Any chance for bringing back the SP101 in .327 Fed Mag?

Is there any chance for Ruger to bring back the SP101 in .32 H&R Magnum and/or .327 Fed Mag? I previously owned a SP101 in .327 and currently own one in .32 H&R Magnum. What a great revolver! Six rounds, great sights (adjustable rear sight) and perfectly balanced in the 3" version. I think the SP101 would sell in either cartridge but from a production perspective, Ruger could make both with essentially the same pieces -- only the model in .327 would have a cylinder bored out an extra 1/10th of an inch. Judging by the prices the SP101 commands in .327 Fed Mag, if you can find one, there is real demand out there. In either cartridge, this makes a great kit gun. It can be a legit self-defense round with some of the better .32 H&R ammo (think Buffalo Bore) and of course in .327 Fed Mag it readily exceeds the .38 +P in energy. I know the .327 Fed Mag is loud, and has quite a muzzle flash, but what a great round!

Has anyone heard about Ruger bringing back the .327 Fed Mag in the SP101? It would make a great companion to the Single Seven... for those who want a nice plinker with some self-defense capability, the .32 H&R SP101 could be offered as well. I'd buy a SP101 in .327 Fed Mag, at retail SP101 prices (~$500) in a heartbeat.

I think there is more chance it will show up in a LCR before it shows up in the SP-101 again. :shock:
Terry T

.327 favors a longer barrel -- 3" is about the practical minimum (although there have been .327's with shorter barrels). But don't know if the LCR could handle the chamber pressure - the SP101 is a very robust revolver.

LCR is offered in .357 mag. Are the .327 mag chamber pressures higher?
Terry T

It would be nice. I have some Federal ammo, but no gun to shoot it in

The .32 H&R/.327 Federal have apparently been a sales bust for a long time. They have a small but enthusiastic following but the emphasis seems to be on "small". Companies don't discontinue products that sell well and apparently these guns didn't meet that requirement.

Even Gallery of Guns (Davidsons), which has a special relationship with Ruger, doesn't list any Ruger handgun, single or double action, in .327 Federal.

Terry T said:

LCR is offered in .357 mag. Are the .327 mag chamber pressures higher?
Terry T

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327 Fed Mag at 45,000 psi max is much higher pressure than 357 M (35,000 psi max), and most other common handgun calibers. It is closing in on triple 38 Special pressure, which is around 17,000 max psi for standard loads.

327 is a serious self defense caliber.

I would buy a 6" GP100 327. Not holding my breath.

RugerRover said:

.327 favors a longer barrel -- 3" is about the practical minimum (although there have been .327's with shorter barrels). But don't know if the LCR could handle the chamber pressure - the SP101 is a very robust revolver.

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+1 The .327 muzzle energy drops really rapidly under 3". At around 2.5" and below you'll actually get more muzzle energy (and much less flash-boom) from a revolver in 9mm.

So, I'd really like to see the SP-101 in 9mm +P...and am considering an LCR in 9mm (though I prefer the SP-101 by far).

I reamed my 4" 32 mag SP101 to 327 Federal and boy did it ever shoot better. I even run a finish reamer into my Blackhawk cylinder because the chambers were so poorly cut and a lot of metal was removed from each chamber. Both guns shoot beautifully now and the process is highly recommended if anyone wants to have a 32 that shoots like it should.
I wish the SP101 would reappear in 327 and maybe a 77/327

A few years ago a friend of mine tried selling his 327 Federal SP101. At the time, he couldn't give it away. It didn't interest me at the time either. Now it does, but the revolver is long gone of course.

One thing that I think is worth mentioning here, since so many folks point out that the 327FM loses a lot at 3" or less barrels...

With appropriate loading, higher pressure rounds lose less in short barrels than lower pressure rounds.