Hammerless .327 magnum?

[JWKilgore]

My mom carries a 6-shot S&W .32 revolver. I didn't think it was a .32 Magnum, but the only similar gun I can find after searching online is the 631LS. Did S&W make a Lady Smith in .32 Long? It's a beautiful gun, stainless with rosewood grips. She carries this gun now (it's legal to carry in a vehicle in Mississippi), but I've been pressuring her into getting a carry permit and having it with her at all times. She works at an auto parts store in a small town and often carries the day's cash deposit to the bank after hours.

Anyway, that's just background, not the question. She has expressed interest in a hammerless revolver. How difficult would it be to bob the hammer on her existing gun? Would it be better (for potential resale value) to REPLACE the hammer with a bobbed version and keep the original intact? Everything I've heard about defensive carry is to use factory rounds and NEVER EVER modify the gun, because a lawyer will use that against you in a civil lawsuit. But a bobbed hammer makes a DA/SA revolver LESS accurate, so I'm thinking this might be the exception.

Second topic:

Optionally, I was thinking about going in with my dad and brother and getting her one for Christmas, but I was also wanting to upgrade to a hammerless .327 Magnum snub nose. She would be able to practice with cheaper .32 Long rounds, but carry .327 rounds which might actually stop a drugged up bad guy. Unfortunately, the only one I can find is the S&W 632, which at over $800 is a bit out of the immediate price range, and she would consider it "ugly" (or can we swap out grips?). I was hoping for something more like $500.

Is the .327 Magnum just too new of a cartridge to have a large selection of revolvers, or has it already peaked and is slowly fading into obscurity? When I first researched the round I thought it had lots of potential... a revolver load shootable by small-handed women (like my little 5'-2" mom) capable of mushrooming and actually stopping a bad guy instead of just making him mad by poking little .32 or .22 holes in him, with less recoil and one more shot than a .357 J-frame. Charter and Taurus used to make a revolvers chambered in .327 magnum, but I can't find them listed on their website (discontinued?). The Ruger SP101 has a hammer and a 3" barrel, so not what I'm looking for.

[MacGyver]

The 632 is usually a little closer to $600 on the street. Taurus makes a 327 hammerless, too. I think it's called a model 327. They're less than $300 on the street.

[MacGyver]

Both Freedom Arms on the high end and Charter Arms on the lower end make 327 Federal models, too. Neither are hammerless, though.

[jcoosi]

I was at the local range and the guy behind the counter was showing me the 327 magnum from s&w and was telling me how when he was shooting it because of the port in front of the front sight had bad muzzle flash.Also said he could feel his cheeks burn after shooting it.He was using 327 mag federal ammo.He offered to let me shoot it but I declined the offer.You may want to let her shoot it first before buying it.

Edited December 7, 2011 by jcoosi

[A.J. Holst]

I wouldn't rule out the SP, the 3" is only 3/4 inch longer than the "traditional" Roger snub. The hammer can be bobbed and there probably dao hammers available for it.

[Guest dubaholic2]

we have a sp101 in .327 with CT grips used at work (gander mtn.) for $749. not a great deal, but its a nice piece.

[china coaster]

Bud's sells a 2" stainless hidden Hammer 6 shot 327 for $270

[Capbyrd]

Ruger® SP101® Double-Action Revolver Model 5759

[Guest dubaholic2]

Ruger® SP101® Double-Action Revolver Model 5759

this is what we have at work, but with CT grips.