Any progress with the .327 Federal?

[Rusty]

I saw a while back some folks were getting some of the Henry's in .327 Federal but no one has posted anything about them. How are they doing?

To add more fuel to the fire I see where Lipsey's now has a .327 Single Seven with a Bisley grip.

[BenT]

Handled the Lipsey Bisley grip single seven and Bisley grip Single six in 32 H&R at my Buddy's shop. Both are Lipsey's exclusive. I liked the 32 H&r because of the 6 1/2 inch barrel.

That being said I did get the Henry steel with the 16 inch barrel. I like it a lot for plinking. I put a Skinner low pro sight on it. Now it is just a matter of playing with loads to find out what shoots good in the rifle and handguns. I chronied my standard 32 H&R load of 5.1 grains of AA5 with a 100gr Rainer and it averaged about 1250 FPS. I just need some time to play with other loads. If anyone wants to share their favorite loads for 32 H&R .

[Rusty]

Thanks Ben, that sounds like a good time.

[Ray]

Deleted.

[earlmck]

I would like to have a lever to play with but right now I just have a Ruger SP101. I've made one trip to the range: small variety of loads in Red Dot, Blue Dot, and IMR Blue. Wild Wild velocity variations with all loads. Red Dot loads came in 150 fps lower average than the QuickLoad predicted; Blue Dot very close to predicted (that huge difference in predictability by powder hadn't happened to me before so was very interesting). And it shot better on tin cans than you'd expect from the huge velocity variations. Just Re-read Brian Pearce's article in Feb 2015 "Handloader". Back out today to try some different primers -- all loads from the first try were with Win. SP's.

This will be a fun shooter with the lighter loads; maybe less "fun" with the heavier: the SP101 is kinda' small for my hand in its factory configuration.

[earlmck]

The wind was so stiff yesterday I did not go out to shoot the 327 pistola. I satisfied myself with whumping up and shooting some firelapping loads using my little 32/20 bullet "lubed" with fire lap compound. 1.4 grains of Red Dot was deadly accurate at 8 feet into my rag bin, and gave 100% in getting through the barrel. Also a good way to slug the barrel (.311 if anybody is interested). I went out in the shop and closed the door and it must not have been very loud because the bride didn't ask "what are you banging on out there?" like she has with more potent loads.

I think this load would put the bullet on through a rifle barrel but if I were doing a rifle I might up it to 2 grains just to be sure it got through the barrel. Though they do pound back out without too much trouble if one sticks, has been my limited experience (experience usually done when slugging a barrel as this "fire slugging" is my normal technique).

[earlmck]

I shot some more loads through the SP101 today even though the wind was gusting pretty good. A 65 degree wind , so not too uncomfortable.

Totally different chronographing experience today: I used Winchester small pistol, Federal small pistol magnum, and CCI small pistol primers as Brian Pierce had found his revolver to be terribly picky about primers. And last time out I had wild velocity variations with WSP, standard deviations running 45 or greater. Today no matter what primer or powder (I had Red Dot and Universal powders) velocity variations were more normal and I had SDs of right around 20 fps. In my shooter the 4.6 grain Red Dot load gave me a decent group at a velocity of 1100 fps (SD=20) but quite sticky extraction. So that load is too hot for my baby. All others seemed nice and 5.2 grains Universal with CCI 500 primer gave 1145 fps (SD=21) and the best group and this may be my tin can plinkin' load. The Federal SPM primer gave a slightly more consistent velocity (SD=19) but the CCI SP primer gave the somewhat better group.

Done experimenting: next time we're rolling some tin cans.

Today's loads were made exactly the same as I did a few days ago: I'm still using new cases (never fired or resized) and seating die set the same for length and crimp. Is there any chance the fire lapping had the effect of reducing the wild velocity variations I experienced the other day?