Jeff Quinn reviews the .327

[Stainz]

Well, my 4" .32M SP101, despite it's being delivered new with a horrid trigger, is definitely a keeper today. Some total dissection, TLC, new lighter Wolff springs, and a longer Hogue rubber grip, made mine a real plinker. Sure it gets the GA Arms 100gr JHP (XTP) .32 H&RMs to a chrono-ed 1,186 fps - decent protection. But... my 115gr LRNFP, actually .32-20 bullets, at 820 fps hit close enough vertically from 10-25yd to be real fun plinkers. Remember, the cheesy adjustable rear sight on an SP101 is adjustable in windage only - and only used on the long gone .22LR, .32 H&RM, and now, the .327 Magnum versions. It really deserves a better rear sight. At 28 oz, it aint my idea of a pocket protector. I'll stick with my five-shot .38 Special (642) and .44 Special (296).

My pusher had a new Ruger .327 Magnum for $429 a few weeks back - bet it's still there. He had no ammo for it! Sadly, I don't predict a huge future for the round. The .32 H&RM variants weren't canned for great sales.

Stainz

 

[DawgFvr]

Give it some time...the rounds will come. As previously noted...make a 642 for this caliber and it really will be the perfect pocket revolver. I suspect that Taurus will figure it out before Ruger and S&W. Not much info about reloading it either...but given time, this could be the perfect self-defense round. Face it...the .38 Special would be history once the .327 mag comes out in small, light J frames.

 

[P. Plainsman]

As previously noted...make a 642 for this caliber and it really will be the perfect pocket revolver. I suspect that Taurus will figure it out before Ruger and S&W.

This strikes me as right. I might buy that Taurus. I like the concept of .327 Mag as a way to get six decently powerful shots in a teeny snubby. I also like the idea of it as a modern .32-20 for small game hunting in mid-sized revolvers with at least 4" barrels. (In single and double action, please. Some of us prefer K-frames to Blackhawks.)

Face it...the .38 Special would be history once the .327 mag comes out in small, light J frames.

Nah. Not even for defense, let alone plinking. People will be plinking with .38 Special ammo on Mars in 2208, once the terraforming kicks in . As for defense, the .38 can push a much more massive slug than a .32 (e.g., 158 grain lead hollowpoint), launch it at modest pressures and still hit fairly hard.

Now, I predict some of these .327 defense loads will also prove effective ... but they'll need a lot of velocity to work, which means they'll be hard on eardrums.

 

[Stainz]

Once upon a time, S&W made the 431 (hammered) & 432 (hammerless) Airweights - in .32 H&RM. The 432 looked like a 442, except for the six smaller holes in the cylinder. So, they've already been there and done that. They were dropped due to poor sales nearly two years ago. Ruger dropped their SSM and SP101 .32 H&RM offerings - due to poor sales. Try to find a Taurus .32M! In fact, the only .32M I have seen in the last year or so at my local pusher's is the 5-shot Charter Arms 'Undercoverrette'... no thank you. If you reload, grab one of the 3" SP101s and have fun. If you don't reload - and want a pocket protector - get a 642 and even loading it with 148gr FWC will afford more protection with similar recoil.

Remember... the .32 H&RM dates back only to 1984 - and was H&R's swan song. Seen an H&R offering lately? They went belly up twenty years ago. I wish Ruger well... but I'd been more impressed if they had re-issued the .22LR SP101 with deeper .22 WMR chambers. That six-shooter also died due to poor sales. Hard to keep a line going for a niche market.

Stainz

 

[Brian Williams]

The 327 would be a great Single shot rifle cartridge for ground hogs or rabbits.

 

[Shawnee]

$1.10 per shot ?

No thank you.

 

[JNewell]

They were dropped due to poor sales nearly two years ago. Ruger dropped their SSM and SP101 .32 H&RM offerings - due to poor sales.

This is all true...which is why, IMHO, someone at Ruger ought to submit their head for examination. Most folks try not to get burned a second time the same way...?

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

From about 1890 to the 1930's a 32 in many flavors was considered a good defensive round from what I have read over the years. It was used by police departments and regular civilians. From what I have read one of the reasons for it's fall from grace was it's lack of penetration in steel bodied automobiles. I am sure there were other factors involved too like gun makers wanting to sell their guns in new calibers like .357 mag contributed also. Does anyone else like OLD FUFF have any comments or observations?

 

[Vicious-Peanut]

I personally feel they are little small for a primary defense gun. They have great performance no doubt, and I think they would be GREAT as a carbine round. Right between a .30 carbine and .357.

 

[shooter429]

It has potential

I am a fan of the little .32s. In fact, one of my favorite guns of all time was a S&W K-frame in .32 H&R with beautiful grips. The recoil of the .32 S&W is so gentle that it could easily replace the .22, but I always thought it needed more power on the top end, and now it has it. It would be perfect in a Model 60 3" J-frame with 6-shots instead of 5. That would be a versatile fun little gun. I do hope the caliber takes off, cuz I am dying to get my hands on 1.

Shooter429

 

[Stainz]

The .32s are fun, but even reloading for my two, shown below, is getting expensive. Good prices for powder, primers, and lead bullets runs ~$140-$150/1,000 - plus the cost of the .32 H&RM brass, if you don't have it. Reloading lead for the .38's is no more expensive, as many more .38 bullets are produced, the market availability/competition offsetting the additional lead mass and propellant cost. Heck, reloading plinker .38s is cheaper!



Yeah, the .32s are fun... but, a cheapo pawn shop Model 10 and some 158gr LSWC/LRN .38 plinkers is a lot more fun - and likelier to hit POA, too!

Stainz

 

[mnw42]

Looking at what this cartridge does I think a proper comparison woukd be to the .30 M1 Carbine and the .30 tok.