What are your thoughts on .32 H&R Mag?

My thought:

I don't have a 32 of any persuasion and probably never will. Just not something I have a need for.

However, if I were interested in pursuing that caliber it would be with the 32/20. I like both the history of that old black powder cartridge and the fact that some excellent revolvers and rifles were made in that chambering over the years.

Dave
 
I have a 432 that I bought when they were dumped for a low price when they were discontinued.

The gun gives me a round that seems efficacious, has 6 shots and is very light as a pocket gun.

That being said - guns which only shoot the 32 HR Mag are obsolescent given the 327. For EDC, your option is the LCR.

I wouldn't buy one as the 432 serves as a bug and the EDC is a semi. Th 432 is also a sit around the house gun or lawn mowing companion.

I wouldn't argue it as the end and be all of EDC.
 
roashooter said:
where to begin....

38s are more available in firearms...

38s are more available in different bullets

38s are more available in different brands
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The "More available" argument doesn't hold here. For people looking to shoot .32 a lot, just like any other cartridge, they likely reload, cast their own. For those just looking to carry .32 for defense, they have good options available to them in guns and ammo.

38s are less expensive
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I'll give an agreeing nod to this for guns. Factory ammo yes, but handloads will be about the same price.

38s can be down loaded to bunny farts for those who have weak wrists
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.32's can be loaded normal and still have less recoil for those people with granny wrists.

38s can up be loaded to blistering performance
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What is "blistering performance" in a .38? 158 grain LRN going 1150 fps?

38s...can morph into 357 magnums...
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IS THIS SAFE?!?!?!?! If you want to shoot .357 Mangum... BUY A .357 MAGNUM!

38s have been used by many LEOs..and some still do
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So? .40 S&W has been used by many LEOs and some still do too, but more and more people are abandoning that for the 9mm.
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What is the point of bickering? Both the 38s and 32s can be found in useful guns that can be tuned to meet the requirements of the shooter.

The 32s won't be as popular as the 38s, probably because of history and availability. That doesn't say it isn't a useful round.

In a sense it is like the 45 GAP story. That was a very nice round but market forces led to it being less successful.

If folks just want to yell at each other about this - waste of time. Let it go. Unless you have something new to say, move on.
 
I enjoy shooting my S&W 31 in 32 long. It seems that having a centerfire cartridge gets me a better DA trigger pull than all the rimfire revolvers I've tried. .32 long makes about the same power as a .22 magnum out of a revolver barrel but does it with a lot less noise and muzzle blast. If it was legal to hunt small game in Georgia with a centerfire handgun, I'd use the .32.

It is a great little plinker that is fun to shoot and the cartridge is reloadable. But .38s are also fun to shoot and are reloadable.
 
38s...can morph into 357 magnums...
IS THIS SAFE?!?!?!?! If you want to shoot .357 Mangum... BUY A .357 MAGNUM!
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In the right guns - of course it's safe.
The "Elmer Keith" 173 grain .38 special is a different kind of special@ ~ 1400 fps from a 4" barrel.


Anyhow - - the .38 special can use bullet weights that the .32's simply can't approach - - I should change that to the .357" can use bullets with a higher sectional density than the .32" can - - - since that's more of an apples to apples.

200 grain .38 special loads, while not real common or popular, have a real following. that bullet has a SD of .223

A comparable .32 caliber would have a 160 grain bullet.
I have my doubts that a load like that would work out.....

Anyhow ----it's not which is better, it's which fits the situation better.
 
I'm realistic, I use what best fits a situation. I'm not asking a .32 to do what a heavy .38 bullet can do. If I need a heavy 180 grain or larger bullet, I'm probably going to use a .45 instead.

My opinion is that the .32 H&R is more versatile and can fill more roles than the .38 can, the .327 Federal even more so. Not saying the .38 is a bad choice, but I don't see it as this vundabar cartridge that is the best choice for every niche, need, or want that others claim.
 
While I'm no fan of the small bore, the .38 Special cartridge has earned its place in my battery.

For one advantage, as has been pointed out, the .38 Special can be loaded to a pretty potent defense cartridge. Why not go to .357 Magnum, you might well ask. Little snub nosed revolvers have a shortened extractor throw, and ejecting spent .38 Special hulls is a mite more positive than with .357 Magnum cases.

And the target load .38 Special 148 gr. wadcutter bullet is a quick stopper for rabbits and squirrels, where allowed by law. And loaded up with 110 gr. or 125 gr. JHPs makes a dandy round for eliminating crows. And with 140 gr. ~ 158 gr. Jhps its a pretty fair round for groundhogs.

One thing I've found over the years, I can handle the larger cartridges, that is, loading and ejecting, a little better than with the very small cartridges. This is especially true when the temperature dips to the freezing point and your hands aren't a nimble as in more civil weather.

Bob Wright
 
As funny as a "caliber war" over .32 H&R Magnum is in 2017, I'll always be fond of it. I'm currently in love with .327 Federal and keep hoping that it will survive long enough to see more of its potential realized. However, I still like, use, and carry other calibers throughout the year, such as 9mm and .40 S&W. They all do different things but there is one thing they'll all do adequately.
 
After 10 years of the .327 existing, I'm at the point where I don't care if the cartridge takes off or survives. I have my dies for it, I can get brass for it, I will soon have the guns to shoot it, and there will always be .32 bullets to shoot out of it.

I'm not saying I think .327 will disappear, I think snub revolvers and lever actions will continue to be made for it, but if not, they'll always be available used.

Would it be nice if more companies made more revolvers, rifles, and ammunition for it? Yup, but what's available or soon to be available, the Ruger revolvers and Henry Big Boy, is good enough for me.
 
I'm not asking a .32 to do what a heavy .38 bullet can do. If I need a heavy 180 grain or larger bullet, I'm probably going to use a .45 instead.

My opinion is that the .32 H&R is more versatile and can fill more roles than the .38 can
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In a way, I agree with you about using a heavy. That's one reason I don't care about a .357 magnum. I can't see pushing a .357 so hard that it hurts to shoot it, when a .44 magnum can handle the same task with aplomb.

I feel that same way about the .32 vs the .38.

Pushing a .32 real hard is dumb to me when a .38 can handle the same tasks & do it with less overall stress to both me and the gun.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion on the topic though. I don't agree with it, but, that's my opinion. ;)
 
The idea that any one caliber will suit all my shooting and hunting needs, is rediculous. I consider the 32 H&R a pleasant to shoot, highly accurate, extremely versatile, small game cartridge. It is a great understudy for the 327 Fed, just as the 38 special is for the 357.
The new revolvers are now being chambered in 327 Fed ,just as most , not all, but most .357's are of the magnum persuasion.I see this same situation with the .44 spec. and the .44 mag.
Expecting a large, slow moving round to pick off varmints at 100 yds would be a waste of my time, as would using a thinly jacketed high velocity one for edible meat.
Trying to stretch one caliber to do everything is silly. Get the correct tool for the job. I don't shoot the rats in the barn with my 41 mag, nor deer with a .22. The whole 32 family(it should be the .312 family) has a niche as does the .357, .429, and the .452.
The 32-20 and .30 carbine rounds are on their way to oblivion as handgun cartridges due to the .327FED. It surpasses them in power(saami max of 45000 cup) and ease of reloading( straight walled case).
 
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I don't have any experience with any of the .32 calibers on handguns.
So I can't really give you my thoughts on it..
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Then why comment if you have no experience?

Now for plinking or a light general purpose round 22lr usually will get the nod.
You're probably not going t hunting with these .32cal handguns.. so what's the leave? self defense?
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Actually the 32 is a perfect trail gun for me. For small game sure. but for bigger game like coyote's and other varmints in the over 20 pound range where a 22 would be marginal, you bet. The 32 mag will be far better than a 22. And 32s have been used for SD since the late 1800s.

But to be fair the 32s are pretty much handloaders rounds. Thats what they give up to 22s, 380s 9mms, 38s and 357 rounds. You can find factory ammo but to really enjoy a 32 you are better off if you can reload for it.
 
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I'd like to know what are your thoughts on this cartridge for defense and plinking?
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For defense, about the same performance as the 38 Special when comparing "regular" factory ammo. For example: Federal 38 Special 110 gn Hydro Shock and 32 Mag 85 gn jacket hollow point, while both lighter than I would chose, are listed as defense loads. The 38 has a sectional density of .123 and 32 at .125--meaning about the same. Muzzle energy is 235 ft/lbs for the 38 and the 32 at 237 ft/lbs so not much difference there either. The 32 has a little softer recoil if both revolvers weigh about 2 pounds where the 32 has 2.2 ft/lbs of recoil compared to the 38 at 2.9 ft/lbs. This is comparing regular factory ammo but of course you can get Bison Bob's Big Boutique Bullets (or some other vendor) that were tested on T-Rex for either one showing different numbers but that goes both ways.

Plinking; 38 Special 148 wadcutters have been a target shooting staple for longer than I have been shooting. In the 32, you can shoot 32 S&W Long 98 grain wadcutters that are used in some of the finest target pistols in the world. Both are great and extremely accurate. The 38 clearly has the edge in retail store availability but not like the old days. 9mm, 40, etc are now more available than either of these. It comes down to what you like and me, I like both so I have both. YMMV
 
It's a great substitute for 7.62X38R in my 1885 Nagant.
Right now with Gander Mountain's going out of business (for now) sale I can pick it up a lot cheaper than the Nagant ammo. Plus they have a bunch of it.
 
.32 mag is a easy to reload, well behaved, accurate little cartridge that will do a lot but does not not have all the profound blast / flash / recoil of the .327 magnum. It is like the relationship of a .38 spl to a .357 magnum, with all the same points and arguments.
 
Ditto, I was shooting my 632 with 32 HR vs. 327. The 32s are easy to shoot. The 327s have a significantly loud noise - even with muffs of course, and the recoil isn't trivial.
 
Oh .327 is a lot louder and has more recoil than .32 H&R, but the point of the .327 is would you rather shoot it or .357 in the same size gun?
 
I've got a 357 GP100 that I mostly shoot 38 specials out of at steel plates.....I bet shooting the equivalent of a 32 special would be great for low recoil, fast, double action shooting. Sounds like another toy I can't afford!
 
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