The Ruger Single-Six Revolver has been around since 1953. Since then, there have been a multitude of different models of this handy small-framed single action. It was on a Ruger Single-Six 22 that I first learned how to shoot a handgun and I suspect that is the case for a lot of people. A couple of years ago Ruger came out with a special model of this wheel gun as an exclusive for one of their distributors. This version is called the Single-Seven and it is chambered in .327 Federal Magnum.
The Ruger .327 Single-Seven.
What the heck is .327?
“.327? Don’t you mean .357?” This was said to me at the range one day while I was working on this review. It was also repeated multiple times by employees in gun shops while I was searching for ammo. Even though the .327 was released a decade ago, there are a lot of shooters that are not familiar with this little cartridge. So, in case this one is new to you too, let us take a quick look at the development and the idea behind the .327 Federal Magnum.
The .32 caliber is nothing new. Colt, Smith & Wesson, and Winchester were making firearms in .32 back in the 19th century. The 32-20 Winchester even had a song about it by the infamous bluesman Robert Johnson. The first pistol cartridge that John Browning designed was the 32 ACP. Until the advent of the .327, the most powerful .32 handgun cartridge was the .32 H&R Magnum. The H&R was designed to be used in small revolvers and provide 38 Special-like energy. The idea being that you could get six rounds in the same sized cylinder that would only hold five .38s. The .327 Federal Magnum has the same basic concept of the .32 H&R but increases the performance closer to that of the .357. You can also see where they came up with the idea of calling it the .327.
Buffalo Bore and Jamison Brass and Ammo both make .327.
Federal Cartridge and Ruger developed the .327 in 2007-08 from the .32 H&R case. The case length of the .327 is a 1/8 th of an inch longer and has a strengthened web, thicker case walls and uses different heat treatment and case material. This all allows for higher pressures and velocities. According to SAAMI, the .327 has about a 400-500 fps advantage over the .32 H&R depending on bullet weight. There are also heavier bullets available for the .327.
One other thing to note: none of the .32s are actually .32 in size. They are actually .312. Of course, a .38 isn’t really a .38 either.
Lipsey’s Dealer Exclusive
Lipsey’s and Ruger have been teaming up for some special editions for a number of years now. If you are not familiar with the name Lipsey’s, they are a firearms wholesaler based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If you take a look through Ruger’s Catalog you will find a version or two of just about every gun they make that has an exclusive for Lipsey’s. That is what this Single-Seven is. Here are some specs on the review gun:
- ACTION: Single Action
- FINISH: Satin Blue
- FRAME: Steel Frame with Aluminum Grip Frame
- STOCK/GRIPS: Black Micarta
- WEIGHT: 31 oz.
- CALIBER: 327 Federal Magnum Can also fire 32H&R Mag, 32 S&W Long, and 32 S&W
- CAPACITY: 7
- BARREL: 4-5/8″
- RATE-OF-TWIST: 1-in-16
- SIGHTS: XS Front Sight/Adjustable Rear
- SAFETY: Transfer Bar
This Single-Seven is a Dealer Exclusive to Lipsey’s.
Sights
The front sight on this revolver is a bit different from what you typically find on a factory Ruger. It is made by XS Sights and is essentially a tall post with a big white dot. This is not a glowing night sight, but the brightness of the white dot will make it easy to pick up in low light. Another thing about the sight is that it sits a bit higher than a factory sight. Out of the box, the review gun was shooting about 2 inches high from 50 feet. The windage was fine, just the elevation. This is nothing that a little adjustment can’t fix.
The big white dot is easy to pick up.
Fit & Finish
This is a good-looking revolver. The black grips match pretty closely to the frame and barrel of the Ruger. As with most of the aluminum grip frames, the color of it is a little lighter than the bluing of the steel parts. Not really a big deal, but it is always something I notice. I do really like the contrast of the bright metal on the sides of the hammer and the trigger.
The grips feel very good in my hands. That is one of the things I really like about the Ruger Single-Six sized revolvers. They are a bit smaller than their Blackhawk counterparts, but not so small that they are hard to get a good grip on. The finish on the grips is a matte. It is a bit slick and could pose a bit of an issue with wet hands. Of course, if this is something that is easily changed if you are so inclined.
You can see the slightly different shade of black on the grip frame. The matte black on the grips is a nice touch.
The cylinder is tight and has very little back and forth play. The timing is correct and the lockup is solid. The action is smooth, especially for a new revolver that has not been cycled a lot or had an action job on it. That is not to say that a little bit of polishing on the internals wouldn’t make it even smoother. The trigger broke cleanly and with little to no creep at just over 4 pounds.
Shooting
This is a fun wheel gun to shoot. Even with the hottest .327 ammo I could find, the recoil is still very mild and manageable. I think the closest comparison I can think of in regards to the recoil is that of a 22 Magnum. It is a bit more than that, but far less than even a .38 Special or a 9mm. I also had a box of .32 Smith and Wesson Long. The recoil from the smaller cartridge was more in line with a 22 LR.
3 rounds in hand from 25 feet.
I had zero failures of any kind with the Ruger Single-Seven. Granted, this is a single-action revolver and they are just about as reliable as it gets. I was able to consistently get 1-inch groups from 50 feet off a bench. They did open up with shooting off hand, but that is me not the gun.
Data and Ammo
I wanted to chronograph the different ammo I was able to find for the .327. The “able to find” is a key point here. I checked at a couple of the “big-box” retailers in town for .327 on the shelf. There was zero to be found. When I finally located a store worker that had at least heard of a .327, I was told they had not had any in a year or so. Luckily one of the well stocked local gun shops did have two different offerings in this caliber along with some 32 S&W Long. I bought all of the .327 they had, which was 5 boxes in total. So if you are looking at a .327, be advised that ammo is not super easy to find. It does appear to be in stock at most of the online retailers.
The ammo I did find was from Buffalo Bore and Jamison Brass and Ammunition. The Buffalo Bore was the hottest of the two. It was loaded with 130-grain hard cast Keith SWC. The Buffalo Bore box stated 1300 fps, I recorded closer to 1500.
Buffalo Bore.
The Jamison was loaded with a 78-grain round nosed. They claimed 1350 fps, and I found them to be pretty close with a 5-round average of 1290.
Jamison Brass and Ammunition.
The Aguila .32 Smith and Wesson Long was loaded with a 98-grain round nose. I recorded about 550 fps with these.
The .32 S&W Long is a bit of a slacker.
Thoughts and Opinion
This is a well-made revolver. It simply works. Simply. That is the great thing about single-action revolvers, they are simple. More often than not, it is the simple things that work the best. A trusty single-action revolver is my number one choice for a sidearm in bear country as they tend to work in the harshest of conditions when your life might depend on it. But in bear country, I would not choose the .327 — you need a bit more power and penetration for that application.
There are two main reasons I do think the .327 has a place and is relevant. First, it is fairly powerful and you can get an extra round over a .38 or .357 in the same sized revolver. The review gun holds 7 rounds. Ruger also makes these in their light-weight concealed carry LCR with a six-round count. That extra round can be a big deal if your life was on the line.
The other reason is the mild recoil. This would make a very solid choice for someone who is recoil sensitive. One of the worst things you can have is a carry gun that the user is afraid to shoot. A revolver with mild recoil sending a 130-grain projectile at around 1,500 fps is nothing to sneeze at.
Visit Ruger to learn more about the Single-Seven chambered in .327 HERE.