41 Magnum making a comeback?

[LCazador]

I've owned an S&W 41 mag seems like forever. I have an 8 3/8 inch and 6 inch. The six inch has been my hunting carry, just easier to carry over the 8 inch. Always thought it had less recoil than the 44 magnum with little difference in power. My 44 mags have always been loaded to maximum with a 240 grain bullet and my 41's with a 210 grain bullet. Simply I don't find the 41 in between 357 and 44. On the contrary it's the equivalent of the 44.

 

[wboggs]

I've only loaded copper jacket rounds- expenive but I don't shoot it a lot. I do have four or five speed loaders for it - that's fun to use with it.

It is fun to shoot, especially with a reduced load. Good cast bullets are not that expensive.

 

[stork]

8 gr of Unique behind a 220 Lyman cast makes for a very accurate & mild target load.
Been shooting the 41 since the mid 70's. Never saw the need for 38/357 or 44's until I started shooting for Distinguished revolver designation & had to pick up a 38 cal to shoot the discipline.
And I agree with the others, jacketed bullets are unnecessary. 2 whitetails downed with my cast bullets, 1 shot each.
Al

 

[BuffaloBill]

Another .41Mag fan here…..

My first center fire handgun was a Ruger Blackhawk 6 1/2”, purchased new for $174 in 1982. I was initially drawn to the .41 because it wasn’t the most popular and it happened to be on sale. I used to cast 215 grain gas checked bullets from linotype with Lyman mold blocks and shot many of those out of my first 50pcs of Remington brass. Friends used to joke that I shot so as to be able to reload again…. H110 was and is my favorite in this one.

It’s still my favorite revolver cartridge and over the years have acquired a Redhawk, S&W, Dan Wessons, and a Marlin lever gun in .41Mag.

I continue to keep an eye out for a DW 414 SuperMag. Those I saw up for sale a couple decades ago were going for crazy money however. I did purchase a replacement 414 cylinder and .41 barrel blank with the intention of fitting them to a 445 SuperMag frame, but have not begun that project yet.

 

[distinguished]

I have been eyeballing the Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter in .41 Mag for some time now just to add to my collection. Watched one today go for $1250 on GB and if I hadn't just spent my fun money 2 weeks ago for an old Winchester 94 in 32-40 I would have tried to buy it.

Wow! I sold a Ruger SBH for $400 earlier this year!

 

[Fuj]

I've own Simply I don't find the 41 in between 357 and 44. On the contrary it's the equivalent of the 44.

Yes Sir !! It's a lot closer to the 44 then the .357. Always shot a boat
load of 4227 with my 215gr cast bullets.

 

[nakneker]

I have been eyeballing the Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter in .41 Mag for some time now just to add to my collection. Watched one today go for $1250 on GB and if I hadn't just spent my fun money 2 weeks ago for an old Winchester 94 in 32-40 I would have tried to buy it.

I love mine, I have Blackhawk hunters in 45 Colt, 44 mag, 41 mag and 22LR - neat pistols.

That 32-40 sounds neat though!

 

[7br]

In the early 80’s I’d already owned a couple of Super Blackhawk .44’s, a 7” for hunting and a 10” for shooting IHMSA silhouette. I really wanted to get my paws on a S&W model 57 but at the time they were nonexistent around here. After a year I got tired of waiting and ended up with a model 29. When my father retired in the late 80’s he told me he’d like to shoot handgun with me now that he had more time. A local shop had a beautiful 8 3/8” model 57 in the case so I bought it for dad. I put together a light target load using Unique and a 220 grain cast bullet. He enjoyed shooting it and I enjoyed the time spent with him till he passed in 97. I now think of him whenever I shoot that fine revolver with the same cast bullets, but now they’re powder coated, and the time is coming when one of my sons will enjoy that model 57.

 

[Richard Jones]

FWIW, there was a great account of a S&W 41 Mag going through a complete rebuild, tune, etc., for an assassin in a 1978 novel, The Evil That Men Do, by R. Lance Hill. It was made into a movie with Charles Bronson, but it's nothing compared to the book. I'll try and find my copy and see if I can post it.

 

[7br]

Got a couple 41’s and yeah they’re interseting. But I’ve found the cartridge to be a lot closer to a 44 than the 357 in the muzzle blast and recoil department. The 41 bullet is only 19 thousandths smaller diameter than a 44 Mag. Ammo and components are way harder to find. It’s a labor of love to shoot 41’s. Other than the 41 just being a little different, obscure and therefore “cool” honestly the 44 is way more versatile. Full-tilt magnum loads when they’re needed and shoot 44 Special for everything else.

And with all that said - I enjoy the 41!

Starline makes .41 Special brass. I got some awhile ago (10 years?) when it first came out. Got it for a local semi-annual walk-through-the-woods fun shoot. Magnums aren’t allowed and if your brass is stamped magnum you’re not gonna shoot. The Special brass solves that problem.

 

[Kittitas George]

I have always wanted a 41 mag! Tempting for sure. Want to know what would be really cool? A 41 mag lever rifle…

 

[Kittitas George]

Marlin made one a number of years back. I'd talked with them at the RMEF meeting in Reno and a year or so later they offered a 41 mag lever rifle. I have had a couple of Marlin levers in 357 Mag, feeding the hard cast Keith bullets that worked well in my S&W and Ruger revolvers was a problem. It was also a problem with the bullets I used in my 41 mags. I didn't have the Marlin rifle very long. I used the 41Mag for quite some time, both S&W and Rugers, and had loads that shot well in each, I didn't want to start all over. The pistol loads, if they fed were a spray the area, shot gun pattern, not a rifle group.

 

[Kittitas George]

I used and enjoyed the 41 Mag in my revolvers, both S&W and single six Rugers. I shot 200 gr. hard cast Keith bullets made by a local man. They probably shot better than my ability. I shot some 210 gr. with about the same amount of 2400 powder. I couldn't believe the increased amount of recoil for 5% bullet weight increase. I agree with many of the pistol writers, I don't do well with heavy recoil, and recovery. The 200 gr. in a 41 Mag is as much as I enjoy shooting.

 

[Rube Shooter]

I love mine, I have Blackhawk hunters in 45 Colt, 44 mag, 41 mag and 22LR - neat pistols.

That 32-40 sounds neat though!

I have the .45 Colt and .44 Mag as well.
That's why I have the itch to get the .41 Mag for the collection and I was unaware of the .22LR.

Looking forward to getting the Win 94 up and running, shopping for a tang sight now.

 

[3Ackleys]

I have the .45 Colt and .44 Mag as well.
That's why I have the itch to get the .41 Mag for the collection and I was unaware of the .22LR.

Looking forward to getting the Win 94 up and running, shopping for a tang sight now.

The 22LR is a Single Six convertible. Still in current production, but hard to find. They also made it in 17HMR and a few in 17HMR/17Mach2 convertibles.

 

[bozo699]

Ruger/Lipsey’s just announced last week about their new model Bisley flat top stainless chambered in 41 Magnum:

Wholesale Firearms / Shooting Sports Distributor - Exclusive Firearms - Handguns, Shotguns, Rifles, Silencers, Shooting Sports Accessories - Lipseys.com

www.lipseys.com

View attachment 1613686

Looks like over a dozen have already sold on GB; however, it seems the smaller dealers are still waiting for them to come through the pipeline.

Seems to be quite cool and attractive revolver in a happy medium caliber (between the 357 and 44 magnum); however, I see a minor issue with this caliber: cost of ammo and lack of selections of jacketed projectiles for reloading. Only a few offer them and usually in expensive box of 100 pieces.

So I’ve contacted Zero Bullets to see if they would consider expanding their line to include bulk 41 caliber projectiles, specifically the common 210 grain jacketed soft point to start with. They already seem to be interested and are asking for feedbacks.

What are your thoughts?

Hey buddy,
I have the 657 S&W in the 8 3/8” it’s been my saddle gun for years! I own a multitude of 44’s and love them but this was stainless and I’m often caught out in the rain. Although the trigger hammer and internals are steel and they have some rust it’s never failed me when I’ve needed it!… I do know the black bears hate it when I take it from the holster and my mule doesn’t much care for it either!… I have a Ruger Bisley in 44 Mag, I have big hands and just don’t like the straight grips, I can Shoot full house loads in my super Blackhawk 10” all day with no issues but the Bisley bites me for some reason but it’s a beautiful revolver and I’m sure you will love it. My next lever action is going to be a 41 then I’ll have everything I have revolvers for so when out riding I don’t have to pack different ammo, I have the .357, 44mag, 45 colt and 454 Casull just need a 41 now.
Wayne

 

[shamrock12]

Hey buddy,
I have the 657 S&W in the 8 3/8” it’s been my saddle gun for years! I own a multitude of 44’s and love them but this was stainless and I’m often caught out in the rain. Although the trigger hammer and internals are steel and they have some rust it’s never failed me when I’ve needed it!… I do know the black bears hate it when I take it from the holster and my mule doesn’t much care for it either!… I have a Ruger Bisley in 44 Mag, I have big hands and just don’t like the straight grips, I can Shoot full house loads in my super Blackhawk 10” all day with no issues but the Bisley bites me for some reason but it’s a beautiful revolver and I’m sure you will love it. My next lever action is going to be a 41 then I’ll have everything I have revolvers for so when out riding I don’t have to pack different ammo, I have the .357, 44mag, 45 colt and 454 Casull just need a 41 now.
Wayne

Man, I would absolutely love to have one in 8-3/8” stainless. Be sure to reach out to me first if you should ever decide to let it go someday (which I doubt you will!)

 

[bozo699]

Man, I would absolutely love to have one in 8-3/8” stainless. Be sure to reach out to me first if you should ever decide to let it go someday (which I doubt you will!)

I sold a gun once…… once!… had a Thompson 58 cal muzzleloader, shot 710 grain steak busters in it and besides my shoulder I broke the stock 4 times!.. the last time my local gun store called me to tell me Thompson had sent it back I told him to put it on the wall and sell it, once sold I told him to order me a Remington inline 50 cal . I would probably give it to you before I would sell it. I’m into buying not selling, once you start selling it doesn’t end. Whoever has the most shit when they die is the winner!…. I’m not taking second place I can tell you that right now.
Wayne

 

[jackieschmidt]

Don’t waste your time with jacket bullets
210 to 220 gr Keith style bullets
Piles of dead hogs and deer left from my Blackhawk

^^^^^^^^
I just might add the words “hard cast”.

 

[Fuj]

I only load one load. My practice load is what i carry in the woods with.
My Keith style was cut in a Hensley & Gibbs block. It's a two lube groove
and gas checked, using a softer side of #2 alloy. 1480 fps Is what my 6 1/2"
barrel will give me. Barrel stays pretty clean. But then again, it's rare that I
put more then a cylinder full thru it, at any one time.