I am starting this thread to chronical my entry into the world of .32 caliber handgun. I will be working up loads to shoot through a 5 1/2” barrel ruger blackhawk. I will be loading .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long, and 327 Federal Magnum cases. I will look at gallery, bunny, target, and hunting loads that work in my particular gun.
I think I have read all the posts that I can find. My position is that the .32 S&W and .32 S&W Long have been well explored and for me, it will only be finding what does what in my gun. I see the .327 as a high pressure application of the .32 HR MAG. I don't see much/any need to get the .32 HRM brass as it is so close to the .327 brass.
Last weekend, I sat at a bench and shot 100 American Eagle .327s off a rolled mat rest. My first observation is that these are not hand numbering, wrist swelling, fire breathers when fired from the 3 lb ruger platform.
I fired 50 S&W standard cartridges and these were fun. Almost like cbs. I have 250 S&W casings, so, I think these will be the basis for my gallery rounds.
I fired 50 S&W longs and these showed the best grouping potential out of the cartridges shot. They were very mild, but, significantly louder than the S&W out of my Ruger. I have 250 S&W long cases and will use these for bunny and target loading.
I have 200 .327 Mag cases and these will be for Field Loads.
Bullets: I have Meistner 94 gr cast at .312. I have Magtech LRN 85 gr at .313. On the way in I have 115 gr PB flat tips. I have 115 gr Speer GDHP.
My plan is now to work on starting points and explore the .327 Fed as the logical extension of the .32s that came before it. The 3 pound ruger should handle about anything that I can fit in the casing.... more to come.
rc