[Hammerdown]

Hello
As some of you all ready know here, I am a Lover of the .32 Caliber round. I have watched this New exciting .327 Magnum Caliber Come into light Lately, and been a little disappointed that S&W is only offering it in a -J-Frame size revolver at this time. I feel they will Not bring it out in a True Target K-Frame size revolver, and if they do, it will be with a two Piece barrel and have the Dreaded lock on it, and will cost well over a Grand if they do. :rolleyes: I Currently have several S&W revolvers chambered in .32 Long and One in .32 H&R Magnum being a model 16-4. I had Heard that Hamilton Bowen the famous Hand Gun Builder in Louisville, Tennessee is now converting and making handguns in the new .327 Magnum Caliber. Being that I all ready have a Model 16-4 K-Frame Target Model, I asked him yesterday in an E-mail if he could convert this hand gun to the .327 Magnum Caliber ? Here is his response, and I am Very tempted to send off my cylinder for this conversion, but have asked some questions about his Re-bluing to make certain it will match my Gun when he is done and am awaiting his response which I will Post here for those Interested in a Project like this. Here is the first response I got from him yesterday, and as you can see for less than $100.00 if I hand carry and Pick up the cylinder, I can have myself a new .327 Magnum Handgun in a True Old School Target revolver... Hammerdown



Dear Sir:

Thanks for your inquiry.

Yes, we can lengthen M16 .32 H&R chambers to accomodate the .327 cartridge. We have a dedicated reamer that does not engage the throat section. If the throats are undersize, we can hone them to the diameter desired. Cost is $95 plus $15 return HIS via UPS.

You would need to leave the cylinder with us for a couple of weeks. We prefer to reblue since the operation leaves a white touch-off ring at the breech end and removes material from the chambers--rebluing will help prevent rust. Feel free to drop off the part at the shop but please do call ahead as I am out occasionally.

We've built a number of .327s now, on everything from Ruger Single-Sixes to K-frame S&Ws and are much excited by this cartridge. If you visit the NEWS section of our website, then the 'Past Press' subsection, you will find a couple of articles about such guns that might be of interest.

Thanks for your interest.

Sincerely yours,

Hamilton S. Bowen
Bowen Classic Arms Corp.


The Candidate..:) S&W Model 16-4 .32 H&R Magnum Target Revolver




http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/15004DSCF5795.JPG

[Hammerdown]

Hi
I Just received the final response and answers to my questions to MR Bowen. here is what he had to day. Regards, Hammerdown




Hello MR Bowen
That sounds great, But I have a Few more question's. When you Re-Blue the cylinder, will it have the same level of color and shine that it does now so that it still match's my Gun's finish ? Will The revolver still be able to fire .32 S&W Long and .32 H&R Magnum rounds after it's conversion with the same level of accuracy it has now in factory form ? One other slight concern I have is that the model 16-4 has become a bit of a collectible status due to their low production, with this change will it be evident it has been altered ? If you would not mind, being that I am so close Living in Knoxville could I hand deliver and pick up the cylinder if you were to perform the conversion ? I will await your response.



Dear Sir:
We do not repolish the exterior of the cylinder. Color might not be exactly the same because we do not use the same chemicals and process as S&W. Yes, gun will still shoot 32 S&W and .32 H&R ammo. Cannot speak to accuracy. Probably not, since the bullets will have further to jump unsupported to the throat section. Since the chambers are deeper, a knowledgable examiner may be able to detect the modification.
Feel free to drop off the part but please call ahead.
Many thanks,
Hamilton S. Bowen
Bowen Classic Arms Corp.

[Popeye]

Well, he didn't lie or blow BS at you. That's encouraging.

[lookingforthewayback]

What is the cost of getting a replacement cylinder and having the mod done to it. That way the value of your revolver is not compromised and you will still have the accuracy you desire in the 32 long and H&R magnum. Obviously more than the $95 but I assume much less then a whole new gun.

[Hammerdown]

What is the cost of getting a replacement cylinder and having the mod done to it. That way the value of your revolver is not compromised and you will still have the accuracy you desire in the 32 long and H&R magnum. Obviously more than the $95 but I assume much less then a whole new gun.




Hello
Numerich Lists the cylinder, but currently they are out of stock. The Price of it is $133.95 so it would be a cost of around $235.00 to go that route and you would need to use the existing extractor and extractor rod assembly from my 16-45 to insure it would be in time correctly. It would be much easier to just have mine Reamed to accept this cartridge...;) Hammerdown

[jimfox]

I think I'd do it. The Model 16 .32 H&R Magnum may be a bit of a collector's piece, but you can still find one now and again should you wish to have an unaltered one. You already know yours is accurate, and it doesn't sound like Mr. Bowen would do anything to alter that.

[rjrivero]

I would like to play devils advocate, for a second.

It isn't like you got your collection by accident, Hammerdown. I'm not shy when I say how much I enjoy your posts, and photos and your collection. Do you REALLY want to do this to one of your pieces?

Really, how much of an improvement do you expect to get out of the .327 Magnum? You've already loaded .32 H&R to greatly exceed the pressures and performance of the .327 ANYWAY. So what really is the point of this exercise?

If you really MUST tinker with a .327 in a K frame, then buy a different one because as they say, once you cut it, you're done. I get a bad feeling when you're talking about increasing the bullet jump. I don't see any reason to bugger up that beautiful Model 16. I urge you to DON'T DO IT.

[lookingforthewayback]

That was kind of why I recommended getting another cylinder but did't word it quite as good.

[budroe]

Those are good points; I also really enjoy the photos you post (only a bit jealous). I have to agree with JimFox though; you can probably find another model 16. I have all my handguns for shooting, whether they are collectors items or not. If I decide to alter a gun in any way, I don't worry about it. My guns are for my personal enjoyment - and increasingly, for my boys' fun too. Hamilton Bowen is one of the most respected revolver smiths in the country (that means in the world), and if anything, I'd say he understates his capabilities. If you just want the gun to take out and show, leave it as is. If you have a real hankering to set up a great field revolver, have at it. At less than $100, you really can't go wrong!!

[Hammerdown]

I would like to play devils advocate, for a second.

It isn't like you got your collection by accident, Hammerdown. I'm not shy when I say how much I enjoy your posts, and photos and your collection. Do you REALLY want to do this to one of your pieces?

Really, how much of an improvement do you expect to get out of the .327 Magnum? You've already loaded .32 H&R to greatly exceed the pressures and performance of the .327 ANYWAY. So what really is the point of this exercise?

If you really MUST tinker with a .327 in a K frame, then buy a different one because as they say, once you cut it, you're done. I get a bad feeling when you're talking about increasing the bullet jump. I don't see any reason to bugger up that beautiful Model 16. I urge you to DON'T DO IT.




Hello RJ & Others

I was thinking of this Change to make my Model 16-4 More Versatile. If these White Rings Hamilton speaks of are found on the face of the cylinder, I would not Bother with a re-Blue of the cylinder. instead I would heat up the cylinder a Bit and apply some Good Cold Bluing to give it the Black oxide look that it had from the factory. my 16-4 has had Plenty of shooting all ready so there is not much bluing left on the face of the cylinder from excessive cleaning after firing it. At this time, I am not Opposed to a Change and doubt it would effect the accuracy so long as their reamer match's the factory bore of the cylinder, it should not make any difference in the guns accuracy at all. I will have to set down with Hamilton and have a discussion before releasing my cylinder to him for this work, which will not be a problem as we have met and spoke on several occasions at the Local Gun shows all ready...I have always wanted one of those Harvey-K-Chuk revolvers that were modified to take and fire a shortened .22 Hornet round, and were the Predesessor to the Problematic .22 Jett S&W made that had sticky extraction issues. With Just 350 K-Chuk's being the total production ever made, they are rare and high when one does see one, so this project would allow me to have a custom caliber that I can shoot .32 Short. .32 S&W, .32 H&R Magnum and .327 Magnum in all out of one handgun...

[Hammerdown]

Hey Guy's
I have Decided to go ahead with this Project. http://www.revolverforums.com/forum/images/smilies/gun.gif I will roll the dice on finish issues and get this cylinder out to Bowen's shop soon. As of right now, there are No spare cylinders to be found out there, but I suspect one will Pop up eventually and if I am dissatisfied with the results of the Modification, I can purchase one and have a spare Original cylinder for my Gun. I Think my Current Extractor would slip down into a spare cylinder, so to me it is No Big Deal to modify this revolver.....

[lookingforthewayback]

Good luck with the project, keep us all informed. I am really interested to see if it affects the accuracy of the other rounds. I do not think it will, my SW 460 is by design done the same way. It shoots the shorter 45 LC and the 454 Cas just as accurately as the much longer 460.

[Hammerdown]

Good luck with the project, keep us all informed. I am really interested to see if it affects the accuracy of the other rounds. I do not think it will, my SW 460 is by design done the same way. It shoots the shorter 45 LC and the 454 Cas just as accurately as the much longer 460.


Hello lookingforthewayback
I sure will, I am Really Boned Up, and Looking Forward to this Project. I suspect No Ill accuracy issue with this Modification. It fires .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long & .32 H&R Magnum all fine now with Bullet Jump Incorperated, so my Guess is another 1/8" Bullet Jump will Not effect accuracy...;) Hammedown

[lookingforthewayback]

The only problem I experience is when I shoot a lot of 45 or 454 and then go to shoot the 460 round. I will experience some extraction problems with the 460 because of the build up on the cylinder walls. I either shoot the 460 first or do a quick clean between the shorter rounds and the 460. You may see some of the same if you continue to shoot all the different rounds.

[gunfan]

I hope that this project goes well for you! If you begin loading for the cartridge, you are certain to have a real good time! Begin by loading to the upper limits of the 115-grain, .312" diameter projectile. This should provide you with 9mm +p+ energies, and the ability to hunt small (southwestern whitetail) with consummate ease.

Let us all know how this project turns out!

Scott

[Hammerdown]

I hope that this project goes well for you! If you begin loading for the cartridge, you are certain to have a real good time! Begin by loading to the upper limits of the 115-grain, .312" diameter projectile. This should provide you with 9mm +p+ energies, and the ability to hunt small (southwestern whitetail) with consummate ease.

Let us all know how this project turns out!

Scott

Hello Scott
I believe a good Starting Point to Load this new round would be the Upper Limits of where I had the .32 H&R Magnum that was Maximum for that round. I use Rainer copper Plated Bullets due to their softer nature they seal in the bore Nicely and accuracy is great with them. :) I have them in Both 85 Grain and 100 Grain offerings in Flat Points and Hollow Points. If you have not tried Rainer you ought to get some. They are a cheaper alternative to using a True Copper Jacketed Bullet like the Hornady XTP's which have gone out of sight in price with the new ammo Component Gouging prices lately...:( Hammerdown

[Hammerdown]

Hello
I finally took the Plunge. I rode out to Hamilton Bowen's shop yesterday and dropped off my Model 16-4 cylinder to him. he said it will be less than two weeks for him to Ream it out to .327 Magnum so I am awaiting his expertise in this project... Hammerdown

[jimfox]

Yea!!!! :up: :up:

Now in the meantime you'll have time to work up 1/2 dozen or so loads. :D :D

[gunfan]

Hot damn! This sounds as if it will make for a deer hunting handgun! I know of men that have reamed out the 6 1/2" barreled Ruger Single Six in .32 H&R Magnum to .327 Federal Magnum. They had "scoped" the revolver and killed Whitetail Deer quite handily.

Let us know the results of your project.

Scott

[Hammerdown]

Yea!!!! :up: :up:

Now in the meantime you'll have time to work up 1/2 dozen or so loads. :D :D


Hello Jim
A quick Internet search showed me Yesterday that there is Not one drop of Ammo out there to be Had.:mad: I Called Bowen and he has agreed to give me 50 Once fired Cases when I Pick up my cylinder...;) Hammerdown

[budroe]

Everytime I've read anything by an actual customer on Hamilton Bowen he comes across as a good man to do business with. This is an extremely nice gesture on his part!!! I'd be willing to bet you're going to be really happy with your mod!!!

[rjrivero]

Looking forward to hearing about your adventures with your NEW revolver. ;)

[Hammerdown]

Looking forward to hearing about your adventures with your NEW revolver. ;)

Hello RJ & Budroe
Me Too...;) I am Intrigued with the thought that velocites for this round exceed .357 Magnum rounds. I feel it will be a Killer Deer Cartridge out to 30 Yards. I Plan on Pushing the Upper range of this cartridge as I Hand Load for it. I took The Weak Anemic .32 H&R Magnum cartridge to an amazing 1480 FPS using a Hornady XTP 85 Grain Bullet and almost a compressed Load of Hogdens H-110 Magnum Powder. I Cratered the Magnum Pistol Primers around 1350 so switched to small rifle Primers to get to 1480. ;) That is almost 500 FPS Faster than it was loaded in Factory form. I will set up my Chronometer as soon as I get Loading for this .327 Magnum and report my findings :) Hammerdown

[Hammerdown]

Hi
I got a call from Hamilton Bowen Thursday to tell me my Smith & Wesson Model 16-4 cylinder was finished. I had Taken it to him to make it into a .327 Magnum. I drove out to his Shop and Picked my cylinder up in person then I came home & Put it together Late Thursday evening. I awoke Early Yesterday morning to assemble some Hand Loads for it. I Tried Three different hand loads and found that it Liked Two out of Three loads I had tried. I Loaded 12.0 Grains of Alliant 2400 Powder and used a 90 Grain Sierra copper Jacketed Hollow pint and a CCI Magnum Primer. The Load showed promise, but I feel Crimp is very crucial in Loading for this round and I had a Heavy crimp much more than I Needed. Report was a Lot Louder than the standard .32 H&R Magnum cartridge and recoil were about Double of what I had been used to shooting in the revolver. That made Perfect sense as the Pressure of the .32 H&R Magnum rounds I had been shooting was around 20,000 and this new .327 Magnum Cartridge is around 40,000.



I Then shot my last Loads which I used some Hodgen's Powder called Tight Group dispensing 3.6 Grains of Powder, a CCI Magnum primer and a Rainier 100 Grain Flat Point Bullet. This Load seemed to shine in this caliber. I managed to shoot a 4 shot cluster before making sight adjustments taking it to the Ten Ring, but Ran out of rounds. The Primers exhibited a bot of flatness, but I Noticed the extracted shells were a Tad Bit dirty Indicating to me I needed to increase the Powder a bit. The Load of 3.6 was a starting load so I came home and Re-loaded again Taking it to 4.6 Grains of Tight Group which is almost maximum. All In All, I felt the first time out with it that it shot well and I feel by Playing with the load a bit it will fair better the next time as I am Getting used to the caliber and what it Likes as far as Loads go. This caliber sure is fun to Play with and I am Glad I had the gun Modified for it. Here is the Target I shot with the Experimental Loads using Tight Group at the 20 Yard line... Hammerdown



http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/Bowen_Conversion_Targets_002.jpg

[Williamlayton]

Cosmetics:
The cylinder is a bit darker---in the picture---than the body and barrel but the contrast is quite attractive.

I was fairly impressed with the grouping.
I am happy for you from the results shown here. you did a good piece of thinking and made some good decisions.
Congradulations &
Blessings

[lookingforthewayback]

Nice looking groups.
I use titegroup for 45 ACP and 9MM. As the name implies it was developed for accuracy. It is a great powder, you don't need to use much and it is not position sensitive.

[Hammerdown]

Cosmetics:
The cylinder is a bit darker---in the picture---than the body and barrel but the contrast is quite attractive.

I was fairly impressed with the grouping.
I am happy for you from the results shown here. you did a good piece of thinking and made some good decisions.
Congradulations &
Blessings



Hello William
The different contrast of the bluing is Purely Light conditions. I grabbed the Picture just before the sun dipped down. The groups are far from what I deem as Tight groups, but with Playing with the Powder charge and crimp of the round it should provide one hole ragged results as long as I do my part. :) I hope to Post follow up Pictures of much improved Tighter Groups later Next week... Hammerdown

[shoey]

Looks good!

[gunfan]

Congratulations! I believe that you can find some great "short range" hunting loads for this "little" revolver cartridge! You may be surprised to discover a new world of bullets to be used that were formerly used in the old .32-20.

Take my word for it, there is/was NOTHING wrong with the older cartridge. There are but two advantages I can see that accompany the new Magnum round:

a) It can accept the .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long, (a personal favorite) .32 H&R Magnum & .327 Federal Magnum cartridges.

b) The .327 Federal Magnum operates at higher pressures. I have always felt that this is one of the factors that contribute to better accuracy in revolvers.

Another benefit, is the fact that the .312" projectile is inherently accurate. This was borne out during the late 1950's and into the 1960's. The .32 S&W Long reigned supreme in target shooting circles. From the proper platform, the .327 Federal Magnum should perform as well, or possibly even better. With judicious loading and consummate attention to detail, the .327 Federal Magnum should prove to be an interesting load for a multitude of purposes. It is a "modern" .32-20, if you will.

If Marlin would get off it's tochis and chamber a 16" barreled lever-action for the .327 Federal Magnum, we could have quite a bit of fun exploring the cartridges "outer limits" as a hunting cartridge.

(BTW, "Ballistics by the inch" quotes a velocity figure of 1894 fps and an energy of 916 fpe from an 16" closed-chamber barrel for the 115 grain American Eagle JHP).

Scott

[Hammerdown]

Nice looking groups.
I use titegroup for 45 ACP and 9MM. As the name implies it was developed for accuracy. It is a great powder, you don't need to use much and it is not position sensitive.



Hello Lookingforthewayback


I have used Tight Group in almost all my Center fire loads for many years now. I have found it to be one of the most economical , cleanest, most accurate Powder's I have come across. It must be loaded carefully though, due to it's tiny Increments in weight, Pressure can climb quickly & many shun it as they fear double charges with it will lead to disaster. I do not fear it, I just watch what I am doing while loading it, and stand to check all my Loads in the Loading block before seating any Bullets over it. ;) The Target shown was on the bottom of the load being at 3.6 grains. I feel My crimp was effecting group size and later after I got home Tumbled the spent shells, and checked them I was shocked to see they ran as much as .060" In different lengths.



I don't know if this was due to inconsistencies in the Manufacturing process of them at Federal, or if Perhaps Bowen was Pushing them extra hard checking his work? Who would have thought that Twice fired round would vary so much ? I sorted them all and chose the shortest length to make them all equal and trimmed each one to that length. As shown I did have some fliers :blush: and I suspect Crimp may have played a role in that due to their Unequal length but now feel that with them all sized correctly that it should improve their accuracy. Lighter Crimping, is another issue with this round. Being that I had not fired it, all I had to go from was what others said about it being snappy and sharp in report and recoil, so I over crimped them a bit, Not knowing what to expect.



Now that I Re-Loaded them, I Backed off on the crimp and Increased the Powder to 4.0 Grains still not being Maximum which is 4.7 for this powder. I noticed some slight soot on the expelled shells so I figure a slight increase in Powder weight will rid that issue as it has worked well in the past when using this powder on Other Calibers. I will stick with Tight Group to see if I can shrink the groups well, before moving on to try any other Powders I have. This Caliber and Gun seemed to Like the Alliant 2400 Magnum Powder as well, But there was some spread on group size with that round as well, so I will get back to it later when I sort this powder out fully, to hone down on a Good Hunting round for it.... Hammerdown

[Hammerdown]

Congratulations! I believe that you can find some great "short range" hunting loads for this "little" revolver cartridge! You may be surprised to discover a new world of bullets to be used that were formerly used in the old .32-20.

Take my word for it, there is/was NOTHING wrong with the older cartridge. There are but two advantages I can see that accompany the new Magnum round:

a) It can accept the .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long, (a personal favorite) .32 H&R Magnum & .327 Federal Magnum cartridges.

b) The .327 Federal Magnum operates at higher pressures. I have always felt that this is one of the factors that contribute to better accuracy in revolvers.

Another benefit, is the fact that the .312" projectile is inherently accurate. This was borne out during the late 1950's and into the 1960's. The .32 S&W Long reigned supreme in target shooting circles. From the proper platform, the .327 Federal Magnum should perform as well, or possibly even better. With judicious loading and consummate attention to detail, the .327 Federal Magnum should prove to be an interesting load for a multitude of purposes. It is a "modern" .32-20, if you will.

If Marlin would get off it's tochis and chamber a 16" barreled lever-action for the .327 Federal Magnum, we could have quite a bit of fun exploring the cartridges "outer limits" as a hunting cartridge.

(BTW, "Ballistics by the inch" quotes a velocity figure of 1894 fps and an energy of 916 fpe from an 16" closed-chamber barrel for the 115 grain American Eagle JHP).

Scott







Hello Scott
I agree with all you have said here. ;) I have always been a Fan of the .32 Center fire round myself. I was Lucky enough to come across a Pre-16 K-32 Target Masterpiece a couple of Years ago from a forum member here, that I swapped with, and it is one of my Favorites in my collection, and I consider it to be a Crown jewel, it is shown below. I ringed out the .32 S&W Long caliber in it using 3.5 Grains of Unique under a 100 Grain Rainier flat Point bullet and it showed very good accuracy results as I increased the loads. The Problem is and was, that there hasn't been any recent research of expanding on that round due to the Lighter frame revolver's it was intended for way back then, so sometimes trial and error plays a role in finding what a gun reacts to.:)



I had a Nice S&W Fifth variation hand eject in 32-20 and it shot well. I did not like Re-loading for it as the Case necks tend to be fragile and dent easily. I let it go as it was a fixed sighted revolver, which I favor adjustable sights but should the Target Variation come along I will add one of those to the Pile.;) I Played with the .32 H&R Magnum round much a few years ago. I got the Loads hot enough to be Popping primers. I then switched to Small rifle primers that cured that problem and increased my loads to exceed those of the .357 magnum using an 85 Grain hornady Bullet and Hodgen's H-110 Magnum Powder. The last ones I tested showed a velocity of 1540 FPS and were super accurate, but I feared Hurting the gun so backed down on them. I wish I knew then what I Know now, as this .327 Magnum round is Twice the pressure of the Old H&R Magnum and I Might have been able to Break 1600 FPS accurately while testing those.:D


I noticed a Load for this .327 Magnum using a 60 grain Gold Dot Bullet that showed a Velocity of 2110 FPS. :psycho: That is Just wild and seeing Rifle velocity out of a Revolver barrel is amazing to me. I do have some of those 60 grainer's and may try to duplicate that Load later on once I see how well this Gun reacts to the hotter loads fired through it. I am still hesitant to load real hot with it always thinking it was made to fire the Pukey Low performance .32 H&R magnum that averaged 1000 FPS seeing velocities of Double that, makes one Cringe when thinking of loading for it that way..;)



I am Hoping Marlin comes out with a Lever Gun chambered in .327 magnum. I wanted a 32 H&R Magnum Marlin lever gun back when they came out, but Missed the boat on those as they went quickly and seem to be Non existent now..:( I am sure Bowen could do the same thing to a Marlin rifle by lengthening the throat to accept the .327 magnum round and perhaps that may be an Idea for later on if they do not come out with one in the .327 Magnum caliber...;) Hammerdown





http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/K-32_Masterpiece_Target.jpg

[gunfan]

Hello Scott
I agree with all you have said here. ;) I have always been a Fan of the .32 Center fire round myself. I was Lucky enough to come across a Pre-16 K-32 Target Masterpiece a couple of Years ago from a forum member here, that I swapped with, and it is one of my Favorites in my collection, and I consider it to be a Crown jewel, it is shown below. I ringed out the .32 S&W Long caliber in it using 3.5 Grains of Unique under a 100 Grain Rainier flat Point bullet and it showed very good accuracy results as I increased the loads. The Problem is and was, that there hasn't been any recent research of expanding on that round due to the Lighter frame revolver's it was intended for way back then, so sometimes trial and error plays a role in finding what a gun reacts to.:)



I had a Nice S&W Fifth variation hand eject in 32-20 and it shot well. I did not like Re-loading for it as the Case necks tend to be fragile and dent easily. I let it go as it was a fixed sighted revolver, which I favor adjustable sights but should the Target Variation come along I will add one of those to the Pile.;) I Played with the .32 H&R Magnum round much a few years ago. I got the Loads hot enough to be Popping primers. I then switched to Small rifle primers that cured that problem and increased my loads to exceed those of the .357 magnum using an 85 Grain hornady Bullet and Hodgen's H-110 Magnum Powder. The last ones I tested showed a velocity of 1540 FPS and were super accurate, but I feared Hurting the gun so backed down on them. I wish I knew then what I Know now, as this .327 Magnum round is Twice the pressure of the Old H&R Magnum and I Might have been able to Break 1600 FPS accurately while testing those.:D


I noticed a Load for this .327 Magnum using a 60 grain Gold Dot Bullet that showed a Velocity of 2110 FPS. :psycho: That is Just wild and seeing Rifle velocity out of a Revolver barrel is amazing to me. I do have some of those 60 grainer's and may try to duplicate that Load later on once I see how well this Gun reacts to the hotter loads fired through it. I am still hesitant to load real hot with it always thinking it was made to fire the Pukey Low performance .32 H&R magnum that averaged 1000 FPS seeing velocities of Double that, makes one Cringe when thinking of loading for it that way..;)



I am Hoping Marlin comes out with a Lever Gun chambered in .327 magnum. I wanted a 32 H&R Magnum Marlin lever gun back when they came out, but Missed the boat on those as they went quickly and seem to be Non existent now..:( I am sure Bowen could do the same thing to a Marlin rifle by lengthening the throat to accept the .327 magnum round and perhaps that may be an Idea for later on if they do not come out with one in the .327 Magnum caliber...;) Hammerdown





http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/K-32_Masterpiece_Target.jpg

Dear Hammerdown:

Whatever you do, don't sell the .32 H&R Magnum short. It is an excellent SD and varminting round. Not only can it push a 98-grain bullet from a 6" barrel at a reasonably healthy rate of speed, but the muzzle blast from 2, 4 or 6" barrels is not abusive. It has it's place. (Let that be a lesson to you)!

I'd be willing to bet that if you could procure a Marlin 1894 lever-action rifle chambered for the .357 S&W Magnum cartridge and have them provide you with a .32-20 barrel blank, you could have a .327 Federal Magnum carbine fabricated for you in short order. If you can find a Marlin chambered in .32 H&R Magnum you CAN have the barrel "broach cut" (rechambered) to accomodate the .327 Federal Magnum cartridge. I can think of NOTHING that would be more fun to use in dense forests to take Whitetail Deer with hot-loaded 115-grain American Eagle ammunition. There's enough power to get the job done without destroying the meat of your quarry.

The versatility of this round will go relatively unnoticed for a long time. This is because the .32-20 will have its following. Those of this persuasion will see no earthly reason to buy dies for the newer cartridge. I have heard all of the arguments of the .32-20 lovers since the .327's arrival a year ago. The lower pressure round is great, but the new .327 has so much more versatility that there is no excuse for stepping into the 21st century, without retaining the versatility of the earlier low-pressure revolver chamberings of the 1880's!

Dropping .32 S&W revolver cartriges in a 16" barreled carbine... What fun! Routing garden pests; training new shooters; quietly slaughtering farm animals for butchering; the list goes on and on. This application is the centerfire handloader's dream as a replacement for the .22 Short.

The .32 S&W Long as a carbine round has had an excellent reputation for excellent accuracy, perfromance and ease of loading, and is a perrenial favorite among knowledgeable shooters.

The .32 H&R Magnum in that carbine can STILL make a good showing when it comes to Coyotes, Wolves and other larger pests.

These are the elusive qualities that elude the shooters of the larger centerfire carbines. It is too bad that most modern shooters feel the need to have a "big bore" carbine to accomplish the task. Sometimes less truly IS more!

Scott

[Hammerdown]

Dear Hammerdown:

Whatever you do, don't sell the .32 H&R Magnum short. It is an excellent SD and varminting round. Not only can it push a 98-grain bullet from a 6" barrel at a reasonably healthy rate of speed, but the muzzle blast from 2, 4 or 6" barrels is not abusive. It has it's place. (Let that be a lesson to you)!


Hello Scott
I Don't sell it short. I carry a-J-Frame Air-Weight Model 431 PD Revolver chambered in it every day on my side for protection... Hammerdown

[Oriondk]

I read somewhere that there was someone chambering a lever action for .327 Federal, but don't remember who or even where I read it. Pretty useless, aren't I?:P

[Hammerdown]

I read somewhere that there was someone chambering a lever action for .327 Federal, but don't remember who or even where I read it. Pretty useless, aren't I?:P


Hello Oriondk
I have heard all Kinds of Gossip about Marlin Making this rifel in .327 Magnum but have yet to see one out there...:( Hammerdown

[Hammerdown]

Hello
Yesterday I Put together & shot some .32 S&W Long Caliber loads to see how well they grouped out of my Newly Modified Bowen conversion revolver. I was a Bit skeptical of how well they would group after Bowen lengthened the cylinder throats a full 1/8", But as you can see once I got the elevation adjusted it grouped nicely proving in this case that Bullet Jump did not seem to matter changing calibers in this revolver anyways...The cluster of six shots shown measured 1/2" which was shot at the 20 Yard line from a sand Bag.. Hammerdown


http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/32_S_W_Long_Target.jpg

[lookingforthewayback]

Glad to see the conversion worked out so well. I was pretty sure you would get these results, my SW 460 shoots with similar accuracy using 45C/454Cas/460SW and the difference there is over 1/2 inch in length between the 45c and the 460. Nice shooting by the way.

[gunfan]

Hello
Yesterday I Put together & shot some .32 S&W Long Caliber loads to see how well they grouped out of my Newly Modified Bowen conversion revolver. I was a Bit skeptical of how well they would group after Bowen lengthened the cylinder throats a full 1/8", But as you can see once I got the elevation adjusted it grouped nicely proving in this case that Bullet Jump did not seem to matter changing calibers in this revolver anyways...The cluster of six shots shown measured 1/2" which was shot at the 20 Yard line from a sand Bag.. Hammerdown


http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/32_S_W_Long_Target.jpg

Excellent! Now all that's needed to complete the "experimental" trials is 1000 .32 S&W cases. Loading these is a straigtforward proposition. This cartridge may surprise you even more than the results from the .32 S&W Long cases.

What may be difficult to locate, are the 88-grain RNL projectiles for this exercise. I'll get back to you later in this thread and provide you with the loading data concerning using #0 Buckshot for "gallery" loads for the venerable old .32 S&W.

It should prove both illuminating and lots of fun!

Scott

[Williamlayton]

I am thinking that the grouping must be good according to what I read---my eyes, you know, my eyes:D.
For real----those groups are good, very good indeed, from such a young weapon.
You are on the right path.
I have been reading about the .32m and I find it facinating---what I find less facinating is the offerings in this caliber---even if I wanted to go your route, the offerings are less than desireable.
Thanks for the read--it is fun.
Blessings

[Hammerdown]

I am thinking that the grouping must be good according to what I read---my eyes, you know, my eyes:D.
For real----those groups are good, very good indeed, from such a young weapon.
You are on the right path.
I have been reading about the .32m and I find it facinating---what I find less facinating is the offerings in this caliber---even if I wanted to go your route, the offerings are less than desireable.
Thanks for the read--it is fun.
Blessings






Hello William

I sometimes have trouble shooting due to focus. I wear glass's with Bi-Focal's and have Diabetes' and some days the sights grow real Fuzzy. The group shown to me is average, I still need to hone in on the Cartridge and what it likes. The current offerings are One-J-frame target revolver from S&W. Two from Ruger and One from Charter Arms. That should give you one to select from Hammerdown

[gunfan]

While I haven't the time to transcribe the George Nonte article concerning the .32 S&W Long "gallery" loads (not .32 S&W) I would like to provide a brief highlight. In short, these are #0 Buckshot finger-pressed into .32 S&W Long cases with a light charge of Bullseye propellant behind it. These are splendid short range loads that will readily stop an enraged field mouse in full charge. They are also handy for relatively inexpensive target practice at ranges up to fifty feet.

Later,

Scott

[jimfox]

The current offerings are One-J-frame target revolver from S&W. Two from Ruger and One from Charter Arms.

??? A run at Ruger's website shows only the SP101 in .327 Mag. I'd love to see the Single Six in that chambering.

[gunfan]

I only know that when the discontinued "Single-Six" in .32 H&R Magnum has its chambers relieved to accept the .327 Federal Magnum cartridge there are no troubles with either the revolver OR the load! (BTW, Charter Arms has TWO revolvers chambered for the .327 Fed. Mag.. Both are named the Patriot; one has a 2.2" barrel, the other a 4" barrel.

I'll continue with a rather lengthy quote from George Nonte's article in HANDLOADER Magazine (January-February 1974) approriately named, "Those Unloved .32's" I'll begin on page 37 when he writes:

"But the load that is really cheap fun is the old round-ball load in that H&R Bobby in the woods of Southern Illinois in the middle of the 1940's. It can be assembled without dies, without moulds, without lubricator-sizer - In fact, without any handloading tools or accesories whatever. At the time I aquired the H&R, I was temporarily without any loading gear and mighty short of funds. With the gun I got one box of mid-range wadcutters which I promptly shot up and proceeded to look for a way to reprime the cases. The traditional filed-down nailserved to punch out the old primenrs and tapping the decapped cases down over the fresh primers laid face up on a hard, smooth counter top handled the repriming problem nicely until I managed to aquire a Lyman tong tool. Primers were laid face up on the counter top, and a close-fitting aluminum rod was slipped into the mouth of each case in turn and a mallet applied gently to its upper end to seat the primers. A charge cup made from a fired 22 LR case filed down to hold 1.0 grains of Bullseye was fitted with a wire handle and charges were dipped from a coffee cup half-filled with Bullseye. Bullets were "0" buckshot thumped into the chamfered case mouth and seated flush by tapping themin their full depth with a plastic mallet. Following that, a finger dab of waterpump grease was smeared over the ball, partially filling the gap between the case mouth and the sphere.

With this load, the cases hardly ever need resizing, and loading is so simple it stinks. Cases last virtually forever if you dont get clumsy and step on them, and even at today's (1974) prices, cost per shot is less than one cent if you're buying your prices reasonably right. I use this particular load regularly in my two-inch Hand Ejector, shooting in my office at a range of 20 to 25 feet. A stack of old magazines is adequate as a backstop for the slow-moving round balls. I don't know how fast the ball travels, but it really doesn't matter - it does its job.

All the same, this load must not be considered a harmless toy. Over the years it has killed scores of small game, and will punch easily through one-inch pine boards. It is definitely a lethal combination and must be considered as such. In this impromptu in-office shooting, it can be relied upon to produce neat quarter-sized clisters fropm the little two-inch gun if I'm paying proper attention to the game at hand. About the only disadvantage it possesses for such close-range shooting is that occasionally it sprayes particles of grease downrange. The old waterpump grease I used a quarter of a century ago should be replaced under those circumstances by a dab of Lyman or other bullet lubricant.

Incidentally, in these space-age days, waterpump grease which was once so readily available and so widely used by handloaders is virtually impossible to obtain in most communities. Instead, sneak into the kitchen and borrow a small can of Crisco or other vegetable shortening when mama isn't looking. It works just as well and is readily available. It, too, shares the proclivity of waterpump grease for occasionally making a smeary mess downrange, so I'd suggest sticking with conventional bullet lube if you're going to be shooting in the living room. I caught all kinds of particular hell for shooing about a hundred rounds from a .36 percussion revolver lubricated with Crisco in the abouve fashion in my office. The place not only stank to high heaven, but everything downrange from the firing point was thinly coated with grease and black powder fouling. It took days to discover it all and get it cleaned off."



I hope that you enjoyed the information provided by Mr. Nonte and his .32 "gallery" loads. I cannot be held responsible for the use/misuse of this information. This was just part of an article that I really enjoyed and, personally found quite useful.

Good shootin'

Scott

[jimfox]

I only know that when the discontinued "Single-Six" in .32 H&R Magnum has its chambers relieved to accept the .327 Federal Magnum cartridge there are no troubles with either the revolver OR the load! (BTW, Charter Arms has TWO revolvers chambered for the .327 Fed. Mag.. Both are named the Patriot; one has a 2.2" barrel, the other a 4" barrel.
Scott

Thanks for the info on the "gallery" loads. I have a couple of Single Sixes in .32 H&R. I think I'll inquire if Mr. Bowen thinks it feasible, and is willing, to ream the charge holes to accept the .327 Mag round.

[gunfan]

Thanks for the info on the "gallery" loads. I have a couple of Single Sixes in .32 H&R. I think I'll inquire if Mr. Bowen thinks it feasible, and is willing, to ream the charge holes to accept the .327 Mag round.

I know that Jeff Quinn had this performed on a Single Six and it was none the worse for wear!

As it stated in the old Alka-Seltzer commercials... "Try it, you'll like it"!

Scott

[Williamlayton]

I want a K-Frame---I have been watching the others and they seem lacking as far as my taste for revolvers is concerned.
I have an OLD K-frame in a .22 that I love---but it was an Uncles gun and I won't touch it.
Your post did give me insight at a purchase of a old .32 and go your route---it is the finding that takes work.
I am enjoying the read.
Blessings

[Hammerdown]

I want a K-Frame---I have been watching the others and they seem lacking as far as my taste for revolvers is concerned.
I have an OLD K-frame in a .22 that I love---but it was an Uncles gun and I won't touch it.
Your post did give me insight at a purchase of a old .32 and go your route---it is the finding that takes work.
I am enjoying the read.
Blessings


Hello William
Another Option is to find an Old Model 15 .38 Special revolver that has adjustable sights all ready as a .32 Adjustable sighted revolver would have to be a K-32 and they are very pricey. A stainless .22 Model 617 cylinder and Barrel would work for a conversion just have Bowen Mill off the Under Lug, or Leave it on and have a Pinto 4" Modified Model 16-4..He will Punch the .22 Barrel to .32 Caliber along with the cylinder and fit them to the gun... Hammerdown

[jimfox]

Hard to find just what one would want. :) I'd like a j-frame, but with a 5 inch mostly underlugged barrel, and all steel. - Or a Ruger Single Six - maybe with 5 chambers instead of six, if that is what it takes for the pressure. If it were an option, I'd like a .327 Mag on a Diamondback frame with a 6 inch barrel. I'd think that was just about ideal. But I don't see Colt (Or anyone else) putting that on the market.

I think we have a new round - with great potential - that is suffering from neglect because we have had a buyer's market for anything that is currently produced for low this last year.

My guess is that the .327 Mag may well be killed by Mr. Obama's election.

[gunfan]

Hard to find just what one would want. :) I'd like a j-frame, but with a 5 inch mostly underlugged barrel, and all steel. - Or a Ruger Single Six - maybe with 5 chambers instead of six, if that is what it takes for the pressure. If it were an option, I'd like a .327 Mag on a Diamondback frame with a 6 inch barrel. I'd think that was just about ideal. But I don't see Colt (Or anyone else) putting that on the market.

I think we have a new round - with great potential - that is suffering from neglect because we have had a buyer's market for anything that is currently produced for low this last year.

My guess is that the .327 Mag may well be killed by Mr. Obama's election.

There is no need for a "unique" platform for the .327 Federal Magnum. The round will be well served by any revolver currently chambered for the .38 Special/.357 S&W Magnum cartridge. It will have an EXCEPTIONALLY long life, and will likely outlive any of US! The 3" barreled "J" framed S&W revolver that has been fabricated of blackened stainless steel with their proprietary "powerport" is okay for use as a concealed-carry revolver. Were it up to me, I would reintroduce theire full-underlug barreled S&W 616-5 (in stainless steel of course) with and option of 3 barrel lengths; 5, 6.5 and 8.375 inches. I would then have Ruger reintroduce their Single-Six revolver in 5.5, 7.5 and 9 inch barrels. These would allow the .327 ample "runway" to perform on any game up to the size of Whitetail deer!

The handgun world would fall in love with the "little" .32 caliber all over again... over a century later!

Scott

[jimfox]

There is no need for a "unique" platform for the .327 Federal Magnum. The round will be well served by any revolver currently chambered for the .38 Special/.357 S&W Magnum cartridge. It will have an EXCEPTIONALLY long life, and will likely outlive any of US! The 3" barreled "J" framed S&W revolver that has been fabricated of blackened stainless steel with their proprietary "powerport" is okay for use as a concealed-carry revolver. Were it up to me, I would reintroduce theire full-underlug barreled S&W 616-5 (in stainless steel of course) with and option of 3 barrel lengths; 5, 6.5 and 8.375 inches. I would then have Ruger reintroduce their Single-Six revolver in 5.5, 7.5 and 9 inch barrels. These would allow the .327 ample "runway" to perform on any game up to the size of Whitetail deer!

The handgun world would fall in love with the "little" .32 caliber all over again... over a century later!

Scott

I don't disagree with you - how-some-ever, I don't want the .327 Mag in any "Unique" platform - except maybe the Colt Diamondback configuration - but we aren't seeing it in any configuration other than mostly that of a belly gun.

[gunfan]

If you don't want to buy another cylinder for your Single-Six, either Freedom Arms or Hamilton Bowen will build what you want at a price that may seem outrageous, but FA's revolver can be had for as little as $1370.00. Ammunition runs a little slower than it would from a recylindered Single-Six. If it were MY revolver, I would simply get another cylinder for your Single-Six and have it indexed and chambered for the newer cartridge. If your Single-Six has a 6.5" barrel, you're in for a real treat! When if comes to both velocity and energy, the .327 Fed. Mag will "beat the pants" off of an identical revolver chambered for the 9mm Luger.

A properly indexed and rechambed cylinder would be an inexpensive venture into the high-speed world of the .327 Fed, without the expense of purchasing an entirely new revolver. If you decided that you don't want the new chambering, simply reinstall the original cylinder and put the .327 cylinder into "storage". No harm, no foul.

Scott

[Oriondk]

I don't disagree with you - how-some-ever, I don't want the .327 Mag in any "Unique" platform - except maybe the Colt Diamondback configuration - but we aren't seeing it in any configuration other than mostly that of a belly gun.

If you have the money, Freedom Arms offers the Model 97 in .327 Federal.
.327 Federal (6 shot)4¼", 5½", 7½", 10"


The ten inch barrel should handle any hunting chores.:D

[Hammerdown]

If you don't want to buy another cylinder for your Single-Six, either Freedom Arms or Hamilton Bowen will build what you want at a price that may seem outrageous, but FA's revolver can be had for as little as $1370.00. Ammunition runs a little slower than it would from a recylindered Single-Six. If it were MY revolver, I would simply get another cylinder for your Single-Six and have it indexed and chambered for the newer cartridge. If your Single-Six has a 6.5" barrel, you're in for a real treat! When if comes to both velocity and energy, the .327 Fed. Mag will "beat the pants" off of an identical revolver chambered for the 9mm Luger.

A properly indexed and rechambed cylinder would be an inexpensive venture into the high-speed world of the .327 Fed, without the expense of purchasing an entirely new revolver. If you decided that you don't want the new chambering, simply reinstall the original cylinder and put the .327 cylinder into "storage". No harm, no foul.

Scott




Hey Jim
There is a 6" K-Frame 32-20 on The Blue forum right now. It would be a super easy conversion. Bowen can add a set of adjustable sights for you as well... Hammerdown


http://smith-wessonforum.com/guns-sale-trade/93792-cz-75-s-w-victory-fs-32-20-stevens-22-410-dpd-glock-sold-4.html

[jimfox]

Hey Jim
There is a 6" K-Frame 32-20 on The Blue forum right now. It would be a super easy conversion. Bowen can add a set of adjustable sights for you as well... Hammerdown


http://smith-wessonforum.com/guns-sale-trade/93792-cz-75-s-w-victory-fs-32-20-stevens-22-410-dpd-glock-sold-4.html

Thanks Hammerdown - However I already have a Single Six with the 6.5 inch barrel and reaming the existing cylinder would be a lot less costly than a new revolver, new cylinder and new sights. :P

If the existing Single Six cylinder can take the increased pressure. :bolt:

[gunfan]

Thanks Hammerdown - However I already have a Single Six with the 6.5 inch barrel and reaming the existing cylinder would be a lot less costly than a new revolver, new cylinder and new sights. :P

If the existing Single Six cylinder can take the increased pressure. :bolt:

Jim: I keep telling you, the Single Six will handle the pressures without any difficulty. I have read on www.Gunblast.com where Jeff Quinn shot a converted Single Six and a Freedom Arms revolver in the .327 For comparative purposes.

For the money, a re-chambered cylinder is the best bet for the money. I repeat, IT WILL HANDLE THE INCREASED PRESSURES.

Scott

[gunfan]

Jim, here's the article:

Two Custom .327 Federal Ruger Single Six Revolvers From Bowen Classic Arms



by Jeff Quinn

photography by Jeff Quinn & Boge Quinn

November 30th, 2008





It has been right at a year since I reviewed the first handgun chambered for the .327 Federal cartridge. Ruger introduced the new cartridge to the world in their compact SP101 double action revolver. The SP101 is a tough little weapon, mostly encountered in the five-shot .357 Magnum version, but it wears a six-shot cylinder when chambered for the .327 Federal. While there was a lot of “what’s it for?” conversation on the internet before the little .327 started shipping to dealers, the revolver has been well-accepted, and supply of .327 Federal ammunition still has yet to meet demand.

A few weeks after the SP101 review, I had the opportunity to also review the Freedom Arms Model 97 .32 H&R Magnum revolver that had been fitted with an extra cylinder chambered for the .327 Federal, along with a custom Single Six from Single Action Service. In each of those earlier reviews, I went in depth regarding the cartridge and handloading, and will not get into that again here, concentrating upon the two custom sixguns instead.

Hamilton Bowen is highly regarded among the elite true custom gunsmiths in the US, and is respected as the “best of the best” among many shooters who use his skills to build their finest revolvers. Hamilton Bowen builds highly useful works of art, as well as plain and rugged, but highly accurate hunting guns. These two Single Six revolvers shown here highlight Mr. Bowen’s skill at crafting elegant working guns that are also aesthetically pleasing, exceedingly accurate, and very useful hunting revolvers. When the .327 Federal was first introduced in the SP101, it was, and appropriately still is, marketed as a defensive handgun. However, when I first saw the little cartridge, I regarded it as everything that the .32 H&R Magnum should have been; a dandy little cartridge for small game and varmint hunting, akin to the .32-20 of a century ago, but with more power and better accuracy. There is no handgun better suited for this cartridge than the Ruger Single Six. In its factory .22 rimfire version, and also in the .32 H&R magnum Single Six, the cylinder is too short to house as a .327 Federal. A longer cylinder is needed, which seems like a natural to me, and to many others. However, Ruger has yet to introduce the .327 Federal into their Single Six, so it has been left to custom gunsmiths to do so. These two Ruger Single Six revolvers from Hamilton Bowen are as perfect as any Single Six that I have ever seen. Both are chambered for the .327 Federal cartridge and have custom cylinders of 1.4965 inches in length, which is almost one-tenth inch longer than the factory .32 H&R Magnum Single Six cylinder. The case heads are countersunk on the Bowen cylinders, and the cylinder almost fills the cylinder window in the frame entirely, which, in addition to accommodating the longer .327 Federal cartridge, looks a lot better as well. The custom Bowen cylinders are radiused at the front, commonly called a black powder chamfer, and the barrel/cylinder gaps are very tight. Both revolvers wear a target version of the Bowen Rough Country rear sight, and are fully adjustable. The Bowen Single Sixes wear steel XR3 Flattop grip frames and Bisley hammers. The hammers, frames, and loading gates have been case colored by Doug Turnbull. The rest of the steel is polished blue, and the grips are Ruger New Model Flattop grip panels. Both sixguns wear fitted oversize locking base pins. The hammer and trigger pins on one of the revolvers have been given a screw-look, and another added, to make the New Model frame resemble a three-screw Old Model Ruger or Colt Single Action frame. Interesting touch. That revolver wears a seven and one-half inch barrel, and should prove to be a dandy little varmint gun. The other sixgun of the pair is my personal favorite, and is one of the best-looking sixguns that I have ever held in my hands! Everything about that little revolver is, for lack of a better word, balanced. It just looks “right”, and handles as a sixgun should. This trim little revolver is fitted with a Smith & Wesson K22 barrel that has been bored and rifled to .32 caliber by Delta Gun Shop. The K22 barrel wears a full-length rib, and measures 4.473 inches in length. I have never seen a more beautiful, perfectly executed Single Six. At the bottom of the grip frame is a Bowen lanyard ring, adding to both the looks and practicality of this little sixgun.

Shooting the Bowen Classic Arms Single Sixes was a delight. Both proved to be exceedingly accurate in offhand shooting at targets of several varieties, including paper, swinging steel, and rocks, sticks and stumps. I clamped the long-barreled sixgun into my Ransom Master Rest for accuracy testing, and it exhibited target grade accuracy with the American Eagle factory loads, grouping into less than one inch at twenty-five yards, every time, all day long. The accuracy of the Federal hollowpoints was excellent as well, but not hardly as accurate as the American Eagle ammo. I did not place the short-barreled Single Six into the Ransom Rest, as to do so I would have had to remove the roll pin that holds the lanyard ring and swivel in place. I was not willing to risk scratching this little sixgun removing that pin, as the gun does not belong to me. However, from informal plinking and shooting over an improvised rest, the short-barreled sixgun seems to be just as accurate as its brother. Shooting the two factory loads that I had on hand, the American Eagle 100 grain softpoint clocked 1667 feet-per-second (fps) from the seven and one-half inch gun, and 1574 fps from the shorter gun. The Federal Hydra-Shock 85 grain load clocked 1600 fps and 1574, from the long and short barrels, respectively. All chronograph readings were taken at an elevation of approximately six hundred feet, with an air temperature of forty-five degrees Fahrenheit. The chronograph was set at ten feet from the muzzle. Both revolvers have honed actions, and the trigger pulls on the long and short Bowen Single Sixes measured two pounds, eight ounces and two pounds, two ounces, respectively. Being built on the Single Six frames, these two revolvers are perfectly sized to the .327 federal cartridge, and either would carry well in the field. With all-steel construction, the longer revolver weighs in at thirty-seven ounces, and the shorter gun is three ounces lighter. While both are handy enough for carrying afield, the shorter of the pair could very well be the ideal trail gun to carry in country where large bears are not a concern. With it’s flat-shooting, efficient cartridge, this handgun is perfectly sized for packing while having ample power for harvesting small game, and taking vermin and predators at a considerable distance.

If you have a hankering for a Single Six chambered for the .327 Federal cartridge, Hamilton Bowen can build for you a revolver just like one of these, or with whatever modifications you like. I think that with these two, Hamilton got it right. The combination of the XR3 grip with the Bisley hammer, make the guns easy to handle, and balance well. The Rough Country sights are easy to see, and easy to adjust to suit your load and shooting style. The Turnbull case colors are beautifully executed, and that ribbed K22 barrel and lanyard ring add a real touch of class to that short-barreled sixgun.

Bowen does it right, and I highly recommend his work.

For a look at Hamilton Bowen’s other work, and to get information to have him build your perfect sixgun, go to www.bowenclassicarms.com.

You never regret buying the best.

Jeff Quinn

[jimfox]

Scott - Thanks for the information. Going back over it, plus his earlier review of a Freedom Arms .327 Mag and a Alan Harton Ruger Single Six conversion, I confirmed my recollection that the cylinders used were longer than the standard cylinder in the .32 H&R Single Six.

It would appear that I could restrict my bullet choices and seating options and use a standard Ruger .32 H&R cylinder reamed to accomodate the extra 1/8th of an inch cartridge length or spring for a new cylinder and a bit of metal work on the rear of the barrel.

My other option, at this time, is to find the strongest brass in .32 H&R and load that round as it should have been. I have a sneaky suspicion that I could get reasonably close to the .327 Mag performance.

[gunfan]

Jim - I think that your best bet is to purchase a new cylinder and have it chambered for the .327 Federal Magnum cartridge (and marked as such). Once this has been accomplished, your fondest .32 claiber dreams will have come true... pemanently! There will be no need for any other work. The longer cylinder will permit you to seat the longest projectiles (115-120 grain) to their maximum length, thus allowing the maximum utility of the .327's case capacity.

Scott

[Hammerdown]

Hello
I took some of those .327 Magnum Speer lawman Load's to the range with me the other day and sighted my Gun in with them. Gander Mountain is Real proud of them at $30.35 Per Box of 20. :( They use a 115 Grain Gold Dot Bullet and have a velocity of 1430 out of a 5-1/2" barrel and mine is 6" so I figure 20 FPS More making them 1450 about the same as a .357 Magnum velocity wise. I have decided to carry the revolver along Deer Hunting which starts this morning in case a Buck comes in close. ;) I would Love Nothing better than to drop a Buck with this new exciting Cartridge...:) Hammerdown

[lookingforthewayback]

Good luck hunting, If you do take one with the 327 try to get some wound shots. A little morbid I know but I would like to see what it does.

[Oriondk]

Good luck hunting, If you do take one with the 327 try to get some wound shots. A little morbid I know but I would like to see what it does.

Try this link and see what it did to a pork shoulder. Pretty impressive, imho.
http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-SP101-327.htm

[lookingforthewayback]

Thanks

[Hammerdown]

Hello
Yesterday Deer season opened here in East Tennessee. I Hunt a buddies land that is closed to other hunters so just my son in law Tyler & I were Hunting it. Last weekend Tyler & I drove down to the Place we were going to hunt, and spoke to my friend about where we were going to sit on opening day. During the conversation, my Buddy shared with me that there had been a Wild Cat running around his property, and that it had come right into his Yard and tried to attack his House Cat's Twice. He feared it's next move may be attacking him or his wife as they spend a lot of time out in their Yard. I asked him to describe this Cat as he does not hunt anymore, and from what he told me it sounded like a Huge Bobcat.



I assured him, if I saw it, he would have no more worries about it. I told my son in law on the way home that day, that it would be Cool if I was able to take that cat with my New modified S&W Model 16-4 that was chambered in the.327 Federal Magnum Cartridge. I went straight home last week and started working up some Potent handloads for it. I soon had it grouping the size of a Dime at the 20 Yard line using 10.2 Grains of Accurate Arms Number # 7 Powder using a Magnum CCI-550 primer and a sierra 90 Grain Jacketed Bullet. I Loaded 50 more of them when I saw they worked and grouped tight. I did not have the time to Chrono the load but new it was close to max. as the primers showed to be flattened. I decided this Load would do what ever it needed to do for me in the woods. As silly as it sounds, the Night before Deer season Opened I was restless lying in bed, and asked in my Prayers if I could be given Just one chance to shoot this Cat ? I drifted off to sleep and awoke at 3:00 AM from a wild dream where I saw this cat behind me while Hunting Deer in the woods, spun around and shot it with my S&W Model 16-4 Revolver now chambered in .327 Magnum.



In The Dream The cat was large and stalking me when I fired upon it, and I remember it dropping into a heap right after I fired upon it. I went back to sleep and when my wife awoke me an hour later to get up and get ready to hunt, I told her of this dream. She laughed and told me I was far too ate up with this gun and my Hunting. :rolleyes: I Kissed her Goodbye at 5:15 AM Yesterday morning and after she told me good luck hunting, I told her I would return with this Big Cat. She rolled her eyes, smiled and asked my son in law to look after me as I was crazy. We entered the woods at the break of Light. I saw plenty of sign, but No Deer. This was Odd, real odd as I had always seen plenty of deer in this area we were Hunting in the past. As I sat there thinking like one does when you hunt, I wondered if perhaps the presence of this Big Cat was effecting the Deer Patterns ?

I heard the occasional squirrels rustling leaves off in the distance, but No Deer. There was no wind and the sun was bright so I was intent with looking and listening for a Buck to come along. I sat about what I though to be 25 Yards down wind of a main Deer run in the woods, and was watching in front of me as well as behind me. At 7:55 I heard a small twig snap behind me. I turned my head to see what it was, and my Heart sank. Here was The Big Cat my buddy had been talking about behind me, and closing in fast. I Pulled my S&W revolver out of my cover-all Pocket and Lined the sights up on him. I began to SHAKE and quickly reminded myself, this was a Chance of a lifetime Kill, calm down, The Gun will do it, and the Load will do it as well. I got my act together and that is when this Cat spotted me. He stopped and went into a Stalk stance and Hissed at me. I gently squeezed off the shot, and it Piled him up Instantly.

I couldn't believe my Friggin Eyes, I had Just dropped a Hug wild Cat with my handgun. I was now really shaking thinking of what this Cat may have done to me if he would have attacked me. I Lit a smoke and called my son in law on the cell phone. He answered and asked if I had a buck down ? I told him to get up here I got a Wild Cat Piled up. He laughed and said Come On Dad, Mom said you were ate up with this Catt Issue. It was clear the Boy did not believe a word I had just said. I told him then to get his Ass up here, I had this Big Cat Killed and had done it with my S&W. He hung up and came running up to me. I was now on my second smoke and sweating. He Knew I was not kidding as I Pointed to it lying there Dead a few yards from where I met him on the woods line behind me.


I reached in the brush were he laid and dragged him out for a better look. He was Huge Bobcat. He reeked of Male Cat Piss as well. I Looked him over close and my Bullet had hit him right where I wanted it to in the chest and exited the right rib cage. I Pulled my hunting knife and gutted him. he had been eating well as he had a Ton of Fat on his Gut region. My Bullet had hit his heart which was only the size of a Silver dollar and blew his right lug apart on the way through. :thumb: after gutting it out, I sat there looking it over. It was a beautiful animal and I told my son in law this one was going to be mounted. I shared with him at 50 years old, I was not sure just how many years I had left to hunt, but this Kill trump's any I have had in the past as few people ever get to even see a wild cat in the woods let alone Take one with a handgun. This was Elmer Keith type of Hunting stuff that one seldom heard of or encountered in ones hunting Life.


It was clear my Son in law was very proud of me, and being his first Deer hunt ever, he said he would never forget this day. I countered with I won't Either Boy I can tell you that. I Then reminded him to be careful what he Prays for, as it may come True. I then promptly called my wife and told her I had gotten a big Cat. She would not believe a word of it so I handed the Phone to Tyler as I finished Gutting this cat. Shown below is him on the tail gate of my Ram Pick-Up. We figured he weighed close to 50 Pounds before we Gutted him. His stomach was the size of a Youth Football and Chocked full of Rabbit from that morning or the late night before. He is now in my Freezer awaiting a Full Mount. I told Tyler before I have him Mounted we need to Hunt Clinch Mountain and get us one of those Huge Fox squirrels to mount him with on a well weathered Log....Later after Lunch Tyler and I entered the woods again and decided to walk awhile as the Deer were not moving. We Passed where I had Kiled The Cat and he Paced it off from where I sat to where the Cat laid. It was a True 35 Yard shot I had made, and he Just smilled and shook his head, still In disbelief of it all...:) Hammerdown



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/hammerdown-7/Kitty-Kitty001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/hammerdown-7/Kitty-Kitty003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/hammerdown-7/Kitty-Kitty002.jpg

[lookingforthewayback]

CONGRATULATIONS. That is one fine looking cat. Great shot, a well told story. Glad you were able to get it with the newly chambered gun. Good luck on the next deer hunting outing. You should have posed with the pistol in hand also.

[Hammerdown]

CONGRATULATIONS. That is one fine looking cat. Great shot, a well told story. Glad you were able to get it with the newly chambered gun. Good luck on the next deer hunting outing. You should have posed with the pistol in hand also.

Hello Lokingforthewayback
Thank's. The reason my Revolver is not in my hand in the pictures is that my hands were still all covered with the Cat's Bood. Nothing will take bluing off a Gun quicker than Blood...:( Hammerdown

[Old John]

That was one really good shot, you made.
It's a real "Dream come True".
You can't hardly beat that in a life-time.

[Popeye]

Good story

Good kill

Good cat

[Oriondk]

Wow, what a story. Nice shooting. :up:

[jimfox]

Congratulations. A fine trophy.

[Hammerdown]

Congratulations. A fine trophy.

Hey Jim
I told you old Friend my Lust over the .32 Round would never end. Let this be a lesson for the NON-32 Caliber believers out there. This Hunt goes into the History Books and I would be willing to bet I am the Only one to Kill a Wild Cat with this new .327 magnum round in a Revolver... Maybe Elmer Keith may have Gotten one or Two of them but I bet it was not with a .32 Caliber revolver as he loved his .44's I Bet Old Elmer is smiling down from Heaven right now, I am Truly Blessed... Hammerdown

[Williamlayton]

Now you have seen the power of prayer---and that God still works. Remeber that God allowed this for your benefit and for a reason. REMEMBER,
I enjoyed the testimony and the read---it was wonderful.
Blessings

[gunfan]

Excellent! Remember, God gave you this animal. For this, may you truly give thanks!

Scott

[Hammerdown]

Hello Guys & Gals
Thanks again for the Kind words. The actual weight of this cat has come up on another Gun Board. :rolleyes: I had an Arm Chair Hunting Expert tell me that there was no way this Cat weighed 50 Pounds. :confused:This forced me to drag him out of deep freeze for a close up and personal weigh in. I feel the Internals of this Cat before it was dressed would have easily made up the Lacking Ten Pounds from the weight actual shown. Funny, The Guy did not respond after I Posted the Picture below...:D



http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/Kitty-Kitty_002.jpg

[Hammerdown]

Hello
I sent my Hunting story and Pictures to the Editor of American Handgunner magazine today. I got a response back from the editor Roy Huntington. He has agreed to try and get it in a future issue of the magazine. Here is a copy and paste version of his response to me. I hope this makes the .327 Magnum cartridge Famous and stimulates many sales of it for those of us that Love the 32's..Hammerdown


An interesting story, Kurt, and congratulations are definitely in order. A nice shot, a nice revolver and a nice cat, indeed!
If I have room, I may be able to run a picture and a paragraph in my Insider column. I'll see, and let you know.
Thanks for reaching out and for the pics. I'll follow-up with you when I know if I have the room.
Adios,
Roy H.

Roy Huntington
Editor, American Handgunner Magazine
www.americanhandgunner.com (http://www.americanhandgunner.com)

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ON-LINE DIGITAL EDITIONS
AT WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM (http://www.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM)!

[gunfan]

Who says the .327 Federal Magnum isn't adequate for both hunting and personal defense?! If you believe that, I have some beachfront property in downtown Winnepeg, Manitoba that I am certain will hold your interest!

LOL!

Scott

[Hammerdown]

Hello
Tomorrow my Son in law Tyler and I are going back down to this Farm to Hunt Deer again. I hope he get's a shot as this is his First Year in the woods he has never hunted before. According to the land owner this was NOT The Wild Cat he had seen previously to me harvesting it. he said the one he had seen was Bigger.:psycho: I will have to watch for it as we enter the woods early tomorrow morning. Perhaps with all these Wild cat's in the area that may be why the Deer Patterns are off this year ? Regards, Hammerdown

[gunfan]

Hello
Tomorrow my Son in law Tyler and I are going back down to this Farm to Hunt Deer again. I hope he get's a shot as this is his First Year in the woods he has never hunted before. According to the land owner this was NOT The Wild Cat he had seen previously to me harvesting it. he said the one he had seen was Bigger.:psycho: I will have to watch for it as we enter the woods early tomorrow morning. Perhaps with all these Wild cat's in the area that may be why the Deer Patterns are off this year ? Regards, Hammerdown

That sounds as if it is a likely hypothesis of this particular scenario. Deer quickly change their habits to enhance their chances of survival. May you have God's blessings.

Happy Hunting!

Scott

[peyton]

Don't keep us in suspense, how did the hunting go this weekend???

[exile]

Hammerdown,

An excellent post re. both the custom .327 revolver and your hunt for bobcat. You are truly fortunate to be able to drive to Mr. Bowen's establishment. Congratulations. I have had an SP-101 in .327 Federal for about a year now, but have not shot it much due to the lack of availability of .327 Federal brass. I have also considered trying to take a deer with one, but I think I will go out with my .41 magnum again. This is my first year deer hunting, did not see anything in December, hope I have better luck in January. Anyway, great information. Thanks.

exile

[Hammerdown]

Hello Peyton & Exile
Sorry Peyton for Not responding sooner, I have been very Busy. The Hunting has not shown any Deer yet, but Three weeks ago on the way out of the woods I discovered a water holes with Fresh Cat tracks in it. I am Hoping tomorrow yields a shot at it as the paw prints were even larger than the one I Killed. ;)I worked out an awesome hand load for my .327 Magnum today and it is showing one hole Ragged results. I can only hope for a double play of this Wild Cat Frenzy tomorrow as we return there to hunt again...:) Hammerdown

[Hammerdown]

Hello
yesterday marked the end of Deer season for Tyler & I here in East Tennessee. Sadly Tyler never got a shot off, but upon walking in bright and early Yesterday morning we heard a Buck rutting fiercly on the Other side of the river from us. He was snorting and Kicking leaves and dirt for a good Three or four Minutes, so Tyler got to hear what a buck sounds like in the Full Rut. This season was a good Learning year for him being his first year in the woods and he did get to see a Wild Cat get taken with a Handgun of which I will never be able to do again. We sat quietly on the river bank after hearing that Buck, and all of the sudden less than 10' away a Large River Otter emerged from under the water and swam up stream without even noticing us. A few minutes later we got to see a male and female Wood duck fly out that the Otter had spooked, and Three flocks of Canadian Geese flew over head. Mid Morning we watched a large Black squrriel tromp up and down a Log across from us. In The afternoon the wind had kicked up so we did not see much but on the way out of the woods , while resting after climbing the steep incline out, I spotted a large cotton Tail Rabbit quietly sitting within 5' of us just up on a dirt Bank in the Bush's watching our every move. I told Tyler to Just move easy over in front of where I was looking and he too got to see this Frightened rabitt just watching us. He asked me if it was alive, and I moved about 10" and it turned it's head. Tyler lit up in amazement & I told him this is what I meant as to animals can be within reaching distance in the woods when we walk through, and unless you almost step on them, they stay there froze and un-noticed. It showed him how Deer could do the same thing and how we could have been on top of some while hunting but just missed seeing them as they blended in so well with the Landscape....On the way home I assured him he will indeed get a Deer one of these seasons but that I myself had gone many times like him without a shot. I reminded him it was not The Harvest that was everything when we hunt it was all The sightings and game we get to see and enjoy while being out that that makes the Hunt so well worth it....Hammerdown

[jimfox]

Hello
Yesterday morning we heard a Buck rutting fiercly on the Other side of the river from us. He was snorting and Kicking leaves and dirt for a good Three or four Minutes, so Tyler got to hear what a buck sounds like in the Full Rut. We sat quietly on the river bank after hearing that Buck, and all of the sudden less than 10' away a Large River Otter emerged from under the water and swam up stream without even noticing us. A few minutes later we got to see a male and female Wood duck fly out that the Otter had spooked, and Three flocks of Canadian Geese flew over head. Mid Morning we watched a large Black squrriel tromp up and down a Log across from us. In The afternoon the wind had kicked up so we did not see much but on the way out of the woods , while resting after climbing the steep incline out, I spotted a large cotton Tail Rabbit quietly sitting within 5' of us just up on a dirt Bank in the Bush's watching our every move. I told Tyler to Just move easy over in front of where I was looking and he too got to see this Frightened rabitt just watching us. He asked me if it was alive, and I moved about 10" and it turned it's head. Tyler lit up in amazement & I told him this is what I meant as to animals can be within reaching distance in the woods when we walk through, and unless you almost step on them, they stay there froze and un-noticed. It showed him how Deer could do the same thing and how we could have been on top of some while hunting but just missed seeing them as they blended in so well with the Landscape....I reminded him it was not The Harvest that was everything when we hunt it was all The sightings and game we get to see and enjoy while being out that that makes the Hunt so well worth it....Hammerdown

Sounds like you bagged most of the things I look for when I go out in the woods.:) :up: :up:

[Barkley]

Hammerdown sounds like you're teaching him right. I have for years considered harvesting game to be the cherry on top of the sundae. Being out in the woods and hunting is the rest of it.

[caneman]

I'd like to be part of the .327 Magnum crowd but will only be able to do it if NEF chambers it in their Single Shot break open. That rifle with a 16-18" barrel would make a fine take along rifle for woods walking in my area or for vacions.

That platform also keeps it in a price range I could afford. I'f really partial to having calibers that each economic group can afford.

[peyton]

I enjoyed your hunting adventure, kids won't remember a thing about computer games but they will always remember time in the woods.

[Hammerdown]

I enjoyed your hunting adventure, kids won't remember a thing about computer games but they will always remember time in the woods.

Hello Peyton
I agree. I remember when Our Daughter was in The second Grade I used to Take her Squirrel Hunting every Sunday Morning. We would Eat a big Breakfast and slip off into our 32 Acres of woods and hunt for gray squirrel's. She evidently brought this up in her school class room and her Teacher informed her hunting was a Very bad thing to do as it was needless Killing of Innocent animals.



My daugter told me of this, and I promptly went to school and had a confrence with her Teacher and the principal about it. I Informed her Teacher that I felt it was perfectly Normal for me to take my Daughter hunting and to teach her about outdoor life and things in the woods. The Teacher held her Liberal Tree Hugging ground in front of the principal Putting me down for this.



I then asked if she felt it was normal to let her son Smoke Pot on the school street corner as I had seen him before along with Piercing every orifice in his body ? She was Put off by it, But I implied as Parents "WE" are in charge of what we deem to be important to our Childrens learning along the way, and I did not appreciate her comments or the Impression she tried to insert on our Daughter, and that she needed to clean up her own closet before she tried to alter other childrens beliefs or needs.


This same Teacher wanted all parent's to Purchase NON-Wood pencils to save the Great White Spotted owl's. When I learned of this, I went out of my Way to find Ebhard Wood Number -2 Pencils for our daughter to take and use in her class room...;) About Five years after this all happened, The Teacher's son was arrested and convicted of Armed Robbery of the Local Drug store in our town as he was attempting to feed his out of control Oxycontin habit. He now resides in the County lock up...I have often wondered if he uses wood pencils to write his Mother letters from his new home, or if she has tried to Impose any more of her Liberal Tree Hugging ideas on him to insert in his daily life ? :) Hammerdown

[Oriondk]

That is an appalling story, Kurt.

[Hammerdown]

That is an appalling story, Kurt.


Hello Oriondk
I Guess the Old Saying rings True... You Mess with the Bull, You get the Horns...;) I didn't Mingle too much in Our Daughters affairs at School although there is Plenty I did not like that they Force on our kids today as Teachers..:( I was really Upset that she made our Daughter think Guns & Hunting were Bad things in life, but was glad our Daughter over Looked her Impressionable Liberal over tones. When Our Daughter got married I gave Her and her New Husband a Pre-30 S&W revolver as one of their wedding presents. I told the Both of them that for 21 Years I made sure she was safe and protected in her bed at night and when she was home, but now that she left the Nest it would be up to her Husband to take care of her, so I felt good giving them one of my Prized S&W's...:) Hammerdown

[Hammerdown]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/hammerdown-7/Kitty-Kitty001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/hammerdown-7/Kitty-Kitty003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/hammerdown-7/Kitty-Kitty002.jpg




Hello
This Saturday I took my Family and Wild Cat to the Taxedermist. His House was Awesome and full of his Mounts. He had Two Wild Cat mounts for me to look at and I chose one in an action pose of attack similar to what mine looked like when I shot it. I had to wait to take it to him as he had many big Game mounts to finish first. This Guy has been all over the World Hunting and Guiiding hunts and killed most of his Mounts with a Bow. He did tell me that My Cat was the largest one he had ever seen, and that sure made me proud.:) It will be ready in 6-8 Months and the cost will be $650.00 in an action Pose snarling but well worth it to me as it was a Life time shot & Memory. This Guy is Good as his Mounts look so real, he orders the eyes from England as they are far more superior than what we make here and his Mounts seem to follow you as you walk past them. I will Post Pictures in this thread here as soon as it is done...;) Hammerdown

[gunfan]

Hammerdown: I LOVE those picures! That cat should be in a museum with the date it was taken. This is wildlife at it's best!

No animal should be needlessly dispatched. Wanton killing is abhorrent and should be shunned by every decent-thinking human on the earth.

Scott

[Hammerdown]

Hammerdown: I LOVE those picures! That cat should be in a museum with the date it was taken. This is wildlife at it's best! Scott

Hello Scoitt
It will be in MY Museum. ;) It will sit on top of my Gun safe and will be the first Thing you see as you enter my Back door into my Den...:) Hammerdown