.327 Fed Mag Fail

[gmerkt]

I've liked .32 revolvers for quite some time. I've owned them in .32 S&W Long, .32 H&R Magnum, and .32-20. So when the .327 Federal Magnum came along, I was interested.

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[MikeInOr]

Great write up! Very refreshing change from all the gun writers that don't dare say anything negative about a new product. It is nice to hear the perspective from someone that has lived with the product for more than the week or what ever evaluation period the gun manufactures give the writers.

I don't understand the appeal of .327 mag in a lever action????

 

[284guy]

I don't understand the appeal of .327 mag in a lever action????

Those are usually Henry owners. It's a cult following. No matter how bad the quality is on their guns, the owners always snap back with "great customer service" and "made in America", casually ignoring the multiple trips back to Henry to fix them. People like that can't be reasoned with.

 

[Medic!]

Great write up! Very refreshing change from all the gun writers that don't dare say anything negative about a new product. It is nice to hear the perspective from someone that has lived with the product for more than the week or what ever evaluation period the gun manufactures give the writers.

I don't understand the appeal of .327 mag in a lever action????

Winchester rifles in 32-20 and 25-20 were a popular option for a long time back before modern high velocity, small caliber rounds like .223 became the standard in varmint control.



I think a 32 Maggi would be a great little ranch rifle.
If it was a tac driver. And in a Winchester.

 

[Medic!]

Those are usually Henry owners. It's a cult following. No matter how bad the quality is on their guns, the owners always snap back with "great customer service" and "made in America", casually ignoring the multiple trips back to Henry to fix them. People like that can't be reasoned with.

No experience here with Henry's.
I prefer a gate on the receiver along with the name Winchester on my lever guns.

But the Henry's do look nice.

 

[41mag]

Ruger fixed it. I never found it to be inherently accurate.

sympathize & agree with this observation....only in this instance, it was the otherwise much vaunted 'Ruger Single-10' 22LR. While I long admired the 'Single-6' my fantasy was the 'Single-10' was even more desirable.

Despite multiple trips to Casa Ruger for repeated overhaul, my beautiful 'Single-10' never was able to (get THIS) make a fist-size group on paper target at 20' from sandbagged bench rest position. Yes, regardless of ammo.

No one had any explanation & no factory fix proved effective. (sigh)....

 

[titsonritz]

Never did anything for me, but I guess that can be said of 32 in general.

 

[41mag]

highly enthusiastic core of .32 revolver people

I shot an old model 32 S&W Long for years at falling plate rack. It was a wonderfully accurate and very sweet load. Worth a good look if you like small frame revolvers.

 

[KKG]

I too like the .32 Wheel Guns and own several Smith and Wessons. I do own two of the Marlins in .32 H&R Magnum. One has a Malcolm Scope and has the looks of the original Henry Sniper Rifle from Civil War days. I've been real temped to ream one of my Marlins out to the .327 but the guns are truly a Collectable and I hate to ruin that value. The Malcolm Scoped Rifle has very been fired while the other has proven to be very accurate, even out to 100 yards or more. I have a Ruger Single-6 that is also a fine shooter. My Smith and Wesson Model 16-4 with the 8-3/8" tube is much more accurate than I am.

Who knows what will happen next.

 

[41mag]

My Smith and Wesson Model 16-4 with the 8-3/8" tube is much more accurate than I am.

My 17-4 in 8-3/8 continues to delight, surprise and challenge as well.
My Spud Brother now departed, endured my tauntings from decades ago when we took bullseye seriously. He had a serious 'smith tune it and it continues to perform.

 

[KKG]

My 16-4 was used in Hunter Pistol Silhouette and I used the .32 S&W HBWC for the Chickens and Pigs. It was so quiet that my Score Keeper had to tap me on the Shoulder and ask me if I had actually fired!

 

[Member 34319]

Thanks for the write up on 327. I've never considered it a worthy cartridge. Seemed like a marketing thing trying to get folks to buy another gun they don't need that doesn't really fix anything.

If anything I'd only look at it as a fun gun cartridge for the range.

If only they shrunk the lever gun it was chambered in since they shrunk the case. Kind of like the 1911s by Browning in 380. If they did that, and threaded the barrel, it would be a great gun for a youth and or a fun range gun.

 

[Pandaz3]

I bought a used Ruger Blackhawk eight shooter in 327 and have yet to shoot it. Pretty heavy so I think it will handle the hi-power 100 Grain American Eagle, or the softer Speer 100 Grain Gold Dot Short Barrel, or the 85 Grain American Eagle. I'll try all three. I have some soft shooting 32 H&R also.
My first was a Ruger LCR in 327 and that is a bear to shoot with the 100 Grain American Eagle, I have put the longer Hogue Tamer grips/stocks on it to make it more palatable. I did buy it for the six shots. I am not real concerned about my accuracy with it. I am as accurate with it as I am with my Taurus 605 357 snubby, or my Performance Center 637 J-Frame snubby. I'm happy with a fist sized group at ten yards with a Snubby.
While the Jury is out on my Blackhawk, I'll keep the LCR.
I have read in other forums that the Henry in 327 Federal had a lot of feeding issues. I am the owner of three Henry rimfires and love mine.

 

[Pandaz3]

Yes the LCP's can be rough, but they are not range guns, I try not to shoot them too often. I shot 400+ rounds of 380 testing eight pocket 380's in one day. Never again.

 

[Pandaz3]

I had a newer 38 LCR but I gave it to my revolver loving son, who likes it. He recently bought a G-43 as his off duty gun (That he has to qualify with) but he says he will go back to his S&W 642.

I can see any pocket gun being very good past 10 yards, or more like me being good with one.

I like my Colt Mustang XSP, but it has, relative to the ten pocket 380's I own, middling accuracy. It is even eclipsed by my Taurus Spectrum and Remington RM-380.
My two best are the Glock 42 and my little Kahr CW-380. The Kahr is very picky on ammo, wont shoot Fiocchi hardball! but it loves anything with Hornady's XTP bullet.

I can shoot the 327 LCR better at 15 yards than my 380's. I think that might be the ballistics taking charge.

 

[Superglide]

The biggest drawback I see with 327 is there has not been a wide assortment of firearms to choose from and sporadic ammo shortages. Yes it's not for everyone, but neither is 454 Casull.
I purchased my birdshead single seven that's in my avatar back at the end of the 22 drought. My kids and I put a lot of 32 S&W holes into tin cans with much happiness. And rimfire level recoil. Shot great for the fixed sights it has. Comforting too when CCW in 327 Federal 85gr loads. 7 shots of 1400fps fury. A plus over 22s is you can reload it. I liked it so much I picked up a SP101 4"
It had to make a return trip to Ruger, due to a faulty spring. A fault of the manufacture, not the cartridge. Came back slicker than a bald tires on wet leaves.
I am also liking the idea of a lever and would much prefer a choice of options, which there is not. Looks like Henry or nothing right now. Still I bet it would not lose a lot of value, especially if it becomes discontinued. Why Ruger does not give the caliber more support, I don't know. A lever would be great or a small single shot, but that's a new design. They could pop out a rimfire sized American though. Instead we get rifle upgrades in the form of 22mag variations.
32 makes more sense than 22mag to me. Or a 2" barrel 357 for that matter.

I know many would buy a Winchester or Browning if they made it in 327. Vintage Marlins or S&Ws would be snatched up like crazy, if any were made in 327. They weren't.
Also the 327 power in handguns that is objectionable is easily fixed. 32 H&R takes it down a notch. Or as I said before 32 S&W long for mildness. The beauty to me is it's versatility. A punch in the jaw gun or a plinker you can hand to a kid.
Sorry it's not for you but I don't see it as a fail for a cartridge.

 

[Pandaz3]

327 Federal was made by both Charter Arms and Smith & Wesson for a while. Ruger has been keeping it afloat. Freedom Arms was a strong proponent for a while and they will still make you a six shot model 97 in 327 with your choice of Barrel length 4 1/4", 5 1/2", 7 1/2", or 10" for a mere $2,309 not too bad for a true quality gun. I'll buy two when I when the Lottery. Gun Broker has 149 327's listed one Freedom for $2900, one S&W For $900 and one for $1200, a Taurus for $500 looks like a bargain, the rest are all Ruger.

 

[Pandaz3]

My Mustang is Polymer, soft shooter for a small 380. I have Hogue Handalls on my LCP Custom and LCP II, they help a little, but really thicken the grip. Still I carry them at home in gym shorts.