Make Mine a .32 Mag? Ballistic Gel Tests

[fordtrucks]

Interesting all this good 32 stuff I read and I can’t find one to even look at with 200 miles. I have to buy it to try it around here.

Really want ruger to cone out with a 3” lcrx in 327. I’d buy it to try it.

Or the charter arms one. Not available to buy online even yet. Just need to watch for holsters. That might be a problem with the new charter.

 

[TTv2]

Ruger didn't create the .327. Federal did. Ruger happened to be the first company to produce a firearm for it.

Anyway, in talking with one of the Ruger sales and marketing managers, he tells me their line of .327s does quite well. Hopefully we will see more offerings in the future. I would welcome a Clapp SP101.

From what I've read the .327 was a joint effort between the two.

If the .327's Ruger makes are selling, then hopefully we'll be getting a .327 rifle by Ruger in the future. I've been banging the drums for Ruger to bring the Model 44 back, but in .327 and .357 as well. Not many semi-auto rifles in magnum revolver calibers.

 

[USBP379]

I've been banging the drums for Ruger to bring the Model 44 back, but in .327 and .357 as well. Not many semi-auto rifles in magnum revolver calibers.

Never say never but I'd say a .327 auto loader is unlikely. A very long road to a very small house, as they say.

 

[USBP379]

In case someone hasn't seen this already.

 

[GRIZ22]

While the 327 Magnum and H&R 32 Magnum are fine cartridges when I carry my J frame Taurus I usually carry Lapua 32 S&W Long wadcutters. They give about the same penetration as the 327 and 32 H&R.

The 32 S&W Long let's you recover and shoot faster than a J frame 38 Special.

 

[somethingbenign]

Never say never but I'd say a .327 auto loader is unlikely. A very long road to a very small house, as they say.

I think it would be better to develop a rimless 32 ACP ++P++ or however many +s 327 has compared to 32 S&W. Still get the benefit of extra capacity in a semi and the only reason the 327 is so long is to make sure no one put one in a 32 long. Could hit that same pressure in a much shorter case, still slightly longer than 32 ACP though for safety but that would only need to be 1/8" or so.

 

[USBP379]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/.32_Winchester_Self-Loading

 

[USBP379]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30_Carbine

 

[TTv2]

I think it would be better to develop a rimless 32 ACP ++P++ or however many +s 327 has compared to 32 S&W. Still get the benefit of extra capacity in a semi and the only reason the 327 is so long is to make sure no one put one in a 32 long. Could hit that same pressure in a much shorter case, still slightly longer than 32 ACP though for safety but that would only need to be 1/8" or so.

They have that, it's called .30 Carbine and it's fine in rifles, but is a no go in DA revolvers.

The benefit of the .327 is you get a cartridge that's rimmed and works well in revolvers, so you have the same cartridge in rifle and handgun, and the case is long enough to accept 130 grain bullets. I don't see a .32 ACP Magnum holding a bullet any heavier than 100 grains.

 

[USBP379]

This might be a fun bullet to play with. I assume it would work well at somewhere around 1,000 FPS.

http://www.gtbullets.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=73

And this might work well for a woods or hiking bullet.

https://www.montanabulletworks.com/product/32-20-lbt-135gr-fn-gc/

 

[Blue Brick]

When the options available under the same frame include...
Five 44 Specials
Five 357 Magnums
Six 38 Specials
Seven 32 Magnums

I am missing the reason to carry a 32. More pressure and more cost to train vs the 38 Special.

 

[TTv2]

When the options available under the same frame include...
Five 44 Specials
Five 357 Magnums
Six 38 Specials
Seven 32 Magnums

I am missing the reason to carry a 32. More pressure and more cost to train vs the 38 Special.

It's lower recoil for faster follow up shots, but you gain an extra round and the bullets expand better (thanks to higher velocity) whilst also penetrating well.

As for ammo price, it depends on what you're shooting. The cheapest 50 rd box of .38 I've found is $16 for crap 158 gr LRN Magtech. .32 S&W Long is about $1 or $2 more for 50 rds. Granted, .32 S&W Long is not .32 H&R Mag, but 158 gr LRN isn't likely to be the carry ammo for someone's .38, so you're not getting the exact same thing to practice with vs what you're really carrying.

There's few .38 JHP's that are affordable (I.E. not the boutique stuff like Buffalo Bore, Doubletap, Underwood) that I've seen that work well and repeatably from short barrels. .32 Mag I've yet to see any failures, in fact the Buffalo Bore in heavy clothing in that article linked in this topic is the first failure I've seen in .32 or .327 Mag.

With .327 I can see the flaws you see, high pressure means the guns have to be better made to hold up, which means the guns are more expensive. With .32 Mag, the Charter Professional specifically, they gun doesn't have to be built like a .357.

 

[USBP379]

the Buffalo Bore in heavy clothing in that article linked in this topic is the first failure I've seen in .32 or .327 Mag.

It is the Federal 85gr JHP that failed to expand through clothing. Look at the photos and the accompanying chart. The Federal showed no expansion after clothing.

Granted, the 100 grain Buffalo Bore didn't fold back into a picture perfect bullet but it did have an average expansion of .41" and an average penetration of 17 inches. Pretty impressive for a snub.

 

[USBP379]

 

[TTv2]

It is the Federal 85gr JHP that failed to expand through clothing. Look at the photos and the accompanying chart. The Federal showed no expansion after clothing.

Granted, the 100 grain Buffalo Bore didn't fold back into a picture perfect bullet but it did have an average expansion of .41" and an average penetration of 17 inches. Pretty impressive for a snub.

I didn't see the 85 gr Federal one tucked down in the corner of the pic, but yeah, that's not good. As soon as I saw the velocity of that Federal load I wrote it off completely and said Hornady 80 grain is better for the money.

 

[silvermane_1]

I think it would be better to develop a rimless 32 ACP ++P++ or however many +s 327 has compared to 32 S&W. Still get the benefit of extra capacity in a semi and the only reason the 327 is so long is to make sure no one put one in a 32 long. Could hit that same pressure in a much shorter case, still slightly longer than 32 ACP though for safety but that would only need to be 1/8" or so.

You mean like a 32 Super?

 

[BlueHeelerFl]

In case someone hasn't seen this already.

Interesting

 

[USBP379]

Here is a choice for those who might want the absolute minimum in recoil from a J-frame or LCR yet still want to shoot a hollow point:

https://www.sgammo.com/product/32-s...emi-jacketed-hollow-point-magtech-ammo-32swlc

No idea how effective something like this may or may not be but I'm doubtful the bullet would expand at these published velocities.

 

[Tallball]

I have three 32 H&R magnum revolvers, and a 327 magnum. I think they are good cartridges.

Specifically, my wife and her mother have bad wrists. My daughter was very recoil-adverse when she first started wanting to shoot with me (around age eight). All of them could and can shoot 32 H&R magnum revolvers just fine. It is a good SD cartridge if you choose the right ammo. IMHO it should be a more popular SD cartridge than it is. In the very rare occasion that I am out of town, this is my wife's HD revolver. Really, her two large aggressive dogs are more of a deterrent, but this makes her feel more comfortable if I am gone.

Charter Arms 32 Magnum

• Tallball
• Feb 12, 2018

 

[Monster Zero]

Charter Arms has a .32 H&R on the way that's built on the Bulldog frame. As such, it is a 7-shooter. Why they didn't do a .327 instead is somewhat confusing although I can only assume the design is probably not strong enough for the .327 FM.

Regarding bullets; it certainly would seem that Hornady could take their Critical Defense and add a bit more weight to it so that the load would achieve 12" after clothing. In typical Buffalo Bore fashion their 100 grain load is quite hot and would likely work very well with a Gold Dot. As it is now, it looks like Federal, Black Hills and Buffalo Bore are using Hornady XTP bullets. Finally, it appears that Speer has discontinued the 115 grain Gold Dot load.

I think Charter's targeting a demographic that just doesn't want that maximum blam that comes with the .327. Shooters who have lived that long understand that there many other variables that come before it in the art of staying alive.

 

[USBP379]

I think Charter's targeting a demographic that just doesn't want that maximum blam that comes with the .327. Shooters who have lived that long understand that there many other variables that come before it in the art of staying alive.

I think Charter Arms simply sees a market void and a chance to make some money.

If nothing else hopefully the new Charter Arms will sell well enough to encourage S&W to get back into the market.

 

[Walkalong]

hopefully the new Charter Arms will sell well enough to encourage S&W to get back into the market.

Now there's a thought......

 

[USBP379]

The Smith 432s and whatnot that pop up on sites like Gunbroker seem to sell well and retain value. I'm sure a new J frame in 32 or 327 would do okay. And it isn't like Smith would have to put much effort into the design.

Maybe some day..

 

[ThomasT]

Here is a video I like showing bthe penetration of the 32 mag with 100gr and 115gr hard lead bullets. I am a fan of the 32 mag but like it best as a field and trail gun with the longer barrel. I don't have any interest in the 327 round. The 32 mag will do all I want from a 32 caliber pistol. But if you like the 327 then I say go for it.



For max loads I like Hodgdon Lil Gun powder. It fills the case. With an 85gr XTP I got 1305fps from a 5.5" Ruger SS and 1250fps from a 4" SP-101. The 100gr XTP got around 1250fps from the 5.5" Ruger. I never tested it in the SP-101.

I hope CA has all the success in the world with their new 7 shot gun.

 

[TTv2]

I think Charter Arms simply sees a market void and a chance to make some money.

If nothing else hopefully the new Charter Arms will sell well enough to encourage S&W to get back into the market.

More than just Smith, I want Taurus/Rossi, Rock Island, Heritage, and maybe even North American Arms get into the .32 revolver market. The more options that become available at various price points, the more ammo manufacturers will take notice and start developing new bullets for .32 Long, .32 H&R, and .327.

I would be most interested to see what NAA could cook up in a 5 shot .32 revolver. I don't think it so unrealistic when they still make the Guardian pistols in .25 and .32 NAA, guns I doubt sell at all.