So what's the deal with 32 H&R Mag?

A

AndyP

New member
I've seen revolvers in catalogs for the 32 H&R Mag, and even saw a used one in the store. But I never hear about this caliber.

Is it a rare, dying round? What is it for? Is it worth even considering for my wife's self defense revolver (weight is a big issue for her)? Can any of our esteemed assemblage enlighten me?

Cheers,
AndyP
 
AndyP; I've never owned one so this is simply my humble opinion. First off it's not very popular so that could translate to expensive ammo. I believe it's not very effective as a self-defense round, maybe like a .38 spl. To the recoil sensitive it's a good calibre but then again so is the .38/357. Weight considerations? The guns themselves are no lighter than any good .38spl. IMHO, if I was considering that kind of calibre I'd go with the .38spl. Best Regards, J. Parker
 
Thanks for your reply, J. I was more or less leaning in the direction of your comments. Although there is a certain attraction to oddballs, a small 357 loaded with 38 specials seems way more practical. I could even download the 38s for my wife at the start and work her up.

Again, thanks.
AndyP
 
I REALLY like the option of 32 H&R Mag. I think this is a great round for the recoil sensitive. If my girlfriend ever decides to carry it would be the perfect caliber for her. It will shoot 32 shorts/longs for easy practice and the 32 H&R Mags are better for self defense than a 22 caliber.

I agree that a 38 is better for most people, but the 32 gives us one more option...
 
Lots of people own .357s and carry them loaded with .38 spl. If that is what someone is going to do, why not carry .32 H&R magnum? It provides one more round. A .357-chambered revolver offers a wide range of cartridge powers to choose from, but if you are carrying standard pressure .38 spl then the .32 H&R magnum would be better. One more round.
 
IMHO, the proper place for the .32 Magnum is in a small size defense or police undercover revolver, especially for women or those who like a lighter recoil than the .38/357. It has the capability of having 6 shots in the same size cylinder as a 5-shot .38.

So far, it has been offered in relatively large guns like the Ruger single six, where it is a nice plinker but for puncturing cans, .22 LR is cheaper.

Jim
 
SW (fah) has new offerings in their Ti lines.
Ammo is real expensive. Recoil in these real light guns isn't that much different from
the recoil of the lighter 38 spls.

As far as one more round, you usually fire
2 to 3 at most in DGUs.
 
I always wanted one of the Ruger Single Sixes in .32 Mag, but with the 4 5/8s barrel. Thought it would have made a great little small game gun.

Trouble is that as far as I can tell Ruger only made two of them and neither one was ever shipped to any place I lived. Now they don't even catalog them with the shorter barrel.

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Jim Fox
 
Well, one gentleman at the recent International Revolver Championships had a custom 10-shot 32 H&R mag, which just naturally put him a couple up on the rest of us who typically use S&W 7-shot and 8-shot .38 spl/.357 mags. Ought to be an interesting carry gun.
 
AndyP, the 32 magnum is a great low recoiling pistol. I have a S&W 631 4" and it is a class act. Are the any downsides? Yes, the factory ammo is expensive, sometimes hard to find, and the original brass was prone to spliting even on the first reload. This pistol will never be a dead horse as you can shoot 32 S&W in it. Regards, Richard.
 
I have a .32 H&R Mag--S&W Model 16-full underlug 6" barrel.It is the most enjoyable target shooter I have ever had,and I shoot it at every opportunity.Sure,it is not a hot load gun,I use about 3gr of 231 for most loads--or something similar.
I fitted a Millet sight and decent wooden grips.
I have a number of other revolvers,all good,but the .32 H&R has just got something--je ne sais quoi--It's smooth,the trigger is outtasight,and the accuracy is amazing.
I'm no bunny by the way--I have a hot custom .38 and some other well worked guns.The .32 H&R,in my opinion,is a"Natural".
 
There's been a 631 advertised in Gun Lists at $795 for several months.

I had the chance to buy a 632 once and passed. Dumb. But factory ammo is expensive.

I see cheap reloads at the shows.
 
For several years Smith produced a 6-shot Bodyguard version in .32 Mag. Very nice little stainless handgun.

I've always wanted one, but I'm not that crazy about stainless guns, and they can be hard to find.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
The .32 H&R Mag was introduced in 1984 as a collaboration between Harrison & Richardson and Federal Cartridge Company. S&W, Ruger, Charter Arms, and H&R all chambered small revolvers in it but never took off. H&R and Charter Arms both went Chapter 11 in the late 80's (don't blame the .32, a lot of other companies went under also). The Ruger Single Six is nice, it's build on the same small frame as their .22 revolvers, not the large Blackhawk frame. I've never owned one but thought in a 3 or 4 inch J-frame with adj sights it would make for an ideal Kit Gun - dispatch a down deer, hot loaded for large varmints, accurate enough to hunt small game. Most people must of figured out like me that the same could be said for the 38/.357, albeit with more flurry and noise. -- Kernel
 
I hope the good things said about the .32 H&R are true. I just set up a buy from an individual out-of-state for a S&W 331, which will be for my wife. I should receive it in a week or so, and once I have test fired it, I'll let you know what I think.
 
First - 32 Mag is one of my favorites.
The ammo can be expensive, which gives me an excuse to reload. Starline brass is as always excellent. Ruger still makes the SP101, and has re-introduced it as a single six - this time as a vaquero style with fixed sights (and yes, it has a 4 5/8 barrel). Initial run of 500 blued/case-colored and 500 in stainless steel, there are rumours that it will be a regular catalog item for next year. S&W makes it in J-frame titanium/scandium or whatever they are doing lately. The older model 16-4's, and 631/632's are harder to find and more expensive - but I think it will be a few years before that guy gets his $795. The original H&R top-break's aren't all that hard to find and are cheaper, but the Ruger SP101 is your easiest route to a small, strong 6-shot revolver. Recoil is lighter than a 38, and it hits about the same with a lighter bullet but moving faster, so the hollow points tend to work better.
 
Thanks to all of you for your replies. You have given me much food for thought. The 32 Mag now sounds very tempting, if I can find one that is appropriate. If not, I can always fall back on a 39 Special.

Cheers,
AndyP
 
I think Taurus now makes an Ultralite 32 H&R Magnum in their 2" line, but I'm not 100% on that one.
http://www.taurususa.com/m731.html

Ballistically, the 32 H&R looks like a .38 Special. It definitely has less felt recoil, at least when fired from my Grandfather's S&W (OBVIOUSLY pre-agreement) revolver.

I'm thinking seriously of selling the Rossi .38 I a trigger job and polish work done as my Mother's house gun and replacing it with this one. She has arthritis, and the trigger job cured problem one, but I can't seem to cure the recoil, which is problem 2.
 
I've wanted to add a pistol chambered for the .32H&R magnum round for a long time. I've had a plain blue J-frame S&W .38 Special since the 70's and it is a wonderful pistol, so naturally I'm drawn to the new model 331 Smith. However, I just can't bring myself to buy one after "The Agreement". My wife has a Taurus Total Titanium in .38 Special and it is beautiful. Taurus is supposed to be making the model 731, Total Ti snub in .32 H&R mag. But, they're not. Over on Glock Talk a fellow contacted Taurus with some questions regarding the 731. Taurus isn't shipping any. I keep hoping they'll start. The Total Titanium model 731 in Stealth Gray is what I'll buy.
Wait, wait, wait.

Will


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Mendacity is the system we live in.
 
Mr. McDermott:

I've seen the catalog listing of the Vaquero model of Ruger chambered in .32. I just wish they'd offer one with Adj. sights. For something that I want to reload for, and sometimes hunt with, I want adj. sights.

I have a Colt SSA and a Ruger Blackhawk, both with the shorter barrel and both in .45 Colt. While I think the Colt is much the prettier, I get tired of trying to accommodate the fact that it shoots a bit to the left of POA.


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Jim Fox
 
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