.32 caliber?

what is the best use of the .32 caliber?

  • a .32 ACP in a modern pistol

    Votes: 45 27.6%

  • a .32 ACP in a vintage pistol

    Votes: 22 13.5%

  • a .32 Federal or H&R Mag

    Votes: 43 26.4%

  • a .32 S&W long in a J or I frame

    Votes: 14 8.6%

  • if a .22lr isn't enough, get a .380, .38 or 9mm

    Votes: 39 23.9%
  • Total voters
    163
  • Poll closed .
Cheapshooter - the ...

.380 mini-revolver has a couple of drawbacks (from my point of view):
A - uses an auto-pistol cartridge which means no rim which means either clips or some type spring in the cylinder. Both add complexity.

B - From the pics I've seen, they don't appear to have taken advantage of the short overall length of the .380 cartridge to shorten the lenght of the cylinder.
I understand that could increase costs dramatically, but if they haven't chosen to do that - then I would be putting a .380 cartridge in a cylindar big enough for .38 special. I can't see any advantage to that.

Has anyone paosted detailed measurements on the size of the Mini-Revolver.

In a foreign country where .380 ammo was common and .38 special was rare/expensive, and someone wants a small revolver -- it would fill a niche.
I don't see a future, in the US gun market, for a revolver that is 90% size of a .38 special but firing 380 ammo (with some type of adaptor to hold the ammo in the cylinder).

I guess we'll see how it does if/when it is offered for sale.
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Had to go with the one I like best and because .327 mag wasn't listed. Paper or rabbits or if necessary boogermen but that would not be the gun I grab first for that.
 
I don't know. Legend has it that the .32 long is a very accurate round.
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I suspect that if they are equally as accurate, the .32 would score higher due to the bigger hole in the paper. I think I would enjoy punching paper with a .32 long in a full size revolver.
 
its good as a backup gun or as a go EVERYWHERE gun; think keltec 32 or taurus tcp pocket guns; small & light & thin.
 
I prefer the .32 caliber in the older European pistols, with all solid steel frames and slides.
Mine all have been well maintained.
Those older pistols were made with fine mechanics and craftsmanship.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
.327 attempts to make a .357 magnum out of a .32 caliber. Extreme muzzle blast, higher recoil, slower follow up shots.
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Slower than what?

Higher recoil than what?

Muzzle blast is not extreme. It's more on par with .38 Special in a snubby; and no where near .357 Mag (in any revolver).
 
As someone that has owned the tiny pocket 380's and now no longer has any of them I can tell you I prefer the 32 in diminutive pocket guns. My P32 is very controllable and offers enough stopping power for a backup gun in my estimation. Ymmv, but I like the little 32's especially in a good quality fmj.
 
Slower than what?... Higher recoil than what?
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The other .32 cartridges listed.

I don't think Bill was comparing it to other pistol cartridges in general- at least that's not how I read it.

I have yet to fire a .327Mag revolver, but "American Rifleman" did some testing at the time of the cartridge's introduction and revealed that the cartridge's recoil impulse basically splits the difference between .38Spl+P and .357Mag. IOW it's probably not fair to describe it as "extreme" unless the revolver is very light, but it's certainly "snappy" in a sub-20oz gun.

OTOH .32 Long and .32ACP- two of the more common cartridges listed by the OP- are highly controllable if not downright pleasant in all but the tiniest guns IMHO. I can easily shoot beer-coaster-sized groups @ 7yds with a .32ACP Browning 1922 almost as fast as I can pull the trigger- one-handed. :cool:
Muzzle blast is not extreme. It's more on par with .38 Special in a snubby...
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The jury seems to be out on this one. I need to try firing it. :D
 
I'd love to have 4" or 5" barrelled Ruger with the sp101 frame in .327 Mag ....... the 3" seems a bit short for the power of the cartridge .... a 2" snubby? Not suited to the blast, methinks: turning all that velocity (a +) into noise and recoil (a -).
 
Gotcha.

But... I don't understand why this attitude is so prevalent with .32 fans.

Whenever there's a discussion about the .32 H&R, the predominant comment is basically, "A .38/.357 can do better." .32 caliber fans know better. Sometimes, a .32 is exactly the tool for the job at hand.

Yet, we now have a .32 caliber cartridge that can surpass the .38 special, and edge into .357 territory. And, what happens?... The .32 caliber community puts .327 Federal down as 'too similar' to .357 mag. It's more tame, more controllable than .357, and easily achieves velocities the .32 H&R junkies were pushing for, for so long. ...But it still gets put down by the .32 caliber community.


If you were to apply this same concept to the Ford Mustang; we'd have Mustang junkies bemoaning the GT500, because it is too loud, too fast, uses too much fuel, the Ford GT can do better, and the Fiesta is easier to drive....



It's like wishing and praying to win the lottery. When you finally do, you complain that you have too much money. :confused:
 
Can I add this to the mix? What is a .32 police positve/new police?
I have two old colts. One is marked .32 ploice positive the other is .32 new police
 
I voted .32 Fed (.327)/.32 H&R Mag... The .32 H&Rs I've had -- several Ruger Single Sixes and a delightful S&W Airweight (431PD) have all been a hoot to shoot. I love the round, even in its much-criticized factory loadings. But I also applaud the .327 as just being more of a good thing, and can still shoot the .32 "Specials" (we all know should the H&Rs have been called).
OTOH, remember James Bond's primary gun early on (after Q took his .25 Beretta away) was a PPK in .32 ACP :) I had a Beretta .32 ACP ca early-mid 60s production (sort of a forerunner of the Browning BDA IIRC) and it was just ok.
 
Can I add this to the mix? What is a .32 police positve/new police?
I have two old colts. One is marked .32 ploice positive the other is .32 new police
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If I'm not mistaken, those are different names Colt used for its version of the S&W long.
 
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