The 432 UC Ti – The Lightweight Ultimate” Carry

At the 2024 SHOT Show, Lipsey’s announced the new Ultimate Carry J-frame series. The new guns were based on the highly popular Airweight Centennials. Like the legacy 442/642, the frame is an aluminum alloy with a steel cylinder. The Ultimate Carry project started with the 442/642 pistols in .38 Special, but was expanded to include the new 432/632 pistols chambered in .32 H&R Magnum. To the surprise of many, the 432/632 UC models outsold the .38 Special models. In July of last year, I reviewed the 632 UC and included terminal ballistics data on six different loads.

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The original UC featured a number of improvements that addressed a lot of the deficiencies that shooters have complained about for years. The most significant improvement is with the sights. The UC pistols feature a true rear sight blade with a highly visible U-notch.  The front sight is an XS standard dot with a green photoluminescent ring and a Tritium insert. Smith & Wesson uses a two-piece barrel on the UC. This allows for improved production, and the barrel shroud provides the height needed for the front sight.

The UC series also features Titanium pins and improvements in the hammer/trigger geometry. This endurance package improves the lifespan of the revolver and gives it an improved trigger. Other touches include chamfered charge holes and a polished and radiused trigger. The original 432/632 UC guns were shipped with custom G-10 stocks that were produced exclusively for Lipsey’s guns. The weight of the UC is 16 ounces.

A pound is pretty light for a pocket pistol, but what if you could reduce that weight by almost 10%? Well, that is what Lispey’s and Smith & Wesson have worked to do. The new 432/632 Ultimate Carry Titanium comes in right at 13 ounces. As with the other series, the 432 has a black frame and the 632 has a silver frame. To accomplish the weight reduction, Smith & Wesson replaced the steel cylinder with a Titanium cylinder. The cylinder has a dull gray finish that distinguishes it from the other models. For many years, Smith & Wesson has used Titanium cylinders on the scandium-framed 340 PD, the 360 PD, and several other models.

The second change is with the stocks. The VZ G-10 stocks fit the hand well, but G-10 is a very heavy material. Enter American Fighting Revolver and Hamre Forge stocks. American Fighting Revolver is a company formed by retired lawmen and revolver enthusiasts, Darryl Bolke and Bryan Eastridge. Both have been involved with several Lipsey’s projects, including the original Ultimate Carry series.

Bolke and Eastridge had been working with Hamre Forge to produce a boot grip for the J-frame that was similar to a Spegel but had a high, enclosed backstrap. The project came together about the same time as Lispey’s was looking for options for the VZ stocks. The result is the AFR Undercover grips ship with every Ti cylinder UC. 

Hamre Forge produces stocks using a powder-based material that is significantly lighter than G-10. The material is heated, then precisely melted into an exact form, using a laser. According to the company, the process is called additive manufacturing with selective laser sintering. The AFR Undercover stock is ideal for finger placement, recoil control, and concealability. It has a textured finish that Hamre Forge calls “Roughout.” The result is an outstanding design that is affordable and available.

The .32 H&R craze has enabled me to build a great relationship with Steve Shields of High Desert Cartridge Company. Located in Goldendale, Washington, the company is small but highly responsive. Shields has worked with Lispey’s, AFR, among others, to develop several effective loads in .32 H&R. Shields has sent me several loads to both chronograph and gel test.

All three loads fill a very specific niche. In bare gel, the XTP hollow point tends to crush while penetrating an average of 17” or so. The Round Nose Flat Point, while offering sufficient penetration, also works well as a training round. Finally, the 98-grain Wadcutter offers over 20” of penetration in bare Clear Ballistics gel. Expansion of hollow points, from short-barreled revolvers, can be inconsistent, especially if there are any intermediate barriers. The sharp shoulder of the wadcutter bullet provides an edge that tends to cut through the wound channel. I should mention that High Desert also makes a 98 gr. wadcutter that is loaded in a .32 Long case. It is loaded to the same velocity as the .32 H&R Magnum. The advantage is that the shorter case improves extraction. 

While none of the loads are particularly hot, the recoil is increased due to the reduced weight of the UC Ti. I shot several drills to include the HiTs Snubby Super Test. This requires multiple shots to be fired, with challenging par times, from 3, 5, and 10 yards. A B-8 repair center bullseye target is used. This is where the sights of the UC really shine. The most challenging stage is at the 3-yard line, where the shooter is required to fire 5 shots, strong hand only, in a par time of 3 seconds. I scored a 137/150 or 91.3% with the UC.

The 432 UC Ti is one of the best, small-frame revolvers being produced today. The combination of the Centennial design, the Titanium cylinder, and the choice of caliber is the perfect combination. The UC Ti retails for $825.00. This is in comparison to the $759.00 retail price of the standard 442/632 UC. Is the increase in price worth the decreased weight? I will leave that up to the reader.

The only negative I had was with the stocks. I found that the AFR Undercover stocks were uncomfortable to shoot. I have some tendon and bone issues at the base of my thumb, and the top ridge of the stock transferred the recoil to that exact spot. Other shooters may not have this issue, so your results may vary. The positive is that the material of the stocks allows the user to easily reshape the size and contours to better fit the hand. 

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For users, where weight is a factor, such as in pocket carry, the UC Ti is ideal. I have been carrying it using the American Fighting Revolver Undercover Pocket holster. I didn’t think I would notice a mere 3-ounce difference, but I did! The two make a great combination and have become a favorite as of late. For more formal carry, I have been using Garrity Gunleather’s In-Conspicuous inside the waistband holster. It is extremely comfortable and concealable, even under a T-shirt. 

Lispey’s, in collaboration with Smith & Wesson, is continuing to push the envelope and provide revolvers built for those who may one day find themselves in harm’s way. For more information, visit lispeys.com. And, if you are a revolver enthusiast, stay tuned. There is more round gun goodness coming!

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