.32 H&R Magnum / .327 Federal for Pistol Cartridge?

[Jetmugg]

Hello everyone.

As the winter sets in, my brain continues to think about lever action silhouette shooting.

The latest direction my brain has taken me is to consider the possibility of a lever action rifle in .32 H&R Mag / .327 Federal for use in PC lever action matches. The Henry Big Boy is available in this caliber and gets decent reviews for the solidness and slickness of the action.

What's the scoop on this caliber for our sport? Are there active shooters using this caliber? I haven't seen any on the firing line, but that doesn't mean they aren't being used.

Anyway - semms like a fair topic for discussion.

Steve.

[chicknsnipr60]

i have bought one in that caliber. As of now it is in the load development stage. It is supposed to be a low recoil but fast speed. I am using berry bullets now but am casting lead bullets. There is a company I think is called Bear Creek or something in that neighborhood that makes bullets for it.Videos on youtube talk about that caliber bumping 2000 fps in a rifle. The 32nr brass is the cheapest. You can shoot 32 hr, 327 mag and 32long colt.

[Jetmugg]

ChickenSniper:

Thank you. I'd be interested to hear your impressions of the rifle and the overall experience. Did you buy one of the 327 Mag Henry Big Boy rifles, or the Marlin 1894 in H&R Magnum? In either case, those are attractive rifles for this game.

I'd also enjoy hearing about the load development as it's available. A fast shooting, flat trajectory, low recoil and relatively hard hitting .32 magnum seems like a good sweet spot for PC lever action matches.

Steve.

[Jetmugg]

Update:

Went to my local sporting goods store this afternoon and asked them to order a 20" barreled Henry Big Boy in .327 Fed Magnum. I should have it in 2 weeks or so.

Steve.

[PAndy]

I shoot mild cast loads in 32-20, so I probably wouldn't load a .327 much different. It would allow for higher pressure max loads if you like more noise and muzzle jump. Biggest question for me would be how the chamber is cut...and how cast bullets fit in the throat.
Hodgdon web site has lots of cast and jacketed handgun data for .327 mag.

[Jetmugg]

That sounds like the approach I'd like to take, to treat the .327 Magnum liike a modern day 32-20.

Plenty of power to take down Rams, flat shooting, accurate, light recoil, etc.

I have a co-worker and fellow shooter who is hepped up to spend time working up handloads with the goal of maximizing accuracy at 100 yards.

This should be a fun adventure.

Steve.

[PAndy]

I've shot a lot of 100 grain bullets at roughly subsonic velocities and can't recall ringing any 100m rams. I suppose trigger squeeze and follow through are more important with the low velocities, whether it's rimfire match ammo or a center-fire load.

I recently saw some published 32-20 loads for contender pistols only ...in the 26th edition Hodgdon book...hotter than anything published today for the 327 mag.

Have fun, with whichever load that works best for you!

[375Short]

I don’t have any experience with the .327Fed or much experience in any other .32’s
, so based on that I ask would it have any hope as a CLA cartridge? How low can we go always intrigues me.
It wasn’t long ago the .357 was considered not adequate but we now know it works fine. More recently at least a couple of folks have experimented with the .38 special. It also works. My guess is at .32 we run out of enough bullet mass or speed to do the job. But, it’s interesting to find out.

[Jetmugg]

I don’t have any experience with the .327Fed or much experience in any other .32’s
, so based on that I ask would it have any hope as a CLA cartridge? How low can we go always intrigues me.
It wasn’t long ago the .357 was considered not adequate but we now know it works fine. More recently at least a couple of folks have experimented with the .38 special. It also works. My guess is at .32 we run out of enough bullet mass or speed to do the job. But, it’s interesting to find out.

Wayne: I am not involved with CLA shooting (that's my disclaimer). However, through many of the YT videos I've watched about this cartridge and the matching firearms is that it is capable of being used in CLA competition.

Steve.

[375Short]

Maybe an adventurous sole will give it a good test run and post the results. Maybe a heavier than traditional bullet will get it done. At a minimum it’s another cartridge that if used as a PC rifle can still be used if needed as a CLA option. Clean the first three animals, a 30 is a solid CLA score. I think a number of folks shy away from CLA (Highpower leveraction) because they don’t have “the rifle”. Jump in and shoot CLA matches if you are already shooting a PC cartridge that’s also CLA legal. The only draw back is after you shoot full scale CLA animals the PC/SB targets look extra small for a little while.

[Jetmugg]

Maybe an adventurous sole will give it a good test run and post the results. Maybe a heavier than traditional bullet will get it done. At a minimum it’s another cartridge that if used as a PC rifle can still be used if needed as a CLA option. Clean the first three animals, a 30 is a solid CLA score. I think a number of folks shy away from CLA (Highpower leveraction) because they don’t have “the rifle”. Jump in and shoot CLA matches if you are already shooting a PC cartridge that’s also CLA legal. The only draw back is after you shoot full scale CLA animals the PC/SB targets look extra small for a little while.

Gotcha. I didn't realize that you were referring to high-power lever action silhouette matches when you referenced CLA. I thought you were talking about the cowboy style action shooting matches that use revolvers, lever guns, and shotguns.

I do have a Winchester Top-Eject model 94 in 30-30 that could be used for high power lever action silhouette matches. I haven't shot it as such to date.

Steve.

[No1_49er]

Gotcha. I didn't realize that you were referring to high-power lever action silhouette matches when you referenced CLA. I thought you were talking about the cowboy style action shooting matches that use revolvers, lever guns, and shotguns.

Steve.

I guess that's why, some time around 2017, that the word "Cowboy" was deleted from the NRA Rifle Silhouette Rulebook when referring to Lever-action rifles.
Been nearly ten years since the change - time to get used to it, i.e., NOT Cowboy Lever-action Silhouette.

[Brokegunner]

I have a Marlin Cowboy Limited 1894 chambered in 32H&R magnum. I have not shot it in a match yet, but I'm planning to bring it to the next local match and see what I can do. I'm using Bear Creek Supply 100gr RNFP with tightgroup, running 1300fps and getting good groups at 100yds off the bench.
My only problem now is the sights. I have a short (.404) 17A on the front and an unknown tang sight on the rear. It shoots 5 inches high at 50 yards with the tang bottomed out so I ordered a mid-height 17A for the front.
If it doesn't knock the rams down I can easily work up a more potent load but that will make my chicken situation worse :/

[375Short]

I was curious about wind drift with the 100g .32 and put some guesstimate information in the JBM calculator. In general it has great wind drift numbers. In a 20mph cross wind about 5” at 1300fps (Rams) with a chicken zero, at 1050fps about 4” at Rams. Counterintuitively like many calibers we use in Lever Action silhouette there is a wind advantage to subsonic. In this case the advantage is slight and recoil low so it’s a choice of what shoots best in your rifle or as always just your own preference. Ballistically 32 H&R / 32-20 and considering components probably one of the better choices a person can make. The 25-20 is hard to keep fed and suitable rifles scarce.
Lots of shooters have been shooting 32’s for a long time in Pistol Cartridge. The 32 HR / 327 fed / 32-20 can all be loaded to duplicate each other so result driven data should be plentiful. PAndy puts in a lot of time on R&D his (and many others) information on what works would a great starting point.