There’s more than a few .357 owners that will say the .327FM was an answer to a question that was never asked. That’s probably true for folks who ALREADY owned a 357.
However, if starting from scratch the .327FM should at least be considered. That doesn’t mean the shopper won’t end up with a .357 after careful consideration.
I’m an unabashed .327FM fanboy and I own my fair share of .357’s. Love em both.
I used to carry an 3.2 inch SP101 in .357. Still have it. Replaced it about a decade ago with an 3.2 inch SP101 in .327 FM. Wanted that sixth shot. Carry’s well but it’s a little chunky. Well, they both are actually. However, they conceal well. This .327FM is wearing pink grips as my wife liked them when she saw them and we plan to work up some light to heavy .32 H&R mag for her to shoot through it.
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Some months back I bought a lightly used 6 shot Taurus in .32 H&R mag. About a four inch barrel. Handling it there’s a quantum difference in perceived svelteness over the Sp101’s. I have faith the .32 H&R will get the job done if ever pressed into service for its intended purpose. I’m not hung up on the horse power difference between the FM and H&R. Until I owned the Taurus I wasn’t really feeling the need to go the H&R route. Full house .327 FM loads just don’t bother me. Granted, as stated in other posts, the muzzle blast, flash and sound signature is there in spades but can be mitigated somewhat with hand loads.
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The 7-shot GP100 was my first .327 FM. It’s my test bed for loads at the max end of things. I’ve never CC’d it. I know some folks here have said they carry a GP100 but for me it’s a tad on the large side. With a pic of the GP and a S7BH side by side. Note the thickness of the GP top strap compared compared to the S7BH
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Although this thread is focused on a carry gun for your son I’ll toss in the following just for FYI as they related to the caliber being discussed.
The Single Sevens are just all around great plinking and ranch/farm/hiking guns. Light and low recoil depending on what you have them loaded with.
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The Single Sixes in .32 H&R are absolute jewels and high up on my ideal ‘kit gun’ meter. In a pinch they could pull double duty as a CCW if working the hammer cowboy action style….trigger pulled back and held while hammer is cocked and dropped repeatedly.
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Reloading for both the FM and H&R is straightforward and relatively economical. Fair amount of data out there now vs. just a few years back. Brian Pearce articles are a must have on the topic for these calibers. Heaviest .327FM I’ve loaded are 130 grain cast lead. In my experience the heavier bullets are more accurate across the spectrum of powders I’ve experimented with.
Always makes me smile how flat the .327 FM shoots at extended distances of 50-100 yards.
