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.32 the caliber time has passed by?

  • No way, José! Very much viable, I particularly like [fill in the blank] ...

    Votes: 29 36.3%
  • Might be a little over dramatic, but yah, it has fallen by the wayside. Still a workable option.

    Votes: 18 22.5%
  • Pretty much. The thirty-two is a niché item, at best.

    Votes: 14 17.5%
  • Of course. De facto dead. Why are we having this conversation?

    Votes: 2 2.5%
  • He got a 32 gun in his pocket for fun / He got a razor in his shoe

    Votes: 17 21.3%

  • Total voters
    80
I don't care for the 327 ammo on the market, with up to 1,600fps and pressure approaching 30-30 its like shaking hands with the devil.
Yikes! I can Imagine! Kind of like shooting a high end .357 load out of a K, OR a J frame!

When I got my 4" Mod 66 Smith I had some upper end .357s I had been shooting out of my Henry rifle (16 grains of 296 with 158 gr XTPs IIRC) and shot ONE of them out of the 66 and the experience was similar to what you described.

I have since 'settled down' to a reduced load of 7 grains of Unique with 158 grain plated bullets. Unique is a bit slower burning of a powder than the typical pistol powders and really 'relaxes' the recoil in these rounds, but as such this load is basically on the low end of .357 data and probably more like a .38 +P but MUCH more enjoyable to shoot!

However this is what I like about the .327 Fed Mag. Like the .357 It gives a reloader some versatility such as the reduced load you described.
 
Yikes! I can Imagine! Kind of like shooting a high end .357 load out of a K, OR a J frame!

When I got my 4" Mod 66 Smith I had some upper end .357s I had been shooting out of my Henry rifle (16 grains of 296 with 158 gr XTPs IIRC) and shot ONE of them out of the 66 and the experience was similar to what you described.

I have since 'settled down' to a reduced load of 7 grains of Unique with 158 grain plated bullets. Unique is a bit slower burning of a powder than the typical pistol powders and really 'relaxes' the recoil in these rounds, but as such this load is basically on the low end of .357 data and probably more like a .38 +P but MUCH more enjoyable to shoot!

However this is what I like about the .327 Fed Mag. Like the .357 It gives a reloader some versatility such as the reduced load you described.
Keep the 357 velocity down around the mid 900s, both you and revolver will be happy for many years.
 
Hail to the Kel Tec in 7.65 Browning (aka .32 ACP).

1774911098958.jpeg

1774911466547.jpeg
That was shot from about 7-10 yards away.

For me.....
The spirit of JMB's (7.65 Browning cartridge) is always nearby. Currently, it's near my favorite chair. The small size makes it an easy firearm to conceal. I'll frequently slip it into my pocket when I answer to an unexpected knock at my door. And, the light weight doesn't cause too much trouble with it pulling my pants down.


A little more about that JMB connection.


Aloha, Mark
 
if I want to shoot lower power loads in the GP-100 .327 federal I just shoot .32 H&R mags or .32 long. mostly .32 H&R

full house loads aren't a problem in the GP-100.
 
I have 3 revolvers and four self-loading pistols in .32 caliber. I am considering another revolver (a Charter Arms "Undercoverette") in .32 H&R Magnum. I have an S&W Airweight Centennial in .32 H&R Magnum.

These handguns can defend me and use .32 S&W to destroy garden pests. The .32 caliber handguns are extremely versatile. It has worked since 1878.

The .32 is far from defunct.
 
Last Edited:
I just ordered a Charter Arms Model 73220 from Adaptive Firing Solutions in Oregon City, Oregon. For the heady sum of $367.99 + the obligatory $10.00 Oregon Background Check fee, the Charter Arms "Undercoverette" will soon be mine.

I will shoot this and keep my S&W Airweight Centennial in the safe.
 
Cool beans, brother! My "stable" is as follows:

  1. S&W Airweight Centennial (.32 H&R Magnum)
  2. H&R 733 (.32 S&W L)
  3. Taurus Model 74 (Nickel) .32 S&W L,
  4. S&W 1903 Hand Ejector (.32 S&W L),
  5. Charter Arms "Undercoverette" Model 73220 (.32 H&R Magnum). This one is coming soon.
  6. Crvena Zastava M70 (.32 ACP),
  7. Kel Tec P .32
  8. Tanfoglio Titan II (.32 ACP),
  9. Walther (Manhurin) PP (.32 ACP).
Do you think the .32 caliber is dead? Think again.
 
I have never wanted something so much and also absolutely not at all at the same time, in a very long time!

From the one time I handled one of these, they got the "rough" part right.
 
I don't own any .32's but kind of want a Beretta tomcat to add to my collection.

I kind of like the tip up barrel and look of them.
My better half has carried a Tomcat for some time now and likes it. She generally carries a bigger piece, but the lil' one is a staple too. This deal may be of interest:

 

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