By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
When it first appeared on the scene back in 1984, the .32 H&R Magnum was touted as an alternative for personal protection, but at the time, when I was working as an editor at a now-defunct regional outdoors newspaper, this reporter quickly recognized its potential for small game, al the way up to bobcats, coyotes and even cougars.
Capable of pushing a 100-grain JSP or JHP bullet at better than 1,000 fps with the proper powder charge, the .32 H&R has proven its worth many times over, and even today—despite being somewhat overshadowed in recent years by the .327 Federal Magnum—it still remains a powerhouse. This is why I’ve held onto my little single-action Ruger Single Six, a fixed-sight model with a slightly shortened grip frame, 4 5/8-inch barrel and stainless steel construction. It’s a pretty good shooter when using a two-hand hold, and I’d hazard an educated guess that out to maybe 50 yards, I could probably bonk a fat cottontail rabbit or something bigger.
My little revolver came with faux ivory grips, but I swapped them out for a Pachmayr wraparound rubber grip designed to fit the full-length grip frame of the Single Six and my Blackhawk. The Pachmayr fits my hand better and it soaks up the recoil; with my handloads, the little Ruger can buck some when the trigger is pressed!
Years ago, I had wanted to acquire a Single Six in .32 H&R with a 6 ½-inch barrel and adjustable sights. At the time, raising a young family brought with it the normal expenses of parenthood and the household budget wouldn’t handle what some folks might have considered a frivolous purchase. Nowadays, I can’t find one in decent condition for a decent price. Checking online, every retail outlet lists this model as “out of stock.”
My particular sixgun came out of the box with a fairly good action, and using Black Hills and Federal factory loads, it shoots pretty well to point-of-aim, provided I do my part, not bad for a revolver with a traditional front blade and rear notch on the frame. I knocked together a lined strong side holster and a 12-round belt slide cartridge carrier, and the little handgun carries well for day hikes.
As I have noted repeatedly, yours truly does not venture of the pavement and away from civilization without some sort of sidearm. Life in the Pacific Northwest carries with it the understanding that one might occasionally encounter things with claws and nasty dispositions, and I neither fancy myself an Arnold Schwarzenegger clone or the main course of a predator’s dinner, so my adventures afield invariably include something that goes ‘BANG!’ if the situation calls for it.
Weighing about 32 ounces loaded, my specimen’s barrel is cut with six lands and grooves on a 1:16-inch righthand twist. The stainless finish works well in my Northwest environment, where if it’s not raining, it is probably getting ready to rain. It still gets a bath in Hoppe’s No. 9 when the shooting is finished—which reminds me, I’ve got a bunch of empty brass that needs to be reloaded—and for my next batch of cartridges, I’ll be trying the 100-grain Hornady XTPs.
Over the years, handguns chambered for the .32 H&R Magnum have been produced by Harrington & Richardson, Ruger, Charter Arms, Smith & Wesson, the latter including the introduction earlier this year of a Model 432 J-Frame ‘Smith with a 6-round cylinder, no internal locking device, fixed sights and a 1.88-inch barrel which makes it a good choice for concealed carry. This model is a joint venture between S&W and Lipsey’s. It weighs 16.3 ounces, is double-action-only, wears G10 grips, has an aluminum frame and stainless barrel, black finish and night sights.
For handloaders, the .32 H&R is no slouch. There are scores of load recommendations in various manuals, using a variety of bullet weights from a 77-grain cast led flat point to 100-grain jacketed pills, and there are abundant propellant choices including such stalwarts as HP-38 and Winchester 231, CFE Pistol, HS-6, AutoComp, Universal, and I’ve got an old Speer manual (No. 11) with recommendations for 2400 and H110! In short, the handloader has a broad choice of recipes from which to choose.
I’ve never considered myself under-gunned when hunting for small game if I’ve got my .32 H&R-chambered Ruger Single-Six on my belt. Hopefully, it’ll be there on many adventures still over the horizon.
