.32 Popguns

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Ed Harris posted this 07 December 2006

Anybody else but me play with cast bullets in the .32 ACP, .32 S&W Long and .32 H&R Magnum?  I've already sent two articles in, but it would be fun to see what you guys are using.

I've been having great success with the Meister 94-gr. .312” LFNs with Bullseye powder, from 1.5-1.9 grs. in the .32 ACP, 2.0 to 2.5 grs. in the .32 S&W Long and 3.0 to 4.0 grs. in the .32 H&R Mag. -

Update Jan 31, 2007 - regretably this bullet is no longer listed on the Midway web site - it says out of stock- no backorder. It is still listed by Meister on its web site, but not as an attractive quantity price, which must have been Midway's closeout.  This is an excellent bullet.  I'm glad that I bought a bunch for cheap while they lasted.  I would like to find this mould, but can't find one that looks like it.  Anyone got any clue? 

UPDATE 15Feb07 - The Meister bullet below is a Magma Engineering design:

http://www.magmaengineering.com/bulletmolds.php?bm=32CAL>http://www.magmaengineering.com/bulletmolds.php?bm=32CAL

Part No. 32-96 RNFP FB 

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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beagle6 posted this 18 October 2018

I recently acquired a Colt Police Positive in 32 Colt New police ( 32 S&W Long). It is the target model with a 6 inch bbl.and adjustable sights. According to the serial number it was made in 1915 but is in near mint condition. I've been loading a.314, 100 grain semi wadcutter from Badman Bullets with 2 grains of Red Dot.Glen Fryxell uses 2.6 with a 100 grain and Lyman recommends 2.4 of Bullseye. I consider both Bullseye and Red Dot to have pretty much the same burning rate so this is a very mild load and is a pleasure to shoot in this fine old pistol. I never would have considered buying a 32 except for Ed's articles. My wife considers him a bad influence since every time I read one of his articles i want to buy something. Keep up the good work,Ed.

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max503 posted this 19 October 2018

I've got that Lyman 32 caliber two cavity wadcutter mold but no gun for it.  Maybe that's God's way of telling me I need a 32 caliber handgun.

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william iorg posted this 07 December 2006

Ed,

 

I have a number of .32 caliber handguns and several rifles. I have been following your articles in the Fouling Shot and Gun Digest with great interest.

In the .32ACP and .32 S&W I have settled on the Lee 77 grain round nose bullet. My wife's Tomcat feeds the bullet reliably and she enjoys plinking with it.

In the heavier frame .32 S&W Long and .32 H&R Magnum I primarily use the Lyman 311008 and the 100 grain NEI No. 81, this is the plain base version of the 115 grain SWC. This good bullet has a short nose and fits most cylinders without OAL problems.

I get good service from the RCBS 98 grain SWC but its nose is just a bit longer and there are some cylinders it has OAL issues with. A friend of mine has the Saeco version of this mold and it is a good SWC bullet in the longer cylinders.

For use in the back yard I had Walt Melander make a single grease groove version of the #79 wadcutter bullet. This looks like the old Lyman .38 caliber button wadcutter with single grease groove and crimp groove. In .32 caliber this is a fun 15-yard target bullet. The advantage is a quiet, accurate ”€œ light bullet for use in my light, roll around backstop.

I have a 24� TC barrel in .32 Magnum with .308� barrel. This rifle has a big throat to accommodate the .313� bullets. Despite this the rifle shoots cast bullets well and it is a very nice walk around varminter. Loaded lightly, this is a nice quiet yard rifle.

I have intended to attempt to duplicate your 1.2-grain Bullseye load with the Saeco 120 grain bullet. You got 450 fps from your 26� barrel if my notes are correct and with 53 fpe this would be a good garden load. I don't yet have a good bullet for this load. My Lyman 311008 bullet has not responded well to this load. I thought I might try Accurate No. 2 to see if it made a difference.

 

I have read about others in the last few years who were shooting .32 H&R Magnum rifles. There seems to at least be mild interest in this type rifle.

Our latest .32 Magnum is the Marlin cowboy rifle with 20� octagon barrel. This is a quite heavy rifle for its size. We have not been able to shoot the rifle enough to have a clear understanding of its capabilities but the Lyman 311008 seems to shoot as well as any jacketed bullet. This rifle has several tight spots and running a tight patch down the barrel gave the impression of roughness. This barrel tended to lightly lead initially but seems to be smoothing up a little with use. 800X has proven to be the powder of choice with the 115-grain bullet.

 

Have you experimented with Hodgdon Lil' Gun yet?

Slim

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Dale53 posted this 05 February 2007

Ed; I have enjoyed your articles over the years and, in fact, have a file of “Ed Harris". You have been extremely helpful to a lot of people (I am also an Ed's Red fan).

One thing I neglected to mention is my use of Hornady HB wadcutters. I have shot several thousand of them ahead of 1.8 grs of Bullseye. I have never chronographed them but have used them, with excellent results on small game from the revolvers. However, when I put these through my TC SSK Carbine (22” barrel) they did NOT shoot well. Kind of disappointed me(:>().

When the weather breaks (it is about 1 degree above zero here, now)I want to work with the carbine some more. I have a scope on the carbine and am hoping for “under 1") at fifty yards. My goal is to get both an 800 fps load and a 1500 fps load that will meet that goal and still shoot well in the revolvers.

Dale53

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CB posted this 07 February 2007

Received my Model 31 the other day and if all .32 Cal. revolvers are as cute (don't know if it's normal to describe a gun as cute but can't think of a better term) as this everyone should put one on their list. From what I've been able to glean from the various S&W forums the gun will also digest and extract 32 acp ammunition which is much easier to find if you're looking for factory ammunition in a pinch.

In my opinion being a revolver and not needing to worry about feed issues this little caliber/gun combination would really come into it's own if  loaded with either a LBT WFN or LFN bullet. Planned om going with a commercial caster but not so sure now. For a fun in the basement load I plan on picking up some Hornady round balls and load them over just enough BE to get the ball out the barrel and across the room. I do the same thing with my Makarov and it's surprisingly accurate and quiet enough to not get the neighborhood dogs barking.

Ed, thanks for bringing the 32 cal subject up just at the time I had the hankerin' for something new to play with. Not to expensive to buy, relatively, and real cheap to feed. Just what I was looking for. Hate to even think about changing a gun like this but rechambering for 32 mag sure seems interesting if it's doable.

Pat Iffland

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Ed Harris posted this 05 March 2007

AAA-Sam,

I've thought about getting the MCA barrel liners for my shotguns, but so far have resisted the urge. Your home-made ones should work fine. You can load all the straight-wall .32s with a set of .32 ACP dies if you have a couple of shell holders.

I have used roundballs too, mostly 0 buckshot pushed through a .311 Lee die, sizing the buckshot gives some cylindrical surface for the rifling to grab onto and seems to work better. For lube i just tumble lightly in the Lee Liquid Alox. For round balls in the .30-30 about 4 grs. of Bullseye works OK. Best accuracy in conventional plainbased cast loads with any bullet from 100 to 180 grs. is with 6 grs. of Bullseye, or 7 grs. of Unique. If you check the thread Bullseye Always Works elsewhere on the forum I've posted more Bullseye loads.

For heavier .30-30 cast bullet loads with castchecked bullets I always had good luck with either 15 grs. of #2400, 18 grs. of #4227, 20 grs. of 4198, 21 grs. of RL-7 or 26 grs. of 4895. These bracket your desired veloicity range. Good luck.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Ed Harris posted this 12 April 2007

Best way is to mill off the existing blade, cut a slot in the forged integral base, then pin in a new blade. This enables you to install any size or shape of front sight and when the job is skillfully done you don't need to reblue.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Ed Harris posted this 05 November 2007

FYI all,

I had the cylinder on my I-frame .32 HE (.32 S&W Long) made in 1914, Rockwell tested. It registered 90 on the Rockwell “B” scale and did not even register on the “C” scale. I expect your .32-20 is similar. For these old guns I do not recommend exceeding 16,000 c.u.p. or the equivalent of “standard velocity” .38 Special with 158-gr. bullet and 3.5 grs. of Bullseye. Ric's suggestions for .32-20 loads are right on the money. In the .32 S&W Long or .32 Colt NP for older steel guns or modern light alloy frames do not exceed 2.5 grs. of Bullseye with a 100-gr. bullet such as the Saeco #325 or the RCBS 32-90CM.

My similar size, postwar J-frame S&W Model 31 .32 S&W Long made in the 1970s ran Rc24. Significantly stronger than the old I-frame, but still no great shakes compared to modern alloys and heat treatment in the strength department.

Putting this in perspective in modern alloys such as 4140, law enforcement contract guns in the mid-1980s when I was at Ruger were often specified for .357s in acceptance at Rc28-38 with the desired working range 30-35.  A sample of guns was routinely endurance tested with 5000 rounds of factory magnum ammunition.  This was continued without cleaning, but dunking in water to cool every 500 rounds only. To “pass” meant no malfunctions which could not be cleared at user level within 10 seconds.  After endurance testing sample guns still had to meet accuracy specs and gage up properly for gap, headspace and end play.

We asked for the government's QAR to approve an “accelerated endurance test,” to speed production.  This was reaonable since the Gov't specs required testing a sample size determined by Mil-Std-414 which for our throughout meant 13 guns from each shift. This was expensive in ammo, time and labor. So based on previous experience with M1911 pistols during WWII they OK'ed an accelerated test of 360 proof loads, which took place after initial targeting and accuracy acceptance, then afterwards we repeated the gaging and accuracy test.  GP100s would pass this test  handily. No manufacturer among the competing bidders even wanted to try!

Steel similar to SAE1035 was used in .38 Special J- and K-frames into the 1980s. These handle “limited use” of +P ammunition up to 20,000 cup, but are well known to develop end play and loosen cylinder gap from frame stretch if fed a steady diet of it. I have seen this happen in Model 10 and Model 15 K-frame revolvers in as little as 500 rounds of U.S. Treasury 110-gr. Q4070 +P+ and 1000 rounds of Winchester X38SPD, Remington R38S12 or Federal 38G +P.   The Models 13 and 19 frames gave comparable endurance in a similar ratio of .357 Magnum vs. .38 +P, which is why they came up with the “L” frame and discontinued the K models. 

It is true that in a small case such as the .32 S&W Long or .32 HRM that you have far fewer square inches setting back against the recoil shield. You can cautiously crowd +P pressures, but I still wouldn't exceed the equivalent of 18,000 cup, or 3 grs. of Bullseye with the 85-gr. Hornady XTP or 94-gr. Meister LFN for a steady diet if you want the gun to last.

I use 2.5 grs. of Bullseye across the board with the Meister 94-gr. FN in all my .32 revolvers. This is a slight increase over what I load with the miniature Keith style Saeco #325, because the Meister's long nose and shorter shank results in less seating depth. It takes about 0.2 grain more powder with the Meister to get the same velocity as the Saeco loaded with a lighter charge.

If the revolver has a cylinder gap equal to or greater than 0.010” do not attempt to shoot jacketed bullet ammo, as you will stick one in the bore. If gap is over 0.012” I don't recommend firing until the barrel has been set back, end play taken out and gap adjusted within 0.003-0.008” Go-NoGo.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Ed Harris posted this 07 December 2006

Glad to find another .32 shooter.  I haven't tried Lit'l Gun, as I have pretty much standardized on Bullseye for all of my recreational shooting.   It took me 20 years to shoot up or give away all the odds and ends of pistol and shotgun powder I had, accumulated over the years, and I'm not about to start over. I have now simplified and use only two powders, Bullseye and RL-15 for everything.  It involves some compromises, but so far has worked very well.  Sure makes life simple. 8-)

My brother has one of the .32 H&R Magnum Marlins and we've fooled with it a bit.  It likes the 94-gr. Meister .312” LFN with 3.5 to 4 grs. of Bullseye, and also the Saeco #325 with 3.0 to 3.5 grs. of Bullseye.  This is all in Federal cases with Federal 200 primers.

His rifle doesn't feed .32 Longs unless you seat bullets way out.  For this I've been using the 122-gr. Saeco #322 in .32 S&W Long cases, seated out and crimped in the lubricating groove at 1.35” OAL with 3 grs. of Bullseye for 1030 f.p.s.

All of these shoot 2” or better at 50 yards with the buckhorn sights which came on the rifle.  I'm getting Rick one of the Ashley peeps and a new front sight for Xmas and we'll see how well he does with sights that he can see!

Update Sept. 2007 -- I finally had a chance to get my brother's favorite plinker away from him long enough to shoot it with the ghost ring peeps.  At 25 yards indoors it is no trouble to hold under an inch.  Typical groups have four in a nice cluster and I flier opening it to about 3/4".  I just can't seem to keep it together for five shots. But, I figure that if you are over 50 years old and getting an inch at 25 yards with iron sights in a hunting weight rifle, that it is a “good” load.

 

 

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Ed Harris posted this 11 December 2006

I have not fooled much with slower powders in my .32 S&W Long rifle, because it would defeat the purpose of having common ammo for the walking around rifle and the revolver.  I did try #2400 and 4227 a bit, but while faster, into the 1300 fps range they were very much louder and not as accurate as Bullseye.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Ed Harris posted this 05 February 2007

I have the used the chamber adapters made in Alaska by MCA Specialties. These are very popular with trappers and Alaska bush pilots to stash in survival kits. They enable use of common .32 handgun ammunition in .30 caliber hunting rifles, like Marbles or Winchester inserts of made prior to WWII. I was curious as to whether these were easier to pot small game with at 25 yards than using a small pistol or revolver. They are, if you accept that they are for short range. 

I have two MCA adapters for my .30-30 Model 94 Winchester, one is chambered for .32 ACP, and my other is for the .32 H&R Magnum and also works with .32 S&W Long, which is what I mostly use. Velocities from the 20� barrel lever gun are only somewhat greater than firing same ammo from a handgun. Fiocchi 73-gr. FMJ in .32 ACP gave 897 f.p.s., the 94-gr. Meister cast bullet with 2 grains of Bullseye was 1111 f.p.s. I reduced the charge with the cast load to to 1.7 grains drop the velocity to be subsonic.

In the .32 S&W Long insert factory W-W 98-grain LRN ammo was 793 f.p.s., and the 94-grain Meister LFN handloaded with 2.5 grains of Bullseye was 982 f.p.s. Extraction of fired cases was easy, .32 ACP brass fell out on its own when the adapter was extracted and ejected, whereas the .32 Longs pushed out easily with a stick. Iron sight groups using either adapter were 3� at fifty yards with point of impact 6 to 8 inches below a normal zero when sighted in for factory soft points.

On the 94 Winchester or Marlin you must reverse the sight elevator and shove the rear sight up as high as it will go to zero these popgun rounds at 25 yards. The report from either is like a .22 LR. Within 25 yards using these adapters in your deer rifle is much easier to shoot accurately than with a handgun. If you own a .30-30 carbine, .308 or .30-'06 having one of these in your airplane or vehicle survival kit isn't a bad idea to quietly pot small game while saving your big game rounds. A $20 adapter is cheaper than a custom bunny gun!

MCA Sports/Ace Bullet Company 2800 West 33rd Road Anchorage, Alaska 99517-2201 http://www.mcace.com/>http://www.mcace.com/

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Ed Harris posted this 05 February 2007

My friend in SA told me they also make an insert for 7.62 NATO/.308 Win. which enables you to shoot 7.62x39 ammo. Most 98K Mauser extractors will pull the AK rounds out OK if used as a single-shot. Works best with the IDF 7.62 conversions. If you pin a wooden filler block in the front of the magazine box they will feed from the magazine too if you are “deliberate.” Great way to plink with the inexpensive burp gun ammo.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Ed Harris posted this 07 February 2007

Here is some charge establishment data with Bullseye in the .32 S&W Long which might be helpful if the .xls sheet will cut & paste OK. 

.32 Tests Ammunition_ Vel. @ 15 ft. ____S&W .32 HE S&W M31 __4-1/4".010 cyl. gap _4".006"cyl. gap Factory Loads Win. 98 LRN .........661,7Sd .................667,22Sd Magtech 98 WC....690,23Sd................736,30Sd Magtech 98 JHP....not fired..................711,27Sd

Handloads - Winchester cases, WSP Primers Saeco#322 2.0BE...not fired...............700,23Sd(120-gr) Saeco#322 2.5BE...not fired...............797,24Sd Saeco#322 3.0BE...not fired...............not fired Saeco#325 2.0BE...715,21Sd.............736,33Sd (98-gr) Saeco#325 2.6BE...851,20Sd.............894,8Sd Meis.94LFN2.0BE....635,31Sd.............692,16Sd Meis.94LFN2.4BE....760,14Sd.............791,9Sd Meis.94LFN2.7BE....834,35 Sd..............860,31 Sd Meis.94LFN3.0BE....not fired................929,12 Sd

A snippet from a future Fouling Short article 

In fixed sight guns zero is affected more by bullet weight than velocity. Lighter bullets shoot low, and heavier bullets shoot high.  Most fixed sight .32 Long revolvers shoot close to point of aim at practical small game ranges from 50 feet to about 25 yards with 85 to 100 grain bullets.  Heavier 115-120 grain .32-20 slugs shoot about 3â€? high at 25 yards, enable a 6 o'clock hold at fifty yards and shoot “onâ€? to point of aim at 100 yards.

In pre-1957 S&W Hand Ejector I-frame revolvers (easy to ID because they don't have a model number stamped in the yoke cut) don't attempt over 850 f.p.s. with a 98-grain lead bullet.  This is a useful, but modest improvement over factory loads, and has ample penetration for small game.  I prefer the Saeco #325 98-gr. SWC for hunting because it has the largest meplat to best let the air out of bunny wabbits.

For longer range plinking in the post-war Model 31 J-frame I use the heavier 120-gr. Saeco #322 LFN .32-20 bullet.  Do not use this bullet in the older S&W Eye frames because it runs the pressure up and it won't shoot to the sights, anyway. In the Ruger Single Six and modern Colt Cobra, Police Positive and S&W Models 30 and 31 I use 2 grains of Bullseye and seat the bullet out, crimping it in the lubricating groove.  It's 1.35â€? cartridge length protrudes out the front of older Eye frame cylinders, preventing you from doing something stupid.  It gives about 720 f.p.s. from a 4-inch revolver and is nearly silent at 850 f.p.s. from my 26â€? H&R custom rook rifle.   This overall cartridge length, the same as .32 H&R Magnum ammunition, works fine in  the Ruger Single Six and the Marlin 1894 Cowboy, which steadfastly refuses to feed factory .32 Longs.       

Heavier field loads approaching 900 f.p.s. are useable in the stronger S&W Models 30 or 31, postwar Colt D-frames.  A charge of 2.5 grains of Bullseye with the Saeco #325 or 3 grains with the 94 LFN Meister or Hornady 85-gr. XTP provides about 900 f.p.s. and shoots flat to 50 yards or more. These are my standard working field loads in my Ruger Single Six, and S&W Model 31, being just below .32 H&R Magnum levels.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Ed Harris posted this 15 February 2007

I just got the S&W .32 Hand Ejector back from my gunsmith with the barrel set back and the end shake taken out. Cylinder gap is now only 0.003!” It will be fun to chronograph it again and compare to its original 0.010” gap. I'm guessing it will pick up 60-70 f.p.s. with a fast powder like Bullseye. The 3” M31-1 I picked up is very tight, only 0.003” gap, and it “should” produce about the same velocity (or m aybe a bit more) than my other M31-1 with 4 inch barrel and 0.006” gap. Stay tuned for warmer weather and we'll see.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Lloyd Smale posted this 23 February 2007

best .32 bullets for me have been the rcbs 98swc and the ballistic cast 105swc. Best powder have been for slow loads bullseye and redot. For heavier loads and heavier bullets hands down the best has been h4227 followed by aa9(wc820) and lilgun. One other odd thing ive noticed over the years is with the slow powders mag primers almost allways shrink groups by a bunch. More so then any other small case i load for.

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Dale53 posted this 18 March 2007

As Balhincher states, the cylinder has a smaller diameter “throat” if it is for the S&W Long. Another easy “test” is if it chambers the larger in diameter S&W Long, then it is FOR the S&W Long. The S&W long is larger in diameter and won't chamber in a revolver chambered for the .32 Colt Long or Short.

It IS kind of confusing, but the .32 S&W Long and the .32 Colt New Police are the same cartridge. In factory form, the S&W L version was/is a round nose and the Colt version is a Round Flat Nose.

My favorite bullet for the .32 S&W Long is a Keith Style semi-wadcutter as exemplified by the RCBS 98 SWC bullet mould. Lee also has a TL314-90-SWC bullet mould that does well. Lee, at one time, also offered a full solid base wadcutter in the “tumble lubes style", but, alas, no longer offers it. RCBS still offers a nice two cavity full wadcutter.

AS I stated above my preference for a general use AND target use with my revolvers is for a good SWC. I was fortunate in getting in on a Group Buy six Cavity custom Lee mould for a 100 gr SWC. If I had not been able to do that, I would have purchased the RCBS two cavity bullet mould for their version of the SWC.

Those dedicated target shooters using a semi-automatic requiring the full wadcutter can use the RCBS Wadcutter mould.

Dale53

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Ed Harris posted this 19 March 2007

You have a pre-WWII Colt Police Positive chambered for the .32 Colt New Police.  This cartridge is interchangeable with the .32 S&W Long. 

You can use any factory .32 S&W or .32 S&W Long ammunition in it.  As for handloads, if you don't want to cast your own, I'd get some of the 94-gr. LFN bullets from Meister and load 2 grains of Bullseye,  This is a good approximation of the factory load for the .32 Colt NP.   Alternately use any standard published loading data for the .32 S&W Long and any bullet from 90 to 100 grs., as these will shoot to the sights. If you want to cast your own bullets, a good choice would be the RCBS 32-98SWC or the RCBS 32-90CM.  I'd cast these of wheelweights and size .313. 

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Ed Harris posted this 25 September 2007

Bruce,

Have you ever (or anyone else for that matter) done anything with the CZ-27?

They have a used one at a local shop which is a little raunchy outside which gets the price way down, but it is tight with a bright bore for $150, so I put a deposit on it.

Reading www.gunblast.com/RKCambell_CZ27.htm it sounds like a fine shooter. What the heck, I can always use another cast bullet plinker and “bunny gun".

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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RicinYakima posted this 04 November 2007

S&W HE's of this period do not have hardened cylinders. They were of good material, for the day, and thick, but are not strong. These are the revolvers that Lyman and others have data for reloading, in the pistol sections.

I, also, have an early HE, 6 1/2 ” round butt, with little finish and spotty bore. It shoots cast bullets sized 0.313 with 3.0 grains of Bullseye just fine. This load also shoots point of aim / point of impact, a rarity as most S&W's shoot to the left for me. I have shot 4.5 grains of Unique also, but it is not nearly as accurate as the Bullseye load.

If possible, avoid shooting 32/20 jacket ammo or reloads. They have a very bad habit of sticking in the barrel about 4 inches deep, and then ringing the barrel on the next shot.

HTH, Ric

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Ed Harris posted this 07 December 2007

The .327 Federal ”€œ just another Federal flash in the pan? 

You may have read the hype - From the November, 2007 press release:

“Federal has partnered with Ruger to introduce a new personal defense revolver cartridge designed to deliver 357 Magnum ballistics out of a 32-caliber diameter platform”€and with 20-percent less recoil. The 327 Federal Magnum”¦ designed for use in lightweight, small frame revolvers like the proven Ruger SP101”¦This allows shooters to chamber an additional round in their wheelgun”€six shots as opposed to the traditional five-shot cylinder offered in 38-Special and 357 Magnum guns”¦

“The 327 Federal Magnum is ideal for personal defense and has the potential for future application in field use”¦Ruger SP101 will shoot 32 H&R Magnum, 32 S&W and 32 S&W Long ammunition”€giving shooters four caliber offerings and a great, versatile product for target shooting and personal defense applications.

The ammunition will be available in three loads: ”¢ PD327HS1 H: Federal Premium 85-gr Hydra-Shokâ„¢ JHP (1330 fps muzzle velocity in 3-1/16â€? barrel) ”¢ AE327: American Eagle® 100-gr SP (1400 fps muzzle velocity in 3-1/16â€? barrel) ”¢ 23914 : Speer 115-gr Gold Dot® HP (1300 fps muzzle velocity in 3-1/16â€? barrel)

 

 

Ruger will offer the 327 Federal Magnum SP101 in a 3-1/16-inch barrel length and six-shot cylinder..adjustable rear site and satin stainless finish”¦available beginning in January of 2008.

Federal and Ruger are hyping this as a defense gun for women, but I believe that the users they want to attract will be turned off by its noise, muzzle flash and recoil. I've trained my share of female CCW and this is the WRONG ANSWER!

I predict that this cartridge will go the way of the 9mm Federal in a few years, unless they promote it as a dual-purpose rifle-handgun, small game and varmint cartridge to replace the .32-20. 

The .327 “could” be what the .32 HRM “should” have been. It was unfortunate that the .32 HRM was designed around the weaker H&R revolver so that factory load pressures were limited to slightly above the .38 Spl. +P. Had the .32 HRM been designed from the git-go within the working design limits of the SP101 at ~30,000 psi, it would have been a horse of a different color, enabling .32-20 rifle performance from a 4” revolver.   

But factory HRM loads never lived up to the round's true potential in a strong, modern gun.  So it never really took off as it should have.

The .327 does provides an opportunity to “fix” this, but because of the pre-existing H&Rs they must lengthen the case to avoid its use in the weaker revolvers.  

While its is true that greater case capacity has advantages for rifle use, because it gives you more room to stuff more slow-burning powder in, this approach works poorly in handgun barrels shorter than about 5 inches.  This is because powders which work best in long barrels leave unburned powder residue, which gets under the extractor to jam DA revolvers, produces lower velocities due to incomplete burning and poor ballistic uniformity from “snubbyâ€? barrels favored for concealed defense carry.

The larger unused powder space which results when loading faster powders which are required for a “clean burn” in the short barrels, causes greater velocity and pressure variations caused by random powder positioning.  This also occurs in the .357 and .44 Magnum cases when you have small charges of fast powder “sloshing around” in them.  The effect of this upon accuracy s minimal within 25 yards, but greater vertical dispersion is very apparent at realistic "small game” ranges of 50 yards or more.  

I would think of the .327 Federal as a rimmed cal. .30 Carbine. The .30 Carbine Blackhawk was and still is still nasty and unpleasant to shoot with full loads.  Most people I know who own them load it down to the equivalent of a .32-20, which was about the greatest small game gun ever. 

But just imagine the sensory overload, ear splitting noise, dazzling muzzle flash and a sharp sting in the web of your hand shooting the ballistic equivalent of a .30 Mauser from a 3” revolver!

I would expect that the ammo will be neither plentiful, nor cheap. If .327 experience parallels that of the .38 Special v. .357 Magnum, accuracy experienced firing shorter .32 HRM and .32 S&W Long rounds in the longer .327 chamber will be inferior to using them in proper chambers dimensioned for them. 

The .327 would make a good modern replacement for the .32-20 Winchester by providing a well designed, strong, modern case, if suitable modern firearms were designed for it.

I would like to see the .327 offered in a trim, small game bolt action having proportions like the CZ .22 Hornet walking rifles, or an elegant, modern, single-shot “rook rifle” weighing about 5 pounds, with 24” barrel, paired with reasonable choices of trim, accurate revolvers for field use, such as the Single Six or an SP101 with a slender 4” barrel and Bowen Rough Country sights.

That could keep a potentially nice round from falling flat on its face. I don't see it taking off as a defense round.  But if we can get the French Army to adopt it there may be hope.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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