327 Federal

[CZ93X62]

I mentioned in the 45 Auto Rim thread that I had odds and ends of fired brass that were in need of refilling. The largest lot of that brass is in 327 Federal for my SP-101 x 4.2", about 200 pieces of once-fired stuff. There is also 250 piece of new/unfired Starline sitting on the new brass shelf. With 4 smaller lots & calibers now finished, I am tempted to fill all of my 327 Federal brass in an array of intensities, mostly toward the lower end of its performance envelope.

To that end I earlier today sized and lubed 100 of my Mountain Molds Short Fat Thirty that I had MM make about 7 years ago to service 32/20, 32 H&R Mag, and now 327 Federal revolvers. It sizes down well enough to fit my 30 Carbine Blackhawk as well. It is a blunt round flatnose of 118 grains that casts at about .314" in 30/1 and a few tenths fatter in 92/6/2. Today's castings are in 92/6/2, and are sized at .314"/lubed with LSS 50/50. Load will be 4.5 grains of WW-231, which should give about 950-975 FPS from the short Ruger tube. We will see how they shoot, and 100 count will be a good amount to test drive.

 

[Brad]

That sounds like 32 H&R more than a 327 Federal load.

I always figured a fully loaded 327 Federal would be as obnoxious without hearing protection as a 30 carbine Blackhawk.

 

[CZ93X62]

I have a number of castings/designs to service my 30/31/32 caliber handguns, and this Ruger needs a wringing out with some of these designs. With the tooling all set up to process castings and brass, it is high time to give this practically-new wheelgun some extensive testing. The fired brass was created by Marie and I over 2 years ago, and some of it was quite powerfully-loaded. Those loads were eardrum drills, and I don't need another of those; the 30 Carbine BH excels at that tasking, and is just the tool for clearing gangbangers in baggy pants out of indoor ranges. (Sonically, not ballistically).

This will be fun--light recoil and (hopefully) accurate outcomes.

ETA--the 32 Magnum is a pretty capable eardrum drill if loaded to its full potential, too. I don't--most of my shooting with the S&W Model 16-4 x 6" is with RCBS #32-98-SWC in the 900-1100 FPS ballpark. Even those attenuated loadings get nasty & blasty once past 1100 FPS. Lyman #313631 at 1300-1400 FPS from any revolver is a lot of noisy fun, but you have to watch such entertainments in fault zones--you run the risk of setting off earthquakes. All bad.

 

[Ian]

Yes, good idea to be gentle with the seismology until you move a little farther east.

I really liked the idea of the .327 Federal when it first came out and dreamt of an SP101/Model 92 companion set, but the reports of obnoxious noise quelled that a bit. My approach for range work would be exactly as Allen's: download the cartridge to "special" levels from its fill "magnum" potential and enjoy the light recoil and lesser concussion. Even with "ears" a sharp blast is unpleasant after a while and full power is just not needed for paper, clods, or bunnies. One thing about the .38 spl, .44 spl, and .45 Colt is they don't rupture eardums if a shot must be taken in the field without hearing protection.

 

[fiver]

the 30 carbine loaded like above is quite pleasant to shoot,, it's more like a 32-20.
mine pretty much is since that's the brass I use.
it still shoots flat enough and carries a pretty good wallop from a handgun.

 

[Bret4207]

IME the 32 Mag, 32-20 and even the 32 S+W Long can get pretty noisy out of a revolver. In a rifle they are a whole 'nuther game. For most of what I with them something in the 850-900 fps area works fine. I went through the phase of taking the 32-20 up into levels St Elmer would have been a little concerned about, but those days are done. It sounds to me like the 327 could be a nice cartridge loaded properly.

 

[Walks]

When I drag out My little Ruger SRM 5 1/2" to the indoor range, people come over to see what Hand Cannon I'm shooting. I use the H&R cases for Hot Loads and the .32S&W Long cases for light loads.

Nobody is interested when I shoot the Light loads.
But then My Partner and I are the only one's who ever shoot Revolver's.

For a small cartridge it sure can sit up and Roar when you load it up.

 

[CZ93X62]

"32/20 WCF specs" is my target with this first 100 loads.

All of the mid-caliber handgun chamberings have some nasty bark to them once velocities run past 1000 FPS. This applies as equally to autopistols as it does wheelguns. The 30 Luger at 1250 FPS and the 30 Mauser/7.62 x 25 Tokarev at 1375-1400 FPS are barky and nasty, even when outdoors. I run my C-96 in the 1200 FPS ballpark, and its longer barrel/lower pressure loads aren't quite so bad as the Tokarev or Luger loads, but electronic earmuffs are nice to wear while hunting with the "Broomhandle". The wags I hunt with start out with "WTH IZZAT?" when I haul out the Broomer, and the revelry continues apace--"HEY--CHURCHILL IS A VARMINT HUNTER!" "AL IS DATING THE DRAGON LADY AGAIN!" They are awful, worse than Philistines. They all want to run a stripper-clip-load through it, of course. It was a big hit at a couple of past NCBS meets as well.

 

[fiver]

the 327 still has a chance at making a comeback.
if someone at say Taurus would pull their head out and properly chamber the 92 in a 20" short rifle msrp'ing at about 600$ they could pre-sell the first conex or two full before even assembling the first one.
they wouldn't even have to put a warranty on them,, just make them right
Henry would maybe sell a few dozen too, if someone would show them what a loading gate was.

 

[Ian]

They're working on it....

Speaking of pulling their heads out, Ruger needs to make a GP-100 with seven or eight holes in .327 Fed.

 

[fiver]

that would make a pretty decent trail gun if it were about the size of their black hawk.

35 Remington, scope able, and a side gate... maybe I could justify it as a[nother] truck gun, or I could put a scope on the 375 Marlin.

 

[Walks]

I thought the idea was a smaller, lighter revolver with more punch.
If you chamber in in a NM Blackhawk frame it's going to be a Lot heavier the the Single-Six.

 

[CZ93X62]

I am so darn fond of the Henry Big Boy in 357 Magnum, the idea of a BB in 327 has a lot of appeal. Of course, my pragmatic side rises right up and shouts "HEY, Idjit--you already have a Marlin in 32/20 WCF!" So, it is a little hard to justify the outlay. I think.

I looked askance at the "22 LR tube feed for centerfires" idea that Henry has presented--until I actually used it. Also know that I have a Marlin 27-S in 25/20 WCF that uses an arcane and more complex tube-feed arrangement. It is different, and not as traditional or as familiar as the gate-loader method. But I can adapt to it well enough.

 

[RicinYakima]

I would take some metallurgy work, but a 327 Single Six in five shot would be doable. The Browning 92 and 53 in 32/20 fills the rifle need for me and I am happy since I drilled and tapped it for a receiver sight.

 

[CZ93X62]

GOTTA put the 327 in a 5-shot 4" J-frame, and a 6- or 7-shot K-frame. I like the SP-101, though I wish SOMEPLACE would sell a replacement front sight blade for that Ray-Bar abomination that is OEM on the 4.2" variants. Baughman ramp or Patridge post, either/or.

 

[Bret4207]

100% agree on the J frame. And with at least a 4" barrel. I don't know what ever happened to the concept of a trail gun. The GP100 is way oversize IMO. Get them to bring back the much slimmer Security Six or something like that, slimmer and smaller would be better, and there you go.

Now if we could just engineer something like a Remington #4 or maybe a #2 in one of the 32 S+W cousins, in modern steels of course, then you'd have that 3.5- 4lbs rifle we all need.

 

[Ian]

The GP100 is way oversize IMO.

Yeah, but EIGHT rounds.....

 

[RicinYakima]

If you want to dream, a repro Stevens tip-up pistol with an eight inch barrel weighting 20 ounces. I converted a 25 RF to 22 LR and nice trail gun. Only needs a larger hinge bolt and modern metal for the locking bolt. May not make the 40,000 psi 327 but very good for 32 H&R.

 

[Ian]

Stick that one in yer boot, nice.

 

[david s]

I have the Ruger 8 shot 327 Federal version that came in the Blackhawk frame. When I purchased it a local shop had the Charter Arms, Ruger Double Action, Ruger Single Action Blackhawk and a S&W J frame with a 3 inch ported barrel. As mentioned I walked out with the single action Ruger. I probably should have waited for the Single Six version but I didn't think that the 327 would fit the frame size without modification. Then Ruger goes and makes the Single Seven 327. A fully loaded 327 definitely has a crack to it, this without even shooting it is what scared me away from the S&W. But that said it's a noticeably quick round. The bang-splat effect is very short compared to most pistol rounds. And its fairly flat shooting. Currently my 32 H&R and 327 FED loads over lap. The Lyman 311008 bullets at 1200 fps and crimped in the top lube groove for both. This would be +P for the H&R and a lighter load for the Federal. The 32-20 occupies the 32 H&R territory at 900 FPS or so. My 1905 4th change doesn't have a heat treated cylinder so it doesn't get pushed. A Browning 53 gets the same load to avoid mistakes. I have big plans for the 327 and one of the 32 H&R guns. I need to play some with moulds in the 120-125 grain weights and find out how they behave when fully pushed by the 327. And my most recent acquisition a 90's vintage S&W 32 H&R Kit Gun needs a wad cutter load at pop gun velocity for minute of grouse accuracy. The Single Six 32 H&R will still get it's original 118/1200 load.