanted to get into a gunfight or just expected it, you would bring a rifle or at least a shotgun.

We will have to agree to disagree on your view of the .32 H&R. I have both a 4 inch and 2 inch .32S&W Long. Both are low recoil, but are not very effective and the 2 inch is noticeably harder to shoot. I want to carry the most effective caliber I can.
My .380 GLOCK model 42 is much more effective as a defense weapon, in my opinion.
My wife who is very recoil sensitive found the GLOCK 42 was the answer to her ccw need. It does not kick much and she has enough hand strength to operate the slide and can shoot a whole box of ammo at a time, so she can practice. She finds the long trigger pull of a double action revolver is just as much a hindrance as the recoil of a .38 Special, so switching to a .32 H&R would not have accomplished anything.

You may think caliber is not important, but you are wrong on this. My agency, the FBI and many large police departments have studied this and proven that more effective calibers help win fights. My agency went to the .40 S&W back in the 1990's. We did not follow the FBI lead, but wanted a semi-auto with the same stopping power of the .357 magnum load we were issuing.
We had used the .38 Special +P+ and found out it was NOT A SUBSTITUTE for the .357. It came up short and officers were complaining. Our .40 caliber load was a manstopper before the premium bullet loads came along and made effective ammo less velocity intensive.
When used in real, actual gunfights, the results were similar to the .357 magnum, basically, you hit the attacker and the fight usually stopped.

This relates to the .32 vs .38. If the only load was a wadcutter or the dreaded round nose lead in either caliber, then the real difference would be in the recoil as the wadcutter is a mild load in any caliber, but not a great stopper unless you compare it to round nose lead rounds which are really poor stoppers in any caliber.
I would feel just as safe using a mid size .32ACP with non-expanding ball (full metal jacket) ammo as a .38 Special with the 158 grain round nose lead round. The real difference would be that I have more rounds in the gun, 8 or 9 and with less recoil, I could have faster follow up shots.

Hollow points and other types of expanding ammo make the difference. The .32 H&R is really a "+P" version of the .32 S&W Long using a slightly longer case to avoid anyone firing one off in their .32 S&W. Because there are no premium bullets in generally available ammo (I do not count boutique ammo makers), the .38 Special, with more recoil is a MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE ROUND!
I question whether the .32 H&R using a hollow point load
The .327 is the magnum in this caliber, but it adds recoil, noise, muzzle blast and flash. I would rather go with a .357 magnum and use light 110 grain hollow points. The recoil in a medium size revolver with a 4 inch barrel is not much different than a .38 +P using 158 bullets.
The .38 Special using round nose lead was notoriously ineffective at stopping attacks. You might have done as well or almost as well using a .32 S&W Long with wadcutter bullets.
Not so, the .38 Special +P. Both the 158 grain semi-wadcutter lead hollow point and the +P+ load proved to be MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE in stopping attackers. Note as effective as the 9m.m. +P+ or .357 magnum, but much more than the 158 grain RNL.

I believe, if you are going to carry a gun for self defense, you should try to make sure it is the best you can get. If you want to carry a .32 H&R, it should have a 4 inch barrel, as you want to make an already weak round more effective by increasing its velocity and improving your ability to hit the target by have a longer sighting plain.

Just my experience,

Jim
 
(I do not count boutique ammo makers)
Do you count Hornady as a boutique manufacturer? They make a 32 h&r with FTX bullets you may not be aware of. In my area at least there seems to be a few boxes on the shelf every time I check.
 
@Tallball
I have owned the Charter Arms steel framed 32 H&R Undercoverette .. Weighed it at 16oz best my memory served me .. I found it quite manageable and a absolutely a joy with 32 Long LWC ...
I also owned a six shot steel framed Charter in 32 S&W long ... I picked it up for $125.00 at a pawnshop.. I sold it , and doubled my money afer a range session, useing those same 32 Long LWC ... A fellow next to me bought it .. It was a sweet little gun
 
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