Taurus Model 327 Old People Revolver

[Tallball]

I'll be 60 soon and have already had some hand problems. I prefer revolvers, especially when I'm having issues. When the day comes that I can't even shoot a 38 anymore, I'd definitely prefer a 32 instead of a 22. So I bought an old man revolver for my future.

I've owned... I dunno, this is like my 9th or 10th Taurus snubby. All of them have worked fine except for one. When I saw that the 327 magnum version was available recently on GB, I bid on one and won it for a bid of $299... it was around $370 OTD.

It's a standard j-framish 2" revolver with a steel frame. Since it's a 32, it holds six (the math behind that is easy and cool). It has a coil mainspring and a transfer bar safety. The fit of the parts is good and I don't see tool marks. The stainless steel finish is kind of drab, instead of more shiny like some of their older revolvers. The front sight on this one is pinned, which is a nice feature I haven't seen on these before. I like the shape and size of the grip. I can get my XXL hands on it fairly well. The SA trigger is fine. The DA trigger is kind of stiff, but that's normal for a small-framed Taurus. I'll replace the mainspring tomorrow. I don't like that the new style of grips are held in by a pin instead of a screw. I'll have to knock that out tomorrow to change the spring.

I took it shooting with my friend this morning and it shot fine. It went bang every time. We put most of a box of 32 S&W long through it, and most of a box of 327's. (I didn't have any 32 H&R magnum to spare.) It shot pretty much to POA for both of us at 7-10 yards standing. Maybe a hair to the right. The 32 S&W long didn't feel like anything. Might as well have been 22's according to the recoil. The 327's were spicier and more fun. A bit spicier than 38 special. When I'm older and more feeble, I'll have to stick with 32 S&W long.

I am confused that the NiB revolver came with a turn ring and some soot on the front of the cylinder. The rest of the revolver was clean. Did Taurus use the cylinder for testing or something? That's annoying and weird.

Here's the pic. It's nothing fancy, but if you want a 32 snubby, there doesn't seem to be anything fundamentally wrong with it.

Taurus Model 327.jpg

• Tallball
• Nov 18, 2023

 

[Pat Riot]

Maybe there was something else in the box that was new?
Sorry…

Congrats on your new Old Guy Gun.
I am 62 and have had ‘old guy guns’ for quite some time.
Kidding aside, I do understand your thinking. I have arthritis in my wrists coupled by a few injuries over the years. It takes a toll.

I never really considered going to a .32 caliber gun.
I definitely like the prices on the Taurus revolvers.

Thank you for the tip.

 

[Walkalong]

.32s are part of my old hands plan. 66 here.

Taurus .32 Mag.

 

[Riomouse911]

That’s a good pickup based on your wants/needs, With the versatility of the .32 rounds you can fire through a .327 FM, in lean times .327 owners can use other cartridges they may have like you did.

Your rationale was pretty much the thinking I had when I bought my SP-101 4.2” in .327. (I already had a Single Six .32 H&R and a bucketful of rounds loaded for it.) When I get to the point that a .38 Special is too much for me to handle, the .32 S&W Long will still be one I can use. (It’s not as ccw portable as your new Taurus, though. )



I am happy to read that it shot well for you guys when you took it out. That makes things so much better when you have confidence in your gun and how you shoot it.

As for the turn line and cylinder face carbon rings, it could be from the initial QC testing/shooting at the factory. If not, a distributor may have shot it or even a gun store employee when it came in. (I hope those last two aren’t it.) If there was a down the line employee who did shoot the gun just to “check it out”, IMHO it should then be sold to you as used.

Stay safe.

 

[ontarget]

I've been thinking about a decent D/A 32 mag for quite some time.
I have a Single Six in 32 mag that I'm hand loading for already so it was a natural progression for me.
I found a minty Taurus 741 with a 3 inch barrel on GB and went for it. I probably paid too much, but dang, it was THE only one listed at all. It should be here next week. Can't wait for my own OG gun.

 

[GRIZ22]

That's my daily carry. With 32 long or 32 H&R mag. 327 is too penetrating for the environment I carry.

 

[TTv2]

The .32 isn't an old people revolver, it's an every person revolver because everyone can benefit from the extra round and a recoil tailored to their satisfaction. In a small frame snub, I don't think .357 is better than .327 for self defense, it's just more liked because of ammo availability.

I'm not a fan of Ruger's .32 revolvers, they leave a lot to be desired and people have been giving them a pass on the increasing prices. The Taurus .327 is better than both the LCR and SP101 in fit and function at half the price. Would I like an easier to replace front sight? Sure, but I can live without it.

 

[cfullgraf]

I'm pushing 70 years old and prefer grips that I can hold without the gun moving in them That is generally Pachmayr for me.

Also, I reload less powerful ammunition for general shooting while I can still handle full power loads.

Anyway, I load 38 Special loads in my 38 Special revolvers and hot 32 H&R Mag loads in my 32 Fed mag and 32 H&R Mag revolvers. I stil load fukl power loads in my 9x19 and 45 ACP 1911 guns.

But, my 460 S&W Mag gets alot of "shelf time" these days.,

 

[Tallball]

TY for the kind comments. IMHO, the 32 revolvers are a good choice for people with hand/wrist problems and/or people who aren't "gun people" and aren't really going to practice.

I'd have NP carrying this one after another 50-100 rounds of mixed ammo, but I have two 38's that are hammerless and weigh a lot less (642 and LCR). If/when I get to the point of carrying this one, I'll grind the hammer spur off.

All of the stuff for S&W j-frames fit the Taurus versions, so there are tons of holsters that work for it.

There was no big need to buy this one "right away", but I didn't think I'd be likely to get another stainless one that cheap. It will have a lighter spring and be well broken in by the time it gets to the top of my list.

I've owned others in the past, but right now I also have Taurus j-frame snubs in 38, 9mm, and 357. My Smiths are nicer, but the Taurii go bang just fine and put a hole pretty close to where I'm pointing.

 

[Mark 40]

Tallball, great subject and I'm there with you. I've had 32 revolvers before and went back to heavier 38 revolver w/ wadcutters since ammo was more readily available. Ended up selling off the 38 and have been using a 22LR LCR since, but have been contemplating another 32.

My first instinct is save up for an LCR in 327 to shoot 32S&WL. But your experience and TTv2 comments have me contemplating a Taurus 327, something I can afford now. Have had no luck with Charter over the years so that is ruled out. However my past Taurus revolver experience has always been positive. Something to think about.

 

[Old Hobo]

Buffalo Bore loads full wadcutters in .32 Long. They recoil more than a .32 long, but certainly not ferociously so. I've fired them in a S&W Hand Ejector with good results and no damage to the 100+ year old revolver. These blast right through a 2" x 4" leaving a ragged hole on exit. The revolver I was using had a 3" barrel.

When restricted to subsonic ammo, very subsonic ammo, no bullet is going to expand as well as one would like. So, choose a bullet that will cut through tissue, not push it aside. Wadcutter bullets cause much more bleeding than other configurations when in the realm of lower velocities. Cutting to the chase (excuse the pun), a critter -- four legged or two legged -- can bleed-out internally ... and surprisingly quickly so if major blood vessels are cut. Personally, I'd be terrified of the prospect of being shot with a full wadcutter.
.

 

[lee n. field]

I'll be 60 soon and have already had some hand problems. I prefer revolvers, especially when I'm having issues. When the day comes that I can't even shoot a 38 anymore, I'd definitely prefer a 32 instead of a 22. So I bought an old man revolver for my future.

People age differently. I'm 68, and I'm still fine with .38s. I dunno, you can load .38 Special pretty light, if you need to.

With an eye to extra capacity, earlier this year I got myself a Taurus 856 snub when a used one showed up at a local store. Gets me 6 shots, which matches the other advantage of the .32.

With an eye to the future, I got myself a CT Lasergrip a few years ago. Got them now for 3 of my snubs.

I've owned... I dunno, this is like my 9th or 10th Taurus snubby. All of them have worked fine except for one. When I saw that the 327 magnum version was available recently on GB, I bid on one and won it for a bid of $299... it was around $370 OTD.

It's a standard j-framish 2" revolver with a steel frame. Since it's a 32, it holds six (the math behind that is easy and cool). It has a coil mainspring and a transfer bar safety. The fit of the parts is good and I don't see tool marks. The stainless steel finish is kind of drab, instead of more shiny like some of their older revolvers. The front sight on this one is pinned, which is a nice feature I haven't seen on these before. I like the shape and size of the grip. I can get my XXL hands on it fairly well. The SA trigger is fine. The DA trigger is kind of stiff, but that's normal for a small-framed Taurus. I'll replace the mainspring tomorrow. I don't like that the new style of grips are held in by a pin instead of a screw. I'll have to knock that out tomorrow to change the spring.

I took it shooting with my friend this morning and it shot fine. It went bang every time. We put most of a box of 32 S&W long through it, and most of a box of 327's. (I didn't have any 32 H&R magnum to spare.) It shot pretty much to POA for both of us at 7-10 yards standing. Maybe a hair to the right. The 32 S&W long didn't feel like anything. Might as well have been 22's according to the recoil. The 327's were spicier and more fun. A bit spicier than 38 special. When I'm older and more feeble, I'll have to stick with 32 S&W long.

I am confused that the NiB revolver came with a turn ring and some soot on the front of the cylinder. The rest of the revolver was clean. Did Taurus use the cylinder for testing or something? That's annoying and weird.

Here's the pic. It's nothing fancy, but if you want a 32 snubby, there doesn't seem to be anything fundamentally wrong with it.

Nice attitude. "it's good enough."

 

[Barmcd]

I'm 68 and still shoot 357 and 44 magnums regularly. I don't shoot them as often as I did when I was younger, but both come out every month or so. I shoot 45 ACP and 9mm autos weekly and carry a 9mm XD-S. I never thought about downsizing in anticipation of needing a smaller gun. Since I carry an auto-loader I guess I figured I'd go to a 380 when the time came. I don't see a lot of .32 ammo at the gun stores, is that an issue to consider?

 

[TTv2]

I'm 68 and still shoot 357 and 44 magnums regularly. I don't shoot them as often as I did when I was younger, but both come out every month or so. I shoot 45 ACP and 9mm autos weekly and carry a 9mm XD-S. I never thought about downsizing in anticipation of needing a smaller gun. Since I carry an auto-loader I guess I figured I'd go to a 380 when the time came. I don't see a lot of .32 ammo at the gun stores, is that an issue to consider?

The gun stores engage in some extreme price gouging with .32 ammo, some don't even bother to stock it. Buy it online.

 

[fxvr5]

Tallball, do you have calipers that you could measure the cylinder width and the cylinder window height in the frame? I'm curious if it's built on their 5-shot small frame or their 6-shot small frame. For example, my 605 (5-shot 357 Magnum) has a cylinder width of 1.362 inches and a window height of 1.400 inches. My 856 (6-shot 38 Special) has a cylinder width of 1.412 inches and a window height of 1.450 inches. Thanks.

 

[fxvr5]

I am confused that the NiB revolver came with a turn ring and some soot on the front of the cylinder. The rest of the revolver was clean. Did Taurus use the cylinder for testing or something? That's annoying and weird.

New guns are often test-fired with proof ammo to make sure they are safe to use.

 

[Tallball]

Tallball, do you have calipers that you could measure the cylinder width and the cylinder window height in the frame? I'm curious if it's built on their 5-shot small frame or their 6-shot small frame. For example, my 605 (5-shot 357 Magnum) has a cylinder width of 1.362 inches and a window height of 1.400 inches. My 856 (6-shot 38 Special) has a cylinder width of 1.412 inches and a window height of 1.450 inches. Thanks.

I don't have calipers. Sorry about that.

The turn ring and soot on the cylinder were way more than you'd get from firing just a cylinder or two (you can see the turn ring in the picture). The rest of it was clean. Never seen a NiB handgun like that. And it was obviously NiB. One of life's mysteries I'll never know the answer to.

 

[Tallball]

@lee n. field "People age differently. I'm 68, and I'm still fine with .38s. I dunno, you can load .38 Special pretty light, if you need to."

I hope my hands will be fine 'til the end. If I never need to switch to 32 and ended up buying this one for a range toy, so much the better.

 

[Oninotaki]

Tallball, do you have calipers that you could measure the cylinder width and the cylinder window height in the frame? I'm curious if it's built on their 5-shot small frame or their 6-shot small frame. For example, my 605 (5-shot 357 Magnum) has a cylinder width of 1.362 inches and a window height of 1.400 inches. My 856 (6-shot 38 Special) has a cylinder width of 1.412 inches and a window height of 1.450 inches. Thanks.

The cylinder width for my Taurus 327 is 1.376" and the Best I can tell the cylinder window is 1.449" tall by 1.690 wide.

 

[fxvr5]

The cylinder width for my Taurus 327 is 1.376" and the Best I can tell the cylinder window is 1.449" tall by 1.690 wide.

Thank you!

 

[contender]

switched the the 32 h&R loading a few years back. Went with the LCR which comes in around 17 oz. It's at the upper limit in weight for pocket carry for me. The trigger along with the poa/poi is excellent. With 32 Longs its very mild.

i would consider the taurus 32 if she came in 3" for belt carry.

don't think i will ever shoot another 327 magnum round and stay with the milder loads. I can find 32 Longs in my area off the shelf much easier than the 327 or H&R loads.

 

[TTv2]

switched the the 32 h&R loading a few years back. Went with the LCR which comes in around 17 oz. It's at the upper limit in weight for pocket carry for me. The trigger along with the poa/poi is excellent. With 32 Longs its very mild.

i would consider the taurus 32 if she came in 3" for belt carry.

don't think i will ever shoot another 327 magnum round and stay with the milder loads. I can find 32 Longs in my area off the shelf much easier than the 327 or H&R loads.

The .327 really starts to reach another level with 115gr loads, the blast isn't as bad, and recoil is still manageable. Unfortunately, Speer stopped making the 115gr GD for .327 years ago and seems to have no interest in making it again (along with quite a few other .30 and .32 caliber related things.)

The .32 Long is clearly a more popular caliber due to millions and millions of revolvers chambered for it the past 125 years. Naturally that means due to demand the supply is greater and the cost is lowered on that higher production output.

.32 Long is a great practice caliber for the more powerful .32 Mag and .327. Shoot the Longs, carry the Magnums.

 

[dranrab]

I bought one in black finish when they first became available. It now joins my Ruger SP101 and Henry as my 327 guns. Full power 327 out of a small revolver is too much for my liking. It's a complete cupcake in the rifle. I intend to test it out on a deer. I have full confidence that I'll get all of the penetration and expansion that I need. The nice thing about hand loading is that I can really tame it down or really turn it up.

 

[Oninotaki]

I bought one in black finish when they first became available. It now joins my Ruger SP101 and Henry as my 327 guns. Full power 327 out of a small revolver is too much for my liking. It's a complete cupcake in the rifle. I intend to test it out on a deer. I have full confidence that I'll get all of the penetration and expansion that I need. The nice thing about hand loading is that I can really tame it down or really turn it up.

Finding one of those Henry's in .327 is the dream. I am very curious how quiet it would be suppressed. It's a shame that they haven't included that chambering with their side gate upgrades they did a year or so back to all the other pistol caliber loadings they offer.

 

[dranrab]

Finding one of those Henry's in .327 is the dream. I am very curious how quiet it would be suppressed. It's a shame that they haven't included that chambering with their side gate upgrades they did a year or so back to all the other pistol caliber loadings they offer.

I'd love to see them do a run of Single Shots in 327. No way to escape the sonic crack suppressed if you are shooting the full power stuff.