Thoughts on .327 magnum

I know a gentleman who loves to take .32 S&W Revolvers and ream them out to 32 Mag. He has been shooting guns and smithing all his life and is sold on the 32 Mag. The 327 would just be a little better, but in a light gun a little harder to handle. I wouldn't feel naked with either the 32 Mag or the 327 mag. I've been threatening to buy a Ruger SP101 in 327 mag, but I am not a real fan of the SP101. It would be for the caliber. Never shot a SP101 that had a nice action.
 
I've wanted one ever since they came out... not enough to buy one at a premium but waiting for one to come available at a good price.

Seems that ammo is a bit scarce for them though.
 
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.327 Federal is an awesome cartridge, as is .32 Magnum. Both are viable defense cartridges under certain circumstances (to include considerations for the recoil sensitive). Both are great field/woods bummin' cartridges, too.

I've got a Ruger Single Six .32 Magnum and a Single Seven .327 Federal. Have had the .327 a couple years and it is still new in the box. Bought it right before we moved and have had precious little range time since then.
 
Etruett said:
I know a gentleman who loves to take .32 S&W Revolvers and ream them out to 32 Mag. He has been shooting guns and smithing all his life and is sold on the 32 Mag. The 327 would just be a little better, but in a light gun a little harder to handle. I wouldn't feel naked with either the 32 Mag or the 327 mag. I've been threatening to buy a Ruger SP101 in 327 mag, but I am not a real fan of the SP101. It would be for the caliber. Never shot a SP101 that had a nice action.
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I have 32s and a reamer... do it all by hand, as it's only 1/10" longer'n 32 H&R Magnum. Works well with a Single Six, but the cylinder is barely long enough, gotta seat the bullets a wee bit deep. I like 32 caliber partly because of 327. Revolvers can choot 32 acp, 32 S&W, 32 S&W long, 32 H&R mag and 327. Load 'em all up in one cylinder and start with the acp, folks will turn their haids and ask, "What is that?" I also reamed a Marlin 1894CB 32 to 327. That's a fine rifle!

I like 32 for self defense. I've had two SP101s, but sold 'em both for the same reason... just too chunky compared to Smith Models 30, 31 & 432 (none reamed), and birdshaid Single Sixes (all reamed). But the SP101 is a fantastic revolver, especially in 327.
 
MacEntyre said:
I have 32s and a reamer... do it all by hand, as it's only 1/10" longer'n 32 H&R Magnum. Works well with a Single Six, but the cylinder is barely long enough, gotta seat the bullets a wee bit deep. I like 32 caliber partly because of 327. Revolvers can choot 32 acp, 32 S&W, 32 S&W long, 32 H&R mag and 327. Load 'em all up in one cylinder and start with the acp, folks will turn their haids and ask, "What is that?" I also reamed a Marlin 1894CB 32 to 327. That's a fine rifle!

I like 32 for self defense. I've had two SP101s, but sold 'em both for the same reason... just too chunky compared to Smith Models 30, 31 & 432 (none reamed), and birdshaid Single Sixes (all reamed). But the SP101 is a fantastic revolver, especially in 327.
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Curious how the 327 does in a rifle length barrel? Use a slower powder?
 
Slacker said:
Curious how the 327 does in a rifle length barrel? Use a slower powder?
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not necessarily... but that would work well. It does well with a variety of powders. Best use of 327 is the heaviest bullet you can find, 120 grains or if possible a wee bit heavier.
 
Slacker said:
Curious how the 327 does in a rifle length barrel? Use a slower powder?
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BBTI has good data on it. American Eagle looks pretty hot, pretty much the equivalent of a rimmed .30 Carbine.

My wife has a 4.2" SP1o1 for training and a LCR for carry in .327 (@cubrock ) but hasn't shot either of them yet due to elder-care not leaving her much free time, followed by the stay-at-home mess. Her grip strength isn't great, so this caliber made a lot of sense. We can start with little poppers and work our way up until we reach a recoil-tolerance maximum. I'm going to start her out with Fiocci 100-grain wadcutters, which should be pretty tame.

I should also probably get (ahem) "her" (ahem) a Henry carbine in .327 , just to round out the set, because I'm thoughty like that.:)
 
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Crazy Carl said:
they've gotten $$$
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Speakin of that!! I bought a S&W 631 a while back. Ya wanna get ya feelins hurt try that on for Price. I got mine because I always considered it the perfect "walk about" gun. Mike loaded me about 500 .32 Magnums that consisted of a 100 grain full wadcutter at 1,000 FPS outa the little gun. I've thought about reaming it to .327 Mag...but what for?? The load I have is what I would end up with using anyway.
Ifn I was startin from Scratch, I'd opt for the LCR in a 3 inch. Great trigger!!
 
cubrock said:
a Single Seven .327 Federal
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Das a goot wan!!!! I talked with a fella in California about a half hour one day trying to get him to commit on making me a gun that he had already Done!! he wouldn't commit on a price or even doing another one. NOW ya talk about a Daisy, this old boy made a 5 shot .327 magnum out of a stainless Bearcat Oh Happy Days!!!!
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
Das a goot wan!!!! I talked with a fella in California about a half hour one day trying to get him to commit on making me a gun that he had already Done!! he wouldn't commit on a price or even doing another one. NOW ya talk about a Daisy, this old boy made a 5 shot .327 magnum out of a stainless Bearcat Oh Happy Days!!!!
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Wasn’t Jack Huntington, was it?

There are a few smiths who have made .327 Bearcats. Alan Harton and Dave Clements come to mind. I’m sure others have as well. I had a chance to buy one last year, but couldn’t justify spending the dough. It is not a cheap conversion, but @BatteryOaksBilly has a saying about cheap and things worth doing or having.
 
Stobie said:
BBTI has good data on it. American Eagle looks pretty hot, pretty much the equivalent of a rimmed .30 Carbine.

My wife has a 4.2" SP1o1 for training and a LCR for carry in .327 (@cubrock ) but hasn't shot either of them yet due to elder-care not leaving her much free time, followed by the stay-at-home mess. Her grip strength isn't great, so this caliber made a lot of sense. We can start with little poppers and work our way up until we reach a recoil-tolerance maximum. I'm going to start her out with Fiocci 100-grain wadcutters, which should be pretty tame.

I should also probably get (ahem) "her" (ahem) a Henry carbine in .327 , just to round out the set, because I'm thoughty like that.:)
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.327 as a defensive round shines in those platforms, especially for those who are recoil sensitive. Hard to imagine a better woods bummin’ gun than a .327 SP101 with adjustable sights. It would have equals, but few, if any, betters.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
@cubrock , what's the going price of such an object??????
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The one I didn't buy was close to $3k. Full bore custom and worth every penny. Alan Harton isn't doing Rugers anymore. I don't think Dave Clements is doing .327 Bearcats anymore, either, but when both did, they were $3K+ to have one done. They change hands on the secondary market occasionally, but you have to be quick when they come up for sale.

Historically, Jack Huntington has charged a bit less than some of the other top tier custom smiths. If you can get him to do one, I don't know what he would charge.
 
cubrock said:
The one I didn't buy was close to $3k. Full bore custom and worth every penny. Alan Harton isn't doing Rugers anymore. I don't think Dave Clements is doing .327 Bearcats anymore, either, but when both did, they were $3K+ to have one done. They change hands on the secondary market occasionally, but you have to be quick when they come up for sale.

Historically, Jack Huntington has charged a bit less than some of the other top tier custom smiths. If you can get him to do one, I don't know what he would charge.
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Thanks for that info Pard...Ima Hard Pass at that number. I realize what all is involved but that is a tad much for that particular item. However when the light of Rarity shines on them they Have to look good. Can'y be many. The man I talked to was in Cali. The last I was in contact with Clements he was doing No work on newer Rugers At All.
 
Ikarus1 said:
There's no downside to a 3" Ruger SP101 with 6 rounds of .327 or .32 mag in the cylinder. Zero. Well unless you can't find ammo.......
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If you make your own ammo, you'll always have some. [emoji16]

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
 
Got about 150 cases of .32 S&W Long and just ordered a Lee 2 cav .314 90gr TLSWC. Got those cases in West Germany in 88', one day :)


CD
 
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