The 32 S&W cartridge dates back to the late 1870s, and the 32 S&W Long is slightly newer. It was introduced in the late 1890s. This round took the same route as the 38- and 44-caliber cartridges. Shooters wanted more power, so the cartridge case was lengthened to add more powder. In 1984, Harrington & Richardson (H&R) partnered with Federal and lengthened the 32 S&W Long case and called it the 32 H&R Magnum. This cartridge offers low recoil with energy levels similar to a 38 Special. The advantage of 32 H&R Magnum over the 38 Special was the former holds six shots compared to the latter, which holds five shots in the same size revolver. The 32 H&R Magnum nearly succumbed and became a mere footnote in Cartridges Of The World. In 2008, Federal increased the case length again and introduced the 327 Federal Magnum which was intended to provide similar ballistics as the 357 Magnum; again the advantage is more round capacity with the 32 Federal Magnum compared to the 357 Magnum in the same-size revolver. Plus, there is less recoil with the 32 Federal Magnum. If you think the 327 Federal Magnum is ballistically the same as a 357 Magnum, then we have a bridge in Brooklyn we’d like to sell you.
Taurus 856 Defender Ultra-Lite 2-85639ULNS 38 Special +P
The six-shot 856 offered good accuracy and is ultra-lightweight. The DA trigger pull was smooth but heavy, with a bit of stack-ing. We liked the bold AmeriGlo day/night front sight.
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