Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns S&W 16-4

I was going to buy one of the New Pythons when I could find one for MSRP or less but since there are a few issues I will wait to see how Colt works them out. I was thinking about using that money to buy a Colt New Frontier .357 Mag to convert to 10mm but that would also require a lot more money to throw at it so I am going to put that on the back burner for the moment and go a totally different route. I have found a 4 inch S&W Model 16-4 .32 H&R Magnum. I am going to have the chamber lengthened to the .327 Federal and if I can find a suitable spare cylinder have it chambered in .32-20 WCF and fitted. I am thinking about either David Clements or Alan Harton for the job unless someone has done it before and can recommend someone else

Look Ma! No damn keyhole abomination!

Mine’s a 6”, one of my favorite revolvers. I don’t feel that the rechamber is worth it unless you plan to carry it for SD. You’ll lose value if you ever decide to sell and you can load the 32 H&R to the gills in the K frame if you want to. Finding a K22 cylinder and having it reamed to 32/20 sounds cool, though I’ve been led to believe the 32 H&R or 327 brass is much better and easier to work with.

Sure wish I’d have gotten the Combats with mine, it came with targets that I still have but I prefer Magnas to targets. imagehosting

Sweet. I was actually looking for the 6 inch but the price on the 4 inch is hard to pass up and easier to carry

Plus I have a crap load of .327 Ammo still

Cool. My neighbor has two of those!

I think she'd get mad if I shot them....woulda made a nice Christmas dinner though

Those are NICE guns....

Last year I found a S&W 632 PRO .327 that shot better than any snubbie I've ever owned. But since I'm not much of a snubbie person and it would never get carried when the chance for a trade for a 4" 16-4 came up I grabbed it.

Have thought about having the chamber deepened to take .327 and may do it. I believe Jack Huntington of JRH Precision will do it without even having to send the gun. Several posters over on the S&W forums have found extra cylinders and have saved their original cylinder to keep the collector value and had the extra rechambered to .327.

Was LNIB...




Had Jack turn a S&W Model 53 into a .327 by using an old burned out barrel and the extra .22 Rimfire cylinder. Have the barrel that was on the gun and .22 Jet cylinder so it can be put back to Jet if some future owner wanted to...







This was the 632 PRO...




Great cartridge...to bad S&W has it head up it's Corporate Butthole and doesn't make .327s anymore.. If Colt was smart they would bring out their King Cobra in .327...

Bob

Went ahead and told them to hold the 16-4 for me

I doubt you’ll regret it.

If you cast bullets the RCBS 98SWC is a peach. Also the funny little Lee SWC that looks like a crayon is a great shooter and kills small game well without undue destruction.

I followed Skeeter Skelton’s lead and use mostly AA5 for all loads. 5 grains under a 90-100gr SWC is a nice load that offers a little more than factory ballistics but isn’t just standing on the pedal.

I have talked to Hamilton Bowen and he can either rechamber this one to .327 Federal or if I can find a K Frame .22 cylinder he can rebore it. If I can find 2 I can have a .32-20 also!

Nice pieces gents. Until very recently my 32 Mags were a trio of Single Six's, a 4 5/8", a 6 1/2" and a 6 1/2" Bisley. I acquired this one. I saw it on a Friday, passed and hoped all weekend grabbing it on the following Monday. I have been out once with it and it really liked the 100 gr XTP handload. So far, more accurate than the Ruger's.

Yeah, I would have bought that over the new Python too. Just one seriously cool revolver.

I love the K frames. They just feel right and look more proportional than the big N frames

OMG, those 16-4s are gorgeous. I have become a worse slut for 327s than for 41s.

Those would make fine 327s and with a good 120 and a top load of 296, they would give up little to a 38 +P.

I have been casting for my Shiloh Sharps rifles and my .480 Ruger so I do plan on casting for the little .32 also. I will have to get a few molds for it. I want to have a heavy bullet to use on our small Florida deer and maybe a pig or two. Might try it in Turkey too. I also want a small game load that I can shoot coyote or bobcat with and a plinking load. Definitely need a few molds

Friend took a doe a few years ago using the standard Federal American Eagle 100 grain soft point...it is one of the hotter rounds on the market. This was in a 5.5" Ruger Single-Seven I believe.

I have a Accurate Molds 31-120S and a friend just ordered the 31-135S...same nose design, just different length.


I also have the MP 140 grain that can be hollowpointed...

https://www.mp-molds.com/product/311-140-sledgehammer-hollow-point-multi-choice-no-lube-groove/


Another good one is suppose to be the 130:

https://www.mp-molds.com/product/327-joulnir-hollow-point-4-cavity-mold/


..also if you have not seen it, this Gunblast article has some good information...

https://gunblast.com/Freedom-Harton327.htm

Bob

Bob, I think my Accurate mold also does the 120 S. That is the one designed for the shorter cylinder of the S Seven???

Powder coated and loaded over a full case of 296/H110, it is my favorite bullet. And is the one loaded in the LCRx when it is in my pocket

I am sure it would be adequate to the task of killing smallish deer or pigs at close range. One of those lovely S&W or the 4 inch SP 101 would be the perfect tool for the job. My local 'smith turned my SP and the action is ALMOST as smooth as the MG.

I will have to try that mold. Had a friend that only had one rifle and he used it in everything it was a Winchester Model 70 in .22 Hornet. He could shoot it well. Just used factory loads but took deer, turkey, pigs, coons and even squirrels and quail. After seeing him shoot a crow flying by I asked him if he used it on ducks and he just said I ain’t saying, he invited me over for duck the next day😳. Having said all that I think the .32 H&R or .327 should do fine on our deer. They are on the small side

I also have a friend that only has one rifle, and it is also a .22 Hornet.

I've been eyeballing the MP Webley "manstopper" bullet mold. That's a very cool mold, and I think it could be a very accurate bullet.

The LBT 115 FN or the 125 FN just plain shoot in the H&R and Federal. Maximum 327s or sedate 32 H&Rs at long level.

I have an NOE 115 Keith; it wont hang at long range (300 yards) with either LBT with the same powder charges.
Accuracy diff is also noticeable at the 35 yd. mark.

Its not just me shooting the guns either.
The 16-4 will probably have .313-.314 throats, so size and fit accordingly.