.327 Ruger GP100

[BigSlick]

I'm wondering why Ruger introduced the GP100 .327 before the SHOT Show. Complete speculation on my part, but was it to beat another manufacturer to the punch ?

Is this an early indication that others may be follwoing suit ? Maybe S&W ?

I read Dep's comments about some people complaining about the size/weight etc.. For my intended use, I think it's ideal.

You can't destroy a GP100 without some serious effort and determination, so a new (mini) mag caliber seems to fit the line perfectly in my mind.

Adjustable sights being available (again) are long overdue in a .32 cal revolver.

Any of you heard rumors/rumblings about anyone else coming out with a useable/practicle revolver this model year ?

[MONTEGOD7SS]

I bet a 6" could really be some fun with 100gr XTPs or 115gr Gold Dots. You gonna put one on your short list Slick?

[BigSlick]

Oh yeah I am.

I'd love a 6" version, but a 4 with adjustable sights will make life a lot easier.

Gonna use da GP100 ta work up .32 Mag loads for da Crack Killa ;)

Prolly never buy the first piece of .327 brass. Good thing too, last time I called Starline they said they weren't making it and had no plans to ever make it.

That might change, but whether it does or not, I'm good

[JW6108]

Well (pulling my head out of the sand) I just realized the .327 Fed Magnum is not the .32 H&R Magnum.

Midway lists only three factory loads for it and are backordered on those; also no brass, and if Starline has no plans to make it they must know (or suspect) something. Widener's has brass "on order". Great.

I hope it doesn't turn out to be one of those that leaves the owners stranded, like 5mm Remington Mag, etc.; the good thing would be you are not strapped to one cartridge.

[CZ93X62]

Sorry to hear about Starline's comments concerning 327 Federal brass.

I know next to nothing about cupping & drawing cartridge brass, so I caution readers to not take what follows with a whole ton of serious. Just some random thoughts, really.

Federal had a BUNCH of trouble with some lots of their 32 Magnum brass in past years. Some cases would spring longitudinal cracks on first firing, often 10% of a box of ammo was so affected.

I was told that Starline had a LOT of trouble with the draw process on their 7.62 x 38R Nagant brass, so much so that they discontinued any further manufacturing of that caliber. Perhaps Starline is harking back to that experience with the shorter but otherwise dimensionally similar 327 Federal.

Beats me--30 Carbine doesn't seem to cause that sort of grief & angst.

I haven't heard JACK about S&W doing any 32 caliber revolvers beyond what is already listed on their site, a lone CCW critter. It seems that handgun makers are chasing the sublime and the ridiculous, but nothing in between--CCW micropistols and carriage-mounted megamagnums with 1/2-inch bores. 32 caliber anything, or even the 38 Special with decent sight radius--get little to no love at all.

Meanwhile, the gunmakers and ammomakers wait on each other to see who is going to make the first move on the 327 Federal. Ruger has two aces showing--your turn, Starline.

[Bush Pilot]

I'm wondering why Ruger introduced the GP100 .327 before the SHOT Show. Complete speculation on my part, but was it to beat another manufacturer to the punch ?

Is this an early indication that others may be follwoing suit ? Maybe S&W ?

I read Dep's comments about some people complaining about the size/weight etc.. For my intended use, I think it's ideal.

You can't destroy a GP100 without some serious effort and determination, so a new (mini) mag caliber seems to fit the line perfectly in my mind.

Adjustable sights being available (again) are long overdue in a .32 cal revolver.

Any of you heard rumors/rumblings about anyone else coming out with a useable/practicle revolver this model year ?

They released it before the SHOT Show in order to steal the limelight away from Glock where they were to announce their new carbine. Glock prolly won't mention the rifle now because of the Ruger release.

[jawjaboy]

...in order to steal the limelight away from Glock when they announced their new carbine.

You were suppose to keep that quiet BP.
.

[alank2]

Hi Slick,

Oh yeah I am.
Gonna use da GP100 ta work up .32 Mag loads for da Crack Killa ;)


U gonna have ta think of a good name Slick for dat "GP327". Crack Killa gonna be hard to top. Prolly make the Crack Killa jealous too...best keep them seperated until they can play nice with each other.

Alan

[BigSlick]

I thought about dat, but I got no intention of workin wit .327 Mag unless it gets cheap.

But, I a work .32 Mag like a rented mule an not worry about puttin too much on da crack killa ;)

Somebody gotta make brass, else it a die a slow death... somebody besides Hornady that is

[CZ93X62]

The whole 327 Brass Debacle has me all bent outta shape. SOMEBODY needs to get off their azpiration, for sure.

Meanwhile, I have a whole raft of 30 Carbine rounds sitting around here with nothing to do since I traded the Marlin 62 off in October. There's a 30 Carbine Blackhawk at the local toy emporium that keeps calling to me, everytime I'm in there. I've had one of these previously, and DAMN that's a loud freakin' revolver.

As is often the case, some of the Cast Boolits maniacs got my mind working on another couple projects that will involve another gun and more tool time. Drat them, anyway!

First, the resolution of cases too large for Ruger charge holes--easy, just run them up farther into the tapered 30 Carbine sizer die, then mallet them out with a drive rod. No problemo.

The more intriguing gig is to run 32-20 casings into a 30 Carbine die--fire-form--and have rimmed cases for better headspacing in the revopistol.

Tell ya what--the Ruger roller shot better at 50 yards than any M-1 Carbine I've ever fired, excepting that Marlin M-62. And there's folks reporting 1550-1600 FPS velocities from the Ruger 30Roller.

A viable, right-now option for a mid-caliber magnum revolver, for which no tooling or components (other than another revolver) is required.

[BigSlick]

I hear ya.

If Starline doesn't make brass now, they will soon as Remington starts makin it.

They musta had their hida chapped pretty good at Ruger or Federal, or someone about something. They make a lotta low volume brass, no idea why they won't make .327.

I see it outsellin a lot of the other calibers they make

[CZ93X62]

I speculated in another thread about this. Starline had a real bad time with case loss during the production of the 7.62 x 38R Nagant brass, so much so that the company swore they would never make anothr run of the caliber. Maybe the "longer 30/32 revolver brass" experience is being transposed onto the 327 Federal concept. Dunno.

[BigSlick]

I can understand the 38R Nagant brass, it's thin as an Obama promise, but the little bit of .327 Mag I've seen just looks like a longer .32 Mag, or a .38 Special in small.

Easy to make I would imagine, but, I have zero experience in making brass from scratch.

I hope they do make it, otherwise the caliber will indeed die.

No way in hell people gonna pay retail for ammo enough to support the caliber when there are too many other viable (similar) alternatives.

I'm likin .32 Mag more every day. I know damn well (now) Ruger can cut a cylinder short and accommodate a .32 Mag GP100.

If brass doesn't come available, a new cylinder is cheap ;)

[CZ93X62]

Swap-cylinder GP-100 in 32 Magum AND 32-20.......HIJO LA!

[craig110]

I'm thinking the same way you are, Slick. I got interested in it when the .327 came out (I like versatile platforms) and if I were to ever get a roller it would likely be a .327 -- if the caliber takes off enough to get component manufacturers to supply stuff for it. Buying (expensive) commercial ammo to get enough brass to make it a viable long-term caliber for me just doesn't sit well.

[Blackdog]

Someone is currently offering the new .327 GP100 on RugerForum.com classifieds. $529 shipped.

[BigSlick]

GP 100 oughta be right at $400 or so but that was last year pricing on .357 Mag

I'd wait till da new wears off of em a little, maybe 6 months plus a little then check around for pricing

[CZ93X62]

One of the quasi-local members of Cast Boolits raised a bit of hell with the Starline folks at the SHOT Show over the 327 Federal question, to a degree that the rep gave our member a phone number at Starline to speak with the Hefe about the matter, then ran off to hide. This same guy got some non-responsive feedback from CCI over primers and timeline, too. He stepped on a few toes, and it's about time someone did. Good on ya, CBRick!

Maybe Ruger's pre-intro of the 327 revolvers was done to get a little heat applied to the feet of Starline and other ammomakers. 14 months of primer shortage and a longer wait for cartridge brass of all sizes is getting old, and I'm not so certain that panic buying is entirely responsible for the widespread lack of componentry. I think some manufacturers need to get off their decadent asses--get more staff hired and trained--and get their products out to consumers. More folks working + more materiel in consumer pipeline = all good. Sounds more like lazy administration and skeleton staffing to me, after this length of time.

[Trooperdan]

Meanwhile, I have a whole raft of 30 Carbine rounds sitting around here with nothing to do since I traded the Marlin 62 off in October. un and more tool time. Drat them, anyway!



Dang CZ you traded a M62? I have two, one in .30 C and one in .256 WM... I'd have bid on yours just to make an odd number of them! I love 'em!

[Bush Pilot]

A local dealer has a GP100 in 327 for $519.00 and a stainless blackhawk in the same caliber for $479.00, what a waste of metal. I can't wait until Ruger produces a 45 Colt/GAP combo.

[Blackdog]

I can't wait until Ruger produces a 45 Colt/GAP combo.

Sounds like a revolver that rolls both ways.

[CZ93X62]

Dang CZ you traded a M62? I have two, one in .30 C and one in .256 WM... I'd have bid on yours just to make an odd number of them! I love 'em!

You would have needed an FN/Husqvarna Mauser 98 in 30-06 to bid. That's what I got in trade.