327 Fed Magnum is calling me

[CWLONGSHOT]

Any one have use shoot one?

The Ruger Single Seven to be specfic. I know the BH makes better choice as a shooter but that svelt feel of the SS in a CF is a nice thing and the 32 dont recoil. Id buy that lil short barreled round but in a second but not looking at it for defensive/ concealment. Kinda yes defensive. But more hunting than defense.
Anyhow I have four nice molds and a supply of dandy 140g swc HO’s from a online friend acquired in barter. Probably could get more but I have a few hundred.
I had a couple H&R magnums and while I liked them they didnt offer any significant power increase. This Fed surely can at least paper ballistics say it should.
What say you guys?

CW

 

[Bret4207]

Short barreled and magnum are kind of defeating each other, aren't they? I have a SS in 32 mag with the 9.5" barrel. It will give some impressive performance, treading on the heels of hotter loader 32-20. For hunting I'd want at least 4", and if open sights, probably 6". I don't know what your choices are, but the other factor with the hot 32's is THEY ARE FREAKIN' LOUD!!!!! A short bbl is just going to be more of the same. What kind of power increase are you looking for that the 32 mag didn't give you and in what platform were you using it?

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I am not wanting a short barrel. (Thought I said that). I like the looks and feel of that short birds head but DONT WANT THIS for defense. So dont need/want short barrel.

I was not aware they offered it in a 9.5” bbl!!

IINM the SS is a 6.5”... Not positive tho.

The 32 H&R barely did 1100 and most where at 1000. The Fed is substantially more. While still ablemtomthrottle back or shoot H&R ammo

It would be a trail gun for me.

CW

 

[david s]

I've the full size 8 shot Blackhawk from when Ruger first offered the 327 Federal. That said I would have to agree the Single Seven makes more sense as a woods walker in 32 caliber. It's an impressive round I haven't really thought of it as a defensive cartridge but I wouldn't want to be in front of it either. My heaviest 32 mould tops out just under 130 grains and brings some punch at 140 grain your beginning to get some pretty good SD and serious penetration.

 

[david s]

The blued is a Single Six in 32 H&R magnum and the stainless is a 327 Federal Blackhawk. Not a whole world of difference but in 32 caliber the Single Six makes more sense, at least to me.

 

[Will]

I’ve really been thinking hard about getting a 327. I think the single seven will suit my needs.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

In that Bisley grip frame.

CW

 

[Bret4207]

CW, sorry for the confusion. The 9.5" is from right after the 32+R came out, and that's back in the 90's IIRC. It's the ONLY 32 mag I've ever seen up here, so I bought it. Tried to turn it into a varmint gun (coyote) by mounting an old handgun scope to it. It works pretty good as far as reaching out there, but it's a pain to carry. It's been a long time but I think I was in the 1200 fps area with 90 gr bullets. With 115gr 311316's it was around 1050-1100 I think, and that was pushing it. Still, that's in the warm 32-20 range with 3.5" more barrel. I don't know enough about the 327 to offer anything meaningful, but for a trail gun there's nothing wrong with a 32 Long at 950 fps. I have a K32 that will do that, and more, but I'd love a J frame/4"/adjustable sights for a trail gun.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I had a S&W 651 for years and loved it!! I like SA’s better. A Bear Cat in 32 would be the cats azz!!!

CW

 

[david s]

Previously I mentioned that the most unamerican thing about me is that 30 caliber rifles for the most part dont interest me. But 30 caliber handguns I enjoy a lot. So top to bottom S&W 1905 in 32-20, Ruger Blackhawk 327 Federal, S&W 631 32 H&R, Ruger Single Six 32 H&R Magnum and a S&W 31 32 Long. The S&W 1905 gets partnered with a Browning 53 when out woods walking. Everything the 22 rimfires do the 32's do better with even more fun. And during the last rimfire shortage cheaper also. With the exception of the 327 Federal none of these pistols have seen a jacketed bullet or factory load by me. The 327 was used with factory ammo as a brass maker when purchased because empty brass wasn't available. And just the thought of the Bear Cat in 32 is going to bother me way to much.

 

[CZ93X62]

I have an SP-101 x 4.2" in 327 Federal, and I am growing more fond of the chunky little critter every time I take it out.. To paraphrase one of Bret's above posts, the 32 H&R Mag and the 327 Federal loaded to full-tilt are LOUDER THAN HELL'S DRUMLINE. Ruger must have a contest under way, "30 Carbine Blackhawk vs. 327 Federal Report Volume". Either of those at full throat will set off earthquakes in fault zones.

Moderated loads like the RCBS 32-98-SWC at 900-1000 FPS are not such eardrum drills. This is my preferred load level in 30 Carbine, 32 H&R, and 327. WW-231 is the fuel, and I started out with recipes found in the RCBS Cast Bullet Manual #1 (1986). I used 32 SWL top-end loads in all three calibers, and even in the 30 Carbine BH it spat the SWCs out at 600-625 FPS. Add in 0.2 grains at a step until you get where you want to be.

I have some 327 Feds loaded with my 118 grain flatnose that clock in the 1300-1325 FPS ZIP Code. I have run Lyman #311316 through the BH at almost 1500 FPS. I have zero doubt that a goblin absorbing one of more of these would be dissuaded decisively. I an equally sure that the distributor of these dosages will have deafness from the report, blindness from the muzzle flash, and singed eyebrows from the flame front. OK, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, in places. But trust me--the full-monte 327 Federal must be fired to be believed. Its like the 44 Magnum that doesn't beat you to death.

 

[Bret4207]

Noise is one of the reasons I like the 44 Spec and 45AR so much. Even out of a Charter Bull Dog a 429421 at 850 or so isn't a problem with no ears on outside. The 32 long loaded to the warm end has a definite crack to it out of the K32 and the 32-20/32 Mag are up in the Eargensplitten Loudenboomer stage over 1100. The real hot stuff is terribly painful. Tinnitus is my constant companion already due to guns, chainsaws, jet engines and (IMO) driving at Mach 2 with the siren on and windows open because we didn't have AC back in the day. I can't imagine wearing hearing protection while walking in the woods and fields, so I avoid the hotter stuff from handguns, simple as that. Those whose shooting is limited to a range...that's a different thing. And for SD, well, if you aren't breathing and rigor has set in you aren't going to care about that annoying ringing in your ears now, are you? My point is that we all have a level of discomfort we're willing to endure and what one person might view as acceptable might be way beyond reasonable to another. So, to each their own. If the 327 looks like a winner to you, go for it!

 

[Bret4207]

Previously I mentioned that the most unamerican thing about me is that 30 caliber rifles for the most part dont interest me. But 30 caliber handguns I enjoy a lot. So top to bottom S&W 1905 in 32-20, Ruger Blackhawk 327 Federal, S&W 631 32 H&R, Ruger Single Six 32 H&R Magnum and a S&W 31 32 Long. The S&W 1905 gets partnered with a Browning 53 when out woods walking. Everything the 22 rimfires do the 32's do better with even more fun. And during the last rimfire shortage cheaper also. With the exception of the 327 Federal none of these pistols have seen a jacketed bullet or factory load by me. The 327 was used with factory ammo as a brass maker when purchased because empty brass wasn't available. And just the thought of the Bear Cat in 32 is going to bother me way to much.

That 631 is exactly what I see as a near perfect carry gun, even if it is stainless. I have never even seen one up this way, although I did see a similar Smith in 38 Spec with a 5 or 6" barrel. Should have bought it!

 

[CZ93X62]

The 30/31/32 calibers start getting unpleasant at about the 900 FPS level, and by the time things get to 1100 FPS ear protection is an absolute MUST in any caliber. The RCBS 32-98-SWC is pure magic at 800-850 FPS from my 6" S&W Model 16-4. Small game and varmints view it far differently.

 

[Bret4207]

Yup, pushing the 32's fast just takes all the fun out them unless you put them in a longer barrel, like 20-26"!

 

[david s]

I'm not sure which would be worse in the blast department a 30 Carbine or the 327 Federal. It's not a test you would want to run with out ear muffs. Unfortunately you dont get velocity without pressure. The sole reason for the 327 Federals being is it's fast (for a pistol) and that comes at the cost of the sonic crack. I picked up the Blackhawk in 327 Federal to shoot (at) ground squirrels from 0 out to around 200 yards. After 200 yards rifles take over. When Federal announced the 327 I was one of the few people who was actually excited about it. But then I knew just how it was going to be used. It does what it is suppose to though. I bought the Smith and Wesson 631 in 32 H&R fairly recently, they are not common here either. It was posted in an Armslist add at $1200. For around 6 months the add ran and the price dropped $50 dollars every time the add was reposted. When the price hit the "this is going to only hurt for a while" area I bought it. I haven't played with it enough yet. It's only shot the reload that was put together for the Single Six. All the left pockets in my hunting pants have a hole worn in them from carrying a J frame S&W pistol to shoot grouse with. The hammer checking wears right thru. The model 31 in 32 Long and now the 631 in 32 H&R and another,a S&W 63 in 22 L.R. all spend time in my left pants pocket. The grouse dont appreciate this.

 

[Brad]

My 32 H&R never gets anything but a nice 100 gr swc in the 850 FPS range. I have Fired much faster loads in my 30 Carbine BH and they are odd. Huge on noise, low on recoil.
A 327 Federal in a BH with a 7.5” barrel might not be the handiest thing to carry but I can only imagine they shoot pretty flat. For the right uses it would be right handy.

 

[CZ93X62]

My old mentor Leo Reyes once said that the Ruger Blackhawks in 30 Carbine were more accurate at every range to 150 yards than their gas-operated older larger brothers the Carbines. Having had a Rock-Ola Carbine and 3 of the BHs so far, Leo was correct IME.

For a time I had a Marlin Model 62 lever rifle in 30 Carbine. It had a shoot-off between itself and my present BH, and was able to do a slight bit better than the BH to 100 yards. I spent most of one range day at this project, trying both jacketed and cast bullets in both arms. It was loud and fun.

I think the 30 Carbine cartridge gets a bad rap mostly due to the Carbines that are its most common platform. The Carbines have wide, sloppy chambers to make them combat-reliable in less-than-ideal conditions, and their usual fare of open-base FMJ RN bullets do the caliber no favors also.

The M-62 and the BHs benefit from brass not fired in Carbines. Use of good bullets pays off as well--Sierra 110 RNSPs are much better than milsurp FMJs, both as to varmint-whacking and downrange clustering.

The 30 Carbine caliber has a revolver that can do it justice from an accuracy standpoint. It currently lacks a rifle that can exploit this niche; the 32/20 leverguns are about as close as we get to that ideal. Ruger has come up with bolt rifles in 357 and 44 Magnum calibers that feed from proprietary spool magazines; I imagine they could adapt those "77/357" platforms to take 30 Carbine stick magazines. I would be an early subscriber to such an offering.

The 30 Carbine BH is a rat-whacker of the first order. I have run both the Lyman #311316 and the "Lee Soup Can" to 1400+ velocities with great accuracy and devastating effect on ground squirrels and jackrabbits, to 125 yards+. I think with Henry Rifles getting a jump on the 327 Federal bandwagon, the question of a 30 Carbine bolt or lever rifle just got answered with a large bright NOT GONNA HAPPEN, though.

 

[Cherokee]

I've had M1 Carbines since the DCM was selling them wayyyyy back in 60's. They are just fun, but not for accuracy work. When Ruger brought out the BH in 30 Carbine in late 60's, I got the first one I could find from Bruce Hodgon's shop. Been having fun with them ever since. Had an AMT 30 Carbine pistol for a few years but it didn't work out very well. A few years ago I had Andy Horvath spin up a conversion cylinder for 32/20 for the BH because I also like 32/20 and have Marlin 1889's and other guns for them. I can shoot the 30's better than anything else. I'm sure the modern 32 mags are good, but I enjoy what I have and already have all the "fixins" I need for them.

 

[Bret4207]

I miss the days of cases of 30M1 surplus ammo for $15-20 dollars.