Fooling with the .41 ...

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 1:19 pm

How many shoot a sixgun in this caliber? I was looking fore something affordable with more poop for hunting than a .357 and milder manners than the .44 maggie.
Looks like I'll be casting and loading for a good old Blackhawk in this flavor after many years away.
Grafs had Starline brass in stock, so I added the Lee 210-grain tumble lube mold to give me some cheap plinking pills.

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 2:33 pm

I like the .41, always have.

wolfdog · Post by **wolfdog** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 2:35 pm

I love the 41 mag. Plenty of pop for everything I have had to to shoot with it, and easier on recoil, powder, and lead then the 44. Whats not to like.

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 2:54 pm

I started out big calibre life with a .41 Bisley, but, realized I had more flexibility with the .44 (bullets, firearms selection). I load my .44mag down a bit. No matter the bullet, I load it to about 1000-1100 fps.....Having said all that, .41s really rock. Can you match it up with am 1894FG?

BrentD · Post by **BrentD** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 2:59 pm

Bill in Oregon wrote:How many shoot a sixgun in this caliber? I was looking fore something affordable with more poop for hunting than a .357 and milder manners than the .44 maggie.
Looks like I'll be casting and loading for a good old Blackhawk in this flavor after many years away.
Grafs had Starline brass in stock, so I added the Lee 210-grain tumble lube mold to give me some cheap plinking pills.

I don't now where the .38-40 sits relative to the .357 mag, but it's a nice cartridge to load with and has a 20% heavier bullet generally speaking. It is commonly found in lever rifles of the older vintage (which I admit is a major plus for me), and can be easily loaded with many smokeless powders or, even better, black powder.

I admit, I don't shoot it in a handgun though so that might be a major game changer. In a rifle though, it's a lot of fun and reasonably powerful for most extracurricular purposes.

Brent

stretch · Post by **stretch** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 3:25 pm

I'm a big fan of the 41 Magnum.

It's an underrated cartridge, methinks.
A 210gr LSWC over 7.0gr. of WW231
makes a dandy plinking load, powerful
enough for varmints like woodchucks, and
nothing to be sneezed at for self-defense.

Cast Performance's 250gr. WFNGC over 19.5gr.
of H110 is a very powerful load. I took this one
moose hunting. No moose - but I didn't feel
undergunned. The gun is a Blackhawk, which I
think is strong enough to handle it.

Someday I'd like to have a leveraction in the same
caliber. A good revolver and a leveraction in 41 Magnum,
a 12 bore, and a Ruger Mk II with a 10/22 would make
a very reasonable arsenal for rural Maine. Throw in
a Mosin-Nagant for long-distace stuff on a budget, and
everything is covered.

-Stretch

wolfdog · Post by **wolfdog** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 3:57 pm

215 grain LSWC over 8.5 grains of Unique out of a 6 inch Blackhawk will ruin a 200 lb hogs day.

Mainehunter · Post by **Mainehunter** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:00 pm

I think the .41 is a sleeper round. I have a late sixties Herter's 401 Power Mag that I've been playing with from time to time. I shoot mostly cast but chambers are on the large size (.407). I've been thinking of trying to size down some 41 Mag bullets to see if they would work.

Mainehunter

jhrosier · Post by **jhrosier** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:39 pm

If the .41 mag had been thunk up first, nobody would have bothered with the .357 mag.....however...

I have a beautiful .41 S&W M57 and a just-like-new .41 Ruger Blackhawk.
Whenever I go poking around in the gun vault, I come away with a .44 mag or .45 Colt. I don't know why.

Jack

Ray Newman · Post by **Ray Newman** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:49 pm

As MaineHunter said, the .41 is a “sleeper” round. It is one of those rounds that either you like or feel that there is no need for it given the .44 Magnum. A few years ago, I 'sorta' stumbled onto the .41 Magnum by accident -- a Fellow shooter let me try his and I came away impressed. I shoot the .41 Magnum in a Ruger Bisley and a Blackhawk. Would like to have a 6” Smith Model 57, but cannot seem to find one that calls my name at a price and condition.

Right now my revolver load is a flat point 210 grain lead copper plated bullet over 8.7 grains of Unique. Velocity is about 1050 FPS. Has just enough ‘snap’ to let you know you touched something off.

I find the .41 Magnum easier to shoot than the .44 Magnum. Recoil from the .44 bothers my hands and wrists too much after not too many rounds.

Was lucky enough to be able to purchase a Marlin .41 Magnum when they were available. Never shot the rifle beyond 50 yards, but it is a fast handling rifle chambered in hard hitting round. My SWAG (Scientific Wild Arsed Guess) is that the .41 really will shine in the Marlin once the Shooter takes the time to develop and exploit the load/bullet/range combination. From talking to other .41 and .44 Magnum Shooters, I really do think that there is not much that a .41 can not do.

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 6:01 pm

I have two Ruger BlackHawk .41 mag.`s . 4.6" and 6 1/2". What is not to like about the .41?
Nothing I can think of.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 6:13 pm

The one I have coming is a 6.5 incher. Looking forward to it!

arjunky · Post by **arjunky** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 6:28 pm

Rafter-7 is a certified .41 nut.

. I've had them, but never kept any.
Byron

Larkbill · Post by **Larkbill** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 7:01 pm

As originally conceived the .41 Mag was supposed to be a better law enforcement cartridge for the folks that thought the .357 was not ideal. When it first came out there was a mid range load for the leos that was pretty close to the .45 ACP in power, but used a case that worked better in wheelguns. They also had the option for full house loads in locales that warranted it. Plus choices of different bullet profiles. Remember, until the 80's almost no one carried anything but a .357/.38 revolver or the odd 1911. Knew one guy who carried a Browning Highpower, but he was a Contrary from one of the Cherokee tribes in Oklahoma.

When I was shooting IHMSA a few folks shot this, mostly in Dan Wessons. Never attracted the crowd that the .44 did.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 7:22 pm

jhrosier wrote:If the .41 mag had been thunk up first, nobody would have bothered with the .357 mag.....

Yep. Timing is everything. With a 41 Mag as the 'midsize', one could complete a battery quite nicely with a 500 S&W for the top-end, and a 32-20 for the bottom-end.

stretch wrote:Someday I'd like to have a leveraction in the same
caliber. A good revolver and a leveraction in 41 Magnum,
a 12 bore, and a Ruger Mk II with a 10/22 would make
a very reasonable arsenal for rural Maine. Throw in
a Mosin-Nagant for long-distace stuff on a budget, and
everything is covered.

I like the way you think...

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 7:49 pm

wolfdog wrote:215 grain LSWC over 8.5 grains of Unique out of a 6 inch Blackhawk will ruin a 200 lb hogs day.

Yep, that's a very pleasant load to shoot all day.....a little over a thousand fps. I have since gone to 8.5 of Herco.

I've had this old model Ruger for 35 years but only shot 3500 rounds out of it, with about 95% of it with 8.5 of Unique with a 210 gr. cast.---6

missionary5155 · Post by **missionary5155** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 8:42 pm

Greetings
I shoot ...
41 Colt
41 Magnum in revolvers, TC and Marlin
414 Supermag in revolver, TC and a 336 Marlin (JES)
41-444 in a 336 Marlin (JES)
So I guess I qualify but all these are up north there and not here...

Mike in Peru

MrMurphy · Post by **MrMurphy** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:28 pm

Never shot a .41 Magnum. Always wanted to, but never ran into someone (in person) who had one.

For me, a .357 is 'enough gun' except for maybe Alaska, but I find the idea appealing.

carbluesnake · Post by **carbluesnake** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 10:46 pm

I have had .41's since 1967. I paid $90 for it with a belt and holster. It was second hand. It was a ruger blackhawk, serial #597, I have shot over 300,000 rds. (you don't have to believe it) through that one gun. Lyman used to make a 199 gr. button nose wadcutter. With 3.0 to 3.5 gr. Bullseye, I used to shoot National Match with it. Yes, you can shoot a single action Ruger 5 shots in 10 seconds and score in the 90s out of a hundred with it. I won a local National Match 300 with it scoring a 256/300. Bill Jordan gave me my trophy! That was 1970. That 199 gr. wadcutter or any cast 210-215 gr. with 8.0- 9.0 Unique with clock 950-1000 fps. For big loads, a 215 gr. cast on top of 18.5 gr. 2400. With that load in creedmoor position I used that Ruger and could hit a 1 gallon paint can 2 or 3 out of a cylinder full at 200 yds., iron sights. Back then, people didn't believe it was possible until I did it for them. How did I do it? I just believed Elmer Keith!. I also have a Marlin lever in .41, but I shoot Hornady 210 gr. Jacketed in it.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 7:37 am

carblusnake,
I believe every word of what you said, including the 300K out of the om Ruger. While I have never done it, I have seen more than a few OM Rugers with over a 100K out of them and they still lock up fine. The best I have done is 8-10K but thats because I shoot a lot of different sixguns.

We regularly shoot sixguns out to 300 meters and beyond and we have amazed non believers that hitting a man sized target at 500 meters (with a good rest) is no big deal. --------6

M. M. Wright · Post by **M. M. Wright** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 9:44 am

I love the .41 Mag. Have had several but my favorite was the S&W model 58. Carried one of those for many years as a part time leo. Always noticed that the 41s shot much flatter than the 44. I liked the 190 grain HP over more 296 than I want to say out loud.
I too had the 94 Marlin in 41 but then of course I offered the team of a Blackhawk and the Marlin for one money and away they went.
My current love affair is with the 41 Colt. Starline brass is available, (I have plenty) and I bought a Lyman mold for the hollow base bullet. I cast them very soft and usually load with Red Dot or fffg so the bullet opens up to the throat/rifling reliably.

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 3:36 pm

Shooting rocks with big bore handguns at stupid long range is a time honered tradition, I thought everyone did it.

1894c · Post by **1894c** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 5:33 pm

My best friend has three S&W's Model 657/57 and a Marlin 1894 in .41mag. To say he likes it is an understatement...he got into the .41mag's back in the early 80's and has never looked back...

rafter-7 · Post by **rafter-7** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 5:49 pm

arjunky wrote:Rafter-7 is a certified .41 nut. . I've had them, but never kept any.
Byron

CERTIFIABLE??? really that's where you want to take this now.

But... Byrons right it is the GREATEST thing since sliced bread.. I think I got about 6 or 7 of them . Makers, barrel lengths, and one rifle the old school marlin no checkering

I am glad we agree Byron now all I got to do is convince you to throw all your 30 cal in the garbage (WIB) LOL

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 6:20 pm

rafter-7 wrote:
But... Byrons right it is the GREATEST thing since sliced bread.. I think I got about 6 or 7 of them . Makers, barrel lengths, and one rifle the old school marlin no checkering

I am glad we agree Byron now all I got to do is convince you to throw all your 30 cal in the garbage (WIB) LOL

Rafter 7,
Beings that you are Byron's bud, and I happen to think a lot of Byron, I'm gonna find you a 41 that you will not be able to turn down.

At Targetmaster, where all things. " great " happen, certain guns fall through the cracks at the factory and wind up there. One of a kind prototypes, weird serial numbers, uncatalogued barrel lengths and finishes.....those kind of things.

Just last month, Targetmaster got in a variety of 6940 and 6920 AR's in finishes that I never knew existed. They sold out in a day or two, usually at about a 40% markup.

Smith & Wesson is always playing with guns and after holding on to them for awhile, Tommy gets 'em. I've seen some very strange guns in big bore calibers and the 41 is one of them. It's how I got this 2" round butt 44 with fixed sights and magna rosewoods. Give me a little time, I'll find you something.----6

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 7:12 pm

Six,
I want a S&W .41 mag. with adjustable sights, the wierder; the better.
Let me know.

piller · Post by **piller** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 7:33 pm

I have never fired a .41 Mag, and they do sound fun. I like the idea of something in between a .357 and a .44 Mag. The .44 is, as we all know, capable of being loaded mild to wild and is usually more accurate than the person pulling the trigger (especially at the gun ranges where I see people shooting them just to make a show of it.). If I were to stumble on to a .41 revolver either new or in good shape if used, it would probably be a good gift for my son. He is a little recoil sensitive and does not like the .44 Magnum. He shoots the .45 ACP 1911, the .40 S&W Glock, and his AR15 when we go to the range. I need to start looking. I think that a mild load out of the .41 Mag in a Ruger would be great for him, especially since he and I are discussing going black bear hunting when he finishes his Criminal Justice degree next year.

rafter-7 · Post by **rafter-7** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 7:58 pm

Sixgun wrote:
rafter-7 wrote:
But... Byrons right it is the GREATEST thing since sliced bread.. I think I got about 6 or 7 of them . Makers, barrel lengths, and one rifle the old school marlin no checkering

I am glad we agree Byron now all I got to do is convince you to throw all your 30 cal in the garbage (WIB) LOL
Rafter 7,
Beings that you are Byron's bud, and I happen to think a lot of Byron, I'm gonna find you a 41 that you will not be able to turn down.

At Targetmaster, where all things. " great " happen, certain guns fall through the cracks at the factory and wind up there. One of a kind prototypes, weird serial numbers, uncatalogued barrel lengths and finishes.....those kind of things.

Just last month, Targetmaster got in a variety of 6940 and 6920 AR's in finishes that I never knew existed. They sold out in a day or two, usually at about a 40% markup.

Smith & Wesson is always playing with guns and after holding on to them for awhile, Tommy gets 'em. I've seen some very strange guns in big bore calibers and the 41 is one of them. It's how I got this 2" round butt 44 with fixed sights and magna rosewoods. Give me a little time, I'll find you something.----6

Have checkbook, will travel.

Rafter-7

onegoodshot · Post by **onegoodshot** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 10:22 pm

I've shot a 41 or two.
July 4th '13 pic.

I've acquired a few more since then.
This stainless seville..

Need to get decent weather for a Dakota, 3&4 digit old model Rugers, another marlin octagon.....got it bad

Ravenman · Post by **Ravenman** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 3:46 am

@onegoodshot: great collection and some real eye candy. What's your favorite 41 handgun? I have only a Ruger Bisley Custom 5 1/2", S&W 657 4", S&W 57 6" and T/C Contender 10" with aimpoint reddot sight.

guido4198 · Post by **guido4198** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 4:44 am

Here's one of mine(sorry about the weird lighting..)....T/C factory 10 in. bbl. loves the 210 Hornady's in the woods,screaming along over a bunch of H-110, and big, slow 225 cast for putting one ragged hole in a target @ 50 yds from a decent rest with(almost..

) boring regularity.

The "old eyes" have made the Red Dot pretty much mandatory for hunting. Tried a scope, hated it. Won't go there again. I also keep some S&W M-57's around in various bbl lengths for fun shooting, up close and personal. Sometimes my 6" in a shoulder holster under a jacket...when I'm feeling particularly "Dirty"(Harry..)

I was introduced to the .41 mag. in the 1970's...for all the handgun shooting and hunting I've done, I never felt the need to own a .44. Probably one of the few handgun hunters who never had a ".44 mag phase"..!!

crs · Post by **crs** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 8:06 am

Bill in Oregon,
Buying a .41 Mag revolver will give you the perfect excuse to buy a companion rifle, such as the Winchester 1895 .405 WCF. So armed, you should be able to handle anything that walks or crawls.

PaperPatch · Post by **PaperPatch** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 12:21 pm

My first center fire handgun is this Model 57 I purchased new in 1985. Thousands and thousands of rounds later...it shows its mileage in the forcing cone. Blue Dot is its favorite powder.

2LT Van Cott · Post by **2LT Van Cott** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 12:59 pm

I used as more of a .41 Special, i.e. the old LE load and save the barn burners for the carbine.

stretch · Post by **stretch** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 2:58 pm

I used as more of a .41 Special, i.e. the old LE load and save the barn burners for the carbine.

I have the same relationship between my Model 657 and the Blackhawk.
The Blackhawk is the hunting gun.

-Tom

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 4:24 pm

PaperPatch , Alliant no longer lists .41 mag. data for Blue Dot.
I remember a couple years back they dropped Blue dot from the data listings for the .41 but cant remember why. Do you have any info on that. Many folks like BD but I have never tried it. There are many fine powders that cover that situation well. I stock large quantities of 2400 and IMR 4227 to do all I need in magnum loads.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 5:10 pm

Funny thing. This has crossed my mind a time or two but never gave it a lot of thought. As you boys know, I've owned and shot about very caliber out there, old and new.

My favorite old time pistol caliber guns....due to recoil, accuracy, the "feel" of actually shooting something that's not too sissy or too hard on the shoulder or wrist......is the 38-40

My favorite old time rifle round is the 40-65. (Let's leave the 32-20 out of this...for now)

Mmmmmmmm. 40 caliber------6

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 6:20 pm

Six , Try a 210 gr Keith style PB cast bullet over 6 gr. Red Dot. SWEET !!

rafter-7 · Post by **rafter-7** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 6:52 pm

40 bore rifle or handgun.... What Byron and I call the "Meat and potatoes" caliber

^

PaperPatch · Post by **PaperPatch** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 10:13 pm

Chuck 100 yd wrote:PaperPatch , Alliant no longer lists .41 mag. data for Blue Dot.
I remember a couple years back they dropped Blue dot from the data listings for the .41 but cant remember why. Do you have any info on that. Many folks like BD but I have never tried it. There are many fine powders that cover that situation well. I stock large quantities of 2400 and IMR 4227 to do all I need in magnum loads.

Chuck, I did not know that Alliant had stopped providing that data. My first guess would be liability. I learned early on that charges using Blue Dot should each be weighed by hand. Speedy powder dispensing apparatus in use back then, provided sufficient charge variety/pressure spike to get my attention. The primer I flattened most occurred in this revolver using Blue Dot; and was a text book example of excessive pressure. Additionally, and i can't recall where I read of it...Blue Dot may have been particularly sensitive to temperature changes.

The only powder I had issue with in the .41 was IMR 4227. Accuracy was excellent....the problem was with the spent powder kernels that accumulated beneath the ejection star, and prohibited cylinder closure until all was removed. This is not an issue with single-action revolvers.

Mutt · Post by **Mutt** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 10:20 pm

I once owned a 41 mag Ruger . As great a cartage I have ever shot. My bud shot a Marlin .41 rifle lever . We loved them both.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Sat Feb 22, 2014 10:21 am

Blue Dot and the .41 Magnum got me into pressure issues many years ago -- the ONLY time in more than 40 years of reloading.

CRS: That 95 is just a dandy. Playing with the .405 in a Ruger No. 1 very quickly revealed to me the recoil reputation it enjoyed in the 95 with curved steel buttplate.

olderndirt · Post by **olderndirt** » Sat Feb 22, 2014 2:04 pm

I love the 41 Mag. I have two Blackhawks in 4 5/8", a Smith Model 57 in 6" and a Marlin 1894. I had a Rossi years ago and loaned it to a friend and lost it when he died and no one could find it.
Have had Contenders and even A Dan Wesson. Should have hung on to them all. Great guns and caliber for every thing from plinking to varmints to deer and hogs.

onegoodshot · Post by **onegoodshot** » Sat Feb 22, 2014 2:07 pm

Pretty day today so I let a few out for some sun.

rafter-7 · Post by **rafter-7** » Sat Feb 22, 2014 11:22 pm

ANOTHER .41 fan is born... My daughter 14 shot my full house loads tonight and she loved it .... She also shot a slightly down loaded 44 and she said it hurt the web of her hand.... Well yea!!! said it for years that's why I only gave you two shells!

I offered her my best 57 3 ted 4" presentation mohogonay box smith for 600.00 of her money...and she still wants my STI excutive 40 with a big stick ....go figure???

a puzzled ^

I guess I am old school...