.327 Fed. Magnum in longer barreled revolvers -- Now this is interesting

[P. Plainsman]

Freedom Arms now has a .327 Fed. Mag. conversion cylinder for their .32 H&R Model 97 sixgun. Jeff Quinn reviews the FA revolver (with 5.5" barrel) along with a custom 6.5" Ruger Single Six chambered for the .327 round:

http://gunblast.com/Freedom-Harton327.htm

Very impressive velocities. 100 grain Hornady XTP bullet handloaded with H110 yields 1600 fps from the 5.5" Freedom Arms and 1700 fps from the 6.5" custom Ruger.

Even the factory ammo shines in the longer barrels: 115 grain Speer Gold Dot factory load gives 1462 fps from the Freedom Arms and 1578 fps from the custom Ruger. Those are .357 SIG energy levels. Should make a dandy, flat-shooting small game round.

Just like the sixgunners said who reviewed the .327 (including Quinn, Sheriff Jim Wilson, and many THR commenters), the thing really calls out for a longer barrel than the 3" Ruger SP101.

 

[RJM]

If, I should say when, they come out with a lever action chambered for this round, I am going to pick up one. It just seems like it would be a whole lot of fun.

 

[Jim March]

The numbers sure look good!

A Single Six with a 5.5" tube would be damned easy to carry in a shoulder rig.

 

[Seancass]

that actually looks really cool. i like the idea of a small, hot revolver.

 

[P. Plainsman]

A Single Six with a 5.5" tube would be damned easy to carry in a shoulder rig.

Yes it would.

Notice a detail from that review -- apparently the standard Ruger .32 H&R Single Six (SSM) cylinder isn't long enough for the .327 Fed Mag. The gunmaker had to make a custom cylinder and (if I read right) cut down the forcing cone just a bit to make the .327 cylinder fit in the SSM frame.

So hopefully Ruger will chamber the .327 in a Single Six -- but sounds like they'd need to do a bit of retooling. The other option will be to put it in their next smallest single action frame, the new "50th Anniversary .357 Blackhawk" size.

They really should go with the lighter Single Six frame. A .357-size cylinder would be awful heavy with those slim .32 holes cut in it.

If we were talking about the traditional Ruger attitude, there's no question -- they'd go for the less desirable, clunky, overbuilt option and chamber it in the .357 Blackhawk frame. But I don't think most revolver enthusiasts -- and that's who'd be buying a .327 single action -- would want that. They want a handy small-game revolver, with range and power - something Single Six sized.

We'll see if the recent changes in Ruger's attitude carry over into how they support the .327.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Saw a couple of marlin leverguns chambered in 32 H&R the other day....
A good smith and a little money? I'm thinkin' possible.

 

[19-3Ben]

They really should go with the lighter Single Six frame. A .357-size cylinder would be awful heavy with those slim .32 holes cut in it.

unless there were 7 or 8 of those little holes....

 

[cookekdjr]

This would be a very fun short-range varmint gun. .327 in a lever-gun? Low recoil, and would drop a coyote DRT.
-David

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I agree, I would like to see a Marlin 1894 chambered in .327 Federal Magnum. That would be a powerful and versatile Carbine.

 

[PAPACHUCK]

Although I really like the idea of the .327, it's benefits would be almost lost in a lever gun. Same(approx) length cartridge, so no increase in capacity, and recoil in a long gun isn't a factor. That said, I'd really like to have a 1894 and Vaquero each chambered for the .327, just for fun.

 

[rcmodel]

If you'd want a Winchester chambered in it, it seems you'd want a pistol length 92 action, not a 30-30 length 94 action.


rcmodel

 

[Brian Williams]

The Marlin 1894 is the short action, the 93 or 36,336 is the long action for Marlin.
I would love a small single shot rifle in .327, weight about 4.5lbs and some nice receiver or tang rear sight.

 

[unspellable]

32

I'd take it in a six inch K frame S&W with sights. Maybe in a Taurus?

 

[P. Plainsman]

Yeah, a stainless K-frame Smith in .327 Fed Mag would be sweet. Run .32 Longs or .32 H&Rs in it for quiet plinking -- or as a great mild introduction for taking newbies to the range. While also having on tap the .327's range and power of a handloaded-to-the-firewall .32-20.

What'd the model number be -- a S&W 616?

Please, no gratuitous full underlug.
It's a hot .32, not a .44.