@@GunSam You KNOW Im with ya Brother. Ruer SP101 32 Mag. Im on my way to our local Gun Clubj Meeting now, here in Mansfield Ohio. join a club/ NRA / GCOA etc
At age 70, I am firmly in the category of the "aging defender." I have multiple service connected disabilities, among which is arthritis in my shooting hand and wrist. I carry a S&W AirWeight revolver chambered in .32 H&R mag. The recoil is quite comfortable for me, which enhances my accuracy. Recent improvements in ammunition have made a serious difference in the lethality of .32 rounds. For example, Buffalo Bore makes a 100 grain JHP which reaches velocities just under 1,200 fps. I feel fairly confident when I carry that combination. This test you performed enhances that confidence. Thank you.
Thanks for watching. I tested that Buffalo Bore round as well. It was about the recoil of a .38 Special+P and the cases were a bit stuck, ejection took a slap, but other than that they did well.
I finally got out to shoot my 327 mag revolver. Yes, the 38 had more recoil compared to the 32 H&R. The 38 makes a bigger hole and is slightly more powerful. The low recoil of the 32 makes it easier to shoot. But my favorite was the .327 mag. Wow, I love that round.
We have a question for you: How can we obtain a starting recipe for loading .38 special to approximate the ballistics of .32 H&R magnum? The goal is to achieve the reduced recoil and reduced gunblast so to enjoy shooting our .38 special snubbies more and still of a good self defense handgun load of .32 H&R magnum but in a .38 special cartridge. We realize there are many variables to figure in, such as depth of bullet seating, bullet weight, powder types and amounts, just for starters. Safety is highest priority of course. You do us all a tremendous service by the way, such thorough and keenly interesting videos you put out. One of the problems is that we like our .38’s and .357 magnums but wish for less blast and recoil. It’s not easy to find revolvers today in .32 H&R as what we already have and like in the .38/.357 casings. Many thanks
Thank you Kent S for providing the items for testing. Sam thank you as well for you testing and explanation by sharing your wisdom and finding. Excellent work. 🎩♠️☯️
He was very generous. Gave me the DB9 and LCR. I have not heard from him in about a year, I have sent messages or comments a few different places and never heard back. So, I can hope for the best of him but that sort of paints a picture. I know he was old, hopefully i'm wrong.
@@GunSam I believe a very long time ago people cut an x in the lead bullet to get it to expand/ mushroom. Man at the job site said he has also heard of this. i was aking because of the lower velocity out of a snubi would this help the performance of a lead semi wad cutter without some crazy liability issue. i have a sister that has weak hand strength and that also equates to recoil sensitivity. For example the 380 ez is easy to rack and load, however the weapon is still light wieght. Thank you.
So far all this testing is going about as I expected. .32 calibers compared to .38's in snub nose guns tend to perform as well or better. Sure, different size wound tracts but truly nothing significant in most cases to warrant the extra recoil and lose an extra round. As Pointblank2U said, both rounds would be good for trail waling against 2 or 4 legged varmints. With the right wadcutter and powder charge you could step it up to medium sized game like hogs(if they pose a threat) or black bear(depending on where you live). People are discovering every day that what they've been told they "need" vs what they may actually need or what's adequate are far away from each other.
@@craigbenz4835 I wasnt saying this particular ammo/gun combo no. However there are some heavy and stout loaded wadcutters in .38 Special that WOULD be adequate. It's going to come down to placement and as I noted, depending on where you live. Black Bear where I'm at are rare to start with and they are often rather small compared to some up north I've seen, particularly in Alberta. This may be true in your particular area, but when reports on bears being killed by things like .380 ACP, 9mm Hard Cast, and other such things continue to pop up and show that it comes down to having the right placement I dont really listen to what most people have to say on the matter. But no, not advocating hunting them... however should one stumble upon you and become aggressive it still may just do the job if you do yours.
I'm a .32 fan , but bears , no thank you . If you broaden the definition of .38 Special to include N frame or SAA only level .38-44 handloads , then those would approach plausible .
Strange ! I always thought it was 9mm that bounced off of skin , and .357 mag, .44spl, and .45 were acceptable choices . At least Elmer Keith and Jeff Cooper told us so . :)
As always, nice testing Sam! I used to carry a 32H&R magnum NEF revolver, but that was a whole other lifetime ago! Good to see it's as potent a round as I thought it was! You got a new subscriber buddy! 👍😎
@@GunSam Maybe so. I think if someone plugged a perp with a couple semi-wadcutters through vital organs, they don't really need hydrostatic shock and expansion to get the job done, so long as the rounds penetrated reliably and deep enough. Even wadcutters would probably do more damage with the wide flat nose, so long as they were soft lead.
Interesting video. The only similar gun/ammo combination I've chronographed was Remington 158 gr. LRN from a 1-7/8" model 36. That went 691 fps, but all other 158 lead/38 std. pressure/snub results I've seen were less than that, and more similar to yours.
Very cool. It's interesting as I expected more. I have hand loaded similar bullets ago gotten a lot more velocity, but i'm sure that the low velocity must be some sort of industry standard to have them so slow.
That's normal . Velocities for .38 spl standard velocity 158 lead are typically low 700's to 750fps from a 4in actual .38 spl revolver . Yes , I was also expecting complete pass through , may well have done so from a 4 inch . ( Not saying that would have been advantageous ) And YES , 20 inches is too much . I have loaded and fired bunches of similar , albeit with mostly cast bullets . The Good News - Mild, pleasant to shoot , typically hits POA/ POI with fixed sight revolvers , ( and with my loads ) very accurate, and very consistent . With standard lead bullet loads like this , the life span of something like a K frame will be near indefinite , 50-100K rounds .
I’ve never owned a 32 of any kind but your show is making me Think about it more and more I like the little revolvers especially H&R 32 Magnum and 327. So I do by myself quite often to getting a 38 for 327 snobby
I just swapped out the grips for UL snubby. I ended up going with the Pachmayr guardian grips (low profile when carrying, transforms into full grip when shooting). Hopefully the full grip and the wadcutters will transform my snubby into something fun to shoot.
I have looked at those same grips. Really like the concept. Small for carry but as soon as you make a good connection with the grip you get that extra finger contact point.
Graydog 0126 Ah here’s some info for you, for my Taurus UL, the pachmayr grips add about 1oz of weight. Everyone at the shop told me that I won’t have time to activate the grips in a self defense situation. I showed them they activate on draw and demonstrated 10 times in a row. Everyone still thinks they are a gimmick. The grips feel a lot better than my stock hard sandpaper rubber ones though. They make my snubbie look a lot cooler too which is a cosmetic plus.
Oh what a decision... Open YT today and there's this video and Paul Harrell's on .357 Sig ammo in the new ones! Since I'm debating on purchasing the .32Mag for my wife to replace the .380 she can no longer rack (in all fairness is hard for me as well) and don't have much desire to add a .357 Sig to my collection here I am. :)
Read years ago that the 32 slug was one of those aerodynamically near perfect bullets like the 22 and they were often used in competition in the older days. Good test I would not be afraid to carry the round where I carry the 38 special
I think I heard something similar. That is was very accurate. I just wish I had a 3" SP101 to really tune in some loads if I ever stop stalling and get a .32 die set.
Yes ! Back in the day in Bullseye competition ( then the only handgun competitions ) , .32 Revolvers , think S&W K-32 , and Colt Officers Match , were commonly used for the " Centerfire " stages . After the art & black magic of 1911 accurizing reached a certain level , increasing numbers of competitors began using their " Service Pistol " for the " Centerfire " stage also .
I seen the LCR on the shelves in 327 only once, ever.. I dont know if they're still in production.. the 6 rounds always intrigued me but I'm happy with my .38+p LCR
Another excellent comparison. I am constantly surprised at how effective old-tech bullets can still be. It seems that .32 H&R bullet could get to the vitals, maybe break a bone or two along the way and not exit with enough energy to be a down range hazard (assuming, of course, we're talking about a good, solid torso hit). Seeing how slowly that old-school .38 was going from the snub nose reminded me of just how far we've come with ammo now tailored specifically for the short barreled guns and even some that work well in 2" or 4" guns. Yet, still, no way would I want to stand in the way of that load. It should definitely reach the vitals. NYPD used to issue, if I recall correctly, 158 gr +P LSWC for their 4" and 2" revolvers. While no doubt other rounds might have been "better," apparently those worked well enough and I don't recall hearing of a lot of citizens hit by pass-throughs (which is a roll of the dice anyway). If you'll permit me a slight aside, I gotta drool over that 342 PD airlight. A now sadly late old and dear friend of mine (school chum, LEO partner, and just all around great guy) had one. The last time we were on a firing range together he handed it to me to try out. It seemed like it weighed nothing at all. I shot five rounds of 158 gr standard pressure LRN with one hand and five rounds of 158 gr. +P LSWCHP with the other. I can't say I could tell a difference (pain is pain, LOL) but if he'd offered me twenty bucks I would not have pulled the trigger again! Fast forward to now, however, with different concerns and not having to shoot a 25 to 50 round qualification course, and I WANT one! It seems the perfect pocket carry, tote-all-day-shoot-only-once-in-a-while kinda piece and a lot less prone to the troubles associated with pocket semi-autos. :D So, the search is on (has been on for some time .. wow, those things are pricey!).
Thank you. I know that at some point the 158 gr LSWC-HP was known as the NY load, the FBI load, the Chicago load and the Dallas load, so it was definitely good. As far as the 342 PD, I actually found it in April 2016 when I went to pick up an LCR. It was in the used case in a lot better condition than it is now, and it was priced at $460 so I snatched it. In my mind I was looking at a no-lock Smith for about the same price as a new 642 with the lock. It's grown on me, it never shoots POA and recoils like a .44 Mag but again, it's grown on my and always with me with the exception of Federal property or other no go places that my MI state permit says are gun free zones.
The 158gr +P SWC ( not HP) load had a comparitively brief tenure with NYPD . NYPD was a long time holdout with 158gr RN for reasons of politics and buacratic inertia . And predictably the officers thru the police union clamored for better rounds after most of the country had switched to HP with good results . The SWC was a compromise to partly aswage the union while covering the city's political butt by avoiding " Evil Dum- Dum" bullets . The street results were very similar to the 158 RN . The improved shape of the SWC was probably offset by the RN's greater likelihood to tumbling . The SWC would have had better penetration of car bodies . The NYPD would downplay the instances of bystanders or other officers being hit after passthroughs . Eventually when HP were adopted in the 9mm's after initially issueing 115gr FMJ , it was announced as a safety measure to reduce injuries from passthroughs . After adopting 124 Gold Dots for the autos , NYPD called upon Speer to develope an ideal load for 2in .38 , as they were , and remain popular for use as BUGs . The result was the Gold Dot 135 Short Barrel load . This was also used in 4 inch by the officers who chose to remain with their legacy duty revolvers instead of voluntarily transitioning to semiautos . The last such grandfathered offices only retire a few years ago . As trivia , the NYFD Fire Investigators carried 110gr +P+ Treasury Loads from the '70s until the end of the Revolver Era .
@@filianablanxart8305 - THANK YOU for the info. I don't know why I wrote LSWCHP when I know they were semi-wad cutters. I remember the stink in the press when they decided to go with JHPs in 9mm, too. Amazing what politics does for what should be a common sense selection, eh?
Gun Sam _Revolver Aficionado_ I gotta wonder if a revolver in 327 magnum that can handle everything up and down the power scale isn’t a great choice. I agree with you that the 32 revolvers aren’t the most popular. But you’re the second major gun channel here showing the wisdom of the 32 revolver concept.
I haven't tested that many, but i'd say the Critical Defense 80 gr FTX and the Buffalo Bore 100 gr XTP are the only two that performed well. The Buffalo Bore was more than twice the energy and recoil as the Critical Defense, however it's recoil was no more than a warm .38 Special+P. Depending on the recoil you want i'd pick one of those two.
One of my fave 32 H&R rounds is a handload with a 115 grain cast RNFP with a big meplat (nose flat). I run it at "Ruger-only" speeds (about 1120 FPS from a 4" barrel, so it is slightly milder than Buffalo Bore's "+P Outdoorsman" 130 grain load) and it does tremendous internal damage to coyotes, despite not expanding. I don't worry about foot-pounds, but it seems the solids do need some speed to really ramp up their performance.
That sounds a lot like the loads I use in my .32 S&W long J-frame. They aren't loaded quite as hot, standard pressure insofar as I can tell (commercial load from a small company no longer in business but I think Buffalo Bore makes the same thing now), but that long, heavy, flat-point bullet seems to want to start tumbling about as soon as it gets a bite of any soft target. I shot one through several water bottles in a row and it exited the first one sideways and appeared to go through all the rest sideways as well. If I ever wind up with a .32 H&R, I'll definitely look at handloading the rounds you mention.
Yes , before there was a .32 Magnum , many reloading manuals had a seperate section of data for .32 S&W Long " For use only in Modern Swing out cylinder Revolvers " that was essentially the peformence level of of .32mag factory ammo . The real Grand Daddy of hot .32 Revolvers was the excellent .32-20 aka .32WCF . Heck pre WWII , they were reasonably popular , with about 1/4 of S&W M&P production being in .32-20 instead of .38spl , and also decent numbers of Police Positive Specials , Official Police, and SAA from Colt . When the binary choice in " Police Service " ammo was between a slow 158 RN , and a 100-115 grain Flat Point .32-20 , the .32-20 was considered at least as good . Outdoorsmen, hunters, and ranchers who didn't feel the need for a .44 or .45 , appreciated the .32-20 for its flatter trajectory , and better penetration . And experienced handloaders , primarily in SAAs , loaded 115-120 cast bullets aproaching 1500 fps , pre-dating the concept of the .327 Mag .
Love your videos! You’ve turned me back into revolver man. I strayed very shortly. Lol! My brother talked me out of the 327 lcr awhile back. Always interested me. Question. In all your shooting, and calculating, what are your thoughts on noise? I own a 642; and an 856ch. I passed on the 357 due to noise. Sounds silly but in self defense close quarters, I do not wish to fire a 357. How does the 32 magnum compare to a 38? I always wear ear protection when shooting, but in a self defense situation I am curious on your thoughts. Thanks!
I involuntarily said, "oh my god!" when the 38 Spl made it into jug 5. I was expecting all 6, but it is one thing to expect it, another to see it. I would only say that I'm disappointed with the grouping. I know you're a good shot, so I expected the bullets to all be kind of touching on paper. Off day or off ammunition, I can't say. I will say I agree with Pointblanc2U that the ammunition is good for woods carry. There are plenty of recoil shy persons. Also, 00 buck is 32 caliber. 000 buck is 36 caliber. A 3" magnum shell packs 15 00 and 10 000. You can at least annoy a bear with that. So out of your snubs, I think either round will keep an angry coyote off of you. Maybe even a black bear. Probably not a grizzly though. You just need good shot placement and keep pulling the trigger! LOL.
I think one of the .38's rounds went into the fist hole, but funny how those targets fool the eyes being miniature silhouettes as the actual group which I just measured with one of those targets while comparing the video is only a 3" group from 15 feet. The .32 H&R group is actually 3.25". There's no surprise we stopped the .38 in jug 5 as that velocity! It was only 650 FPS, if we hit 800 FPS I think at that point we would hit the backstop. I have noticed this, _usually_ lower velocity will increase penetration as there's a lack of deformation, but at 650 FPS we never even get into that as there's just not enough sheer power to make it go into jug 6.
@@GunSam Must be my eyes or something. I'm sure I'll watch the video again. As for velocity... Yeah if it could have been moving faster without deforming more, jug 6 would have been toast. It's a good sized hole to put into a woodland critter. Right now, I'm wondering how important diameter is in a wound track.
@@GunSam I just watched again and I think your use of the ¼ or 1/3rd sized target simply tricked my brain. Also, a 00 pellet is 33 caliber, not 32. It should swage down in a pinch if you were loading 32s. It would just be too light. I would be curious how an XM193 round does in the Jug-or-Not box. When are you going to pick up an AR-15? PSA has good quality inexpensive stuff. My recent is a PSA upper on a DPMS (now owned by the same company that owns Remington) lower. It is absolutely possible to get a complete AR for under $500 and still be reasonable quality. Just go no frills. I'm talking out the door with your taxes.
The performance is surprisingly good. I suspect follow up shots would be fast with both loadings. I imagine flinching and missing would not be an issue. Walker Texas Rancher could reload his revolver before the last shot impacted. So a revolver is fairly dangerous.
Legend has it that Chuck Norris was so tough that he didn't need a bullet proof vest ?? If he stared at the bullets hard enough, they'd just reverse direction ! 😐
I sure would like your email address, I was trying to send you a link to some bullets for 32 caliber in lead semi wadcutter hollow points, as always thank you for your videos
Everyone knows all anyone will ever need is 640K memory reminds me of someone that said, everyone knows all the police will ever need are 38 special revolvers Later on Elmer Kieth was like, Yeah well I need this new round I invented and I'm a gonna call it the 357 magnum LOL
Thank you. I used to load up a ton of the 158 gr LSWC but in a .357" diameter hard cast with maybe 3.5 gr of Titegroup or Trail Boss. Nice shooting overall and easy to draw in the accuracy from long range with them as once you know where to hold those heavy bullets moving slow never veered off weird the way some faster ammo did.
With these short barrels your not going to get extreme expansion. I watched nearly all your 38 sp verses the 327 and different rds I was happy you tested tje 380 In one vid. The 380 velocity was around 1200 fps, that was impressive l I carried a bersa 85 or 83, been a while, HAHA. Back then i think there was only a 80 or 85 gr bullet for it?? They Bersa held 13 rds in the mag and one in the tube. It never jammed and it wasnt the best machined gun out there but it fired everything and every time I'd like to see a comparison between the 380 autos. Especially thw S&W PPK and yours and if possible a Bersa. Of coarse there newer mod now One thing about your jug or not set up. Again this isn't a criticism. Id suggest using 1/8 or greater plywood. Fiber board is not a good substitute for bone. May even see better expansion from those short barrels.
This was a request that I test these two, however I rarely see a SWC in .38 Special in any other configuration than 158 gr. I know they probably exist but not common. I do test a lot of .38 Special VS .32 H&R and do use 110-125 gr .38 Special in those tests.
"Fair" or " " Appropriate" comparisons between loads of different calibers can be debated endlessly , and their are different contexts of comparison . But this is certainly a relevant comparison , as both are the standard/ typical SWC loads for each caliber , and as it turned out the results were ( arguably) comparable , ie no expansion, lots of penetration .
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Both are good rounds for woods trail walking. They would do in pinch on two or four-legged varmints.
I sort of like that .32 H&R Mag a little better.
I really like the 32's.
@@Pointblank2U I agree that they would work in a pinch. Good penetration.
@@GunSam You KNOW Im with ya Brother. Ruer SP101 32 Mag. Im on my way to our local Gun Clubj Meeting now, here in Mansfield Ohio. join a club/ NRA / GCOA etc
I haven't heard from you in awhile Pointblank2U, just wanted to make sure all is okay.
At age 70, I am firmly in the category of the "aging defender." I have multiple service connected disabilities, among which is arthritis in my shooting hand and wrist. I carry a S&W AirWeight revolver chambered in .32 H&R mag. The recoil is quite comfortable for me, which enhances my accuracy. Recent improvements in ammunition have made a serious difference in the lethality of .32 rounds. For example, Buffalo Bore makes a 100 grain JHP which reaches velocities just under 1,200 fps. I feel fairly confident when I carry that combination. This test you performed enhances that confidence. Thank you.
Thanks for watching. I tested that Buffalo Bore round as well. It was about the recoil of a .38 Special+P and the cases were a bit stuck, ejection took a slap, but other than that they did well.
th-cam.com/video/1N5n0dgtsMA/w-d-xo.html
@@GunSam Thank you for the link. I watched the video. Very informative. I appreciated the results.
Glad to see someone showing the value of .32 magnum as a defensive round.
I finally got out to shoot my 327 mag revolver. Yes, the 38 had more recoil compared to the 32 H&R. The 38 makes a bigger hole and is slightly more powerful. The low recoil of the 32 makes it easier to shoot. But my favorite was the .327 mag. Wow, I love that round.
Get a .327 Magnum Pistol. Then you can use .327 in the woods, .32 H&R in the streets, .32 Long at the range and .32 short for plinking.
We have a question for you: How can we obtain a starting recipe for loading .38 special to approximate the ballistics of .32 H&R magnum?
The goal is to achieve the reduced recoil and reduced gunblast so to enjoy shooting our .38 special snubbies more and still of a good self defense handgun load of .32 H&R magnum but in a .38 special cartridge. We realize there are many variables to figure in, such as depth of bullet seating, bullet weight, powder types and amounts, just for starters. Safety is highest priority of course. You do us all a tremendous service by the way, such thorough and keenly interesting videos you put out. One of the problems is that we like our .38’s and .357 magnums but wish for less blast and recoil. It’s not easy to find revolvers today in .32 H&R as what we already have and like in the .38/.357 casings.
Many thanks
38 special with 'police load' 200 grains is the best!
Thank you Kent S for providing the items for testing. Sam thank you as well for you testing and explanation by sharing your wisdom and finding. Excellent work. 🎩♠️☯️
He was very generous. Gave me the DB9 and LCR. I have not heard from him in about a year, I have sent messages or comments a few different places and never heard back. So, I can hope for the best of him but that sort of paints a picture. I know he was old, hopefully i'm wrong.
@@GunSam glad he did provide you with those gifts. I hope he is doing well.
Would love to see this again with the gel.
This has become my fav channel
Thanks!
New subscriber love the .32 test .I have a H&R 733 32 long. Love it owned it over 40 years.
Didn't they use to cut an x into the bullet? Would that help with expansion on the semi wad cutter? If so , what would be required liability be?
They? Who is they? This is Federal ammo, so assuming you mean Federal, no I don't know of any of which you speak Federal doing.
@@GunSam I believe a very long time ago people cut an x in the lead bullet to get it to expand/ mushroom. Man at the job site said he has also heard of this. i was aking because of the lower velocity out of a snubi would this help the performance of a lead semi wad cutter without some crazy liability issue. i have a sister that has weak hand strength and that also equates to recoil sensitivity. For example the 380 ez is easy to rack and load, however the weapon is still light wieght. Thank you.
How does Buffalo Bore .32 long compare with that .32 magnum?
The 32 H&R seems to be a solid low recoil effective option ...
Thank you G.S. 👍
Thanks for watching! Haven't heard from you in a little while.
So far all this testing is going about as I expected. .32 calibers compared to .38's in snub nose guns tend to perform as well or better. Sure, different size wound tracts but truly nothing significant in most cases to warrant the extra recoil and lose an extra round. As Pointblank2U said, both rounds would be good for trail waling against 2 or 4 legged varmints. With the right wadcutter and powder charge you could step it up to medium sized game like hogs(if they pose a threat) or black bear(depending on where you live). People are discovering every day that what they've been told they "need" vs what they may actually need or what's adequate are far away from each other.
Well the only round of all handgun ammunition that does not bounce off skin is the 9mm ;)
I hope you aren't advocating hunting black bear with this combo. I hunt them every year, and I can tell you they would be inadequate.
@@craigbenz4835 I wasnt saying this particular ammo/gun combo no. However there are some heavy and stout loaded wadcutters in .38 Special that WOULD be adequate. It's going to come down to placement and as I noted, depending on where you live. Black Bear where I'm at are rare to start with and they are often rather small compared to some up north I've seen, particularly in Alberta.
This may be true in your particular area, but when reports on bears being killed by things like .380 ACP, 9mm Hard Cast, and other such things continue to pop up and show that it comes down to having the right placement I dont really listen to what most people have to say on the matter. But no, not advocating hunting them... however should one stumble upon you and become aggressive it still may just do the job if you do yours.
I'm a .32 fan , but bears , no thank you .
If you broaden the definition of .38 Special to include N frame or SAA only level .38-44 handloads , then those would approach plausible .
Strange ! I always thought it was 9mm that bounced off of skin , and .357 mag, .44spl, and .45 were acceptable choices . At least Elmer Keith and Jeff Cooper told us so . :)
Both look like they take care of business. Great vid. Thanks👍!
Thanks for watching!
As always, nice testing Sam! I used to carry a 32H&R magnum NEF revolver, but that was a whole other lifetime ago! Good to see it's as potent a round as I thought it was! You got a new subscriber buddy! 👍😎
Thanks!
Great vid! Thanks.
Thanks!
The .32 H&R seems like a decent defense round.
Love all your content. Keep up the good work man!
Thanks!
That 32 H&R Magnum seems to be pretty decent. I'd probably feel more confident with that than let's say a .380
Yeah it wasn't bad!
Guessing the incorporation of a hollow point in those soft lead semi-wadcutters would have expanded them much more.
Yeah probably, but then with the energy we had there would be underpenetration.
@@GunSam Maybe so. I think if someone plugged a perp with a couple semi-wadcutters through vital organs, they don't really need hydrostatic shock and expansion to get the job done, so long as the rounds penetrated reliably and deep enough. Even wadcutters would probably do more damage with the wide flat nose, so long as they were soft lead.
You have shot the 327/32 mag a year now you still think it’s a good round?
Almost a couple of years. Yeah it's good.
Gun Sam _Revolver Aficionado_ thank you Sir you have a nice day.
Interesting video. The only similar gun/ammo combination I've chronographed was Remington 158 gr. LRN from a 1-7/8" model 36. That went 691 fps, but all other 158 lead/38 std. pressure/snub results I've seen were less than that, and more similar to yours.
Very cool. It's interesting as I expected more. I have hand loaded similar bullets ago gotten a lot more velocity, but i'm sure that the low velocity must be some sort of industry standard to have them so slow.
That's normal . Velocities for .38 spl standard velocity 158 lead are typically low 700's to 750fps from a 4in actual .38 spl revolver . Yes , I was also expecting complete pass through , may well have done so from a 4 inch . ( Not saying that would have been advantageous ) And YES , 20 inches is too much .
I have loaded and fired bunches of similar , albeit with mostly cast bullets . The Good News - Mild, pleasant to shoot , typically hits POA/ POI with fixed sight revolvers , ( and with my loads ) very accurate, and very consistent . With standard lead bullet loads like this , the life span of something like a K frame will be near indefinite , 50-100K rounds .
I’ve never owned a 32 of any kind but your show is making me Think about it more and more I like the little revolvers especially H&R
32 Magnum and 327. So I do by myself quite often to getting a 38 for 327 snobby
I just swapped out the grips for UL snubby. I ended up going with the Pachmayr guardian grips (low profile when carrying, transforms into full grip when shooting). Hopefully the full grip and the wadcutters will transform my snubby into something fun to shoot.
I have looked at those same grips. Really like the concept. Small for carry but as soon as you make a good connection with the grip you get that extra finger contact point.
Graydog 0126 Ah here’s some info for you, for my Taurus UL, the pachmayr grips add about 1oz of weight. Everyone at the shop told me that I won’t have time to activate the grips in a self defense situation. I showed them they activate on draw and demonstrated 10 times in a row. Everyone still thinks they are a gimmick. The grips feel a lot better than my stock hard sandpaper rubber ones though. They make my snubbie look a lot cooler too which is a cosmetic plus.
Oh what a decision... Open YT today and there's this video and Paul Harrell's on .357 Sig ammo in the new ones! Since I'm debating on purchasing the .32Mag for my wife to replace the .380 she can no longer rack (in all fairness is hard for me as well) and don't have much desire to add a .357 Sig to my collection here I am. :)
Thanks! A .327 or .32 H&R with .32 S&W Long is like a .22 for recoil, very nice shooting.
S&W .380Ez,super easy to rack.
Just a suggestion if you like .380
Tim Turner -- I have the Ruger SP 101 with 3" barrel in .327 Federal Magnum. Can't go wrong with this revolver. The best thing since night baseball.
Read years ago that the 32 slug was one of those aerodynamically near perfect bullets like the 22 and they were often used in competition in the older days. Good test I would not be afraid to carry the round where I carry the 38 special
I think I heard something similar. That is was very accurate. I just wish I had a 3" SP101 to really tune in some loads if I ever stop stalling and get a .32 die set.
Gun Sam _Revolver Aficionado_ I got the SP 101 in 3in and it will get the job done , I always wanted to see a 22 Hornet cal in a carry revolver
Yes ! Back in the day in Bullseye competition ( then the only handgun competitions ) , .32 Revolvers , think S&W K-32 , and Colt Officers Match , were commonly used for the " Centerfire " stages . After the art & black magic of 1911 accurizing reached a certain level , increasing numbers of competitors began using their " Service Pistol " for the " Centerfire " stage also .
A very informative video -wasn't aware of how effective is the 32 ammo
In 1972 I carried several mod 19 with 38 law. These were reloads supplies by police armorer. We couldn’t buy jpg till maybe 6 years later
Oh yeah time for another episode!!!
I seen the LCR on the shelves in 327 only once, ever.. I dont know if they're still in production.. the 6 rounds always intrigued me but I'm happy with my .38+p LCR
@GuyStuff77 dont use +P. Honestly not much reason to do so. Just carry semi wadcutters in it and call it a day.
Another excellent comparison. I am constantly surprised at how effective old-tech bullets can still be. It seems that .32 H&R bullet could get to the vitals, maybe break a bone or two along the way and not exit with enough energy to be a down range hazard (assuming, of course, we're talking about a good, solid torso hit). Seeing how slowly that old-school .38 was going from the snub nose reminded me of just how far we've come with ammo now tailored specifically for the short barreled guns and even some that work well in 2" or 4" guns. Yet, still, no way would I want to stand in the way of that load. It should definitely reach the vitals. NYPD used to issue, if I recall correctly, 158 gr +P LSWC for their 4" and 2" revolvers. While no doubt other rounds might have been "better," apparently those worked well enough and I don't recall hearing of a lot of citizens hit by pass-throughs (which is a roll of the dice anyway).
If you'll permit me a slight aside, I gotta drool over that 342 PD airlight. A now sadly late old and dear friend of mine (school chum, LEO partner, and just all around great guy) had one. The last time we were on a firing range together he handed it to me to try out. It seemed like it weighed nothing at all. I shot five rounds of 158 gr standard pressure LRN with one hand and five rounds of 158 gr. +P LSWCHP with the other. I can't say I could tell a difference (pain is pain, LOL) but if he'd offered me twenty bucks I would not have pulled the trigger again! Fast forward to now, however, with different concerns and not having to shoot a 25 to 50 round qualification course, and I WANT one! It seems the perfect pocket carry, tote-all-day-shoot-only-once-in-a-while kinda piece and a lot less prone to the troubles associated with pocket semi-autos. :D So, the search is on (has been on for some time .. wow, those things are pricey!).
Thank you. I know that at some point the 158 gr LSWC-HP was known as the NY load, the FBI load, the Chicago load and the Dallas load, so it was definitely good. As far as the 342 PD, I actually found it in April 2016 when I went to pick up an LCR. It was in the used case in a lot better condition than it is now, and it was priced at $460 so I snatched it. In my mind I was looking at a no-lock Smith for about the same price as a new 642 with the lock. It's grown on me, it never shoots POA and recoils like a .44 Mag but again, it's grown on my and always with me with the exception of Federal property or other no go places that my MI state permit says are gun free zones.
That was a great deal! And it is a sweet "always gun."
The 158gr +P SWC ( not HP) load had a comparitively brief tenure with NYPD .
NYPD was a long time holdout with 158gr RN for reasons of politics and buacratic inertia . And predictably the officers thru the police union clamored for better rounds after most of the country had switched to HP with good results . The SWC was a compromise to partly aswage the union while covering the city's political butt by avoiding " Evil Dum- Dum" bullets .
The street results were very similar to the 158 RN . The improved shape of the SWC was probably offset by the RN's greater likelihood to tumbling . The SWC would have had better penetration of car bodies .
The NYPD would downplay the instances of bystanders or other officers being hit after passthroughs . Eventually when HP were adopted in the 9mm's after initially issueing 115gr FMJ , it was announced as a safety measure to reduce injuries from passthroughs .
After adopting 124 Gold Dots for the autos , NYPD called upon Speer to develope an ideal load for 2in .38 , as they were , and remain popular for use as BUGs . The result was the Gold Dot 135 Short Barrel load . This was also used in 4 inch by the officers who chose to remain with their legacy duty revolvers instead of voluntarily transitioning to semiautos . The last such grandfathered offices only retire a few years ago .
As trivia , the NYFD Fire Investigators carried 110gr +P+ Treasury Loads from the '70s until the end of the Revolver Era .
@@filianablanxart8305 - THANK YOU for the info. I don't know why I wrote LSWCHP when I know they were semi-wad cutters. I remember the stink in the press when they decided to go with JHPs in 9mm, too. Amazing what politics does for what should be a common sense selection, eh?
Do they make factory loaded HBWCs in the H&R or would one have to use S&W (or hand load)?
I never saw .32 H&R wadcutters before, just .32 S&W Long wadcutters.
Or more generally what ammunition do you recommend for personal protection for Ruger 327 Thanks
Right now I carry the 85 gr Hydrashok in it as it's low recoil and about the energy of a hot .38 Special+P, so that's what i'd recommend.
Picked up a Taurus 605. Next up might be a 32 revolver
The .32's are interesting. I can't say that they are practical but they are a ton of fun and give more conversation than a plain old .357 or .38.
Gun Sam _Revolver Aficionado_ I gotta wonder if a revolver in 327 magnum that can handle everything up and down the power scale isn’t a great choice. I agree with you that the 32 revolvers aren’t the most popular. But you’re the second major gun channel here showing the wisdom of the 32 revolver concept.
I got some remington hog hammers in .357 if you didn't know it's the same cartridge as those Barnes Vortex you had a while back
Very cool.
Good video ....
Thanks!
After all your testing, what 32 H&R magnum ammunition do you recommend for a Ruger LCR 327
I haven't tested that many, but i'd say the Critical Defense 80 gr FTX and the Buffalo Bore 100 gr XTP are the only two that performed well. The Buffalo Bore was more than twice the energy and recoil as the Critical Defense, however it's recoil was no more than a warm .38 Special+P. Depending on the recoil you want i'd pick one of those two.
One of my fave 32 H&R rounds is a handload with a 115 grain cast RNFP with a big meplat (nose flat). I run it at "Ruger-only" speeds (about 1120 FPS from a 4" barrel, so it is slightly milder than Buffalo Bore's "+P Outdoorsman" 130 grain load) and it does tremendous internal damage to coyotes, despite not expanding. I don't worry about foot-pounds, but it seems the solids do need some speed to really ramp up their performance.
That sounds a lot like the loads I use in my .32 S&W long J-frame. They aren't loaded quite as hot, standard pressure insofar as I can tell (commercial load from a small company no longer in business but I think Buffalo Bore makes the same thing now), but that long, heavy, flat-point bullet seems to want to start tumbling about as soon as it gets a bite of any soft target. I shot one through several water bottles in a row and it exited the first one sideways and appeared to go through all the rest sideways as well. If I ever wind up with a .32 H&R, I'll definitely look at handloading the rounds you mention.
Yes , before there was a .32 Magnum , many reloading manuals had a seperate section of data for .32 S&W Long " For use only in Modern Swing out cylinder Revolvers " that was essentially the peformence level of of .32mag factory ammo .
The real Grand Daddy of hot .32 Revolvers was the excellent .32-20 aka .32WCF . Heck pre WWII , they were reasonably popular , with about 1/4 of S&W M&P production being in .32-20 instead of .38spl , and also decent numbers of Police Positive Specials , Official Police, and SAA from Colt .
When the binary choice in " Police Service " ammo was between a slow 158 RN , and a 100-115 grain Flat Point .32-20 , the .32-20 was considered at least as good .
Outdoorsmen, hunters, and ranchers who didn't feel the need for a .44 or .45 , appreciated the .32-20 for its flatter trajectory , and better penetration .
And experienced handloaders , primarily in SAAs , loaded 115-120 cast bullets aproaching 1500 fps , pre-dating the concept of the .327 Mag .
what do you do with all that "used" bologna?
Leave it for whatever animals eat it as it always disappears within hours.
@@GunSam OK, I just wondered if your dog was getting tired of it.... :)
Love your videos! You’ve turned me back into revolver man. I strayed very shortly. Lol! My brother talked me out of the 327 lcr awhile back. Always interested me. Question. In all your shooting, and calculating, what are your thoughts on noise? I own a 642; and an 856ch. I passed on the 357 due to noise. Sounds silly but in self defense close quarters, I do not wish to fire a 357. How does the 32 magnum compare to a 38?
I always wear ear protection when shooting, but in a self defense situation I am curious on your thoughts. Thanks!
I involuntarily said, "oh my god!" when the 38 Spl made it into jug 5. I was expecting all 6, but it is one thing to expect it, another to see it. I would only say that I'm disappointed with the grouping. I know you're a good shot, so I expected the bullets to all be kind of touching on paper. Off day or off ammunition, I can't say. I will say I agree with Pointblanc2U that the ammunition is good for woods carry. There are plenty of recoil shy persons. Also, 00 buck is 32 caliber. 000 buck is 36 caliber. A 3" magnum shell packs 15 00 and 10 000. You can at least annoy a bear with that. So out of your snubs, I think either round will keep an angry coyote off of you. Maybe even a black bear. Probably not a grizzly though. You just need good shot placement and keep pulling the trigger! LOL.
I think one of the .38's rounds went into the fist hole, but funny how those targets fool the eyes being miniature silhouettes as the actual group which I just measured with one of those targets while comparing the video is only a 3" group from 15 feet. The .32 H&R group is actually 3.25". There's no surprise we stopped the .38 in jug 5 as that velocity! It was only 650 FPS, if we hit 800 FPS I think at that point we would hit the backstop. I have noticed this, _usually_ lower velocity will increase penetration as there's a lack of deformation, but at 650 FPS we never even get into that as there's just not enough sheer power to make it go into jug 6.
I watched the vid again. With the .38 Special shot 3 went into the exact same hole on the tape as shot 2, not even jagged! Lucky me.
@@GunSam Must be my eyes or something. I'm sure I'll watch the video again.
As for velocity... Yeah if it could have been moving faster without deforming more, jug 6 would have been toast. It's a good sized hole to put into a woodland critter. Right now, I'm wondering how important diameter is in a wound track.
@@GunSam I just watched again and I think your use of the ¼ or 1/3rd sized target simply tricked my brain. Also, a 00 pellet is 33 caliber, not 32. It should swage down in a pinch if you were loading 32s. It would just be too light.
I would be curious how an XM193 round does in the Jug-or-Not box. When are you going to pick up an AR-15? PSA has good quality inexpensive stuff. My recent is a PSA upper on a DPMS (now owned by the same company that owns Remington) lower. It is absolutely possible to get a complete AR for under $500 and still be reasonable quality. Just go no frills. I'm talking out the door with your taxes.
Not much ammo selection for .32 where I live unfortunately. Thanks for another thought provoking video Sam.
Thanks for watching! There's really not much for .32 most places.
ammoseek.com
The performance is surprisingly good.
I suspect follow up shots would be fast with both loadings.
I imagine flinching and missing would not be an issue.
Walker Texas Rancher could reload his revolver before the last shot impacted.
So a revolver is fairly dangerous.
Legend has it that Chuck Norris was so tough that he didn't need a bullet proof vest ?? If he stared at the bullets hard enough, they'd just reverse direction ! 😐
Will the .32 Magnum work in a .32 semi-auto 1905 Savage or blow it up?
It wouldn't even chamber in it.
And it is very unsafe. The 32 H&R is higher pressure than 32 ACP. Always use ammo which matches what is stamped on the gun.
I sure would like your email address, I was trying to send you a link to some bullets for 32 caliber in lead semi wadcutter hollow points, as always thank you for your videos
In the "about" tab on my channel page the email address should be in that.
Everyone knows all anyone will ever need is 640K memory reminds me of someone that said, everyone knows all the police will ever need are 38 special revolvers
Later on Elmer Kieth was like, Yeah well I need this new round I invented and I'm a gonna call it the 357 magnum LOL
That 38 loading is pretty much my reload. I find it easy to shoot and fun. Doesn’t beat me up after a range day. Thanks for the good video.
Thank you. I used to load up a ton of the 158 gr LSWC but in a .357" diameter hard cast with maybe 3.5 gr of Titegroup or Trail Boss. Nice shooting overall and easy to draw in the accuracy from long range with them as once you know where to hold those heavy bullets moving slow never veered off weird the way some faster ammo did.
With these short barrels your not going to get extreme expansion. I watched nearly all your 38 sp verses the 327 and different rds
I was happy you tested tje 380
In one vid. The 380 velocity was around 1200 fps, that was impressive l
I carried a bersa 85 or 83, been a while, HAHA. Back then i think there was only a 80 or 85 gr bullet for it?? They Bersa held 13 rds in the mag and one in the tube. It never jammed and it wasnt the best machined gun out there but it fired everything and every time
I'd like to see a comparison between the 380 autos. Especially thw S&W PPK and yours and if possible a Bersa. Of coarse there newer mod now
One thing about your jug or not set up. Again this isn't a criticism. Id suggest using 1/8 or greater plywood. Fiber board is not a good substitute for bone. May even see better expansion from those short barrels.
Wouldn't a more fair comparison have been with a lighter .38 spc round? Maybe 115 grain.
This was a request that I test these two, however I rarely see a SWC in .38 Special in any other configuration than 158 gr. I know they probably exist but not common. I do test a lot of .38 Special VS .32 H&R and do use 110-125 gr .38 Special in those tests.
@@GunSam Got it. Thanks.
"Fair" or " " Appropriate" comparisons between loads of different calibers can be debated endlessly , and their are different contexts of comparison . But this is certainly a relevant comparison , as both are the standard/ typical SWC loads for each caliber , and as it turned out the results were ( arguably) comparable , ie no expansion, lots of penetration .