.327 Federal Club thread

I'm fine waiting for Henry to come out with the .327 rifle because number one, I haven't decided if I want the 16 or 20 inch model and number two, I don't own a .327 revolver yet because I'm not sure about the SP101.

I think Ruger will come out with an LCRx .327, but it has yet to happen and if it does, it's likely not happening for another year or more.
 
Whether or not it will pan out...

The latest, directly from Henry, is that they think the 327 Big Boys (all versions) will ship first week of May.

I've been in contact with them for a short time, in regards to the 327s and some other things, and the last email included some discussion of shipment of the 327s. Their best guess, right now, is first week of May.

There was no specific mention of what's going on with them, but my interpretation when 'reading between the lines' is that they're having some problems going from prototype to production item, are still working out a few kinks, and may need to re-make some parts, even though the rifles are essentially done.

We'll know soon enough, hopefully.

(I'm still stuck on that Marlin 1893, though. Unless I can get that thing out of my head, I don't think I'll buy a Henry.)
 
The only concern I have once Henry does release the .327's is if there's going to be enough of a demand for them.

I know the .41 Magnum has proved popular with that niche in the market and isn't going to be discontinued anytime soon, but the .41 Mag from a rifle is a substantial hunting cartridge.

The .327 is... fair.

I see the .327's potential being a centerfire replacement for .22 LR by using something weak like .32 S&W Long or .32 ACP.

Is there enough of a demand for a .32 rifle to keep it in continuous production?
 
.32 S&W Long and the shorter cartridges probably won't feed properly in the Henrys.
They probably had a hard enough time adapting the action to run both .32 H&R and .327 Federal, even though COAL isn't much different.

For light loads, I think the best bet would be light charges of bulky powders in .32 H&R or .327 Federal.
 
I see the .327's potential being a centerfire replacement for .22 LR by using something weak like .32 S&W Long or .32 ACP.
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This is true with the revolvers. The .32 S&W Long is widely known as a pussycat in the recoil department. It's also widely known for accuracy, at least in guns chambered for it. (I've never run it through my .327 guns so I don't know if it suffers there.) It might not be "ideal" but I'd also be much happier with .32 S&W Long than a .22 in most defensive situations!

As per the rifle, FrankenMauser already caught it. The new Henry rifle is specifically listed as being for use with .327 Federal and .32 H&R Magnum. The .32 H&R Magnum is often overlooked today but was at least as powerful as "vanilla" (non +p) .38 special in revolver applications, where it also had mild recoil and made an extra shot available. I never had the chance to try it in a rifle but I'd imagine that some of the comparisons to .38 special hold true.
 
The new Henry rifle is specifically listed as being for use with .327 Federal and .32 H&R Magnum. The .32 H&R Magnum is often overlooked today but was at least as powerful as "vanilla" (non +p) .38 special in revolver applications, where it also had mild recoil and made an extra shot available. I never had the chance to try it in a rifle but I'd imagine that some of the comparisons to .38 special hold true.
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My 327 Fed Mag Blackhawk shoots a 120 SWCGC @ 1520 which generates 616 ft/lbs of energy. The 120 has a sectional density of .176. Going from a 5.5" revolver barrel to a 20" rifle barrel even a very conservative estimate would be a 400 fps gain. That ups the energy to 982 ft/lbs. For comparison, my 41 mag revolver with a 5.5" barrel shoots a 210 XTP (SD .178) @ 1338 fps generating 835 ft/lbs of energy. I don't have numbers for 32 mags as I shot them very little but I would expect them to be at least comparable to standard 38 specials that are generally under 300 ft/lbs.
 
I think the real question is whether the 327 mag will get the same velocity increases that the 357 mag does. If so this may turn the 327 mag into a very capable small to mid size game hunting rifle.
 
I think the real question is whether the 327 mag will get the same velocity increases that the 357 mag does. If so this may turn the 327 mag into a very capable small to mid size game hunting rifle.
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http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/327mag.html

These guys did some testing of what were then the most available factory ammo choices. (The 115-grain Gold Dot has since been discontinued and replaced with a 100-grain Gold Dot.) You can click to produce a graph of muzzle velocity over barrel length.
 
.32 S&W Long and the shorter cartridges probably won't feed properly in the Henrys.
They probably had a hard enough time adapting the action to run both .32 H&R and .327 Federal, even though COAL isn't much different.
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I don't mind single loading.
 
I would wonder if the 32 SWL was capable of exiting a rifle barrel of any length. Henry makes more 22s than anything else. I would get one of those, if interested in a squirrel gun.
 
I also received an email, like Frankenmauser did, calling for delivery in the first week of May.

Better that they fix whatever issues came up before release, unlike some computer software companies.
 
Think positive. The other issue is how long you will have to wait for a review or a chance to shoot one. Blindly jumping on the Lipsey's train with the Single Seven didn't go so well, so more caution will be used on this rifle. I trust Henry though, and if they need a delay to make it right, so be it.
 
Blindly jumping on the Lipsey's train with the Single Seven didn't go so well
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I feel a little differently about that. The 2 I have are the best I have received from Ruger in the last 5 years.(I've sent 5 new Rugers back in this time period)

Also the success of those did a lot to move the caliber forward. Spawning the 4.2" SP 101 and the LCR. I believe they are also partly responsible for the development of the Henry 327 that we're all waiting on. JMO
 
^IDK about that. I think given the long history of the .32 H&R Magnum and Marlin's 1894, Henry was eventually going to make a .32 lever gun, especially one that's half the price what those Marlin's go for.

When .327 came out, everyone who made revolvers was making the .327, but then that Hawaiian guy from Chicago/Kenya moonwalked into the Oval Office and had beef with the 2nd Amendment, so everybody panicked and didn't bother with the cartridge.

Now that the panic is behind us, the .327's chance to break out is now.
 
Blindly jumping on the Lipsey's train with the Single Seven didn't go so well
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I feel a little differently about that.
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Glad you are happy, but that is not the point. The reality is that the issues with the guns in general were a nightmare, and that fact is all over the forums, especially the Ruger discussions.
 
That'll turn into "Early June 2017" and eventually "Q3 2017" which will then become Holiday 2018 and finally "Beginning of the 22nd Century."
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Henry is not Remington.
When Henry says, Henry does.

There may be delays with Henry, but there is no Remlin vaporware. (**cough** Marlin Model 444 announced every quarter for 5 years ** cough **)
 
The reality is that the issues with the guns in general were a nightmare, and that fact is all over the forums, especially the Ruger discussions.
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I agree some of the first ones out had problems. I've read most of the threads on the problems including those on Ruger forum. But they were far from a nightmare.
 
I expect the nightmare part was from the perspective of the owners who had problem guns, finding that neither Ruger nor Lipsey's could really do much about it. Those problems cannot be wished away. I agree that later production seemed to have addressed some of the complaints and service issues, but I initially referred here to " blindly jumping on that train" as a leap of faith. Some will be more fortunate than others.

Let's not parse words here and quarrel with points we don't like. There were lots of problem guns, and that's just a fact.
 
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