41 Mag vs. 44 Mag

Still love this discussion

I picked a S&W 657 the other day just for something different to hunt with. When I sat down to sight it in, I forgot what a sheer pleasure to shoot it was. While I can and do shoot 629's, it is because its there and a tool to use. I tolerate them but the 657 was definitely 20% less subjective recoil and I definitely prefer it over the 629.
 
Yes, greater bullet selection for the 44 Magnum. Recoil ? The one time I fired full power loads of my 4" M-57-didn't really notice a difference, my M-57 wears smooth Herrett's-quasi Jordan style. Now THYEY make a difference.
 
The 44 is the 41 + 15%.

Bigger selection of ammo and bullets for reloading in 44.

Slight advantage to 44.

I have two example in both calibers.

I'm funny that way.
 
When in doubt, my rule of thumb is go with the more popular round.

I just got a deal on CCI blazer, non re loadable, 44 mag. This shop does not carry any odd ammo. More cases of 9mm, 357, 45 acp and 44mag than you can imagine. Almost no variety. They buy in large quantity and pass it along.

Did anyone mention the 44 special? There is no 41 special.
 
44 Mag is The Standard. In My Opinion.

It's a versatile cartridge loaded from "oh jee I don't like recoil" to "let's have some real action".

44 Rem Mag is all you need to know, again, IMO...it doesn't have to be punishing, and I think generally it's not. Virtually nothing is chambered in 41 anymore. Tell me I'm wrong. 41 is like a thing everyone thought would be the perfect medium. But no one really needed a perfect medium.

44 is a nice thing. Go that way.
 
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"When in doubt, my rule of thumb is go with the more popular round."

My rule of thumb is to hell with popularity and reload my own ammo. :)

I may be a bit of an oddball in that I have absolutely no interest, as in zero, in the .44 Magnum, yet I LOVE the .41 Magnum and I LOVE the .44 Special.

I certainly wouldn't turn down a nice Model 29 4" if someone were to be selling one at a very good price, but I've also never gone out of my way to look for one, either, while I have, over the years, worked VERY hard to seek out my Model 58 in .41 Magnum and my Model 24-3 in .44 Special.

But the effort I put into finding those two pales in comparison to the effort I put into my 10+ year search for my Model 25-5 in .45 Long Colt...
 
So the main concern is the muzle blast: a hot air wave hitting your face (Not Recoil). Thats what's keeping me from getting a 44 in the first place
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Had my .44 Redhawk for 4 years now and never experienced that despite some hot handloads if that is any reassurance...
 
My 1st centerfire handgun was a Ruger Blackhawk in 41 mag. From a performance perspective there really isn't that much difference. 41 is a true 41 caliber. 44 mag is actually 43 caliber. I don't think there is any living thing that would ever know the difference if hit with either.

But I sold mine because I was a college student and simply couldn't afford to shoot it. I paid $30/ box in the 1970's for ammo. I stayed with 357 mag for ever, but do have a couple of 44's. If buying another today I'd go with 41mag just to be different.

41 and 44 are the same price today and both are equally available locally.

http://www.georgia-arms.com/new-41-rem-mag-210gr-lead-semi-wadcutter/


http://www.georgia-arms.com/new-44-rem-mag-240gr-lead-semi-wadcutter/
 
At best it is priced as high as .44mag and is much less available. Not to mention being able to shoot .44spcl through the .44mag. I have no need for a .41mag.
 
No interest in .41. In california, and soon can't order odd ammo. Don't reload yet. So, why buy something i can't feed?

Have .357 and .44mag. There is enough ammo selection to create overlap.

No hunting: range fun and protection. No need for the middle caliber when there is overlap.

Not criticising others- just not interested.

Oh. And we are Necro-Posting. 6 years old. Cool.
 
What a necro thread...Halloween was a few days ago.

First started in 2004, resurrected in 2010, then about half a year later in 2011, and now again in 2016...It just won't die.

I have a feeling the OP either decided what he wanted to buy, or went with something else.

For those who just want a feel for .44 or .41, I prefer .41mag, though right now my only "big" bore revolver is a .45LC.
 
Yes. If the OP is still alive, and still cares, then the obvious answer to the 'problem' would be .45 Win Mag. Then the problem shifts from what cartridge to choose to finding a firearm that fires what is surely the finest auto pistol cartridge ever created. Given of course that pesky problem of only having one or two choices of no-longer-manufactured guns that can process the cartridge and no availability at all of factory ammo...but these are minor setbacks.

:)
 
I like my 41 Mags and certainly know the difference from my 44 Mags. But I think the 41 missed its calling as the 41 Special, my custom gun of which allows 6 rounds (not only 5) in a 357 Mag frame. It is my ideal carry revolver in 3", which could certainly be larger and punishing at that length in 41 Magnum.
 
For deer sized game, the .41 Magnum is probably the better cartridge. For bigger game, the .44 carries a sizeable advantage. The .41 can't compete when heavy cast bullets are on the menu.


There is no 41 special.
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Yes there is.
 
My first big bore was a 41 Mag Three Screw Blackhawk . I thought it was great but I was 15 years old ??

Buy a 44 Mag shoot the hell out of it and then buy a 41 Mag for the hell of it .
 
fourbore -When in doubt, my rule of thumb is go with the more popular round.

I just got a deal on CCI blazer, non re loadable, 44 mag. This shop does not carry any odd ammo. More cases of 9mm, 357, 45 acp and 44mag than you can imagine. Almost no variety. They buy in large quantity and pass it along.

Did anyone mention the 44 special? There is no 41 special.
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jackmoser65- Regardless of the source, the 41 Special does exist and you can buy properly headstamped brass for it.
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There is no gun maker offering in 41 Special, and there is no commercial ammo for it. In context, fourbore is entirely correct.

The reason Starline has brass for 41 Special is surely because 41 Magnums are being loaded down, creating significant demand. My Clements Custom GP100 in 41 Special amounts to a $1300+ gun, and there can't be enough of them (or by other custom shops) around to support a Starline offering.

I expect .41 Magnum rifles capable of firing .41 Special are beyond rare as well.
 
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