Is the .327 Federal Magnum dead? -POLL-
- Thread starter Model12Win
- Start date
Colorado Redneck
New member
Sectional Density
100 gr. .312 Speer Gold Dot----------0.147
115 gr. .312 Speer Gold Dot----------0.168
125 gr. .357 Speer Gold Dot----------0.140
140 gr. .357 Speer FMJ ---------------0.157
A Speer Gold dot 115 gr. 327 FM bullet will do almost as much tissue damage as Speer 140 gr. .357 caliber projectile of similar construction at the same velocity. The meplate is less, but the penetration should be identical. MV from a 3" barrel is about 1350 fps. Hornady Ammo markets a 140 gr. XTP .357 round that achieves the same velocity from an 8 inch barrel.
Believe what you want (I do) but to me, the 327 offers some good power from a 3 inch barrel. I carry mine in the truck constantly, stuffed with 115 Gr.
Speer Gold Dot ammo.
100 gr. .312 Speer Gold Dot----------0.147
115 gr. .312 Speer Gold Dot----------0.168
125 gr. .357 Speer Gold Dot----------0.140
140 gr. .357 Speer FMJ ---------------0.157
A Speer Gold dot 115 gr. 327 FM bullet will do almost as much tissue damage as Speer 140 gr. .357 caliber projectile of similar construction at the same velocity. The meplate is less, but the penetration should be identical. MV from a 3" barrel is about 1350 fps. Hornady Ammo markets a 140 gr. XTP .357 round that achieves the same velocity from an 8 inch barrel.
Believe what you want (I do) but to me, the 327 offers some good power from a 3 inch barrel. I carry mine in the truck constantly, stuffed with 115 Gr.
Speer Gold Dot ammo.
Model12Win
Moderator
Well it, been over a year. I seem to remember the poll skewed more to the "no" section last year, but I now see the poll is roughly balanced. This is just me talking, but since I made this thread my personal interest in the .327 Federal Magnum has waned. Why? Well to this date, in every retail outlet, gun shop, and gun show I've been to... I have yet to see a single box of .327. And this was in several places across the Midwest. I know others have much better luck finding this round, but no luck for me. I know there is always the internet, but I just can't get on board with a gun whose ammo I can't find somewhere in town.
Also it seems Ruger has at least temporarily ceased there SP-100 in .327 Fed Mag, which is the gun I had my sights set on.
Do I still thing the cartridge has merit? Yes, I do. But if I can't find any local fodder or a hungry gun to feed, I would never make the purchase. I think other people would agree with me.
Also it seems Ruger has at least temporarily ceased there SP-100 in .327 Fed Mag, which is the gun I had my sights set on.
Do I still thing the cartridge has merit? Yes, I do. But if I can't find any local fodder or a hungry gun to feed, I would never make the purchase. I think other people would agree with me.
I'm inclined to agree with you about wanting to buy my ammo at a brick and mortar store instead if the internet, and I'm a .327 fan.
The great big fly in your ointment is general ammo availability. You may not find a box of .327 at Walmart, but you may not find a box of 9mm, either.
Specific outdoor stores (Sportsman's Warehouse, Cabela's, et al) generally have good availability of the .327.
Or....
you could do what all good .327 owners do, and take up reloading.
The great big fly in your ointment is general ammo availability. You may not find a box of .327 at Walmart, but you may not find a box of 9mm, either.
Specific outdoor stores (Sportsman's Warehouse, Cabela's, et al) generally have good availability of the .327.
Or....
you could do what all good .327 owners do, and take up reloading.
FrankenMauser
New member
Ah, yes, you bypassed the line for rational argument, and jumped straight on the Ad Hominem express. ...An excellent reminder of why you've been on my ignore list for at least two years.mavracer said:
I should have just heeded the "this user is on your ignore list" warning and skipped over the "view post" link, to begin with....
Lacking guns to shoot it...currently made ones...it's going to go the route of the .41 Magnum...a die-hard gun crank's caliber. As to ammunition availability, I've seen a cpl dozen boxes of it at our local Cabelas here in Louisville, KY. Keisler's across the Ohio from us has a good supply as well. Considering the current, ongoing ammunition buying panic, that's a telling circumstance. Not much interest in it...and that translates into not much interest from the leading hand gun manufacturers.
I've considered having my S&W M16 bored out to accept .327 length rounds but have held off. When compared to a .357, it's just not that interesting from a ballistic standpoint.
JMHO, Rod
I've considered having my S&W M16 bored out to accept .327 length rounds but have held off. When compared to a .357, it's just not that interesting from a ballistic standpoint.
JMHO, Rod
I really just wanted one because I think it is a great concept. You have something that can shoot 32 S&W shorts and longs, 32 H&R Magnums, and the 327 magnum giving a lot of versatility. I wanted the good sights and good sight radius so I have the Ruger Blackhawk. I would have no problem hunting with it but the Blackhawk would no be my choice as a SD gun. That is because of the model, not the caliber. I would not feel undergunned with a 327.
Energy is what the ammo manufacturers use so I used it also. I have a 38, a number of 357s as well as a 327. I am going to go out on a limb and guess you do not. As someone who has actually shot all three under similar circumstances, the performance of the 327 is more similar to a 357 than a 38. I have dozens of handguns and I get what interests me. The 327 is a solid performer and one I will keep. Since I already have one, it is not a large concern to me if they are not readily available in the future. As far as ammo, I can still get cases for my 225 Winchester, my 32-20, and 357 Maximum, etc so I am not too worried about brass drying up for the 327. YMMV
saleen,
Of all the indices for assessing cartridges, velocity and energy and arguably the least useful. Ballistic tables would reveal a .243 Win to be superior to a .45/70 for a charging bear. 999,999 out of a million knowledgeable hunters would take a .45/70 over a .243 Win for bear defense & the other is wishy-washy.
Of all the indices for assessing cartridges, velocity and energy and arguably the least useful. Ballistic tables would reveal a .243 Win to be superior to a .45/70 for a charging bear. 999,999 out of a million knowledgeable hunters would take a .45/70 over a .243 Win for bear defense & the other is wishy-washy.
And yet in the previous post you statesaleen322 said:
Implying that you actually have not hunted or been in a SD shooting and therefore have no experiance with the 327 on live tissue.
You are correct that I myself don't own a 327 however my brother owns at least 3 and a couple 32-20s and we hunt together a lot. About the only thing the 327 does like a 357 is ring your ears.
saleen,
Factory ammo. I believe factory stuff is a 405 grain bullet at about 1300 FPS.
Handloading .45/70 rounds is a different story. With suitable handloads in a rifle designed to shoot them, there ain't much, if anything, on the planet than can withstand a "heavy" .45/70 round.
saleen, believe me, I know how handgun aficionados can become loyal to cartridges and impute mythical characteristics to them. I will be honest with you, I do not see much practical use for a .327 Magnum. That doesn't mean it lacks utility. However, I'd rather have 158 grain +P .38 Special ammo than ANYTHING smaller for saving my life. Again, this is just me, I consider the .38 Special as minimum for saving my life. To my way of looking at self-defense, a 1911A1 in .45 ACP is as good as self-defense gets.
The .327 Magnum might be a good trail gun where there is no chance of running into any bear.
Momentum is necessary for penetration, which means heavy bullets. When I've carried a .357 Mag in bear area, it was loaded with 180 grain magnum rounds. When I've carried a 1911A1 in bear area, it was loaded with 230 grain +P ammo. Either of these would be excellent self-defense against bipedal vermin, and in CA, one can never exclude the potential of running in to sketchy dudes. Where we fish, there is no such thing as cellular service. That means I'm on my own when it comes to protecting my kids from any variety of vermin. When we're miles from nowhere in the Eastern Sierra, it is my responsibility to protect my daughter from all animals: beast and human.
I have no ill will toward the .327 Magnum. However, from a practical perspective I believe that there are much better cartridges. I would rather carry .38 Special +P ammo than any .327 Mag ammo. But that's just me. Others might have other opinions. I'm good with that. What's right for me might be all wrong for others.
Factory ammo. I believe factory stuff is a 405 grain bullet at about 1300 FPS.
Handloading .45/70 rounds is a different story. With suitable handloads in a rifle designed to shoot them, there ain't much, if anything, on the planet than can withstand a "heavy" .45/70 round.
saleen, believe me, I know how handgun aficionados can become loyal to cartridges and impute mythical characteristics to them. I will be honest with you, I do not see much practical use for a .327 Magnum. That doesn't mean it lacks utility. However, I'd rather have 158 grain +P .38 Special ammo than ANYTHING smaller for saving my life. Again, this is just me, I consider the .38 Special as minimum for saving my life. To my way of looking at self-defense, a 1911A1 in .45 ACP is as good as self-defense gets.
The .327 Magnum might be a good trail gun where there is no chance of running into any bear.
Momentum is necessary for penetration, which means heavy bullets. When I've carried a .357 Mag in bear area, it was loaded with 180 grain magnum rounds. When I've carried a 1911A1 in bear area, it was loaded with 230 grain +P ammo. Either of these would be excellent self-defense against bipedal vermin, and in CA, one can never exclude the potential of running in to sketchy dudes. Where we fish, there is no such thing as cellular service. That means I'm on my own when it comes to protecting my kids from any variety of vermin. When we're miles from nowhere in the Eastern Sierra, it is my responsibility to protect my daughter from all animals: beast and human.
I have no ill will toward the .327 Magnum. However, from a practical perspective I believe that there are much better cartridges. I would rather carry .38 Special +P ammo than any .327 Mag ammo. But that's just me. Others might have other opinions. I'm good with that. What's right for me might be all wrong for others.
Nothing mythical, some are better than others. I have been getting guns that interest me, competing in some form or another since about 1967 and having a LOT of handguns along with my own range, I assure you there is little mythical about them. There normally is one constant about many who criticize a particular round, they don't own one and they go by what they are told or find on the net.
I try to make it a practice of only making a negative comment about something I actually have first-hand experience with. To get on Google and read something does not always make it a fact. I have been shooting long enough now to begin to realize how much I don't know but too many haven't made it to that point and actually think reading something makes them an expert. That is how I try to conduct myself in forums but to each his own.