327 revolvers discontinued

[Guesser]

Read a rumor that Taurus and Charter Arms have stopped production of revolvers chambered in 327 Federal Magnum. I shoot a CA Target Patriot so I emailed Nick Ecker at CA, He responded that they have indeed stopped production of CA guns in 327. Taurus has removed them from their web site, heard that S&W was holding up production.
Also read that Federal was recalculating the operating pressure for the 327 ammunition and dropping it to 36000 from the previous 46000.

[jerry_from_ct]

Too bad, Then I'm a revolver fan, I didn't think it would last, the .327 was a solution looking for a problem.

[Heavy lead]

Well, never could figure out this one, much like the .450 Marlin.
Course, I love the .41, even though the .44 is better and makes much more sense to own.

[GabbyM]

I'm somewhat confident the sales are affected by hard to find ammo and brass.

Never had the Fed Mag but back when I was married my wife had a H&R 32 H&R in a Ruger SP-101. It was a great penetrator. Made a 9mm look inferior when shooting frozen one gallon water jugs. One round of 32 H&R hard cast would bust a frozen milk jug in half with pieces. Was loading it with AA#9 IIRC. Recoil was less than a 9mm. My 12 year old daughter would shoot it. Hearing protection was an absolute must but the high pitch crack was suppressed very well with head phones. Since it’s an ear splitting crack but not a bad shock wave. The noise was suppressed so well I thought I’d try it without head phones. Well one shot was all of that I needed. They absolutely make a 38 Special seam like a toy all while giving less recoil. Most of the Loads for the 32 H&R are pipsqueak for old guns.

[Johnch]

CDNN has some of the 3" small frame Taurus in stock

That is normaly a sign that they are dumping them

John

[NoZombies]

Too bad really, it was an interesting iteration of the .32. I like the .32's a lot.

[GabbyM]

Too bad, Then I'm a revolver fan, I didn't think it would last, the .327 was a solution looking for a problem.

It's a solution for two issues.

First a 357 mag is to much for a 12 oz belly gun. Even for a macho man lol.

Second the 32 mag is easily shot by small frame females or recoil wimps like me.

It gives you a six shot pocket revolver that penatrates like a 357 mag just with a smaller hole. Recoil in the solid stailess steel SP-101 was nill. Was like shooting a 22 mag. When my daughter was shooting it she wieghed about 95 pounds.

I was shooting the 32 H&R about 1350 fps with a 95gr cast from a 3" barrel with extraction that required the ejector be used. It was a book load from AA but it's disapeared now. Plus I deleted all my data after the divorece where the gun went south. dugh

[Bret4207]

I told you this would happen.

[EMC45]

I'm glad I just picked up my SP101 in .32 Mag then! I noticed that with the few SP101s in .32 Mag I have seen on forums for sale, the first question asked was "Is this the new .327?" Now there will be a good bit of folks once again going after the .32 mags.

[leftiye]

So now I can cchamber my police positive special for .327? (just kidding)

[Bass Ackward]

These will probably turn out to be just like the 357 Maximums in the 80s. And it had it's detractors back then too.

Then 20 years later, you can't find one unless you dig a whole lot deeper in your pocket.

[Whitworth]

These will probably turn out to be just like the 357 Maximums in the 80s. And it had it's detractors back then too.

Then 20 years later, you can't find one unless you dig a whole lot deeper in your pocket.

Bass, I paid $650.00 for my max two years ago and it's in like-new condition.....They're out there and you can still get a deal -- just gotta look!

[Geraldo]

I told you this would happen.

Hey, don't steal my epitaph. ;)

[pdawg_shooter]

Living without the 327 will be like living without a head cold. Who will miss either?

[MT Gianni]

Living without the 327 will be like living without a head cold. Who will miss either?

Anyone who hunts small game, runs a trap line, target shoots or likes the idea of 110 gr 30 cal boolit running @ 1500 fps from a revolver.
It is a tragedy the fools in marketing decided this was a defensive only round.

[Shooter6br]

Have a Blackhawk in 327 Fed. i also have a Ruger SP101. Never really wante dto shoot 327 Fed .I planned to use 32 mag in both, ( Handloaded of course. I really bought a 32 mag blackhawk.I use 32 long for plinking in both

[afish4570]

Bought a used one two months ago, 2" barrel and fixed sights and its stainless too. Haven't shot it yet and wondering if I made a mistake?? ave yet to buy my Starline brass and dies (Lee carbide). Thought about selling it but seems like a neat little gun.afish45708-)8-)

[Ben]

Regardless of what we think about the round's ballistic potential. If it sells, it will continue to be produced, if it doesn't sell, it will fall by the wayside with a fairly long list of other cartridges. The gun buyers out there and their pocket books are always RIGHT even when they are WRONG.

As soon as 1 company gets " cold feet" with the 327 Fed. Mag. and runs, it won't be long until the others ( gun manufacturers and ammo makers alike ) will follow suit also.

[jh45gun]

There are a lot of newer cartridges out there that are soon to be failures. After Win came out with the 307 and it failed along with several other loadings I felt that sticking with the tried and true is a good idea. I would never buy a gun that has a new cartridge for that reason. I like the idea I can go into any gun shop or other store that sells ammo and get what I want unless we go through a period like we did the last couple of years when dip stick was elected and ammo flew off the shelves.

[Shiloh]

They never really took off did they. I'm sure there is a following, but seems like the Edsel of revolvers.

[geargnasher]

The .327 is a great round with a multitude of practical uses. I've said it here several times before, this thing is going to disappear because none of the corporate blockheads saw fit to make a seven-shot Airweight, 1892 Winchester, or any other neat, practical, and useful platform chambered for the cartridge. Who wants to lug around an SP101 or a Blackhawk chambered in .32? If I wanted a revolver that big with that short of a barrel I'd just go for the .357 Magnum, and I think that's what people are doing.

Gear

[rintinglen]

Gear speaks truth. A spiffy little carbine would have made tons o sense. Though I have to say I was and am sorely tempted to buy one of the 8 shot Ruger Blackhawks. Had it not been for the 44 special flat top I just ordered, I might have bought one. New is not always way mo better.

[Ben]

I figure the " Short Magnum " craze ( in rifle cartridges ) which in my opinion was a mechanism to sell more rifles and more ammo will probably end up the same.............

[Mk42gunner]

I think this round will end up like the .32 H&R, not a lot produced then languish for several years only to be discovered by a new generation of shooters.

IMO the only reason the .327 came about is because the .32 H&R is held to around 20,000 psi because it was originally introduced in the H&R guns that aren't as strong as the Ruger Single Six and K frame S&W guns are.

In a strong platform the H&R can be loaded up to levels that will handle anything that should be shot with a .32 revolver.

Personally, I think we would have been better off if they would have renamed the H&R to something like the .32 Super and upped the level of loads like what Colt did to the .38 ACP when they started the .38 Super, same case hotter loads.

Robert

[argie1891]

i bought a charter partiot and really like it. as a matter of fact i shot it again yesterday. i must admit the magnum loads are loud but the recoil is much less than a 357 magnum. i shoot mostly 32 mag and 32 long but i am glad that i can shoot the hotter ammo if i feel a need. i have heard all the experts tell us why we dont need another cartridge to them i say why dont they just make 3006 rifles, 12 ga shotguns, and 357 revolvers need is not the issure. i wanted it so i have it. i carry a smith 2 inch model 421 i nice light revolver that has low recoil and i practice with it every week. i for one will miss the 327 federal and think i will buy a ruger black hawk while i can find one. joe gifford aka argie1891

[Multigunner]

Of course there were many older .38 ACP pistols damaged by the .38 Super.

With Federals disasterous recalls of .40 S&W and other lots of other chamberings, I suspect they felt it better to avoid future lawsuits as the .327 pistols already out there begin to succumb to continued use of the hotter loads.

Like anything mass produced many pistols will soldier on without a bit of trouble while others made at the same factory on the same day will suffer degradation after relatively few rounds fired.

[odis]

I think a Bearcat with a five shot cylinder in 32HR would have made more sense, but thats just me. Kit guns should be small.

[jerry_from_ct]

Anyone who hunts small game, runs a trap line, target shoots or likes the idea of 110 gr 30 cal boolit running @ 1500 fps from a revolver.
It is a tragedy the fools in marketing decided this was a defensive only round.

Ruger Blackhawk in .30 carbine, anyone.

If Ruger didn't have a love affair going with the .30 C, that would be gone also, every year I'm amazed it has survived into the next.

What other choice but as a smaller, powerful for it's class, six instead of five defensive revolver round ? as a hunting round, there would be a constant comparison of it against the .357 class and it would always lose in the sense of load flexibility and ammo availability.

I think the basic premise of a .327 is fine, as stated above, but revolvers as a whole are not big sellers, at least in the major target market of a CCW firearm.

The demise of the Dan Wesson line speaks to the general lack of interest.
Ruger dropped the SR Hawk in .480 and now they are jumping into the 1911 clone bandwagon.
Taurus was making some interesting caliber revolvers in the Raging Bull series and those have been mostly dropped.
If you can't generate interest in a less expensive .500 S&W Raging Bull, the chances of a .327 Fed were slim.

Supply and demand, Free market capitalism, No matter how much something seems to make sense (to you), if there's no demand, it's gone.

[GabbyM]

Guys I'd not get in to big a hurry to drive a steak through the 32 Feds heart yet.
Just because Taurus and Charter are dropping it.

[jerry_from_ct]

Guys I'd not get in to big a hurry to drive a steak through the 32 Feds heart yet.
Just because Taurus and Charter are dropping it.

Maybe, but then again how many rifles are using the .338 Federal ?

When that came out I thought the same thing, great cartridge, no future................

Although I am starting to think too much negative input here, (CBool) can make or break ,I think someone from Ruger may be dropping by.

New .357 rifle, 10 shot .22 SA. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[exile]

I have an SP-101. Would welcome an H & R single-shot rifle, a Marlin lever-action, and last but not least, a 50th Anniversary Ruger with a 7 1/2 inch barrel.

Truly, I am surprised that here on this forum, with all the interest in casting for, and keeping alive interesting cartridges that no one else wants, why the .327 Federal is getting such a bad rap.

Hamilton Bowen said it was the greatest idea since the .44 magnum, and Freedom Arms thought enough of it to chamber a pistol for it, so I doubt it is going to bite the dust anytime soon.

exile

[Piedmont]

Truly, I am surprised that here on this forum, with all the interest in casting for, and keeping alive interesting cartridges that no one else wants, why the .327 Federal is getting such a bad rap.

exile

Well, the guys who like traditional guns will most likely want a .32-20, in rifle or revolver.

Who wants a little defense revolver that is so high pressure it would likely make your eardrums burst if used for real?

The Ruger single action in .30 carbine was never a good seller and was always noted for being incredibly loud. This .327 was even slightly higher in pressure, so might be even a touch louder and who wants to lug around a single action that is even over-built for .357 and stick a .32 in it?

Someone mentioned putting this in an airweight revolver. I can't see how it would take the strain. S&W airweights in .38 special don't hold up as well as the steel ones. How is Ruger making .357 work in the LCR? Anyone know?

[canyon-ghost]

Piedmont hit the nail on the head. I read all the 327 Federal reviews, wouldn't mind having one. What stops me is that I already cast for 32-20 and 32 magnum. I recently discovered with enough of the evil $$$$, I could still buy a Colt in 32-20 WCF. That, I might really do. I buy new brass for 32-20 and used brass for 32 magnum.

The 327 Federal would be a great gun for someone who doesn't already own a 32 caliber. But being the second child in line doesn't do anything for the guy with 32s previously made. Sure, it shoots faster, meaner and louder. Those are all the reasons I'd rather have a 32-20 WCF!

Ron

[MT Gianni]

Ruger Blackhawk in .30 carbine, anyone.

If Ruger didn't have a love affair going with the .30 C, that would be gone also, every year I'm amazed it has survived into the next.

What other choice but as a smaller, powerful for it's class, six instead of five defensive revolver round ? as a hunting round, there would be a constant comparison of it against the .357 class and it would always lose in the sense of load flexibility and ammo availability.

I think the basic premise of a .327 is fine, as stated above, but revolvers as a whole are not big sellers, at least in the major target market of a CCW firearm.

The demise of the Dan Wesson line speaks to the general lack of interest.
Ruger dropped the SR Hawk in .480 and now they are jumping into the 1911 clone bandwagon.
Taurus was making some interesting caliber revolvers in the Raging Bull series and those have been mostly dropped.
If you can't generate interest in a less expensive .500 S&W Raging Bull, the chances of a .327 Fed were slim.

Supply and demand, Free market capitalism, No matter how much something seems to make sense (to you), if there's no demand, it's gone.

I would agree Jerry except that my 4" CA Target Patriot 4"is a lot less weight than even a 45 4 5/8" Blackhawk.

[argie1891]

I would agree Jerry except that my 4" CA Target Patriot 4"is a lot less weight than even a 45 4 5/8" Blackhawk.
__________________
i always was turned off by charter arms untill i bought the 4 inch patriot target. it is light grips are small enough that i dont feel i am holding the whole tree in my hadn and the little revlover shoots as well as it looks. i am so glad i got one before they are gone. i still think that ammo and brass shortage played an important part in low sales. i dont care what the rest of you think the 327 has a lot going for it. maybe some would change their minds if they owned one. but as i said i have one wonder how long it will be before we hear cries of WISH I HAD BOUGHT ONE. argie1891

[Guesser]

I agree, the Target Patriot that rides with me is a lot less weight than my Ruger NMBH 45/45 4 5/8ths". The 311316 that I use in my Target Patriot is simply "slendiferous". I own and shoot 4 Colts in 32-20 and they are great but they are not 327 level performers and I wouldn't be happy with them if they were.

[Piller]

Federal killed it by not producing the brass for handloaders in any kind of quantity. The lead bullets for the .32-20 fit it perfectly and over a load of about 5.2 grains of universal, give great accuracy. It is small enough for my wifes hands, and she hates the size of a .38 or .357 if it is big enough to absorb some recoil. She will shoot her XD, but that is about all in handguns.

[David LaPell]

I have talked to a couple of gunshop owners recently and the .327 is never even asked for anymore. I know a couple of gunshops where they have not even been seen. I think it is a race to see which caliber follows it into the dustheap, the .45 GAP or the .357 SIG.

[jerry_from_ct]

I have talked to a couple of gunshop owners recently and the .327 is never even asked for anymore. I know a couple of gunshops where they have not even been seen. I think it is a race to see which caliber follows it into the dustheap, the .45 GAP or the .357 SIG.


See, this is my point, I think the Fed .327 is a good platform, The .45 GAP, great idea, stronger brass, shorter OAL, met with a resounding Ho-Hum.
The .357 SIG, about as close as one get's to a .357 mag in an auto-loader, surprised this isn't the standard LEO platform. same issue.

If it wasn't for the Desert Eagle, the .50 AE would be gone, it's a CR*P-shoot, what survives. H*ll, I thought the 10MM was the Cat's A*S and the .40 S&W was taking a chance when they first came out.

IMO, like it, buy one, if production stops, as long as brass is available, what's the difference. Reload,
someone is spreading the Rumor, people around here know how to do that.

:razz:

[Multigunner]

The only .32 I own is a 20's S&W I Frame Hand Ejector. Its a thing of beauty and suprisingly accurate, but could use more punch.
The top shelf DA revolvers are, if still in good condition, pretty safe to carry, and an excellent choice as a defensive handgun for those not particularly interested in using firearms for sporting purposes and having far less experiance with any handgun than the members here.
Not fool proof of course but very simple to load and operate, and no box magazine to become lost or damaged when not in the pistol.

The owner of an antique store asked me to look at a recent aquisition. It was a spurless hammer .32 revolver.
I can't remeber offhand what make it was but it was chambered for a .32 cartridge that was just a hair longer than the .32 S&W Long.
I had looked this up for the owner because he was concerned as to whether it was legal for him to sell a cartridge handgun.
Best I could tell him was that should anyone ask he should say that the ammunition the revolver had been chambered for was long ago obsolete and long out of production.
A standard length S&W Long or an S&W would work in this old pistol, the differences in dimensions were minor.

I never buy new guns these days, there seems to be more problems with handguns of recent manufacture than with the top quality pistols of long ago.
If I ran across a very good condition .327 revolver dirt cheap because the owner could no longer find cartridges for it, I'd probably buy it.
More than once I've seen a European .380 ACP pistol sold cheap because the owner had seen 9mm Kurtz stamped on the breech and then couldn't figure out why a 9mm Parabellum wouldn't fit in the chamber.

[NickSS]

Well I do not buy guns on the internet and I have looked high and low for first a 32 H&R and then a 32 Federal and never saw one for sale around here. When I asked dealers if they could order one for me I got there are none available at my supplier. Also I have yet to see a single box of ammo in either caliber for sale in any gun shop I visited. So if they are out there thay are not making many of them and are selling them someplace else. I have decided that neither round can do as much as a 257 mag so will stick with them.

[RugerSP101]

Too bad, Then I'm a revolver fan, I didn't think it would last, the .327 was a solution looking for a problem.

+1

My first rule when buying a gun is to get one where the ammunition type is common, been around for a long, long time and easy to find in any store.

22lr, 357 magnum and 12 gauge are what I have now and will probably stick with.

[RugerSP101]

Federal killed it by not producing the brass for handloaders in any kind of quantity. The lead bullets for the .32-20 fit it perfectly and over a load of about 5.2 grains of universal, give great accuracy. It is small enough for my wifes hands, and she hates the size of a .38 or .357 if it is big enough to absorb some recoil. She will shoot her XD, but that is about all in handguns.
DEfinitely agree.
Dump a lot of brass on the reloading market and it almost certainly would survive regardless.
Hell, I might buy something if I know I can get the brass and cast my own lead.

[Fugowii]

I'm glad I just picked up my SP101 in .32 Mag then! I noticed that with the few SP101s in .32 Mag I have seen on forums for sale, the first question asked was "Is this the new .327?" Now there will be a good bit of folks once again going after the .32 mags.

I had a problem with my SP101 in 32 mag and sent it back to the factory for repair
(about 9 months ago) and they scrapped it and replaced it with the 327 at no cost
to me except for the transfer at my local FFL. I couldn't be happier if only I could
find some 327 brass. I do shoot the 32 mag in it so all is not lost. I also own the
S&W J-frame 432PD in 32 mag which is a very underrated concealed carry piece.
Superbly light and concealable, packs a good punch with the right loads, six rounds,
and the wife loves to shoot it with the lighter loads.

[MT Gianni]

The 50 pack of Federal American Eagle runs around $26.99 around here. No sales tax gets you 50 cents for a piece of brass. Not cheap but affordable for a factory round. Mix in the ability to shoot 32 Long and 32 H&R and the guns will go for a long time. Ruger has not dropped it who was the original partner with federal so there is still hope for a Starline run of brass.

[pdawg_shooter]

Anyone who hunts small game, runs a trap line, target shoots or likes the idea of 110 gr 30 cal boolit running @ 1500 fps from a revolver.
It is a tragedy the fools in marketing decided this was a defensive only round.

Sounds like 22mag territory to me.

[MT Gianni]

Sounds like 22mag territory to me.

Other than the 110 gr, 30 cal, cast it yourself, $50 @ 1000 part.

[bhn22]

It's not dead yet. It was just dropped by a couple of the budget gun manufacturers, who seemingly didn't test their guns for long-term endurance. The .357 mag was "dumbed down" some time back for being too hard on K frame S&Ws, and many imports. S&W later put the K frame on a semi-hiatus for .357 mag & built most .357s on L & N frames. I remember seeing guys with Llama Commanches who had issues with the cylinder popping open with heavy .357 loads.

[Olevern]

327 is worthy of a place in the gunsafe simply because it is simpler to load than the 32-20 or the 30 carbine in the revolver. No issues with thin brass that tends to crush or tinkering with taper crimp dies to get it just right. It is a rimmed, straight cased cartridge which works better and with less fuss than the others in a revolver.

Got a Blackhawk 8 shot and it's a keeper.

Would like to have a Smith J frame kit gun as well.

[David LaPell]

While the .357 might be too much for a 12 oz belly gun, the .38 Special has that territory covered and covered well. The .327 was trying to compete with too many different variants of snub .38's. Then guns like the Ruger .327 single action was trying to compete with the .357 Blackhawk. Had Ruger put that caliber into a Single six like they did the .32 H & R they would have had something. Me, I'll stick with my .32-20 which covers all the .32 action I need.

[NoZombies]

Sounds like 22mag territory to me.

.22 mag at 1500 fps puts out about 200 ft lbs +/-

.327 with 110gr at 1500 would be closer to 550.

These are hardly the same thing.

[Guesser]

I wanted and got a 327 simply as a compliment to all my other 32 caliber handguns. I have Colts for 32 S&L Colt, 32 S&W S&L, 32-20, totaling 11 guns. S&W in 32 Long, Taurus in 32 H&R Mag. It simply made sense to add a 327 Magnum; I picked up a really nice 50 year old Walther PP in 7.65 just to round it all out.
327 did not exist, therefore a vacuum existed, a vacancy, if you will. Nature hates a vacuum and I try to be natural in all things, that is more than enough reason to have a 327 magnum revolver, now to add another one, loneliness isn't fun either.
As far as needing it, NAH! My needs with regard to guns were taken care of 50 years ago, since its just fun!!!!!!!

[jrayborn]

I got a Ruger SP101 in .327 mag because I thought that it would be cool and I also thought that it would be a good step up from .22LR for my two young boys. It was both.

The really neat thing about the .327 is that you can load it almost anywhere you want to. Light boolits to 135 grain heavy boolits and mild to wild. I love it! Its my favorite Gun to shoot too.

I hope this doesn't disappear because this is an honest to goodness good fit for a lot of different things. Is it perfect? Of course not. But it is a very formidable defensive caliber for someone who doesn't do well with .357 mag and its a great plinker and a darn good kit-gun to just drag around the back forty.

I'm not skilled as everyone else on the internet but this is also the most accurate pistol I own too (yes it's a Ruger) and the round seems to be really flat shooting.

I guess I didn't make too many great points but basically, and especially for the handloader, this is a real nice modern cartridge that fits very nicely between a standard or H&R mag .32 and the .357 mag. Be a shame to see it go.

[jerry_from_ct]

Hey, who's arguing the merits of a .327, in the given limitations of the design. Got a .32 H&R and wish you had more........go for it.

The basic argument in the context of the .327 is longevity and need. I'm reasonably certain there were critics of the longer .38 special when lengthen to the .357, no ?

H**L, being the goofy Bast**d I am, I,m still waiting for a .40 S&W revolver, What think you.........

Hello Ruger lurkers........................

[jerry_from_ct]

+1

My first rule when buying a gun is to get one where the ammunition type is common, been around for a long, long time and easy to find in any store.

22lr, 357 magnum and 12 gauge are what I have now and will probably stick with.

Who,,,,,,,, Jerry_from_ct, laughs, at some following posts in a proactive sense, no disrespect to anyone, could argue that simple, yet stoic logic.

That's the same reason I own a D.E in .44 mag, at a time when the .50 AE was available, you will always find someone with Elmer's folly, kicking around, the .50, maybe not so much.............

Choose wisely Grasshopper.............

[jerry_from_ct]

I would agree Jerry except that my 4" CA Target Patriot 4"is a lot less weight than even a 45 4 5/8" Blackhawk.


Yeah.......... But "ain't" it cool, and a load bang, no extra charge.............:drinks:

[jrayborn]

Just got the Ruger .327 Fed GP 100. Can't wait to shoot it!

[armed_partisan]

I was somewhat dubious of this, and I LOVE .32's. I have been looking for a reasonably priced S&W 432 ever since they announced them a few years back. Never found one for less than $100 over what I could get a similar 442 in .38 Special for.

I feel the .327 was a marketing failure because they failed to properly utilize the cartridges advantages. Ruger came out with the 8-shot Blackhawk in .327 and I was instantly in love, even though I scoffed at the extremely high pressure of the round (50,000 PSI, I originally heard at SHOT) and then I heard several reports that they were backing away from that pressure. S&W's only gun in that caliber was the 3" 632, the blackened version of which I really like, although my experience with my 317 kit gun has shown me that a 3" J-frame is less easy to conceal. Although I saw one at SHOT, I've never seen one in the wild. The same is true of that nifty Blackhawk.

My immediate thoughts were "Why don't they make a 9-shot N-Frame S&W, or a 7-shot K-frame, now that the .357 Magnum K-Frames are gone?" When they made the .32 H&R Mag K-frames, they should have made those as 7-shot models, but they didn't. Logically, if you can fit +1 into a J-frame, you should be able to get 7 .327's in a K, 8 in an L, and 9 in an N frame. Now, wouldn't that be cool? But a J-frame with a barrel that's too long for most people's tastes with +1 capacity doesn't really have any marketing appeal that the .32 H&R didn't have. The simple fact is that most people think that a larger caliber is more powerful, and won't see the appeal of a small gun that holds as many bullets as a slightly larger gun which shoots a bigger bullet. This was a sportsman's and reloader's round, and they completely missed their market by trying to make it a pocket gun, hence the poor sales for Taurus.

[A pause for the COZ]

Federal killed it by not producing the brass for handloaders in any kind of quantity. The lead bullets for the .32-20 fit it perfectly and over a load of about 5.2 grains of universal, give great accuracy. It is small enough for my wifes hands, and she hates the size of a .38 or .357 if it is big enough to absorb some recoil. She will shoot her XD, but that is about all in handguns.

I agree for the most part. they sold this as defensive round/ Gun combo. Mistake if you ask me. it is good at that for sure. but the shelves are full to the brim with choices. The fact that they sell boat loads of .380's. tells you every thing you need to know about that market.That selling point should have been second.

It was the right choice for me. Never could get the wife to shoot my 357 but I have her ready to go on the Taurus. I will admit though when I fired the Federal 100 grain load. It seemed kinda hot for that particular gun.
I made a great hand load for it using XTP's at about 1350 fps. That fill the home protection need. Wife likes the recoil and can hit what she aims at.

Hitting what your aiming at is where this caliber excels at. I find when I am grabbing guns to go to the range the 327 is always in the bag.

Dang this is depressing.:sad: Explains why I saw them on Buds close out section.
I better get out and get that Charter arms one I wanted before they are sold out.

[oldgeezershooter]

I could never figure out why they came out with this cartridge.
What could it do that the .32H&R couldn't? Look at the ballistics.
Also an old Ruger Blackhawk in .30 carbine was a good round. I guess it's like all these "Short Magnums" Just another way to sell guns that don't do any more than their longer bretheren.

[TXGunNut]

I think it's a great cartridge and I'm disappointed that more people haven't figured it out. OTOH I would have bet the farm that .40S&W and .17HMR were just flashes in the pan. At least I was right about that short magnum rifle nonsense. ;)

[Ken TN]

I picked up a used 327 SP101 w/3" barrel a few months ago. It came with Crimson trace grips as part of the package. I had been looking at the 327 for over a year and could not pass up the bargain I got.

My intended use for it is hiking and backpacking here in Colorado. Coyotes have become a problem in the Denver Metro area attacking kids out with their parents.
I always thought Rick Perry was under gunned when he shot his coyote with the Ruger LCP.

I have gotten molds for it and am waiting for the 327 140g Sledgehammer group buy to be made.

While Charter and Taurus have dropped it Ruger is bringing out a great looking Blackhawk that I held a few weeks ago in a local shop...Could be another one I need to add to the safe.

The 32-20 fell out of favor for a long time but it is still with us. I shot the 32-20 for years in a T/C Contender. If I could find a 327 T/C barrel I would jump on it as a 12-14" length might do great things with the 327.

I'll get brass when available and keep on loading the 327.

[MT Gianni]

I could never figure out why they came out with this cartridge.
What could it do that the .32H&R couldn't? Look at the ballistics.
Also an old Ruger Blackhawk in .30 carbine was a good round. I guess it's like all these "Short Magnums" Just another way to sell guns that don't do any more than their longer bretheren.

It is rated 42,000 CUP, 32 H&R 28,000 CUP. That should let you know what it can do. Don't look at LY cast #4 where the32 H&R has a Max, do not exceed or 15,000 w Unique or where the 327 has a max do not exceed with sp primers & 24,000 cup. Look at the mfg rating and use the factory recommended sr primers. Start with the Feb 11 issue of Handloader for some ideas. I like the H&R but there is no way i am pushing a 115 jhp @ 1500 fps. Again to use your words "look at the ballistics".

[Shooter6br]

I have a Ruger SP 101 32 mag and a Blackhawk 327 Fed. I shot 32 acp. 32 long and 32 mag in both i have a box of 327 Fed 110 g . If I want i can shoot 327 Fed in Blackhawk . For hunting I can loads 32 Mag close to 327 power. The Ruger SP101 and 32 mag brass can handle it . i try to load to 32 mag specs. Very versitile round "Mild to Wild"

[Loudenboomer]

It seemed to be another case of when old becomes new again. The .327 had alot in common with the old win. 32 SL. That oldee poped and fizzled about 100 years ago.

[Wheeler]

I had a conversation with a friend not too long ago regarding .32 calibers in general. Of course the .327 came up at which he sort of rolled his eyes. I told him that the ammo manufacturers had rediscovered the .32/20 and put it in a straight wall case.

I ran across a feller selling a BNIB Ruger GP100 .327 Mag 7 shooter for $575. I really wish I had the scratch to take it off his hands.

[Gadget]

I just bought a SP101 in .327 mag. I knew when I bought it that I'd have to make my own ammunition. It got me into casting which brought me to this forum. I will still have to find brass, but I like that kind of hunting.

[wellfedirishman]

I recently picked up a S&W 327 Federal Magnum J Frame with 3" ported barrel. JoeBobOutfitters had it on sale for a great price. I was actually looking for an SP101, but jumped on the S&W when I saw it.

It is a very handy revolver with lots of power for its size, and the adjustable sights are much easier to shoot (for my eye) than are the fixed sight 38/357 J-frames.

Here's a target at 10 yards, shooting at the little black dots. The plates are 6" dessert plates.
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm138/wellfedirishman/Smith%20Wessons/SWJFrame10yards.jpg

Gun and load info. This is a mild target load using 32 H&R brass and 3.0 grains of Green Dot. The bullet is a Lee 115 grain approx 30 carbine bullet, beagled out to .314 diameter. Tumble lubed, no gas check. I found that a stiffer load (consult your loading manual) makes for lots of fun, and the porting comes in useful.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm138/wellfedirishman/Smith%20Wessons/SWJFrame10yardsloadinfo.jpg

Overally it is very fun to shoot, more so even than a 38 special J frame. With light little bullets it would be a nice plinker, and you can use heavier bullets for hunting.

[Mohillbilly]

Brass , brass , we need brass ! Don't you just wish Federal would sell us some, or allow Star line to .

[VA Shooter]

Freedom firearms has 327 brass

[rintinglen]

The Lack of support iskilling this cartridge, though to be fair, in this day and age, if it aint fit to use in a black polymer bottom-feeder, any new handgun cartridge will be struggling. I sent my Ruger 480 SRH down the highway for much the same reason=lack of readily available components.

[VA Shooter]

My LGS here in VA said he is selling more 327 than any other cal I love mine real fun to shoot and reload and cast

[wellfedirishman]

Regarding brass, I just use 32 H&R Mag brass. Cheaper, works great and has only slightly less powder capacity than the magnum. You can get a nice stiff load with case volume to spare in the 32 Mag.

It is a very fun caliber, as noted above.

[MT Gianni]

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/department.asp?dept=RELOADING&dept2=PISTOL+BRASS&dept3=327+FED+MAG&sortItem=Newest
I bought a couple hundred rounds of brass in August. It doesn't stay on the shelf for too long but you can order from a couple of sites and they will let you know when it is in stock.
After the Group buy debacle with Starline on 45-70 brass I think they are running too hard to add another caliber.

[Ronbo256]

rintinglen, now that Ruger has dropped the .480 I've seen more components available for it. You can shoot .475 linebaugh in it also from what I understand, I've never even handled one so I'm just reporting what I've been told. I've been looking at a sp101 in .327 fed, but that's probably a ways down the road, I wouldn't let the lack of .327 brass stop me from buying it since .32 H&R magnum brass is readily available, you could save the .327 fed for the bad guys.

[Reload3006]

great little guns. But rare as hens teeth.

[OuchHot!]

I have never owned a ported barrel. Wellfedirishman, does the port pick up lead fouling in your experience? Great groups!
thanks

[Shooter6br]

I agree the 32mag cases are as strong as 327 Fed. If you handload you can get alot out of a 32 Mag round.

[jameslovesjammie]

There is a gunsmith out there making 10 shot N frame .32's out of 627's. If Smith or Ruger would have done this from the factory, I think you would see alot more of them coming off the shelves. Look at how popular the 8 shot 627's are now.

That is what I wanted the first time I heard of the cartridge...10 rounds in a full size gun. If I was looking for a self defense round, I still think there are better options out there. But for a gun to tote around and shoot rabbits or other small game with...it would be close to perfection. You could shoot .32 Longs out of it for less than the cost of shooting .22 Magnum with more power and reloadability. A full size gun with a 4-5" barrel would have been the bees knees.

[jrayborn]

I will say that if there was a production 10-shot revolver out there I would have one. Some may say .327 mag is not a good self defense round, and I will agree there may be better out there, but 10 rounds of 135 grain Keith's pushing 1300-1400 fps is surely in the same league as many other notable calibers.

I personally think they really got it right with this caliber, and I hope they keep introducing different products.

Jon

[contender1]

I have a Blackhawk in 327 mag. I love mine. I have over 1000 pieces of brass AND a couple of moulds. I hope it hangs around a few more years. If not, I'll still have mine AND I'll enjoy it!

[wellfedirishman]

OuchHot,

The porting does not pick up any lead or fouling. Even after 300 rounds through it, the port is clean, apart from a touch of soot.

I will say again, the porting really makes a difference with stiff loads. It is easy to rapidly empty this gun in the center of a defensive target at 15 yards.


I have never owned a ported barrel. Wellfedirishman, does the port pick up lead fouling in your experience? Great groups!
thanks

[OuchHot!]

Thanks! Irish, I have been staying away from ports for fear of lead fouling. I really "need" a 327 and the SnW looks very nice.

[Char-Gar]

Gun makers must introduce new products, to keep the buying public shelling out cash. There have been many calibers/cartridges introduce with no readily apparent purpose, other than to increase sales. This round in question is a case in point.

[Love Life]

I have been looking at getting a 327 for a while, but I may just hold out for a single six in 32 H&R Mag.

For those of you who own the blackhawk in 327: What are the pros and cons of this gun/cartridge combo?

[TJF1]

I like all 3 of my 327 sp101, bh, charter arms

[bowfin]

Just a quick heads up, CDNN has their Taurus .327s on sale until 2:00 PM CST tomorrow (Saturday, 12/10). $249 for Stainless 2" and 3"or Blue 3", $219 for Blue 2".