Your 327 experience Please

[TTv2]

This thread is dangerous. I was all set to get a rifle next but the more I read about the .327 the more I want a wheelgun next.

Get the rifle, I have the Henry, it's awesome. I haven't decided on a scope yet, but I get the feeling this is a 1-2 inch gun at 100 yards. I wouldn't look at shooting a .327 out of a rifle any further than 200 yards, so with the right loads and a good scope, it should be able to take a deer at 200 yards and small game out to 150.

The more I look at the wheelgun offerings, the more I see that the only .327 that Ruger offers that really stands out as a good buy is the LCR and the Single Seven.

I want the SP101, I may be buying one in the next few weeks, but that trigger... I never hear good things about SP101 triggers.

 

[gotboostvr]

I'm pretty sure all my handguning needs would be well covered with a 3-4" 327 and a 5" S&W 629 and a pile of various handloads.

But where's the fun in that?

 

[SteadyD]

Get the rifle, I have the Henry, it's awesome. I haven't decided on a scope yet, but I get the feeling this is a 1-2 inch gun at 100 yards. I wouldn't look at shooting a .327 out of a rifle any further than 200 yards, so with the right loads and a good scope, it should be able to take a deer at 200 yards and small game out to 150.

The more I look at the wheelgun offerings, the more I see that the only .327 that Ruger offers that really stands out as a good buy is the LCR and the Single Seven.

I want the SP101, I may be buying one in the next few weeks, but that trigger... I never hear good things about SP101 triggers.

See if you can find a SP101 in a shop and test the trigger for yourself. I personally don’t find it to be objectionable, though it is clearly inferior to the LCR. In single action you might find it more than adequate for your needs.

 

[lincen]

I’m almost embarrassed to number the various 327, 32 H&R, 32 SW, and even 32 acp handguns that I currently have. A big part of having guns, for me, is simply the enjoyment of owning and shooting unique handguns. I feel no obligation to justify the purchase of any gun or caliber. Other calibers are well represented too; 9mm, 45acp, 38/357, 9x18, and others.

But the one thing that must be said is the 327 and 32 H&R will force me to start reloading. Always wanted to do that anyway !

 

[somethingbenign]

I’m almost embarrassed to number the various 327, 32 H&R, 32 SW, and even 32 acp handguns that I currently have. A big part of having guns, for me, is simply the enjoyment of owning and shooting unique handguns. I feel no obligation to justify the purchase of any gun or caliber. Other calibers are well represented too; 9mm, 45acp, 38/357, 9x18, and others.

But the one thing that must be said is the 327 and 32 H&R will force me to start reloading. Always wanted to do that anyway !

We are kindred spirits in this. I have my guns that are for utility and the collection, sometimes they overlap. Part of the allure of 327 is reloading, hard to justify the cost to start up when 9mm is so cheap.

This is the first I've heard of the SP and LCR having drastically different triggers. I've pulled both but never side by side. Was thinking a 3"+ barrel would take advantage of the cartridge more especially since I most likely won't be carrying it unless when in the woods.

 

[Jeb Stuart]

8 oz difference in weight, two completely different triggers. I thought about the SP101 in 9mm. As I said, thought, No way do I want to actually go way from such a sweet, IMO perfect trigger for a revolver. At least for one that Is a EDC. Don't feel like I need the extra round. Decided to put the money in more ammo for training. And I bought a LCR22 for a lot of training. Maybe, I might buy a 327. later for carry, and use the other two for training. But the time, I shot the 327, I did not care for it. Will try it out again sometime perhaps.

All that said, Never say Never. I see the SP101 in 9mm is selling at $491.00. and it is tempting.

Here is a good review of the SP101 in 9mm. While not the 327. you ask the same questions I am asking about getting one. And it has some nice close up pics in the video. Does look pretty. Described as a "Tuxedo gun".

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwNxmUY3whM

 

[lincen]

Owning four of the 327 SP101 revolvers and one LCR in 327, I can agree about the trigger being better in double action on the LCR. Having other DAO handguns as well, the Ruger LCR is one smooth trigger pull.

 

[Water-Man]

Bought my SP101 .327 3" from Sportsmans Supply for $472.00.

 

[Armybrat]

That was a great deal!
Paid $508 for mine from Grabagun (where it’s now priced at $488 - story of my life ).

 

[somethingbenign]

After shipping and transfers it is under $10 difference between what my local range will sell for, I'll just buy from them. Guess I need to find a place that has both the SP and LCR that will let me dry fire both. With Cabela's new policy regarding trigger guards that may be a bit more difficult.

 

[FROGO207]

I had a couple Ruger Blackhawks in 30 carbine that I decided to convert to 327 FED.I mostly shoot 32 H&R MAG LSWC reloads out of it. They are more accurate than I can shoot for sure. Seemed that I would have to trim the 30 carbine brass every time or it would not chamber and that got old in a hurry. Lots easier with a rimmed revolver brass than anything else. Plus I can always convert them back to the original caliber whenever I want.

 

[Rock Man]

After shipping and transfers it is under $10 difference between what my local range will sell for, I'll just buy from them. Guess I need to find a place that has both the SP and LCR that will let me dry fire both. With Cabela's new policy regarding trigger guards that may be a bit more difficult.

It might help if you have (and take) any snap caps or at least a fired casing.

 

[Rock Man]

Plus I can always convert them back to the original caliber whenever I want.

How do you do that?

 

[Rock Man]

Owning four of the 327 SP101 revolvers and one LCR in 327....

You, too? I guess I should run down the .327 in hopes of convincing more people "It sucks, won't work, don't buy, sell it cheap if you did....etc."

I bought a 3" SP101 for $400 (with after market Pach grips) and a partial box of ammo. The guy who had it inherited it from a son who went to prison (for drugs). He told me he had been laughed out of it by all the ".357 does it all!" KIA's at his shooting club and lowballed him with $200 - $250 offers "because nobody really wants them".

I truthfully told him how great I think it is and told him about my exerience shooting hogs, coyote and deer. He told me he really appreciated my honesty, reached in the back seat and handed me a box of 'extras'.
Inside:
- 2 sets of reloading dies still in packaging,
- 2 nice leather holsters, one for open belt carry, the other concealed IWB
- 3 boxes of American Eagle 100g JSP, 50 rds ea
- 1 box of Critical Defense
- 2 boxes of Buffo Bore .32 H&R semi wad cutters
- 300 new Starline brass in .32 H&R
- 100 nickle plated brass in .32 H&R
- 3 Speed Loaders
- several rubber speed strips.
He refused any money for the extras.

True story.

 

[FROGO207]

To convert my revolvers back to 30 carbine I just put back the barrel and cylinder I had removed to initially convert them. Just need a barrel vise and action/frame wrench to get the barrel off and on.

 

[Rock Man]

To convert my revolvers back to 30 carbine I just put back the barrel and cylinder I had removed to initially convert them. Just need a barrel vise and action/frame wrench to get the barrel off and on.

What about converting a single six in .32 H&R to .327? I'd think only the cylinder would need modification by lengthening the chambers-?

Although, upon checking my .32 Ruger just now, I don't know if there's enough cylinder to do that.

 

[FROGO207]

Probably cylinder is too short as well as the frame would not handle the pressure of the 327. It was designed for use with a .22 MAG round max I believe and they stretched it to use 32 H&R MAG. The next size frame up will handle 357 and 30 carbine with no problems however.
ETA: I have a Ruger 32 H&R MAG cylinder and it is about half the diameter size of the cylinder for the 30 carbine and only about the length of a 327 round so no throat to shoot it in along with the thin walls of the chamber of the smaller cylinder. Just sayin.

 

[Oldman11]

I bought a charter arms to try the.327 mag. Nope too loud for me and I have owned two .30 carbine blackhawks. The .327 is not as loud as the .30 carbine but it’s a close second. I admit it would make a great rifle round but not in a revolver. Sold the charterarms and a half box of shells together.

 

[TTv2]

You, too? I guess I should run down the .327 in hopes of convincing more people "It sucks, won't work, don't buy, sell it cheap if you did....etc."

I bought a 3" SP101 for $400 (with after market Pach grips) and a partial box of ammo. The guy who had it inherited it from a son who went to prison (for drugs). He told me he had been laughed out of it by all the ".357 does it all!" KIA's at his shooting club and lowballed him with $200 - $250 offers "because nobody really wants them".

I truthfully told him how great I think it is and told him about my exerience shooting hogs, coyote and deer. He told me he really appreciated my honesty, reached in the back seat and handed me a box of 'extras'.
Inside:
- 2 sets of reloading dies still in packaging,
- 2 nice leather holsters, one for open belt carry, the other concealed IWB
- 3 boxes of American Eagle 100g JSP, 50 rds ea
- 1 box of Critical Defense
- 2 boxes of Buffo Bore .32 H&R semi wad cutters
- 300 new Starline brass in .32 H&R
- 100 nickle plated brass in .32 H&R
- 3 Speed Loaders
- several rubber speed strips.
He refused any money for the extras.

True story.

That's what every "expert" seems to say about .327 or .32 revolvers in general. I guess when the word Magnum is used, they immediately jump straight to thinking it's supposed to compete with .357 in all aspects. It's not solely .357 that .327 is competing with, it's .38 Special.

While I think .357 is a better choice in GP100 size revolvers and larger, the .327 has its place in snubbies and rifles. Until I see evidence that a .357 rifle is more accurate and has greater range over a flatter shooting, faster moving .327, I'll change my mind. In a revolver, until I see a mouse fart .38 with the same recoil as a .32 S&W Long and be as accurate and effective in stopping a threat, I'll change my mind.

IMO, the .327 doesn't replace .357, but it just about puts .38 snubs to rest.

 

[TTv2]

I bought a charter arms to try the.327 mag. Nope too loud for me and I have owned two .30 carbine blackhawks. The .327 is not as loud as the .30 carbine but it’s a close second. I admit it would make a great rifle round but not in a revolver. Sold the charterarms and a half box of shells together.

The .30 Carbine revolver is the worst idea ever, I don't get the love affair some have with it over .327. .32 revolvers have much better bullet selection (mostly thanks to .32-20) and are available in DA and SA revolvers because of the rim.

 

[onegunred]

Probably cylinder is too short as well as the frame would not handle the pressure of the 327. It was designed for use with a .22 MAG round max I believe and they stretched it to use 32 H&R MAG. The next size frame up will handle 357 and 30 carbine with no problems however.
ETA: I have a Ruger 32 H&R MAG cylinder and it is about half the diameter size of the cylinder for the 30 carbine and only about the length of a 327 round so no throat to shoot it in along with the thin walls of the chamber of the smaller cylinder. Just sayin.

Hey Frogo, when you have some spare time check out the Ruger Single Seven.

 

[roo_ster]

That's what every "expert" seems to say about .327 or .32 revolvers in general. I guess when the word Magnum is used, they immediately jump straight to thinking it's supposed to compete with .357 in all aspects. It's not solely .357 that .327 is competing with, it's .38 Special.

While I think .357 is a better choice in GP100 size revolvers and larger, the .327 has its place in snubbies and rifles. Until I see evidence that a .357 rifle is more accurate and has greater range over a flatter shooting, faster moving .327, I'll change my mind. In a revolver, until I see a mouse fart .38 with the same recoil as a .32 S&W Long and be as accurate and effective in stopping a threat, I'll change my mind.

IMO, the .327 doesn't replace .357, but it just about puts .38 snubs to rest.

I differ. The .327FM is nifty in its own way and I am happy to see it available. Different strokes & all.

However, the .327FM and other cartridges in the .32 revolver family (short, long, H&R)--while having a large useful range of application--do not rival .38 Special utility in any way with the exception of the lowest-possible recoiling cartridge. That being the commercial(1) 32Long 100gr target wadcutter vs commercial .38Spl 148gr target wadcutters.

MILD
.32Long 100gr wadcutter Vel@muzzle 730fps ; (Fiocchi)
.38spl 148gr wadcutter Vel@muzzle 730fps ; (Fiocchi)

Both will cut a caliber-diameter crush cavity. The usual metrics (KV, P, TKO, volume crush cavity in gel) favor 38spl. I have shot many .38spl tgt wadcutters out of snubbies and they are mild enough for even the meekest/weakest of women I have taught to shoot. I do imagine that a similar revolver (size/mass) in .327FM but loaded with .32Long wadcutters would be even less drama. Maybe the Ruger LCR in .32FM is the ticket, here. I do not like the L-O-N-G LCR trigger pull & reset, but it is lighter than the S&W J-frames can usually manage.

WILD
.32FM 100ge FMJ Vel@muzzle 1500fps ; KE@muzzle 500ftlb, KE@100yds 310ftlb ; P@muzzle 21.4lbft/s, P@100yds 16.9lbft/s ; TKO@muzzle 6, TKO@100yds 5 (Federal(2))
.38spl+P 158gr LSWC Vel@muzzle 1250fps ; KE@muzzle 539ftlb, KE@100yds 396ftlb ; P@muzzle 2802lbft/s, P@100yds 24.0 lbft/s ; TKO@muzzle 10, TKO@100yds 8 (BB, Underwood)

No contest, at muzzle or 100 yards for KE, P, or TKO.. And the hot .327FM sheds velocity faster than the hot .38spl.

The Outdoorsman load is very sporty coming from a .38spl snubbie. Not as sporty as the old Winchester 180gr JHP @ 1000fps MV I used to use and a bit more than my current 158gr LSWCHP @ 1000fps.

Carbine/rifle length barrels will increase MV and other metrics in a similar manner for both cartridges' hotter loads. Bullet drop at 100 yards favors .327FM, but loses that advantage a bit further on. Mass and retained KE & P matter more WRT trajectory the further out you go.

.357Magnum
No need to really even defend this one in carbine or revolver. More & better of everything relative to .327FM. It is not even close at the top end. They can start faster, with more mass than .327FM. And the longer .357 bullets can manage better Cd. The .327FM just is not "flatter shooting, faster moving" than .357Mag from a carbine, when comparing top performing loads.


ADDENDUM
Just got finished looking through Buffalo Bore's offerings for hot .327FM. They are better than Federal's, but still do not match .38spl+P top end performance, let alone .357mag. I thought I would see better support for the cartridge from _Federal_, of all manufacturers. Develop a cartridge and sell guns that shoot it, but leave the customer with a mere _three_ commercial loads? .327FM shooters deserve better.

===================


(1) Both can be hand loaded with lighter wadcutters, but I don't recall them being commercially available. And I have not seen .32Short available commercially. I looked pretty hard when my FIL wanted something with less noise & blast than .327FM.

(2) Federal's hottest load. Federal's only self defense load is 85 grains at 1400fps with poorer metrics.

 

[Saleen322]

That's what every "expert" seems to say about .327 or .32 revolvers in general. I guess when the word Magnum is used, they immediately jump straight to thinking it's supposed to compete with .357 in all aspects. It's not solely .357 that .327 is competing with, it's .38 Special.....

I have many 357s, one 38 and several 327s. When you read ballistics on the internet you quickly see where the yard stick is not consistent in all of the tests. That is not saying that numbers were not correct but it does make me believe the test conditions are not all the same; barrel length, load pressure, etc. I have been loading and shooting 357s (and 38s) for over 41 years so I have a decent handle on what they do but the 327 is a much newer package. We took a 327 GP100, 4.2" barrel, and a Henry carbine with 20" barrel and shot them over a chronograph. The numbers are in the chart below. YMMV

 

[roo_ster]

I have many 357s, one 38 and several 327s. When you read ballistics on the internet you quickly see where the yard stick is not consistent in all of the tests. That is not saying that numbers were not correct but it does make me believe the test conditions are not all the same; barrel length, load pressure, etc. I have been loading and shooting 357s (and 38s) for over 41 years so I have a decent handle on what they do but the 327 is a much newer package. We took a 327 GP100, 4.2" barrel, and a Henry carbine with 20" barrel and shot them over a chronograph. The numbers are in the chart below. YMMV

View attachment 802406

I love me some good data.

Questions:
1. Are those hand loads or commercial loads?
2. How many shots per load to derive metrics?
3. Any plans to test them out of a snub-nosed revolver with a ~2" bbl?
4. If handloads, "book" loads or did you develop them yourself?

Observations:
1. Most revolver cartridges do like longer bbls.
2. Hand loads can really wring out revolver cartridge performance in a long bbl with powder choice.

Nice work.

 

[Saleen322]

1. The 100 grain is Federal Factory the balance are hand loads
2. On the low end maybe 25. With the loads that shot accurately over 100 each in various weather conditions for the handgun, fewer for the rifle. The velocities are averages over large samples. We have our own range and track velocities on a regular basis to maximize performance for future repeatability.
3. No interest in short barrel revolvers so we don't own any.
4. Both. With heavier bullets you need to search things like magazine articles where they loaded those rounds, start low and work up. We now load mostly with the NOE 120 and an Accurate 132. Best two bullets we found and both loads have SD in the 8 FPS range and are very accurate.