41 reloading,revisited.

F

frank4570

New member
I have and am reloading for a 6in 657. I am thinking about buying a 57 with a 4 in barrel for carry. What I am currently carrying is a EAA Witness 10mm that gives me a consistent 1250fps with a 200gr bullet.Can somebody tell me if a 4in barrel 41 mag can do better than my current 10mm. After shooting my current 6in barrel with 210gr bullets, I have my doubts.
Thanks.
 
Frank,
Do you really want more power in a self defense weapon? I shoot heavier loads in my .44 Mags when hunting but for self defense/home protection, my load is a 210 gr bullet at 1200 fps. A 200 gr bullet at 1250 fps would seem to me to be just about the max practical power and penetration desired. Of course you could get that level in the .41 Mag also if you prefer a revolver.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB
 
The heavy loads are for hunting with my carry gun, not for self defense loads. 200gr@ 1250fps is max for my current carry gun,I killed a deer with it last season. I would like just a bit more power for hunting. Will a 4in 41 mag really give more power?
Thanks.
 
.41 Magnum v 10 MM

I agree 300% that the 10mm is about 80 % of a 41 mag.
Here are some things to consider:
[1] The .41 Mag. is about 20% of the .44 Mag.
[2] The 10mm is about 80 % of a 41 mag.
[3] The desire for a SEMI-AUTO is killing the .41 Mag.
[4] When you try to emulate the old 45 LC and 45ACP you loose something.
[5] The old model 58 is not the gun the 57/657 is, in strength.

I LOVE MY S&W 657'S !!!!
 
If I'm going to use a four inch .41 Magnum, and if the prey is "Okie deer or smaller" then I would lean toward the Sierra 170 JHC bullet. Basically the same bullet at the Sierra 180 grain JHC in .44 Magnum. Both bullets are big time deer killers with a shot just behind the front leg and through the ribs. They don't overpenetrate and waste energy on the trees. Sure, a really big deer (like we don't get around here) or an elk or something calls for a slower expanding bullet for increased penetration but a 130-150 pound deer just isn't that thick! And the 170 grain bullet can be easily pushed over 1400 fps. I've fired a bunch of them out of my Model 57.

Gregg

Oh, and I think there must be a typo or something here!

(1) The .41 Mag. is about 20% of the .44 Mag.
Click to expand...
 
Everybody has their own beliefs for what they want in a hunting bullet. Personally I want a bullet to exit,and do as much damage on the way through.
I shot a deer last season with a 10mm 180gr xtp going 1400fps. Small deer, broadside shot, the bullet did not exit. A gun with more horsepower should be able to do what that bullet did, and a bit more. Going to a 170gr bullet at the same speed is a bit less horsepower, not what I am looking for.
It is looking to me like in a 4in barrel the 41 is only very slightly better than the 10mm. Now in a 6in barrel, that is a whole different ball game. But I am not going to carry a 6in revolver concealed.
I should probably look at a different 10mm bullet instead of expecting a short barreled 41 mag to be a meaningful increase in power.
 
Why in the world?

MADISON writes:
[5] The old model 58 is not the gun the 57/657 is, in strength.
Click to expand...
How is this? The M57 and M58 were both built on essentially the same N-frame. Of course, the 58 was discontinued in 1977, and a stainless version was never produced.

Some say the stainless revolvers are not quite as strong as the identical blue steel versions.

If anything, I'd tend to think the 58 might be a touch stronger than the 57, given that the 57 topstrap is cut for the target sights.

Is there something I can't see in the SCS&W?
:confused:
Johnny
 
WS2 will steer you right.

But to ease your mind: what you want in the speed dept. is EASY in 41 mag. Heck I run a 210 XTP out of my 41 'hawks at 1550 all day. Tamed down to 1300 in a 4 inch tubed smith should be no problem at all.
 
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