327 Ruger

[NRA UR2]

Has anybody purchased an SP101 Ruger in 327 cal? What can you tell me about it?

 

[akodo]

WTA had some discussion of it, I'l post the relevant bits. Note, smilies will be missing

*grumble, sniff, kicks rocks*

Doc says it's another flare of the rheumatoid arthritis. Got a shot of some variant of cortisone and more pain pills and an NSAID ointment for the hand. *grump* Gonna be a bit before I get over and shoot anything bigger than a .22lr.

My middle son magnanimously offered to shoot my Ed Brown for me while I'm laid up. What a man. Do anything for his mom.... Meanwhile, I still plot to get somebody to send me one of these so I can write it up for WTA's Ladies Area....

Jan

27-28 oz. Lightweight guns, in general, = unpleasant shooting experience for small hands or recoil-sensitive folks. A revolver that's a bit "heavy" is better than an airweight that is unpleasant to shoot hot rounds out of (said she with the airweight m37 and the MUCH more comfortable-to-shoot m66-3 which is "heavy" but comfortable to shoot)

Jan

SCORE!

My DH let it slip about my Mother's Day gift. Yup. A new Ruger SP101 in .327 Federal magnum sits atop my dresser, just waiting to go play tomorrow morning. He even bought the .32 S&W and .327 Federal ammo to try both out.

I will say, up front, the revolver is good and solid. The trigger is the usual Ruger trigger, but after even one evening of dry firing I can begin to feel it working better (or else my index finger's inflammation is going down and it's providing me good hand therapy). The grip is at that "awkward size" for my husband's hands; not so small that his pinky can't just slip beneath the grip as is true for my m37, but not so big that it can comfortably be useful either. For me, however, it is a great in between size; I've always found the m37 just a bit small and I've had nail digs from my fingers against the pad of my thumb after a shooting session with the 37.

It will be interesting to see how this works. It certainly is concealable; it fits in my Jagwear pouch, although I want to get a good IWB holster as revolvers are my usual summer carry.

More later.

Jan

Range report, update, and caution:

This morning was warm and slightly breezy, but not blow-me-over windy like it's been of late when it hasn't been raining. At any rate, I took the SP101 out to play. I had American Eagle 100 gr. .327 Federal magnum JSP and Remington 98 grain LRN with me. Upfront I'll say that my revolver shooting is never as accurate as my semiauto shooting; the DA trigger is very hard for me when I'm in a flare and I'm in a great grandmother of a flare right now (which is why I went, given my comments about disability and this round, of course). I alternated between .327 and .32 Long in each reload.

Recoil: the .327's shot like a regular .38spl. Louder, but the recoil was surprisingly easy. I found myself flinching (I hate flinching) before the first shot because the last few times I've been out with my snubbie it has been a miserably painful experience unless I shoot wadcutters, in which case it was only painful. Talked myself down from the flinch, and started to work. Did not restart flinching. That's a good sign for me. The .32's are a piece of cake. I had to just stop and stare at the target when I got 5 of 6 in the X. As I said, I don't do revolvers that well, and I was REALLY pleased. Eventually, after about 125 rounds, my hand began to fatigue badly. Fatigue, but not hurt. I'm a happy camper.

Trigger: somebody screwed up. They put an S&W trigger into a Ruger. It's certainly no SA but it shoots more like my used 66-3 than any new revolver I've shot.

Grips: big enough. This is an issue for me because my fingernails, while short by many women's standards, still tend to dig into the base of my thumb when I shoot my snubbie and end up making painful worse by throwing in first irritating and then abrading and then finally cutting. It is still an SP, so the overall grip size is what it is. If your hands are large you may have a problem figuring out where to put your pinkie.

Sights: adjustable, but they were set just fine at the factory. I like Ruger sights better than S&W's anyway and these confirm my preference.

AMMO ISSUES: and in this comes the update and caution....

The second cylinder of .327 I shot, I had trouble getting the brass to extract. The R.O, our ex-deputy buddy who always comes over to watch when I'm there, helped. On the next cylinder of .327, I got two out by fingernail; and had to take the gun back to him, at which point HE had some trouble getting them out. I stuck with .32 S&W longs the rest of the morning, came back and researched the issue, and found that this is a known problem with this gun. Or with the ammo for this gun. But either way, Ruger is modifying the cylinders to enable easier .327 extraction and will replace (or buff out the chambers of your cylinder) if this occurs. A brand new gun gets sent back if there's a problem; I'll save tinkering for 10,000 rounds from now. Back it goes on Monday for a repair or replacement, depending on what's best when they see it.

I did not shoot regular .32 S&W, nor did I shoot .32 H&R Magnum (so little money, so many calibers...) so I can't speak to those. Will try them when it comes back from New Hampshire.

For the recoil-shy, the .32's really are very little more than a .22 magnum. It just is not an issue. Had I gone through 100+ of the .327's I might have ended up with some soreness but I'll find out when I get the gun back and can do that. I generally do not go shooting in a flare this bad, because it's just too painful. With this revolver, I will go and I will practice. And that right there...whether for the recoil-shy, a person with arthritis, a new shooter, or an older shooter with bone or health problems...is a good enough reason for this gun to be on the market. Ladies, if you do look at one of these, make sure it has the cylinder that's the newer manufacture. Other than that...great gun. Now all I have to do is find a good holster and wait for it to come back home from New England

Jan

 

[akodo]

My conclusion

#1 - for people with medical reasons that want to avoid heavier barking guns (yes, this includes medium frame 38 specials) 32 longs make wonderful practice and are definately a step up from 22LR or 22magnum revolvers. 32 H&R magnums for defense should also be very light. With 327s, you get 38 special recoil levels, maybe a little less recoil, and it looks like a little bit better defensive performance...PLUS ONE EXTRA ROUND.

The medically/age related recoil sensitive really should look at this, practice with 32 longs, put in something hotter for self defense when carrying or in the nightstand.

#2 People are Emotional creatures that are sometimes capable of logic...sometimes. I think most of us have had experience with brand new shooters who fixate on wanting a small gun because they erronously belive physically small gun = less powerful and more easy to shoot than big guns. Of course, this is entirely opposite, yet people seem to lock in on this.

Also, anyone should be able to learn to handle a 38 special or 9mm very easy...unless they have erected mental roadblocks. We've known for quite some time that 'kick' is partly psychological (#1 if it wasn't you'd never get used to it and be able to shoot stiffer and stiffer stuff. #2 we often tell people to make sure to double up squishie earplugs and earmuffs for starting shooters, guns seem to kick less and are less intimidating when noise is controlled)

There are enough people out there who starting new are very impressed with the snap of a 38 special...simply because they've had no exposure. I've taken men and women out for shooting the first time and have had that experience before.

I think part of this comes from a world where people no longer get phyiscal feedback from their tools. Cars have power steering, the lawnmower is a rider [and hubby or daddy always does that], you hire a landscape to run a chainsaw, etc etc. People are used to using a mouse and cellphone, and to them, the shock of a 38 special being fired is both mental and physical

For this kind of buyer, you often see the gun store employee steer them toward a snub nose lightweight revolver (or maybe they stear themselves, and the guy at the counter just facilitates the trip) OR the guy at the counter will roll his eyes and slide them a 22LR, not as a training gun in conjuction with a self defence gun, but to be their one and only.

To this market, I think the 327 magnum can be an excellent choice.

 

[Surefire]

6 rounds of 9mm +p like performance (1300 fps) in an SP 101, what is not to like. Beats the performance of 5 rounds of .38 specials moving at about 800 fps.

I hope they make an 8 shot GP 100 in .327 magnum one day.

 

[461]

Destined to be a great round if people will give it a chance. Wonderful performance in a well proven platform with an amazing level of versatility.

 

[SP Shop Foreman]

Just got another one, blued this time, but not a Ruger. Too many complaints about cylinder problems, so its a Taurus. 1,300fps, 400 ft/lbs, smooth double action, easy extraction, very accurate at 25 yards and takes all the other .32 cartridge configurations we have.
I'm happy enough.

SP

 

[oneounceload]

To be able to shoot 32sw, 32swl, 32h&r, and 327 mag out of one gun would be cool.....3 inch barrel would make it a good backpacking/camp/plinking gun as well with enough oomph for SD if necessary.

Anyone have an idea on what the street price is?

 

[SP Shop Foreman]

I paid $326 plus shipping, but we're LEO connected and the dealer is a county Deputy Sheriff, so I'm not sure about over the counter. I think I read about $375 to $400 for a Taurus and add $100 to $125 for a Ruger, add (no real good reason) $250+ for a S&W.

Ammunition is $18 for 50. Fortunately for us we're copious reloaders.
The dealer told me that affordable brass should be available within another 60 days.

SP

 

[remingtondude58]

Another possibility then the ones mentioned in the post above http://www.charterfirearms.com/products/Charter_Patriot_73270.html

 

[m2steven]

Just to kick a dead horse a bit, I purchased this gun about a month ago. I've shot all the available ammo types in it now. With 32short/long and wadcutters - absolutely no recoil. That's with my Hogue grip. Feels like my 357 mag replica C02 pellet gun. It's superb. The 32 h&r magnum has some punch. Maybe like a 22 magnum. It's again nothing to worry about unless you really have arthritis or some other disabling pain. The 327 Federal Magnum 85 grain low recoil round is loud as hell, and the recoil feels like someone knocked the gun barrel with a hammer. It's not bad, but it's abrupt and would hurt an injured hand. However, my 58 year old hand(s) never complained after 40 rounds. They come out of the cylinder with some difficulty, but none were really stuck. They were snug. The other ammo just fell out. I won't send the gun back unless the problem gets worse.

The trigger pull is superb in both single and double action mode. All in all, a great gun with 5 bullet choices not including permutations for powder differences, etc. I love it. I think you'll love it.

 

[SP Shop Foreman]

Steven, mine are 115gr and it seems that there is a specific manufacturer's cartridge that has an ejection problem. I don't understand whay that should be but I've read enough occurrences to believe its a fact. I'll see if I can find it, but in the meantime, check your cylinder chambers to make sure they're finished bright and shiney. If they're dull you may want to use a dremel with the right sized soft disc and jewlers rouge. Sort of what you'd use on a sizing die if the factory forgot to finish polish it dead smooth.

SP

Found it. Its Federal Eagle that seems to be the culprit.