Maxi Mice

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Our latest Magnum sixgun cartridge is another example of not really realizing what is possible. The .327 Federal Magnum was introduced in the pocket-sized Ruger SP101 and promoted as a self-defense combination. It may well be a good choice for this application, however, it is much more. It didn’t take long for reloaders and experimenters to look to custom gunmakers to come up with a longer barreled sixgun designed for field use and varmint hunting.

Custom sixgunsmiths such as Alan Harton and Hamilton Bowen began doing conversions on Ruger single actions and Smith & Wesson double actions, which opened up a whole new window for the .327 Magnum. Since the 1870s, the .32-20 has been a favorite low-recoiling cartridge chambered in such early firearms as the Winchester Models 1873 and 1892, as well as the Colt Single Action. By the turn of the 20th century the West had mostly been tamed and the .32-20 was more popular than the more powerful .44-40 and .45 Colt. It made a whole lot of sense as a practical farm and ranch rifle for taking care of varmints and vermin.

Modernized

In the 1980s we came very close to modernizing the .32-20. The .32 H&R Magnum took us to the brink but then drew back significantly. The .32 Magnum was first offered in Harrington & Richardson revolvers, which were not the strongest, and basically promoted as a low-cost, low-recoil self-defense cartridge. When Ruger chambered their much stronger Single-Six in .32 Magnum, we soon learned how much more the diminutive .32 was capable of by careful reloading.

The .32-20 and the .32 H&R Magnum are both excellent cartridges, but the .327 Federal Magnum has basically replaced them. Federal announced the new cartridge in a press release in November 2007. At the time Federal said: “Federal Premium has partnered with Ruger to introduce a new personal defense revolver cartridge designed to deliver .357 Magnum ballistics out of a 32-caliber diameter platform. The .327 Federal Magnum is designed for use in lightweight, small-frame revolvers like the proven Ruger SP101 platform.”

Now I am not about to sell any of my .32-20 and .32 Magnum leverguns or sixguns, however, when looking at a new purchase I would pass both of them up for the .327 Magnum. When the .327 was first introduced it was extremely difficult to find ammunition or components, thanks mainly to the election of November 2008 and the resulting mass purchasing of firearms and ammunition. However, this original tidal wave has now somewhat subsided and ammunition and components, as well as firearms, are much easier to come by. Federal offers three loadings for the .327 Magnum, an 85-grain Hydra-Shok JHP rated at a muzzle velocity of 1,330 feet per second (The original .32 Magnum with the 85-grain bullet was right at 1,000 fps), American Eagle 100-grain SP, 1,300 fps and Speer 115-grain Gold Dot HP at 1,300 fps.

John discovered the Ruger .327 GP100 delivered fine accuracy with all seven chambers at a field distance of 20 yards.

Bullets for the .327 Federal Magnum include (from left to right) the Hornady 85-grain JHP and
100-grain JHP, Sierra 90-grain JHC, Speer 100-grain JHP and 115-grain Gold Dot.

The Ruger .327 Blackhawk delivered exceptional accuracy from all eight chambers at 20 yards.

The roots of the .327 run very deep going way back to the time before the Civil War. With the arrival of more modern solid frame double-action revolvers in the 1890s the .32 S&W was lengthened to become the .32 Smith & Wesson Long. This excellent little cartridge was mostly found in small-frame revolvers, however it reached its apex in the medium-sized K-32 Masterpiece resulting in a superb target shooting cartridge/revolver combination. The final step in the .32 saga, at least thus far, is the lengthening of the .32 Magnum to produce a true Maxi-Mouse Magnum, the .327 Federal Magnum.

Reloading the .327 is as easy as any straight-walled cartridge can be. I use RCBS .32 Magnum carbide dies and Federal brass. The powders normally used with sixgun cartridges work fine with the .327 with my preference for heavy loads leaning to AA No. 9, 2400, and H110. As far as .32 bullets, any of those previously designed for the .32 Magnum work just fine with my choices being for Hornady’s 85- and 100-grain JHPs, Sierra’s 90-grain JHC and Speer’s 100-grain JHP. Recently, Speer introduced a 115-grain Gold Dot Hollowpoint specifically for the .327 Federal. This excellent bullet is not only offered by Federal loaded in factory ammunition, but is also available to reloaders.

As mentioned, Ruger was the first to offer a revolver chambered in .327, that sixgun being the SP101 pocket pistol. This year Ruger has branched out to offer the .327 in sixguns, which are larger framed than the SP101. The 4″ GP100, one of the most rugged .357 Magnum sixguns ever offered, is now chambered in .327 with a 7-shot cylinder and Hogue oversized fingergroove rubber grips. These grips are great for reducing felt recoil and for hard outdoor usage, however for my use, which definitely no longer includes hard outdoor scenarios, I have installed a pair of the original factory-style GP100 rubber grips. These are much smaller without fingergrooves and I think it’s much easier carrying in a hip holster. For anyone looking for a heavy-duty, double-action .327 for any type of outdoor use it would be most difficult to find anything better suited than this Ruger GP100.

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Ruger’s third offering in .327 Federal Magnum is an 8-shot, 5-1/2″ stainless steel Blackhawk fitted with very bright rosewood stocks. Everything we have said about the ruggedness of the double-action GP100 holds and even more so for the single-action Ruger. Blackhawks have been around since 1955 and have been a top choice for hunting and any outdoor use since that time.

The New Model .327 is virtually indestructible. As with the GP100, sights are fully adjustable, black and give an easily seen square sight picture. If there is a drawback to either one of these sixguns from Ruger it is the fact they are heavy sixguns and some may not want to carry this much weight when hiking or just exploring the sagebrush, foothills, forest or mountains. I do not find the weight objectionable and even though the .327 is not what you would call a heavy recoiling cartridge, it is exceptionally comfortable when shooting through one of these new Ruger sixguns. Presently the Blackhawk .327 is offered with a 5-1/2″ and I hope Ruger sees fit to soon offer a 7-1/2″ version.

It is always interesting to watch the whiners on the wire, that is complainers on the Internet about any new product offered. When the .327 arrived there was the little group who had not tried it, however, condemned it as being too small or too whatever. It really doesn’t make a whole lot of difference what the complaint is, as long as they have something to whine about.
The same thing happened when Ruger announced the Blackhawk in .327. Complaints, long before anyone saw one, handled one and definitely had not shot one came forth from this same group. They are definitely wrong and totally misinformed. The .327 Federal Magnum is one of the best ideas to come along in sixgun chamberings in several decades. It is everything the old .32-20 was, the .32 Magnum is and so much more. I like it!

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The .327 Federal is descended from the .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long and the .32 H&R Magnum.
The new .327 offers much better ballistics than any of its predecessors.

John found some of his favorite powders such as Alliant 2400, Hodgdon H110 and Accurate Arms No. 9
plus bullets from Hornady, Sierra and Speer are excellent choices for reloading the .327 Maxi-Mouse Magnum.

Federal Premium
900 Ehlen Dr., Anoka, MN 55303
(800) 831-0850, www.federalpremium.com

Hornady
3625 W Old Potash Hwy.
Grande Island, NE 68803
(800) 338-3220, www.hornady.com

Sierra Bullets
1400 W. Henry St., Sedalia, MO 65301
(800) 223-8799, www.sierrabullets.com

Speer Bullets
P.O. Box 856, Lewiston, ID 83501
(800) 627-3640, www.speer-ammo.com

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