Smith & Wesson .32 H&R Magnum Snubnose Revolver Review

It's back to the future with a new Smith & Wesson 632 UC Ti snubbie in .32 H&R Magnum.

October 02, 2025 By J. Scott Rupp

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The search for the ideal combination of power and capacity in an easy-carrying gun never ends. On the revolver side, some people thought the .327 Federal Magnum, introduced in 2007, might be just the ticket. A longer, more powerful version of the older .32 H&R Magnum, it was designed to rival the .357 Magnum in power but be more shootable in small-frame revolvers while providing an extra round in the cylinder over similar-size .357/.38 guns.

Problem was, more than a few shooters found the .327 a little too “blasty” when fired out of said revolvers. But what if instead of reinventing the wheel, you simply used, you know, the wheel? That’s what Smith & Wesson has done with several new revolvers chambered to the .32 H&R Magnum. They’re not the first Smiths so chambered, but they have modern features that make them eminently suitable for concealed-carry defensive use.

The lineup comprises five aluminum-frame models—two 632s and three 432s—and they are all Lipsey’s exclusives, meaning this firearms distributor is the sole source for your local gunshop or favorite online retailer to obtain one for you.

The one I got my hands on is the 632 Ultimate Carry Ti. It’s a double-action-only J frame with a 1.88-inch stainless steel barrel. Thanks to its six-shot titanium cylinder (the Ti part) and the aluminum alloy frame, it weighs a scant 13 ounces.

632 UC Ti

revolver cylinder open — With the 632, you get six rounds of the capable .32 H&R cartridge instead of the five you’d get with a .38 or .357 of similar size—and it’s very controllable even though it weighs only 13 ounces. (Photo courtesy of J. Scott Rupp)

Like all the new .32 H&R guns, the 632 UC Ti features upgraded internals as part of the company’s Endurance Package. Smith & Wesson’s director of product innovation, Grant Dubuc, explained that the upgrade includes titanium studs for the hammer, trigger, cylinder stop and rebound slide, along with a titanium center-pin bushing.

He said these features—which are typically found only in the company’s scandium guns—help reduce wear and extend the revolver’s life under repeated firing.

The frame has a good-looking silver finish, which is complemented nicely by the gray cylinder, black cylinder release and black grips. The S&W logo graces the left side of the frame, and the aesthetics aren’t marred by the presence of an internal lock hole above the cylinder release; all the new .32 H&Rs are “no lock” guns, which will make many Smith & Wesson fans happy.

The barrel has flats machined on both sides—with “Smith & Wesson” engraved on the left flat and “.32 H&R Mag.” on the right—and is relieved on both sides of the front sight. The ejector shroud extends to the end of the barrel, and it’s cut at a slight angle for easy holstering.

Ergonomics

front end of revolver — The barrel is a two-piece and is 1.9 inches long, with flats cut on both sides. The gray titanium cylinder nicely complements the silver finish. (Photo courtesy of J. Scott Rupp)

Similarly, the front edge of the 632’s cylinder is beveled, so it will slide smoothly into a belt or pocket holster. The charge holes are chamfered as well for sure, easy loading.

The sights are a cut above what you’ll find on a lot of snubbies. Instead of the typical topstrap gutter groove, this gun has an actual rear sight set in a dovetail. It has a generous U-notch and is adjustable for windage by loosening the set screw and drifting the sight. Or at least that’s the idea. The one on my sample was really tight, and I didn’t want to force it and potentially mar the finish on a borrowed gun.

The front is from XS Sights, and it’s that company’s excellent revolver Standard Dot. It features a large, bright green ring that’s quick to pick up in daylight, and inside the ring is a tritium vial that makes the green ring glow brightly in low light and no light.

The .32 H&R Magnum, a joint effort between Federal and the now-defunct gunmaker Harrington & Richardson, was introduced in 1984. It was created by lengthening the .32 S&W Long cartridge, and revolvers chambered to the H&R round can also safely fire both the .32 S&W Long and its .32 S&W Short predecessor—just like .327 Federal Magnum guns can safely fire its .32 H&R parent.

The .32 H&R represented a huge jump in power from either of the old S&W .32s, as well as the .32 ACP semiauto cartridge. SAAMI maximum average pressure for the H&R is 23,000 psi. That’s far above any of the older .32s, but well below the .327 Federal Magnum’s 45,000 psi—which is why it’s far less “blasty” and why at least some folks were stuffing H&R cartridges into their .327 Federal-chambered guns.

Ignoring the big-shouldered boutique .32 H&R loads like those from Buffalo Bore, current ammunition typically employs bullets in the 80-to 95-grain range, with 85 being the most common.

Practical Comparisons

ballistic comparison chart — (Ballistic comparison chart provided by the author)

In terms of defensive use, I think the most practical ballistic comparison is against the .38 Special. While the Special operates at a much lower pressure, 17,000 psi, it’s loaded with heavier bullets. Going by book specs—and using Hornady’s Critical Defense for an apples-to-apples comparison based on loading strategy—the .32 H&R lags the .38 Special in muzzle energy by just a tad.

However, my range work tells a different story. It just so happened I was testing a two-inch .38 Special at about the same time as I was working with the 632 UC Ti. Out of the short barrels on these particular guns, the energy levels with their respective Critical Defense loads diverged significantly. The math works out to 154 ft.-lbs. of energy for the 80-grain .32 H&R versus 203 ft.-lbs. for the 110-grain .38 Special.

You could easily go down the ballistics rabbit hole and find various loads to disprove or bolster the case, but the .32 H&R Magnum isn’t quite the equal of the .38 in terms of energy. However, in similar-size revolvers you’re gaining a valuable extra round with the .32 H&R—a capacity boost that could really matter in a defensive situation.

Further, shooting the .38 isn’t always a picnic. While it is manageable out of a typical all-steel snubbie, once you get to a gun as light as the 13-ounce 632 UC Ti, the .38 can move into “ouch” territory.

Easy Handling

The synthetic boot-style grip has finger grooves and is short enough to make pocket concealment easy. (Photo courtesy of J. Scott Rupp)

Conversely, I found the 632 to be quite controllable. While the accompanying 15-yard bench-testing results aren’t exactly world-beating, I was satisfied. Shooting double-action-only snubbies from the bench isn’t easy in the first place, and it’s even harder when you don’t have much gun weight to help stabilize the revolver as you pull through the long trigger travel, trying not to disturb the sights.

The 632 UC Ti shot both the Hornady and Federal loads pretty close to point of aim at 15 yards. The Remington Wheelgun was a couple inches low. There were zero misfires.

The 632 UC Ti shines in practical shooting at typical defensive distances, as in about seven yards. There’s recoil, sure, but even with a 13-ounce gun you can get back on target quickly for follow-up shots.

The revolver’s trigger—which is great, with a smooth seven-pound, 10-ounce pull and minimal stacking—is a big help in keeping hits in the A zone. The sights are outstanding, quick to acquire and easy to see in any lighting condition.

Carries Well

front sight — Unlike a lot of snubbies, the 632 UC Ti has real sights: a drift-adjustable U-notch rear and an XS Sights tritium/green-ring front, which is visible in any lighting condition. (Photo courtesy of J. Scott Rupp)

The gun carries like a dream. It’s small enough that I can easily conceal it even in the front pocket of normal-fit jeans with the addition of a shirt long enough to cover the little bit of butt that protrudes. The gun disappears entirely in cargo-style pants. In both cases, you barely notice the weight. Heck, the gun is only two ounces heavier than my phone with its protective case.

The one thing I did notice in terms of pocket carry is that unlike snubbies with gutter-style rear sights, the 632 UC Ti’s rear sight can catch on the lip of a pocket holster. I found the trick is to rock the gun slightly backward before drawing.

That won’t be an issue if you choose to carry it in a belt holster, whether inside or outside the waistband, where it rides really comfortably. I’m not into appendix carry, but I asked Handguns self-defense editor and TV co-host Rich Nance about that because he’s a huge fan of appendix. He said it’s a great method for carrying a snubbie. A gun as small and light as the 632 should be about perfect.

That’s certainly what Smith & Wesson is thinking, and the pairing of the .32 H&R with this lightweight revolver wasn’t done on a whim.

Pairing of Performance

“We chose .32 H&R Magnum for the 632 Ultimate Carry revolvers to deliver a lower-recoil, more controllable option ideal for compact carry and fast follow-up shots,” Grant Dubuc explained. “This caliber strikes a balance between performance and shootability, making it well-suited for the lightweight titanium cylinder platform."

While I’m a sucker for offbeat calibers, I did wonder what kind of reception a .32 H&R Magnum revolver might get among the modern shooting public. Interestingly, not too long ago I was having a beer with a friend of a friend. A serious shooter, he turned out to be a huge fan of the .32 H&R, which surprised me because he probably wasn’t even born when the cartridge was introduced.

While that’s a lone example of the potential customer base for a new .32 H&R carry revolver, you don’t have to search too hard on internet gun forums to realize how many gun people appreciate such a combination. There will be some collector interest, too, since Smith & Wesson has offered only a few .32 H&R revolvers in the past, and some of those fetch pretty dear prices.

I think what Dubuc said about the 632 UC Ti is right on the money. It’s a small, ultralight revolver perfect for concealed carry, but at the same time it’s a gun that’s quite shootable while offering a decent level of power and good capacity. And with more loads coming on line—at press time Federal had just introduced a new 85-grain Hydra-Shok Deep, for example—its defensive capabilities will only get better. This one will be fun to watch.