Is the .327 Federal Magnum dead? -POLL-

Is the .327 Fed. Mag. Dead/Obsolete?

  • Yes

    Votes: 88 47.8%

  • No

    Votes: 96 52.2%
  • Total voters
    184
M

Model12Win

Moderator
What do you think? There doesn't seem to be nearly as much talk about the cartridge anymore. I think it was novel when it came out but just didn't catch on because people didn't see a need for it. I personally think it's a neat idea to have a compact revolver that still has 6 shots with very good ballistics. To date I can't ever recall seeing a single box of .327 Fed Mag in any retail store I can think of, or in any of the gun shops I frequent in my area.

Ruger doesn't list the SP-101 in .327 on their website anymore. I'm not sure if this is just a glitch, but they still have the GP-100 7 shooter but not the nifty SP-101 6 shooter. I was really interested in buying one and may still if I can find one used, but if this is a dying cartridge I won't be interested as I don't and can't reload currently.

So for one, do you think the .327 Federal Magnum failed and is becoming or has become an obsolete round? Or does it seem to be more popular in your area? I still like the concept and think it has merit for a self-defense firearm.

What's your take?
 
Just becouse you don't see ammo at wal mart doesn't mean a cartridge is dead . Most of the firearms i own you have to buy ammo from a gunshop ,not a box store or buymart . It's a great round with lots of potenial , people just want to give it no resepct .
 
I agree! Shame ammo isn't more readily available like it is for .38 special and .357 magnum. I messaged Ruger last night asking if they have discontinued the SP-101 in .327 Federal, as soon as I get a reply I will let you all know. It might not be news to anyone but I haven't been able to find much about that online. Hopefully this cool gun didn't go gently into the night... :'(

I really am looking to get one for concealed carry. Your right .327 Federal Magnum and the older .32 cartridges are readily available online and are about tied in .38/.357 in price.
 
Like the .41 Magnum isn't dead, so goes the .327 Federal. As for ammo availability where you happen to shop, you could read that two different ways. Or, rather, you could read MY experience two different ways...

In the middle of this most recent drought, .327 Federal ammo -is- sitting in store shelves, one of the only things you could find in stock each time. I'm talking big places, not Mom & Pop shops. Cabela's, for example. Was in-stock before the panic, was in-stock during the panic, still have some now as the panic mellows a bit, likely will in another year.

That shows that the stuff isn't dead, right? I mean -- it's right there! Or, maybe it suggests that it is dead, since nobody is buying it?

Ruger is a major, major force in the "success or failure" of the .327 Federal and it's future. However, Ruger has a long and well documented history of coming & going with different guns and chamberings. The most recent example is Ruger's production & support of the .480 Ruger. In case you hadn't heard, that "dead" round is back. When I got all giddy over a .30 Carbine Blackhawk back in the spring of 2008, I was disappointed and surprised to find out that Ruger "didn't make them anymore" ... or did they? Apparently, they had "suspended" production of them and I thought the oddball chambering in a single-action whellgun was set to be a footnote in history... UNTIL Ruger made and shipped one that I had ordered at one of my favorite gun stores!
It might not be news to anyone but I haven't been able to find much about that online.
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Actually, the "official" word from Ruger was note in our huge, monster .327 Federal Club thread. Ruger basically said that in the .327, SP-101 had been suspended and the GP-100 & B'Hawk were unknown at this point. But what's importnat to remember is that Ruger has done this many times in the past.

I can tell you that if your test sample is JUST me... then the .327 Federal is not only far from dead, it ranks higher in popularity and generates more volume than:
.30 Carbine, .380, .38 Super, .40 S&W, 10mm Auto, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, .45 Auto, .460 Rowland, .460 Magnum, .500 Magnum
...all of which are handgun cartridges that I currently load and shoot.

That's not reality, but that's genuine numbers from my bench. I load & shoot more .38 Special and 9mm, and probably a bit more .357 Magnum, but in center fire -- .327 Federal sits in fourth place.
 
While I don’t own a .327 it does seem to have potential, but they were sort of hit with a perfect storm of challenges. Really before the round was well known we were hit with panic buying. Ammunition manufactures as well as firearms companies are now maxing out their capacity and I’m sure resources are focused on areas of higher demand.
 
I hope to be able to find an SP-101 in .327 in the next few months. I really think it's a neat idea, I just didn't know if it would be worth getting into a new caliber if it was going to start vanishing from store shelves.
 
.327 Federal is not dead.

Ruger says the GP100 is still in production (though, I do wonder if that's just because they have some overrun stock available). Even if it is temporarily suspended, they went out of their way to state that they were not killing the .327 SP101 or Blackhawk, when they suspended production of those models. They said they had plenty of demand for production - just not enough to justify keeping it in production during such a manufacturing rush.

And, even in this podunk town I now live in... there are at least 5 different .327 Federal factory loads available between the Mom & Pop gun shops in the area. (And, as always... cheaper than .38 Special and .357 Mag. ;))

Just this last week, a local trapper was desperately trying to locate a .327 S&W 632, byway of a local hunting forum. He believed it would be the perfect fit for Wolf/Cat defense, when stoked with the 100 gr AE factory load.



I hope to be able to find an SP-101 in .327 in the next few months. I really think it's a neat idea, I just didn't know if it would be worth getting into a new caliber if it was going to start vanishing from store shelves.
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The SP101 is a great revolver, when paired with .327 Federal. But... the GP100 and Blackhawk are far more fun.
I do like Ruger firearms, but if I was in the market for a compact or semi-compact .327, I'd be leaning toward S&W.
 
^ Oh :)

I already own a GP-100 in .357 magnum and I would be interested in the .327 SP-101 for concealed carry/car carry. I like the fact it has a 3" barrel and 6 shots, in my opinion it would be a better option than a J-frame or .357 SP-101. I like Smith and Wesson revolvers but I would never for the likes of my ever buy one with an internal lock. It's political pandering on the lowest level imho. That's one of the reasons why I have a GP-100 and not a Model 686 ;)
 
He believed it would be the perfect fit for Wolf/Cat defense, when stoked with the 100 gr AE factory load.
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And why wouldn't a .38/.357, .44 (spec or mag), or .45 Colt be 'perfect' for defense :) . It may not be dead dead... but it sure isn't 'popular'. Probably end up like the .41 and just another 'niche' caliber out there. I personally can't see where it 'fits' ... but that's just me :) .
 
Where it "fits" is in a Single Six or K-frame as a sporting gun. Problem is that Ruger and S&W aren't smart enough to offer it and market it that way. Forget all this self defense nonsense. That market is already saturated.
 
I think the 327 Federal will hang around for a long time. Ammunition may be difficult to find, but I think eventually you'll reload if you shoot it much.

It is a good niche cartridge/caliber. I like the 41 mag, so I understand niche guns. For many things, the 357 mag is just too powerful; enter the 327 Federal Mag or I suppose you could shoot 9mm and 38spls as a substitute.

I like having choices and I like having the 327 around. I was pretty interested when it first came out. Never got very interested in the 32 H&R Mag. This one does more.

I'm glad to see Ruger still keeping it cataloged although in the current market, I think production gets shifted to quicker selling guns. Same applies to the 480 Ruger in the SRH/Alaskan.
 
Its just as "dead" as 41 mag, 10mm, 32 S&W long, 38 super, etc.

Its not super popular, but many cartridges are not. Dead? I would say a 32 H&R mag is much closer to dead, and even that isn't really.
 
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Once a year, I believe, Remington has a run of .38-40 ammo. So it's not dead either.

Or is it Winchester that has that once a year run?

And it's a .40!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Where it "fits" is in a Single Six or K-frame as a sporting gun. ...Forget all this self defense nonsense....
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Define for me then, what is exactly, a sporting gun? Like a .22? A gallery gun?

For many things, the 357 mag is just too powerful
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How is that? I can load it from puff 600fps speeds to 1500fps or more. I can use 110g to 180g bullets. I think it covers the .32 quite nicely and then some. I guess. if talking factory, then you are correct, although you can still use .38s on the low side. Now, if I need even less power, I have the mighty .22LR and .22Mag to cover that area.... If I need more, I can go to the .4X calibers.... And to me, this is the crux of the problem.... It was never crystal clear (to me) what area the .327/.32 caliber covered that I don't already have covered.


You know (it just occurred to me).... now that the .22LR is so 'scarce' to find.... It would be nice to a 'small' center fire cartridge that you can reload for 'cheap' plinking purposes..... Just looked up some .32 bullets on Rimrock at $25 per 500.... Granted twice the weight of standard .22 but ... Hmmm... maybe a .32 would have a place at my bench :) !
 
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We have had our last three boxes of 327 on our shelves for almost a year now.

I havent seen one since we sold the last one (a Taurus ) maybe 8 months ago.

It may not be dead, but I have heard of more Bigfoot sightings than 327 revolver sightings recently.
 
Not sure if it will stay around forever, and it will definitely never be as popular as 38spl or 357. However, it seems to have a small cult following. Not sure if it means good or bad tidings for the round, but it was one of few handgun rounds available at my local Bass Pro during the height of the ammo scare/crunch.
 
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