Best barrel length for 327?

[wonderwolf]

My father's 65 birthday is coming up I'm wanting to get him a contender barrel for his current favorite revolver round the 327...he will be shooting other 32's in it as well. It will be a mgm barrel, probably stainless. For the size I'm thinking I'll go bull barrel?

I'm thinking 16" or 18" would be good? No point in going longer since faster powders are typically used with this caliber correct?

[3leggedturtle]

I have a 24" tapered 38 Special barrel. Even 148gr wadcutter loads with red dit and bullseye shoot great. HS7 gives 1600fps with a 125gr GS without any trouble. all this to say, I've thought about your choice, i would get a 20" tapered barrel for the 327, or its original rimless version, the .30 carbine! Either way you cant go wrong with your length of choice, YMMV todd/3leg

[Ajohns]

There's no doubt with it's case capacity and slower burning powders, you could get some pretty good speeds with that round. IF, that's what he would want. Or fast powder and light loads with boolits would be very quiet. I'm sure anywhere from 16-20" would be a fine shooter no matter what. Lead or jacketed.

[rking22]

Rifle stocked or pistol configuration? What does he presently like in barrel lengths? What has he expressed interest in? Personally speaking the feel and balance of the gun determine my choice of barrel length, not the case capacity.

[gunauthor]

I find that longer barrels work better when shooting offhand.

[Outpost75]

Longer barrels are also much quieter! Especially when shot with "Cat Sneeze" type loads.

Fiocchi .32 S&W Long factory wadcutter, fired in my relined and rechambered English rook rifle having a 25-inch barrel is no louder than an air rifle.

[megasupermagnum]

There might be reason to go longer for balance, appearance, more sight radius. As for outright velocity 16.5" gets you all the velocity you will get out of the cartridge according to Ballistics by the Inch.

[trapper9260]

I single shot gun I had made for a 327 mag ,the barrel I had done was 21" at 50 yards with 115gr SWC in a 3/4" group on a rest, It is off a H&R Handi Rifle

[barrabruce]

Longer barrels are also much quieter! Especially when shot with "Cat Sneeze" type loads.

Fiocchi .32 S&W Long factory wadcutter, fired in my relined and rechambered English rook rifle having a 25-inch barrel is no louder than an air rifle.

What he said.
I have never heard one.

I think one could have a lot of fun with a gun like that.

[megasupermagnum]

I can verify that the 16.5" barrel rifle I have is extremely quiet with powder puff loads. I wouldn't call it air gun quiet, but about like a 22 long rifle.

[psweigle]

My ruger 77/357 magnum is 22lr quiet or a little less with 38 special light loads.
I will be following this thread as I'm getting the henry big boy steel 327 fed mag in a couple months.

[Hickory]

I would go with a 21-24" tapered barrel.
For no other reason than to get the muzzle blast further from my ears.
But, that's just me.

[Wayne Smith]

Scope or open sights? Pistol or rifle configuration? Open sights go as long as you reasonably can, for scope it doesn't matter. If originally a pistol configuration is there some legal problem with the long barrel? or just balance issues.

[wonderwolf]

It is a rifle configuration I'm putting together for him

I went with a stainless 18" medium taper with sight holes drilled mid and front just for back up sights. I have a bunch of spare iron sights we can put on it so we're good there.

Lots of great reasoning for different lengths guys thanks for the help, most of my straightwall barrels are bull 16.25" and for him I wanted a little batter balance and ease as he'll use this to pop ground hogs and such.

He is a great shot but has been focusing on pistol more lately so this will be a nice change of pace and he can load develop for it.

I thought about having it threaded but for what MGM wanted to charge to thread I can do it in the shop


My ruger 77/357 magnum is 22lr quiet or a little less with 38 special light loads.
I will be following this thread as I'm getting the henry big boy steel 327 fed mag in a couple months.

psweigle that is hands down my all time favorite rifle, I've been hoping ruger would come out with a 327 version by now but no go.

I've done so much load development and experimenting with the 77/357 its borderline obsessiveness. Had my barrel sent out and threaded with the sight pushed back in anticipation of suppressing it (waiting on acknowledgment of that freedom from the gov. now). The 77 is VERY versatile, I extended the sight radius considerably on mine by mounting a williams sight on the rear of the receiver which helps a lot if you are a fan of irons.

[MT Gianni]

As far as a walking around gun, I am really impressed with the 16"-18" bbl lengths.

[Green Frog]

The Contender action is so compact that the 18" barrel will still appear pretty short. With the common loadings for the 327 and its siblings, this is still more than long enough, but you could go to 20" just for balance if you like... I don't think I would go any longer than that though. JMHO, it's your project.

Froggie

[psweigle]

It is a rifle configuration I'm putting together for him

I went with a stainless 18" medium taper with sight holes drilled mid and front just for back up sights. I have a bunch of spare iron sights we can put on it so we're good there.

Lots of great reasoning for different lengths guys thanks for the help, most of my straightwall barrels are bull 16.25" and for him I wanted a little batter balance and ease as he'll use this to pop ground hogs and such.

He is a great shot but has been focusing on pistol more lately so this will be a nice change of pace and he can load develop for it.

I thought about having it threaded but for what MGM wanted to charge to thread I can do it in the shop



psweigle that is hands down my all time favorite rifle, I've been hoping ruger would come out with a 327 version by now but no go.

I've done so much load development and experimenting with the 77/357 its borderline obsessiveness. Had my barrel sent out and threaded with the sight pushed back in anticipation of suppressing it (waiting on acknowledgment of that freedom from the gov. now). The 77 is VERY versatile, I extended the sight radius considerably on mine by mounting a williams sight on the rear of the receiver which helps a lot if you are a fan of irons.

I wish ruger would make it in 327 as well.

[Larry Gibson]

I would go with a 21-24" tapered barrel.
For no other reason than to get the muzzle blast further from my ears.
But, that's just me.


What he said....preferably the 24".

[Green Frog]

In my little froggie dreams I can see a re-introduced Ruger #3 in 327 Fed Mag. That, along with my 8 shot Blackhawk in the same caliber would be a great pair to use on a walkabout! :roll:

Froggie

[rking22]

Would be neat in a baby sharps as well, 327, that is! I have a 24 inch bull in 256win for my Contender, wish I had gotten the tapered barrel in that length, it’s too nose heavy.

[onelight]

In my little froggie dreams I can see a re-introduced Ruger #3 in 327 Fed Mag. That, along with my 8 shot Blackhawk in the same caliber would be a great pair to use on a walkabout! :roll:

Froggie

That no.3 would be sweet.

[wonderwolf]

Update with how the barrel went over once my dad got a chance to throw some glass on it,

The 18" medium taper balances perfectly for this set up, it currently is stocked with a CHOATE survival type storage stock which was the only spare stock I had on hand, he may decide to do something a little different later but it works for now.

The groups he is getting with just the handloads he had done up for his wheel guns is very promising, the others at the range he goes to are smitten with the little set up. Its like a M1 carbine for fans of rimmed cartridges....


Now if Ruger would offer either or both a 77 and a No 1 in 327....that would be pretty awesome.

[megasupermagnum]

Ruger sure is screwing up by putting all their faith in the single seven. The Blackhawk they had in 327 was a fine combo, just introduced too early to be popular. The best would be to offer it in the standard Blackhawk line of blued, aluminum frames, with a 4 5/8" (the best barrel length), or the 6.6"/7.5" barrel. They still offer the 30 carbine, which makes no sense. Maybe it's just my area, but I can buy Federal AE 327 ammo in a couple local stores, I don't see much for 30 carbine. 327 federal still lacks overall ammo availability, and variety, but the price has dropped dramatically. Plus it's becoming more popular, while the 30 carbine has been fading steadily for years.

That, or engineer the single seven to fit more than just the razor hair bare minimum for OAL.

[Green Frog]

Ruger sure is screwing up by putting all their faith in the single seven. The Blackhawk they had in 327 was a fine combo, just introduced too early to be popular. The best would be to offer it in the standard Blackhawk line of blued, aluminum frames, with a 4 5/8" (the best barrel length), or the 6.6"/7.5" barrel. They still offer the 30 carbine, which makes no sense. Maybe it's just my area, but I can buy Federal AE 327 ammo in a couple local stores, I don't see much for 30 carbine. 327 federal still lacks overall ammo availability, and variety, but the price has dropped dramatically. Plus it's becoming more popular, while the 30 carbine has been fading steadily for years.

That, or engineer the single seven to fit more than just the razor hair bare minimum for OAL.

I keep singing this same song... a 327 Blackhawk is the best of the best. I made a serious error when I sold my old Buckeye Special 32 Combo gun, which I could easily have reamed out to 327 FM, so don't even think about asking me to give up my current 8-shooter. It ain't going nowhere no time! As I said above, Ruger also is missing a great opportunity not making the #3 Single Shot, and if they would add 327 FM chambering in that carbine, it would be just about perfect! But then again, what do I know? :roll:

Froggie

[scotth]

wonderwolf what barrel bore did you go with 30 cal. or the .311 and what twist. i think you said mgm did the barrel. and what bullet is he liking the best. thanks

[trapper9260]

I keep singing this same song... a 327 Blackhawk is the best of the best. I made a serious error when I sold my old Buckeye Special 32 Combo gun, which I could easily have reamed out to 327 FM, so don't even think about asking me to give up my current 8-shooter. It ain't going nowhere no time! As I said above, Ruger also is missing a great opportunity not making the #3 Single Shot, and if they would add 327 FM chambering in that carbine, it would be just about perfect! But then again, what do I know? :roll:

Froggie

I had got the BH when they first came out with them and love it and not long ago I got a SP101 in the 327 now .Beside the single shot rifle my gun smith made for me out of the H&R that I posted before about .

[cwlongshot]

I would go with a 21-24" tapered barrel.
For no other reason than to get the muzzle blast further from my ears.
But, that's just me.
I agree the frames are very short so longer barrel dosent seem as long.

But thats if you want a rifle configuration. If pistol Id suggest a 12-14” tapered.

I love a accurate bull but they get HEAVY!! And in a caliber like the 327. Not needed.

CW

[wonderwolf]

.311 bore, sorry for the very tardy reply. I forget all the reasons I went with that but he shoots jacketed and cast

[beltfed]

And what about the good ol' 32-20?
A revolver with 32-20 and a 327 cylinder would be great

BTW, my 30 carbine Blackhawk shoots just fine/reasonable plinking accuracy with 32 long ammo I have been using up in it.
and the couple pieces of 327 brass I have will drop in, the rim catches just like the 32 longs
and have plenty of room even for longish bullets
like a 130 gr H&G I have.

beltfed/arnie

[wonderwolf]

And what about the good ol' 32-20?
A revolver with 32-20 and a 327 cylinder would be great

BTW, my 30 carbine Blackhawk shoots just fine/reasonable plinking accuracy with 32 long ammo I have been using up in it.
and the couple pieces of 327 brass I have will drop in, the rim catches just like the 32 longs
and have plenty of room even for longish bullets
like a 130 gr H&G I have.

beltfed/arnie


So at the time of the OP neither my dad or I owned a 32-20. All my found 32-20 brass went to be modified for 7.62x38r. About 2 years ago I found a Smith & Wesson 32-20 for cheap and got it. Jury is still out for me personally but I wouldn't mind getting a light carbine barrel for it for the sake of a complete combo set up. Little light for my area but still would be fun.

[Green Frog]

Wonder wolf, I’ve had a high wall Winchester with a light #1 octagon barrel in 32-20. At the time I didn’t appreciate its full potential and sold it. It’s one of the few guns I regret selling. If I could put together a similar rifle in 327 Fed Mag though, it would certainly not be subject to sale! In fact, it would probably be even more of a favorite than my other dream rifle, a Ruger #3 in 327 Fed Mag.

Froggie

[wonderwolf]

That would be neat, I hope someday to come across some si gle shot actions that need built. That will be one that gets done.