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  • Mreed911

    TGT Addict
    BANNED!!!
    Apr 18, 2013
    7,315
    21
    Austin, TX
    Was at Academy last night and saw something on their ammo shelf I'd never seen before. .327 Federal Magnum?

    Had to research it on wikipedia, etc. Looks like a failed cartridge... anyone have experience with it?

    It was expensive and they only had a few boxes. Clerk had no idea what it was.

    -- Mike
    Hurley's Gold
     

    Dawico

    Uncoiled
    Lifetime Member
    Oct 15, 2009
    38,007
    96
    Lampasas, Texas
    That round barely even made it out of the gate. It was touted as the next best thing but then just died. I can see why. It does nothing that something else can't do better.
     

    40Arpent

    TGT Addict
    Jul 16, 2008
    7,061
    31
    Houston
    Increasing the capacity of a snubnose magnum from 5 rounds to six was it's biggest selling feature, but that obviously wasn't enough to cut it.
     

    Texas42

    TGT Addict
    Nov 21, 2008
    4,752
    66
    Texas
    That round barely even made it out of the gate. It was touted as the next best thing but then just died. I can see why. It does nothing that something else can't do better.

    It puts 6 rounds in a 5 shot revolver. With reasonable numbers. Not saying I don't understand why it seems to have failed, but it is a niche cartridge that has a place.
     

    n2pistols

    Active Member
    Jan 6, 2013
    249
    11
    Hurst, Texas
    Was at Academy last night and saw something on their ammo shelf I'd never seen before. .327 Federal Magnum?

    Had to research it on wikipedia, etc. Looks like a failed cartridge... anyone have experience with it?

    It was expensive and they only had a few boxes. Clerk had no idea what it was.

    -- Mike

    I have a Ruger SP101 and when the 327 came out I looked for it but could not find any so I gave up. My Winchester 38's and Magtech 357's work just fine for me.

    :flag:
     

    dt300mm

    Member
    Feb 22, 2009
    55
    1
    Austin
    check out the ballistics, with lighter bullets equal to or better than any .357 with much less recoil & muzzle blast. Not published but actual chronograph. I have a S&W mdl. 632 that I carry often. Taurus, Charter Arms, Ruger along with S&W chambered revolvers in it. The 115gr. Gold Dot clocks at an honest 1275 outa my 2.1" barrel 632. You can shoot several different cartridges in this little gem. Like the 32 H&R mag, effective with little recoil or blast. I've had great luck with women shooting the H&R mag. Seems like the gun scribes just didn't rave about the cartridge for some reason, maybe because it could easily replace the cherished .357 mag with lighter bullets... IMO
     

    Dawico

    Uncoiled
    Lifetime Member
    Oct 15, 2009
    38,007
    96
    Lampasas, Texas
    check out the ballistics, with lighter bullets equal to or better than any .357 with much less recoil & muzzle blast. Not published but actual chronograph. I have a S&W mdl. 632 that I carry often. Taurus, Charter Arms, Ruger along with S&W chambered revolvers in it. The 115gr. Gold Dot clocks at an honest 1275 outa my 2.1" barrel 632. You can shoot several different cartridges in this little gem. Like the 32 H&R mag, effective with little recoil or blast. I've had great luck with women shooting the H&R mag. Seems like the gun scribes just didn't rave about the cartridge for some reason, maybe because it could easily replace the cherished .357 mag with lighter bullets... IMO
    I read many good reviews of it in magazines but it just didn't catch on.
     

    Vaquero

    Moving stuff to the gas prices thread.....
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Apr 4, 2011
    44,206
    96
    Dixie Land
    I can load a 125gr down to 1300 fps for my .357 mag. If I want to.
     

    Mreed911

    TGT Addict
    BANNED!!!
    Apr 18, 2013
    7,315
    21
    Austin, TX
    It puts 6 rounds in a 5 shot revolver. With reasonable numbers. Not saying I don't understand why it seems to have failed, but it is a niche cartridge that has a place.

    Increasing the capacity of a snubnose magnum from 5 rounds to six was it's biggest selling feature, but that obviously wasn't enough to cut it.

    That makes sense. With the constant back-and-forth on 9mm/38 as an effective cartridge vs. .32, I can see that this probably got lost in the noise.

    check out the ballistics, with lighter bullets equal to or better than any .357 with much less recoil & muzzle blast. Not published but actual chronograph. I have a S&W mdl. 632 that I carry often. Taurus, Charter Arms, Ruger along with S&W chambered revolvers in it. The 115gr. Gold Dot clocks at an honest 1275 outa my 2.1" barrel 632. You can shoot several different cartridges in this little gem. Like the 32 H&R mag, effective with little recoil or blast. I've had great luck with women shooting the H&R mag. Seems like the gun scribes just didn't rave about the cartridge for some reason, maybe because it could easily replace the cherished .357 mag with lighter bullets... IMO

    Interesting. What made you pull the trigger, pun intended, on the .327 revolver? I'm still wondering how I missed this - just not enough press, I guess? Looks like it would have made an interesting lever-action round for a lightweight carbine, etc.
     

    9x19

    Active Member
    Aug 11, 2008
    689
    21
    I had a .32 H&R Magnum, so when the .327 came along I was already over the small bore.
     

    Moonpie

    Omnipotent Potentate for hire.
    Lifetime Member
    Oct 4, 2013
    24,101
    96
    Gunz are icky.
    IMO, what killed it was ammo price and availability.
    Hardly anybody sold it and bullet selection always sucked.
    A BIG mistake the manufacturers always seem to make on these new whiz-bang calibers is not producing a CHEAP bulk round for practice shooting.
    If all you produce is top dollar premium SD ammo the Average Joe ain't gonna buy it.

    It's a fine cartridge but it doesn't do anything better than much more commonly available calibers already out there.
     

    dt300mm

    Member
    Feb 22, 2009
    55
    1
    Austin
    IMO, what killed it was ammo price and availability.
    Hardly anybody sold it and bullet selection always sucked.
    A BIG mistake the manufacturers always seem to make on these new whiz-bang calibers is not producing a CHEAP bulk round for practice shooting.
    If all you produce is top dollar premium SD ammo the Average Joe ain't gonna buy it.

    It's a fine cartridge but it doesn't do anything better than much more commonly available calibers already out there.

    What got my attention was a 6 shot J frame hammerless revolver with more controllable power than a 38sp. The key controllable. I tried to make peace with a S&W mdl. 60-3, a 3" J frame 357 with adj sights. Might as well been a single shot.....recoil/muzzle blast with 125 gr 357 loads was epic. Ammo prices are $18.00/20 Speer Gold Dot 327 Federal from Buds. It's a great cartridge
     

    Moonpie

    Omnipotent Potentate for hire.
    Lifetime Member
    Oct 4, 2013
    24,101
    96
    Gunz are icky.
    What got my attention was a 6 shot J frame hammerless revolver with more controllable power than a 38sp. The key controllable. I tried to make peace with a S&W mdl. 60-3, a 3" J frame 357 with adj sights. Might as well been a single shot.....recoil/muzzle blast with 125 gr 357 loads was epic. Ammo prices are $18.00/20 Speer Gold Dot 327 Federal from Buds. It's a great cartridge

    Agreed. It IS a great cartridge. It's just too expensive to shoot. :(
     

    RevolverGuy

    Active Member
    Aug 8, 2013
    375
    76
    I got interested in it but then found they had issues with the SP101. Who wants a GP100 in a .32?
     
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