The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

BillCA · August 22, 2008, 04:32 AM

The .32 Long is not a very powerful cartridge, as I mentioned before. Will it kill someone? Sure. Will it drop that 250 pound, crack-using gorilla of a man with one shot? Probably not. Though we are fortunate that those kinds of contacts are fairly rare. (It's debateable that almost any handgun could perform a reliable one-shot stop on a drugged attacker).

You might want to ask around your local gun shops or dealers to see if they can find you one of these.

S&W Model 432, .32 H&R Magnum

Up until not long ago, both Ruger and S&W had backlogs of .32 H&R Magnum revolvers. They did not sell as well as expected. The .32 H&R Magnum is a slightly more powerful round than the .32 Long, but still has low recoil - it's just a bit noiser. Typical loads push an 85g Hydrashok bullet at about 1100 fps/220 ft-lbs (4") or a 98 gr LRN at about 1000 fps. Charter Arms may also still sell a .32 H&R revolver in their lineup.

Ruger and Federal Cartridge have introduced a new round called the .327 Federal Magnum. It's a slightly longer .32 H&R but with significantly more gee-whiz. This new cartridge is still hard to find and no doubt expensive comparatively. But it sends a 115g Gold Dot downrange at 1330 fps (452 ft-lbs) and a 100gr RNL at 1400 fps (435 ft-lbs) out of a 3-inch Ruger SP-101 revolver. Ruger and Charter Arms are currently the only options for this round.

Another option, if your wife's hands are not on the small side, is something like a Model 625 revolver in .45 ACP. The sturdy large frame dampens the recoil significantly and these make excellent self-defense guns. Taurus made a 5-shot .45ACP snubby that recoils a bit more, but is still controllable.

Take your wife to a gun shop and let her handle a few pistols. One that I'd suggest she try is the Beretta 92FS/M9 pistol. Usually the slides are lighter and easier to operate than a 1911. This gives her a 9mm with 10/15 rounds in the magazine depending on your state laws.

If money is a consideration (and it frequently is) you can find a nice "pre-owned" S&W Model 10 Military & Police revolver in .38 Special that will serve nicely, for well under $350.

Ammo is easy to get, reasonably priced and the manual of arms is the same. It's probably the most commonly used type of home defense revolver.

August 22, 2008, 04:32 AM	#19
BillCA Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2004 Location: Silicon Valley, Ca Posts: 7,117	The .32 Long is not a very powerful cartridge, as I mentioned before. Will it kill someone? Sure. Will it drop that 250 pound, crack-using gorilla of a man with one shot? Probably not. Though we are fortunate that those kinds of contacts are fairly rare. (It's debateable that almost any handgun could perform a reliable one-shot stop on a drugged attacker). You might want to ask around your local gun shops or dealers to see if they can find you one of these. S&W Model 432, .32 H&R Magnum Up until not long ago, both Ruger and S&W had backlogs of .32 H&R Magnum revolvers. They did not sell as well as expected. The .32 H&R Magnum is a slightly more powerful round than the .32 Long, but still has low recoil - it's just a bit noiser. Typical loads push an 85g Hydrashok bullet at about 1100 fps/220 ft-lbs (4") or a 98 gr LRN at about 1000 fps. Charter Arms may also still sell a .32 H&R revolver in their lineup. Ruger and Federal Cartridge have introduced a new round called the .327 Federal Magnum. It's a slightly longer .32 H&R but with significantly more gee-whiz. This new cartridge is still hard to find and no doubt expensive comparatively. But it sends a 115g Gold Dot downrange at 1330 fps (452 ft-lbs) and a 100gr RNL at 1400 fps (435 ft-lbs) out of a 3-inch Ruger SP-101 revolver. Ruger and Charter Arms are currently the only options for this round. Another option, if your wife's hands are not on the small side, is something like a Model 625 revolver in .45 ACP. The sturdy large frame dampens the recoil significantly and these make excellent self-defense guns. Taurus made a 5-shot .45ACP snubby that recoils a bit more, but is still controllable. Take your wife to a gun shop and let her handle a few pistols. One that I'd suggest she try is the Beretta 92FS/M9 pistol. Usually the slides are lighter and easier to operate than a 1911. This gives her a 9mm with 10/15 rounds in the magazine depending on your state laws. If money is a consideration (and it frequently is) you can find a nice "pre-owned" S&W Model 10 Military & Police revolver in .38 Special that will serve nicely, for well under $350. Ammo is easy to get, reasonably priced and the manual of arms is the same. It's probably the most commonly used type of home defense revolver. __________________ BillCA in CA (Unfortunately)