A few weeks ago, I happened on a video from Chris Baker at Lucky Gunner that discussed revolvers using .32 H&R Magnum and its less-potent shorter rounds.

Some of the discussion was that the .32 was a softer felt recoil than a .38Spl, especially in snub-nose pistols. This got my attention because I'm a bit spoiled with 9MM semi-auto felt recoil compared to the time I rented a .38 S&W Airweight at my local range. The felt recoil of that pistol was not much fun, and I realize that the less-fun aspect would have me shoot the thing less and not gain much proficiency.

Even so, the concealability of a snub-nose has piqued my interest.

I asked the folks at a nearby gun store about .32 H&R Magnum pistols, and he had two in the display case. Both were from Charter Arms, one was a Pink Lady (6 round), and what appears to be the current version of the Professional (I didn't make a point of remembering the model number). They had a Lavender finish version of the Pink Lady in the back, or so I was told.

I almost bought the Lavender, until I remembered that I hadn't fired a .32 Magnum revolver, and I didn't want to buy a gun only to find out I really dislike shooting it. The ammo is expensive, too, and holsters are far less common (I'm sure I could find a Sticky, but I'm not convinced I want to use that type holster).

Still, I'm curious.

Does someone here live near Louisville KY have one I could try?

Not very close but a long term user and fan of the 32 S&W Long. Until 1968 the 32 family of cartridges were very popular, 32S&W and 32 S&W Long in revolvers and 32 acp/7.65 in Pistols. It is very flat shooting, low recoil, fast recovery, penetration similar to 38 Special and generally very accurate. It was a popular police round even during the 'Gangster War' years. J. Edgar Hoover carried a Colt Pocket Positive in 32 Police Cartridge (AkA S&W 32 Long).

I've shot some of the 32 Magnum rounds but honestly find the 32S&W Long and 32acp to be the sweet spot for control, follow up, penetration and accuracy. I probably own more handguns in the 32 family than any other caliber. Interestingly the 32 family seem to be returning to favor. Walther just announced it will offer the PPK & PPK/s in32acp again.

Here's a target I shot recently following the Texas Carry License proficiency test; 50 rounds total, 20 rounds each at 3 and 7 yards and 10 round at 15 yards. I did pull two rounds at the 15 yard series. The revolver was my S7W Regulation Police (square butt hand ejector) from 1942 and shot double action. The test is scored as 5 points for all rounds out to the edge of the 8 ring and 4 in the 7, 3 on target outside the 7.

sig230, thank you.

I recall (perhaps in error) that the .32S&W and -Long work well in a pistol chambered for the Magnum rounds. The shorter rounds are far less expensive, based on a quick trip to AmmoSeek.

Ideally, I would have a chance to shoot one of these pistols before buying one, but I've just about talked myself into buying one anyway, despite the scarcity of good holsters and the cost of ammunition.

Are speed loaders for this even a thing?

You can shoot mine anytime you want!

BearPaws wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:10 am Are speed loaders for this even a thing?

They're out there; a quick google search for 327 Federal speedloader will turn them up. Regarding holsters, have you considered the new S&W Ultimate Carry revolver in 32H&R? Basically a j-frame, so lots of holster options. I don't have trouble finding holsters for my LCR in 327 either. Can't speak for the Charter Arms snubbies. Taurus also makes a 327 federal revolver that would chamber 32H&R as welll as 32 long and short.

BearPaws wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:10 am sig230, thank you.

I recall (perhaps in error) that the .32S&W and -Long work well in a pistol chambered for the Magnum rounds. The shorter rounds are far less expensive, based on a quick trip to AmmoSeek.

Ideally, I would have a chance to shoot one of these pistols before buying one, but I've just about talked myself into buying one anyway, despite the scarcity of good holsters and the cost of ammunition.

Are speed loaders for this even a thing?

Yup, I use the HKS speed loaders with mine.

The 32S&W is really low power but fine up close and personal, bad breath distance.

Here's an old Hopkins & Allen Safety Police, a tiny little gun but really advanced in its safety features.
There are lots and lots and lots of great holsters, just need to look around.

Here's my old Regulation Police in a period correct Don Hume Jordan holster.

Hiker wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:13 am You can shoot mine anytime you want!

I might have known you'd have one!

Thanks to all!

The .32 revolvers seem to be making a comeback, and you can even find ammo for them again. Charter Arms doesn't have the best reputation for reliability lately, although that's a common complaint for everyone making wheelguns post-Covid. I've been tempted, but personally I'd look at other manufacturers.

Picking up a snubby that handles .327 gives you the option of .32 H&R, S&W Long and Short, but Long and H&R are reputedly the sweet spot. One thing I've seen mentioned is that .30 Super Carry supposedly uses the same size bullet as .327 Magnum - 0.312 - which should be win/win for everyone when it comes to production.

Don't forget there were literally millions of 32S&W Long revolvers made by Colt and Smith & Wesson as well as most other makers. And most will be overlooked simply because only six little under powered rounds. But up until 1968 the 32 family of firearms, US made revolvers and European made pistols were common. The 1968 Gun Control Act didn't pretty much destroy the market because the handguns were unreliable or ineffective but rather because they were reliable, effective, relatively affordable and concealable.

Some of my favorite and often carried 32acp/7.65mm pistols:

Beretta 81:
Bernardelli 60:
Cz Viz 50:

I would probably like the CZ 50, but it's a lot harder to find than a .32 revolver for me (note the "for me" part).

The point of this exercise for ME is a concealable revolver, to branch out from my usual EDC pattern of a fifteen-plus-one semi-auto pistol. Part of what's driving my interest is the red hat backlash about the guilty verdicts in New York last week, and the sense that I want to be carrying in more situations where my CZ PCR will be "too big."

I know I've said on here and elsewhere that I didn't really want to add a caliber to inventory, but 9mm Luger in a revolver seems weird, and 5.56 in a revolver seems, well, REALLY weird. I have a .22LR revolver (a Ruger Wrangler with the birdshead grip), and it's a nice plinking piece, but I don't think of it as a good self-defense piece for concealed carry. I tried a Smith & Wesson Airweight in .38 Spl, and found the felt recoil enough less than fun to realize I would not shoot one enough to feel competent with one of my own. I read that the .32 SW Long feels better with decent (if not fabulous) terminal ballistics, and the idea of a small revolver piqued my interests.

Well, the advantage to the pistols is they are slimmer in general, hold a couple more rounds and much faster reloads unless you really practice. In modern 32acp pistols check out the Kel-Tec P32, Beretta Tomcat and the Walther PPK.

The S&W model 30 is a 32S&W Long.

BearPaws wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2024 8:02 pm I would probably like the CZ 50, but it's a lot harder to find than a .32 revolver for me (note the "for me" part).

The point of this exercise for ME is a concealable revolver, to branch out from my usual EDC pattern of a fifteen-plus-one semi-auto pistol. Part of what's driving my interest is the red hat backlash about the guilty verdicts in New York last week, and the sense that I want to be carrying in more situations where my CZ PCR will be "too big."

Red Hatter here! :-)

This is exactly the argument I've been making for years now regarding Liberals becoming gun owners. If that's such a concern, then the best thing that Liberals can do is to buy a gun, get some training, and then get to the range often and practice with it. Have the tools to defend yourself, just like my Dad did. He was a fellow Liberal, too. He's a big part of why I came to believe so strongly in the RKBA. So, I say, good on you for thinking this way.

BearPaws wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2024 8:02 pm I know I've said on here and elsewhere that I didn't really want to add a caliber to inventory, but 9mm Luger in a revolver seems weird, and 5.56 in a revolver seems, well, REALLY weird. I have a .22LR revolver (a Ruger Wrangler with the birdshead grip), and it's a nice plinking piece, but I don't think of it as a good self-defense piece for concealed carry. I tried a Smith & Wesson Airweight in .38 Spl, and found the felt recoil enough less than fun to realize I would not shoot one enough to feel competent with one of my own. I read that the .32 SW Long feels better with decent (if not fabulous) terminal ballistics, and the idea of a small revolver piqued my interests.

Your solution, either in the case of the .32 caliber or the .38 Special, is reloading.

The third load I ever developed, and which I continue to make and shoot a lot today, is a "powder puff" .38 Special load using a 105gr bullet. Exit velocity from the 4" revolver barrel has been Chrony'd at right about 850 ft/sec. It has the same in-flight ballistics as the factory .38 Special loads, but with considerably less recoil. It actually makes a S&W Airweight or a Ruger LCR enjoyable to shoot. I originally developed this load for the woman who would become my wife, because she's rather recoil-sensitive, too. She loves this load.

Here's her making this very load, before we got married. There's the detailed 4-part series, and there's one video of her just cranking 'em out.

https://www.sanfranciscoliberalwithagun ... ading.html

In the case of .32 H&R Magnum or .32 S&W, ammo can be expensive when you find it. It was when I worked at the gun store. The hardest part, in my experience, is brass, for this particular family of rounds. Fortunately, we have Starline, which makes excellent, and affordable, brass that lasts for a long time. The rest should be relatively easy.

CowboyT, I have thought about reloading a little bit. I recognize that it could be more economical than buying "ready to use" ammo, once the initial investment in equipment and education is paid off.

I don't know what the break-even point is in terms of "how many rounds," frankly. or whether I trust myself to do the steps with the proper precision to be safe doing so. Frankly, that's a whole other discussion in my mind, even if it's one I'm willing to participate in. Revolver brass is probably easier to harvest than semi-auto brass, after all.

BearPaws wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2024 11:33 pm CowboyT, I have thought about reloading a little bit. I recognize that it could be more economical than buying "ready to use" ammo, once the initial investment in equipment and education is paid off.

I think a lot of potential reloaders think this, and I think its wrong. Checking Midway, you can get dies, scoops and a Lee hand press for about $130 right now. Reload factory brass or get Starline. Get a Lymans reloading guide. Your expendables are powder, primers, and bullets. Using the reloading guide, figure out a load that will work with one of your dippers (the guide provides a range of loads from mild to hot -- go for somewhere in the middle and not the high end -- and then find some of that powder, those primers, and those bullets. For me that is Blue Dot and 85 grain XTP JHPs with small pistol primers for 32 H&R. I like the XTPs because I don't have to worry about leading (something "real" reloaders will caution about that is above my head, so I just avoid the issue).

With that setup I can reload about 50 rounds in about as many minutes. That's not enough for a range day (that's what 22 is for), but its enough to stay proficient.

instead of getting a 32 wheelgun, you could get a 38 with more heft than an airweight, like an all steel K6S, Model 60, or SP101.

Factory 148 wadcutters and cowboy loads can be had cheaper than 32s, if you don't mind having one less round.

senorgrand wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2024 1:52 pm instead of getting a 32 wheelgun, you could get a 38 with more heft than an airweight, like an all steel K6S, Model 60, or SP101.

Factory 148 wadcutters and cowboy loads can be had cheaper than 32s, if you don't mind having one less round.

I get that. Really, I do.

My primary purpose for even HAVING a firearm is self defense, and concealability is part of that overall concept. I've fired a S&W Airweight with .38 Spl, and a Ruger with a longer barrel (it was a range rental gun--I don't remember the specifics), and the felt recoil was not a lot of fun. Yeah, I realize that it sounds wimpy, but still.

The Charter Arms "Lilac Lady" Undercoverette is a fair bit smaller than the pistols you mention, holds six rounds, can use H&R Magnum JHP rounds and .32 SW Long range ammo, and will just about fit in the cargo pocket of my uniform trousers with the right holster, should I decide to flaunt the "no firearms" rule my employer and the contract company specify.

And still give fairly decent terminal ballistics if I really need to use the thing.

wings wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2024 6:35 pm The .32 revolvers seem to be making a comeback, and you can even find ammo for them again. Charter Arms doesn't have the best reputation for reliability lately, although that's a common complaint for everyone making wheelguns post-Covid. I've been tempted, but personally I'd look at other manufacturers.

Picking up a snubby that handles .327 gives you the option of .32 H&R, S&W Long and Short, but Long and H&R are reputedly the sweet spot. One thing I've seen mentioned is that .30 Super Carry supposedly uses the same size bullet as .327 Magnum - 0.312 - which should be win/win for everyone when it comes to production.

I fully recognize that it isn't a Colt, or even a Smith & Wesson. But I'm also not paying the prices for either of those marques. The Charter Arms pistol at this nearby store would cost less than half the price of some of those options.

Range ammo will likely be .32 SW Long, because it's the cheapest of the options available that fit the chambers. Even at between four and five tenths of a shekel per round, it's cheaper than the George-plus-per-round of the JHP rounds the store had available, and I've paid more for 9mm when I was starting on my pistol journey in late summer of 2020.

And, yes, I think about reloading, and it's an attractive idea. I don't know that I have the mental bandwidth to start down that path, though (I have elderly folks I'm helping in both my own home and my folks' home, all of whom have some level of age-related memory/cognitive challeges, in addition to having a full-time job, and it's a LOT).

caring for someone with declining cognitive abilities is emotionally and physically exhausting...I get why reloading isn't currently viable

BearPaws wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2024 11:33 pm CowboyT, I have thought about reloading a little bit. I recognize that it could be more economical than buying "ready to use" ammo, once the initial investment in equipment and education is paid off.

I don't know what the break-even point is in terms of "how many rounds," frankly. or whether I trust myself to do the steps with the proper precision to be safe doing so. Frankly, that's a whole other discussion in my mind, even if it's one I'm willing to participate in. Revolver brass is probably easier to harvest than semi-auto brass, after all.

A complete reloading setup, and I do mean complete, can be had for about US $360. Shopping list is here.

https://www.sanfranciscoliberalwithagun ... nners.html

A lot of people say, "BUY DILLON AND DON'T LOOK BACK!!!". However, those are over $1,000 setups, and yeah, that's a bite in the wallet. Dillon may be, say, BMW or Audi...Lee is more like Honda or Toyota. Ain't nuthin' wrong with a Honda or Toyota.

Doing so safely, yes, that is very important. My first box of 50 took me about 4 and a half hours due to the paranoia quintuple-checking that I did. :-) Firing that first box at the range, yeah, there was a little trepidation. Not gonna lie. But everything went just fine. Second box was more like an hour and a half, and things just got better from there. Today, I reload my revolver rounds with a progressive press, and the lessons I learned with that single stage absolutely did carry forward to the progressive as well.

I also saw your post about caring for some older folks. Yeah, that's a full-time job. You may not have the time to do it at this point. That has to come first.

Therefore, I would suggest that you keep your brass from your fired rounds. Someday, you will have the time to do it. And yes, you *can* do it. Believe me, if I can, anyone can. It's a matter of studying the reloading books and just starting slowly. The speed will come with time; reloading's not a race. It's a hobby, and a fun one, that happens to save a lot of people a lot of money in the process and can help ensure practice ammo availability.

I actually did a calculation a number of years ago for the "break even" point. The Lee Pro 1000 press in .38/357 was my benchmark, at about $300. The break-even point turned out to be about 12-15 boxes of ammo (50 rounds each), at that time. For standard "mild" .45 Colt, it was about 8 boxes. For Buffalo Bore-style "wild" .45 Colt, it was two and a half boxes. So, it depends on the round. But worst-case for me was the .38 Special situation at 12-15 boxes. And I've shot waaaaaaayyyy more than that over the years with that same press.

BearPaws wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2024 12:25 am

senorgrand wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2024 1:52 pm instead of getting a 32 wheelgun, you could get a 38 with more heft than an airweight, like an all steel K6S, Model 60, or SP101.

Factory 148 wadcutters and cowboy loads can be had cheaper than 32s, if you don't mind having one less round.

I get that. Really, I do.

My primary purpose for even HAVING a firearm is self defense, and concealability is part of that overall concept. I've fired a S&W Airweight with .38 Spl, and a Ruger with a longer barrel (it was a range rental gun--I don't remember the specifics), and the felt recoil was not a lot of fun. Yeah, I realize that it sounds wimpy, but still.

The Charter Arms "Lilac Lady" Undercoverette is a fair bit smaller than the pistols you mention, holds six rounds, can use H&R Magnum JHP rounds and .32 SW Long range ammo, and will just about fit in the cargo pocket of my uniform trousers with the right holster, should I decide to flaunt the "no firearms" rule my employer and the contract company specify.

And still give fairly decent terminal ballistics if I really need to use the thing.

Doesn't sound wimpy to me. Sounds like you know what you're comfortable shooting. Nothin' wrong with that.

At present, you don't have the bandwidth to reload. If you did, I'd suggest my powder-puff .38 Special load with a little pocket .38 J-frame or Ruger LCR or similar. But that's not your situation. Tell you this: I wouldn't want to get hit with a .32 H&R round! Noooo, thank you! And if you get a pocket revolver in .327 Federal, it can shoot the .32 H&R as well, so I would encourage the .327 Federal-chambered version, for that reason.

As for Charter Arms...Mr. Dick Heller is one of their spokesmen. I know Charter Arms ain't fancy, and they're not quite as refined as, say, a S&W, Colt, or Ruger. But Charter Arms wheelguns work. So do Tauruses, by the way. Taurus semi-autos have been a little iffy, but their wheelguns have been pretty solid. No need to shoot for Lexus LS when a Toyota Corolla will work just fine.

I doubt a would-be assailant would care if it's a Charter Arms, S&W, Colt, Ruger, Taurus, or otherwise when you're pointing it at him/her and telling said assailant to back off or else! :-)

CowboyT wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2024 12:41 pm
Tell you this: I wouldn't want to get hit with a .32 H&R round! Noooo, thank you!

I have long said that I'd much rather be missed by someone shooting .45 than hit with a .25ACP round.

Thanks for the input, and the understanding.

Never having done reloading, I imagine there being some sort of Zen thing when it's going right. When I was a bike shop guy, my favorite task was building bicycle wheels, as much for the Zen part of it as the technical skill part. I also recognize that there is a break-even point, and that it may not be as far off as I think right now.

But the bandwidth part is still an issue for me right now.

BearPaws wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2024 1:15 pm

CowboyT wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2024 12:41 pm
Tell you this: I wouldn't want to get hit with a .32 H&R round! Noooo, thank you!

I have long said that I'd much rather be missed by someone shooting .45 than hit with a .25ACP round.

Thanks for the input, and the understanding.

Never having done reloading, I imagine there being some sort of Zen thing when it's going right. When I was a bike shop guy, my favorite task was building bicycle wheels, as much for the Zen part of it as the technical skill part. I also recognize that there is a break-even point, and that it may not be as far off as I think right now.

But the bandwidth part is still an issue for me right now.

Let me add one other name to the mix and that is Rossi. I've been very, very impressed with the current guns Rossi is selling and would actually place Rossie and Taurus revolvers ahead of Charter Arms.

I carried a S&W 431 for a number of years and it was very good. The recoil is like a standard pressure .38 Special rather than a +P. Nice to have one extra round.

wooglin wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:32 am
They're out there; a quick google search for 327 Federal speedloader will turn them up. Regarding holsters, have you considered the new S&W Ultimate Carry revolver in 32H&R? Basically a j-frame, so lots of holster options.

I looked at that, but it's almost twice the price of the Charter Arms the local shop had. Yes, it may be a bit more reliable, but I'm generally not hard on my firearms.

Here's to hoping I don't hate myself for this one.

I bought a Charter Arms "Lavender Lady" pistol, a couple boxes of H&R Magnum JHP ammo, and a Bianchi holster from a nearby gun store (KYGunCo has two locations, one within five or six miles of the indoor range i use). I have some .32 S&W Long rounds coming for target practice, a couple speedloaders on order, and some snap caps on order.

The gun is cute, and I don't mind the color at all (they had a Pink Lady, too, but that isn't my color. In another life, I have been known for my purple bicycle, and the Lavender is a lighter purple, so...). I like to think I'm man enough that I don't give a damn if someone thinks my purple pistol is "just darling," because, frankly, if they think it's a suggestion that *I* am not "manly," they have bigger problems coming.

As I type this, I haven't gotten to fire it yet, and I'm still a little bit unnerved that I bought this without firing a similar-enough pistol. However, I bought my first two 9mm pistols without having fired a pistol of any caliber in over forty years, so I think I'll be okay. Worst case, I'll find a buyer for this one and lose a few bucks on the whole experiment.