Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Wild Cat Taken with my S&W Hamilton Bowen Modified .327 Magnum Revolver

Hello
Deer season Opened here in East Tennessee Yesterday morning, so I decided to take along my Hamilton Bowen Smith & Wesson Model 16-4 Revolver that had been modified to the new Federal .327 Magnum Caliber. I had been recently hand loading some rounds using brass donated by forum member David Ballantyne {Thank's Dave} and worked up a very Potent load using Accurate Arms #7 Powder along with a Sierra 90 Grain Copper Jacketed Hollow point and CCI-550 Magnum Powder. This Load showed to group the size of a dime on on the 20 Yard Line at my Range Late Thursday afternoon, so I decided to use it hunting.



I had my Marlin 336 Lever rifle chambered in .35 Rem. Caliber as well. I entered the woods just before daylight and Positioned myself about 30 Yards off a main Deer run. I had not seen a Deer and about Quarter to Eight, I began to wonder if the Presence of a Big Wild Cat had spoiled my chances of seeing any Bucks ? My Buddy who owns the land we hunt had warned me he had seen a Huge wild Cat the week before in his back yard about Noon. It apparently was stalking his House Cat's and he Feared it would attack them. I assured him, if I should see it in the woods he would have no more worries.


At 5 Minutes to Eight, I heard a small twig snap behind me. I looked up that way, and there was This Big Bobcat standing there Looking at me. I slowly raised my revolver that was in my lap and took aim. I was shaking fiercely, so I had to tell myself this was the chance of a life time shot, and to calm down. I knew the gun and load would do the Job if I did mine. I gently squeezed the trigger and the cat fell over Instantly.


I then called my Son in law who was hunting with me on his First Deer hunt and told him to get up to where I was sitting. He asked if I had shot a buck, and I told him I had killed that Big Bobcat. He did not believe me, but Joined me shortly. I dragged it out of the brush I had shot him in, and noticed the slug entered his left chest cavity and exited out his right rib cage. When I Gutted him out It had hit his Heart and right Lung before exiting. This cat weighed about 50 pounds and his stomach was the size of a Youth Football in size filled with what appeared to be fresh rabbit. He never made a sound nor moved after I shot him, so I guess it is safe to say the .327 Magnum more than did it's Job, and this may make the Non Belivers of this round take notice of how potent it really is. Before we left the woods, We Paced it off from where I shot this cat from and it was a true 35 Yard shot. I am still in Awe that I Bagged this animal and will have a Full Mount done of him.

Great story and shot!

That is the largest Bobcat I have ever seen!

Congrats!

Congratulations on a great bonus kill! I agree, that opportunity is a once in a lifetime thing for most, though my hopes is you will have more such opportunities.

Can we see that sweet Smith that did it's job so well, again. I always thought your conversion made a lot of sense.

What is CCI 550 Magnum Powder? Where do you get it and do you think it would work well in a 32 H&R also? I searched the web and only came up with primers. I have not heard of this new powder.

Dang good! I'd like to kill a big bobcat. Maybe it's coincidental, but...Several years back, I myself was deer hunting. This was probably 1997. It was in a hilly, wooded area. My hunting pard killed a buck and didn't want to gut him himself since the locker was only three miles away. He went on his four wheeler and we got the deer loaded and up to his truck. As he was fooling around backing up or some such, I saw a big bobcat in the neighbor's pasture. I didn't know what exactly was in back of him, so I didn't shoot. I had my old Colt SAA in 32-20.

Hello Ricky
Thanks, here she is...Thegeneral.

Hello Lone Eagle
My Bad, Typo Brain Fart. The Powder used was Accurate Arms 10.2 Grains, 90 Grain Sierra Hollow point bullet and a CCI-550 Magnum small Pistol primer. Now, I have it right... Thegeneral.

Hello Lone Eagle
My Bad, Typo Brain Fart. The Powder used was Accurate Arms 10.2 Grains, 90 Grain Sierra Hollow point bullet and a CCI-550 Magnum small Pistol primer. Now, I have it right.

Very nice shot. Anytime you make a shot on a prize animal at anything like that distance with all of the emotions running, you've done really well. Very easy to throw a shot like that with a handgun when under the pressures and excitment of the momment. E

Pistol practicing in woods near Asheville NC yesterday I saw one just like this. I had no idea we had these in this area.

Glad to know an old pro was "shaking".

Going on first deer hunt tomorrow. Late to the game, turn fifty on 12-13.

Nice cat!

And nicer revolver. That is exactly what a 327 should look like. I enjoyed your reports of the conversion process also.

Thanks for sharing.

That's a beauty, Sir. Bet she's a joy to shoot!

Hello Eremicus
I Pride myself on Keeping Cool when shooting handguns no Matter what the situation is, But I will tell you it took Deep concentration on the shot with This Sucker in a Low crouched Stalk Mode Hissing at me...Thegeneral

Hello bankcardrep1
Emotions Run High when you are about to drop anything of size in the woods. I do not get as Pumped on shooting Buck's anymore, but when you think the Game you are about to shoot can and May attack you, it changes the whole composure of the situation...Miss or wound it, & it may Tear you to shreads after the shot, that is why I made sure he was down to stay there and I Took my time squeezing the Trigger...Thegeneral

Hello Ricky
It helps having the barrel Under Lug on this revolver. Stoked it Rears Up like a True .357 Magnum from recoil. This aint your typical low recoiling .32 round for sure...thegeneral.

GREAT SHOT..... In all my years driving and walking the woods I have seen exactly ONE Bobcat...and he was moving so fast you would have needed a shotgun...

Any clue what your velocity is?

S&W, Ruger and Taurus are fools not to bring this round out in mid size guns... A GP100, Tracker or K-frame would be perfect for this great cartridge...
Bob

Hello Bob
I have no clue of the velocity and was so close to Hunting season when I discovered what worked and worked well in my revolver, I did not have time to Chrono it. Perhaps I May Not want to know the velocity as the Primer was smashed Flat as a Pancake. I had little worries of it hurting the gun though as these S&W Model 16-4 revolvers that were originaly chambered in .32 H&R Magnum and had Gob's of steel between the chambers... I may Chrono it after Hunting season though...thegeneral.

Good shot and good hunting. A guy doesn't get to many opportunities for a shot like that especially with a favorite handgun. Congrats.

Awesome General! Had my Mountain Gun with me yesterday evening and a dang cough on my part ruined a chance at a doe just 30-odd yards away...Any game taken with a handgun is a trophy and a bobcat is the berries!

Nice 'cat. Well done.