RIP .327 Federal Magnum?

[HumptyDumpty]

I wish that the Henry side-gates (particularly the Model X) were available in 327 Federal, I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

[JoeJames]

I have been happy with .32 S&W Long.

I have too. But, I would avoid buying a 327 Magnum, because I would still just shoot 32S&W Long in it, and after all that case stretching from 32S&W Long to 32H&R Magnum and then up to 327 that's an awful lot of freebore to satisfy what may be a fad. Just my opinion.

[Soundguy]

A fad? if you can load and cast for it.. no need to be a fad...

You can generate 357mag power but less recoil.. less powder.. less lead... what's not to love..

same with 32hrmag and 38spl...

[alamogunr]

When I ordered my Ruger Single Seven about 4 years ago, I ordered 500 pcs of Starline brass. It is hard to lose brass when shooting a revolver. Any time I acquire a new gun in a new to me cartridge, I lay in a supply of brass. A case in point about semi-auto's, I stockpiled a lot of small primer, OF .45 ACP at pretty good prices since many didn't want to fool with them. Since almost all of my loading on the Dillon is cartridges that use small primers, it fit right in.

[dverna]

A fad? if you can load and cast for it.. no need to be a fad...

You can generate 357mag power but less recoil.. less powder.. less lead... what's not to love..

same with 32hrmag and 38spl...

I never believed that hype. More power and less recoil does not make sense. Every force has an equal and opposite reaction. Whatever KE is at the muzzle must give the same KE at recoil.

But placebos "work" in many "scientific" tests so I guess I must be wrong...again.

If someone likes the .327 nothing wrong with that. I have no use for it, and I do not see its magic. My arsenal is a handful of calibers and dozens of guns with up to 7 guns in one caliber. No "pizzaz" and very boring. I built it around jacketed bullets for serious work and cast if I need to shoot cheaply, or if the SHTF and good bullets are not available.

My caliber selections have proven effective for what I need doing. I will never whine about not having the right powder, or right bullets, or right cases. KISS.

Like I said earlier. If someone likes to shoot weird and/or "new and improved" stuff, they need to be smart enough to stock up when components are available. I define weird as any cartridge that cannot be easily made from readily available commercial brass. I picked on the .30SC, but there are scores of others. Heck even the much loved .35 Rem is weird.

[Soundguy]

I can fire my 327 and 357 and tell you there is a noticeable difference. The 327 develop way more velocity for one thing. Barrel rise is much less. Big pressure difference too... Probable a speed and impulse difference in the pressure wave..that would be my guess on the felt or perceived difference.

[Soundguy]

Some additional data to go with that to illustrating the pressure/velocity difference.
357mag 90gr lrn titegroup
Velocity 850-1107 fps
Pressure 6300-9000 cup

327 fed 90gr lrn titegroup
Velocity 1066-1283 fps
Pressure 16300 - 28800 psi.

We know that cup =/= psi directly..but there is some correspondence... And the pressure difference is huge..

[dtknowles]

Ballistically the .357 mag can do anything the .327 can do and more.

Loaded with the same weight bullet, loaded to the same velocity the .357 will have the same recoil and the same power as the .327. Corbon loads 110 grain bullets in the .357 that match .327 velocity. You have to load down .357 to match .327 ballistics and if you do you end up with the same recoil.

[dverna]

Some additional data to go with that to illustrating the pressure/velocity difference.
357mag 90gr lrn titegroup
Velocity 850-1107 fps
Pressure 6300-9000 cup

327 fed 90gr lrn titegroup
Velocity 1066-1283 fps
Pressure 16300 - 28800 psi.

We know that cup =/= psi directly..but there is some correspondence... And the pressure difference is huge..

Comparing a 90 gr .312 bullet to a 90 gr .357 is not realist. When evaluating the performance of a cartridge the use of the load is the most important factor.

Look at what a typical self defense loading in each caliber looks like. It is also interesting to do some work looking at recoil energy.


The formula for calculating recoil does not have the following parameters...burn rate, pressure, “impulse”, muzzle blast, or any other factors some people use to quantify recoil.

Powder mass has a very marginal contribution to recoil. If a bullet is developing say 500 ft-lbs of muzzle energy, and one load uses 12 gr of powder, it will have a bit less recoil than a load that requires 15 gr. It will not matter if the bullet weighs 115 gr or 158 gr...because the velocity of the 115 gr bullet will be greater than the 158 gr bullet to achieve the same energy. Energy is the result of mass and velocity.

What people sense as lower recoil, when cartridges are delivering the same energy in the same weight firearm is due to gun fit, muzzle blast, and what they want to believe. Gun fit will include, grip size, grip material and the distance between the center line of the barrel and where the gun rotates during recoil....the moment of the force vector. At least for unported revolvers and fixed breech weapons. Semi-autos will “feel” like they have less recoil as recoil energy is used to cycle the weapon and it is spread over a longer period of time. Semi-auto pistols also benefit from typically having the center of the bore closer to the hand and reducing the moment force (torque)

Gun writers who make unsupported claims are either ignorant or liars. It is the main reason I stopped reading most of what is currently published in magazines. They have put promoting products above educating us. And it seems YouTube has become a treasure trove of misinformation.

By the way, this is the reason for this long post. It is to educate and help others see through the fog.

Science in areas like this one, is far different than the “science” of lockdowns.

[Stacts]

I don't really buy into the hype around around .327 (As powerful as .357 with less recoil! /s) but I still want one. A 7" revolver with adjustable sights could be a very fun range toy (and maybe a bit more pleasant that .357?). Probably won't get one, but I like the concept. Not to mention that due to the plethora of .32 calibers, it shouldn't be too bad to feed it.

.327 brass Out of Stock? Buy .32 H&R. That's out too? Buy .32 long.

[Ramjet-SS]

I had Reeder convert a 32 H&R S&W 6” to 327 and add some nice embellishments including my last name. Shot today best load was a cast 120 grain HP over a good dose of WW296 4” group 55 yards. Up close I like the A-Frame 100 grain HP loaded over WW 296. In that full lug Smith the recoil is low accuracy is great and smooth as silk.

[Thundarstick]

I remember an article somewhere that concluded

The 327 Federal Magnum is the result of people wanting a 32 HR Magnum loaded to ORIGINAL chamber pressure.

The 327 FM is what the 32 H&R was SUSPOSED to be! The H&R metallurgy wasn't up to the task, so it was neutered out of the gate.

[dverna]

I don't really buy into the hype around around .327 (As powerful as .357 with less recoil! /s) but I still want one. A 7" revolver with adjustable sights could be a very fun range toy (and maybe a bit more pleasant that .357?). Probably won't get one, but I like the concept. Not to mention that due to the plethora of .32 calibers, it shouldn't be too bad to feed it.

.327 brass Out of Stock? Buy .32 H&R. That's out too? Buy .32 long.

A very good take on stuff like this. People using hype to justify getting a new "toy" is what I expect gun rags to do. Nothing wrong with wanting any caliber if that is what a person wants. Making silly claims just proves the choice was not well thought out.

BTW, I nearly bought into the .32's when I was shooting CAS. Back then I was a real "gun nut" and bought all sorts of stuff I wanted and did not need. But even then, I realized it would have been a very expensive mistake. There was nothing available that would be as slick as my tuned Colt SAA's and then I would have added a good lever action. And to do what? Clang steel and win that new pickup truck?

I already had over $5000 in CAS.38/.357 guns, plus a dedicated Dillon 1050 to load them. If I lost a handful of .38 brass at a match, once fired cases were $50-60/k and I had about 8k of them.

Even a gun nut can have rare moments of common sense.

If you get that .32, enjoy the heck out of it. All guns that shoot well are FUN!!!

[fivegunner]

Don I sure do like the way you think, Thank`s for posting

[ohen cepel]

I like the .32's and will keep them, including the .327. They are what they are, and I like them. They are not magical but have some gains to me. Have enough brass to load them for the rest of my life unless I hit the lottery and get a TON of free time to do nothing but shoot and reload.

They don't currently get a lot of support by the firearms makers. However, I think revolvers may start to make a comeback and if so, the .32's may get a bump.

I think the .327 will be around for a long time. Much like the 41mag, the predictions of its death never seem to come to reality.

[shooting on a shoestring]

My opinion the only “dead” 32 caliber is the original 32 S&W that came out in 1878. To my knowledge there haven’t been any production guns chambered in 32 S&W since the S&W Hand Ejectors came out in the 1890’s. I haven’t seen 32 S&W stocked by any big box gun shops and only a couple of mom n pops.

32 S&W Long is still popular enough to be stocked by Cabela’s and Acacemy here in Texas. I believe firearms are still in production by Hammerli and Pardini and maybe a few more. 32S&W came out in 1896. It’s not dead yet.

32 H&R is still in production for both firearms and ammunition since 1984. Although I don’t think it’s gaining market share, it’s still alive and out there.

327 Federal Magnum is much more current. It’s still in the Ruger catalog. Out of the 4 straight walled 32 revolver cartridges it’s easily the most versatile, most useful for defense from felons or critters. It’ll be around as long as people are free to keep and bear arms.

[dtknowles]

My opinion the only “dead” 32 caliber is the original 32 S&W that came out in 1878. To my knowledge there haven’t been any production guns chambered in 32 S&W since the S&W Hand Ejectors came out in the 1890’s. I haven’t seen 32 S&W stocked by any big box gun shops and only a couple of mom n pops.

32 S&W Long is still popular enough to be stocked by Cabela’s and Acacemy here in Texas. I believe firearms are still in production by Hammerli and Pardini and maybe a few more. 32S&W came out in 1896. It’s not dead yet.

32 H&R is still in production for both firearms and ammunition since 1984. Although I don’t think it’s gaining market share, it’s still alive and out there.

327 Federal Magnum is much more current. It’s still in the Ruger catalog. Out of the 4 straight walled 32 revolver cartridges it’s easily the most versatile, most useful for defense from felons or critters. It’ll be around as long as people are free to keep and bear arms.

You left out two popular .32's the 32 ACP and the 32-20. The 32-20 is my favorite 32. It is and for a long time has been the most popular 32. That is mostly because of rifles chamber for it. In my revolver it can be loaded to equal the .327 but I shoot mostly .32 S&W Long equivalent rounds. I have never had trouble finding ammo or brass, but you don't find it on brick-and-mortar stores very often. It might be harder to come by now, but I have not looked because I have plenty.

[shooting on a shoestring]

DT, you’re right.
I was only considering the straight-walled revolver rounds. And I agree with your position the 32-20 can be loaded to duplicate what the 327 does in revolvers. I have a nice S&W MP that sees loads approximately equivalent to 32 H&R just because there’s no use in running that gun hard for the heck of it. But I have a convertible Blackhawk with a 32-20 cylinder that mostly runs in the neighborhood of 1500 fps.

Yep 32-20 is alive and well.

32acp, it’s and oldie too and it’ll be around a long time, even on our continent. I think it may be more popular in the European countries than here. But here it has a following and can be used defensively. Definitely not a contender for the title “dead cartridge”.

[shooting on a shoestring]

Hey DT!
What about your 7.62x25 Tokarev?
Is that a dead cartridge?

[mobilemail]

I really like shooting .327 in the rifle more than the pistol. Even at stouter loads it is pleasant to shoot and shoots flat. It's hard for me to make accuracy claims because I'm shooting my Henry with a tang peep sight. One day I will put scope mount on it and really see what it's capable of at 100-200 yards.
I've loaded and chronied some loads with 115gr bullets, but I really need that scope mount to see what they are doing for me. With the peep sight I achieve accuracy consistent with AE327 loads.