Debating LCR in .22 mag or .327 mag

Another vote for the 8-shot LCR-22. Better to have something you enjoy practicing with and can shoot accurately. There are plenty of ammo choices, from 30gr high velocity to slow and heavy 60gr "sniper" rounds. I'm fine with a 40gr solid like CCI's SGB small game bullet.
 
I feel that the issue of "failure to fire" problem of the .22 rimfire is less of a problem with revolvers than semi autos where you have to clear the malfunction.
I myself haven't experienced it all that much enough to even worry about it, and I've shot a ton of .22 having been a bullseye competitor for many many years.
 
Wife already carries a .22 lcr and I have a .38 lcrx. I will figure it out, just need to find that right one. Maybe just switch the rotation. A browning buck mark that works flawlessly would be nice.
 
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... I'd prefer a 700 fps .32 S&W Long wadcutter over a 40 gr RN/HP at 1,100 fps.

I still don't think 85 gr HydraShoks are the answer. My problem with .327 Federal is more about the muzzle blast and report, than recoil. I have suffered instantaneous, permanent hearing damage from people shooting .357 Mag when I had no hearing protection, at least three different times (in open spaces, not confined spaces!). Though I consider .327 Federal's muzzle blast to be 'better' than .357 Mag, it is still substantial...
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FrankenMauser, I would too. I asked that question to make a point about .22 mag in this scenario. It's not a bad round overall and I like it in rifles but I think it's far from optimal for defensive EDC.

Speaking of noise, yes. The .327 is almost as loud as .357. My earlier comment about the 85-grain Hydra-Shoks having indistinguishable felt recoil from your average budget .38 +p is true. It feels the same in hand. However, it is definitely louder. Unlike the .38 +p, a discernible crack could be heard echoing across the hills with each shot. It makes sense given the higher pressure and velocity. While that particular load remains remarkably controllable with the increased power, the trade-off in sound is unavoidable.

I know it could be brutal on the ears, especially in an enclosed space. Ideally, I'll never have to fire it in defense of life. If I do though, I understand and accept that cost. Between gel tests, meat targets, and my own diverse history of shooting everything from water jugs to watermelons with all sorts of stuff; I understand what more it gives me over quieter options like .38 special, .32 S&W Long, etc. Shot placement will always be king in defensive encounters but encounters can be messy and involve all sorts of odds, like only being able to shoot an attacker in the gut, pelvis, or thigh. In those cases, I want that difference on my side!

On that, I actually saw something interesting the other day. I was watching a recent video from Lucky Gunner and an experienced trainer commented that muzzle flash and report may factor into stopping power. I had never considered that before. I always thought those things would be working against me instead of for me. Could it be that the cost in question here is buying me more than I thought?
 
An excellent reply.
I don't have much to say, other than 'thank you'.
And, even where we disagree, I value your opinion.


Could it be that the cost in question here is buying me more than I thought?
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I don't think so.
...But that's just my opinion.
And on the flip side... Just their opinion, as well.
Unless some bad guys that have been on the receiving end of 'Good Guy with a Gun' encounters want to explain what impact 'flash' and 'blast' had on them, I don't think we'll get a real answer.
 
You're welcome and thanks for mentioning it. Being an old-school forum without "like" buttons or reputation points, it's hard to know if anyone reads what you write or how much value it offers to the community.

I'm glad for your contributions too, FrankenMauser. We've actually got a bunch of good members here. I've been on the web since speed was measured in baud and I've been shooting for longer than that. However, I feel like I've really learned more in the last five years since joining this forum, watching gun channels on YouTube, and letting both add to my real-life explorations. The best part is that I'm still learning.

That said, I still don't know what to think about this novel take on flash and bang. Having seen some enlightening interviews with convicted burglars, I'd certainly be curious to hear the experiences of bad guys who have survived being stopped in the act by a firearm.
 
I might get the .327 for the wife and give daughter the .22 lcr. It has CCI stingers in it.

And all feedback and opinions are appreciated whether positive or negative. The experience of members here is unparalleled imo.
 
I had a female friend that was talked into a 22 mag LCR. She said she couldn't hit anything with it. I took her to the range with a bag of my handguns. She was right .She couldn't hit anything with it. By the time she got to the back of that trigger, she had circled the target many times. She could shoot everything else I had better, including my 1911Compact 45 acp. She couldn't rack a slide on any semi auto. I took her to the local gun store and she settled on a Charter Arms 38 sp. She loves it and shoots it just fine.
I did stop the salesman from talking her into a "pretty" 1911 style .380. I couldn't see her carrying cocked and locked, and the salesman said "all you have to do is hold the hammer back and pull the trigger while letting it down'. I told her I wouldn't come over when she shot her dog or her tv.
 
Every 327 LCR should come with a reloading kit. Over the counter prices on that ammo are for folks that do not plan on doing a lot of shooting and training, or have some very deep pockets. Glad I have the 9mm, for one I simply like to shoot the gun often and have been for 4 years now. It is one of my fun guns.

Interesting note. Also own the LCR22. Have been shooting Aguila Interceptor ammo. Many that gun gets some bang out of that round. Fun round, gives a nice recoil. I hope to get my chrony to the range in the near future, very interested to see what is going on. Sure does not feel like a 22.cal.
 
Carl the Floor Walker said:
Every 327 LCR should come with a reloading kit. Over the counter prices on that ammo are for folks that do not plan on doing a lot of shooting and training, or have some very deep pockets. Glad I have the 9mm, for one I simply like to shoot the gun often and have been for 4 years now. It is one of my fun guns.

Interesting note. Also own the LCR22. Have been shooting Aguila Interceptor ammo. Many that gun gets some bang out of that round. Fun round, gives a nice recoil. I hope to get my chrony to the range in the near future, very interested to see what is going on. Sure does not feel like a 22.cal.
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I think you mean every .327 chambered gun, not just the LCR, should come with a reloading kit. Sadly, that is not too far from the truth and 100 grain American Eagle just started getting back in stock online. The good thing is .32 S&W Long is always in stock and usually under $20 for 50 rds.

.32 H&R is a nice option on paper, but it's not loaded in high enough numbers to bring the price down to .32 Long and .327 levels.

I do agree with you on the 9mm LCR, my eyes were opened to that thanks to Paul Harrell's video and I think given it's a centerfire, the ammo is less than .38 AND more powerful, and it's more controllable than .357 that the 9mm LCR is the best LCR to buy.

I suggest the .327 LCR for those who need lower recoil and acceptable power with a nice trigger or those who can't shoot micro .380's (like myself) and still want a small, but powerful gun that can holds as many rounds as possible.

IMO, 6 rounds of .327 is better than 7 rds of .380 in a gun that's difficult to shoot and difficult to reload.
 
Every 327 LCR should come with a reloading kit. Over the counter prices on that ammo are for folks that do not plan on doing a lot of shooting and training, or have some very deep pockets.
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This is a persistent critique of .327 Federal. Of course, this is the case for a lot of cartridges with smaller shares of the market.

The cheapest major-brand commercial load in .327 continues to be the American Eagle JSP. It now comes in two weights: 85 and 100 grain. Both can usually be found in a box of fifty for around $25. Poking around for deals, I usually buy it for $22-something. That's roughly a little worse than .357 Sig, on par with 5.7x28, and better than .41 magnum. As with any of those choices for whatever application, you have to weigh the increased ammo costs with whatever special benefits the cartridge has to offer. In the case of .327 Federal, there are three:

1. Striking a favorable balance of power and recoil somewhere between 9mm and .357 magnum;

2. Having the option to use a bunch of other .32-caliber cartridges including but not limited to .32 H&R Magnum and .32 S&W Long;

3. Having a six-shooter on a frame that traditionally holds five.

Getting back to cost, a major problem facing .327 Federal was that before the 85-grain American Eagle was introduced, there wasn't really a cheap load specifically for target practice and plinking. It was defensive ammo at defensive ammo prices or the 100-grain JSP from American Eagle. Ironically, that "cheap" 100-grain JSP is pretty hot. It has the same advertised velocity as the 100-grain Gold Dots. That's fine for people using the full-sized steel revolvers and probably great for people looking to hunt with the longer-barreled models or a Henry Rifle. In the little LCR though, felt recoil was much closer to the .357 end of the spectrum for that first benefit. I think it turned some people off.

The introduction of the 85-grain American Eagle JSP is a good thing. While the 100-grain load was advertised at the same 1500fps as the Gold Dots, the 85-grain load is advertised at a milder 1400fps. That's the same advertised velocity as the 85-grain Hydra-Shoks which I find well-balanced in the LCR and trust as my personal carry ammo. (Actual numbers for the Hydra-Shoks are closer to 1200fps when fired from the little LCR and that's good enough for me.)
 
I've found that I can get excellent prices for my wife's NIB 327 Ruger snub in stainless steel on Ammoseek.com. The 327 Fed SD ammo is running from $21 & up & the S&W long starting at $12.62 & up. I forgot to add the 32 ACP which runs under $10 a box can be used for both SD & TP(I think?)
I hope that as more people buy the 327 that the cost for the ammo will drop. Wishfull thinking???
 
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I forgot to add that my wife immediately liked the feel of the 327 vs. her lcr 22 LR. as for me,
I feel a lot more comfortable with her carrying the 327 vs. the 22 as a carry revolver & so does she. She actually wants to go to the range with me now. If I have to pay more for her ammo then so be it. Her safety is more important than $$$$.
 
.32 s&w $12.80 50 round box, .327 just over $20 a box, 32 H&R being the priciest at over $30 a box....that is not terrible. That was just using gundeals to find those prices, other search engines could probably provide better options.
 
Doc Holliday 1950 said:
I've found that I can get excellent prices for my wife's NIB 327 Ruger snub in stainless steel on Ammoseek.com. The 327 Fed SD ammo is running from $21 & up & the S&W long starting at $12.62 & up. I forgot to add the 32 ACP which runs under $10 a box can be used for both SD & TP(I think?)
I hope that as more people buy the 327 that the cost for the ammo will drop. Wishfull thinking???
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If nobody other than Federal/Speer starts loading .327 it sure is. It's not solely a competition thing as economies of scale is what really lowers prices, but only having one company load for the cartridge doesn't help.

To make a comparison, the best one I can come up with is .45 GAP. It's a relatively new cartridge as is .327, but .45 GAP has several companies that make ammo for it and had more years back. It keeps the ammo manufacturers honest with price and if Company A raises the price too high, people buy cheaper ammo from Company B instead.

And bringing up .45 Gap, if the excuse among other companies like Remington, Winchester, Hornady, etc. in not loading .327 is lack of market share, that's BS because these same companies are making ammo for .45 GAP even tho that cartridge is more obsolete than .327 is.

Unless the civilian gun market in other countries outside the US where so called "military calibers" are not legal for private citizens to own, I see no reason why those companies are still making .45 GAP.
 
Targa said:
.32 s&w $12.80 50 round box, .327 just over $20 a box, 32 H&R being the priciest at over $30 a box....that is not terrible. That was just using gundeals to find those prices, other search engines could probably provide better options.
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Those are online prices, not physical retail store prices. As much as we're in the modern age with internet buying, the new gun owner, you know those people we want on our side to help resist gun control, they're not spending their free time talking guns on the internet and buying gun stuff. To them, if they don't see the ammo at the store or is such an outrageous price, they're not gonna buy the guns that shoot them.

And this is why .327, while better than .32 H&R in every way, is destined to forever just barely stay afloat in the market while the .32 S&W L. has been around over 100 years longer will never disappear and will always remain low in price simply because there are more guns that shoot it.
 
That's why I went to my GS to show them what could be have on line & the owner thanked me. His ammo prices are quite competitive. I don't mind buying ammo from him & I also bought 3 guns from them and their prices matched Buds.
His service is 5 star & so is his staff. This one of the first GS's that I found that wasn't sleazy & they also have a large amount of ladies that shop there. It's not a huge GS but they actually carry a coulple of cases with NIB & used revolvers & pistols which a lot of stores carry mostly pistols

When Blue Nile first opened online all of the retail jewelers when bats. How could they combat the much lower prices on Diamonds They panicked but forgot that CS & personal advice & care matered more. In the past I said I'd never buy from a GS. Well looks like I didn't have the right GS & I was wrong.
 
I own both an LCR.22WMR and a LCRx.22WMR and had experienced FTF often....then I changed ammo manufacturers and have not experienced any problems since.

I was using Winchester Super X 40 grain JHP and FMJ...found it to be filthy dirty, of poor quality (a lot of bent and mis-formed cases in multiple boxes), and too many FTF's every time I used it. I would have to run a bore snake thru it and brush under the ejector star about every 10 rounds so I could get the cases to seat in the cylinder. Time spent at the range was frustrating....then I found a solution that was easy...I quit using that junk.

I shoot pretty much CCI thru it now and have had "0" FTF's with it....and I can run a 100 rounds thru it and it's still pretty clean...requiring only minimal cleanup.

I have had the LCR longer, it's probably seen +1500 rounds down the pipe and I find the hammer spring seems to have softened over time. I attribute that to the spring softening somewhat and the general meshing wear of parts from lots of use. The wife shoots it quite a bit and she loves it. She generally shoots 50 rounds per range session and has no complaints about the trigger pull effort.

The .22WMR under rated, highly effective high pressure round, regardless of what the naysayers state...I would highly recommend it for a self defense arm.
 
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