I'm looking at my S&W 696...

G

Gewehr98

New member
Okay, an L-Frame .44 Special, holding 5 rounds. Pretty nice package, and it's become one of my favorite carry guns.

But as I look at the dimensions of this thing, why couldn't somebody make a snubby L-Frame like my 696, and chamber it for 6 each .41 Magnums? Or are the L-Frame cylinders too small to accept 6 of those rounds? I'd be game for 5 rounds of .41 Magnum, too. I may have to call a custom S&W revolversmith or two... :D
 
I have a Taurus five shot "snubby" (2 1/2" barrel) chambered in .41 Mag. (I think the model no. is 451) They made (recently discontinued, I think) it with a S&W K sized frame in titanium or steel. Mine is steel and I have found the recoil to be far less punishing than my Smith 642 shooting + P .38s.IMO, the "little" Taurus is the perfect answer for someone wanting a powerful cartridge packaged in the smallest chassis possible.
I too had a 696 but, like you, after giving it a lot of thought I decided that the L frame is a lot of bulk for a snub-nose, carrying piece. I reluctantly ended up trading it-for a 4" 686+!
 
Well I believe there is an L-frame in .44 Magnum (5 shot) so I don't know why not in .41 Magnum except that it seems to be more of a hunting & handloading thing. Not a lot of choises on shelves for ammo.
Taurus has had a .41 Magnum (5 rounds) on their Tracker frame as well as .45 ACP and .44 Magnum, so it can be done, the frames are about the same.
 
The .41 case is not much smaller than a .44 case so there would not be enough space to safely handle the .41 magnum. Also the forcing cone isn't very thick so there could be some concern there. Remember if you chamber a firearm for a cartridge then someone is bound to hotrod it putting extra stress on the firearm.
Well I believe there is an L-frame in .44 Magnum (5 shot) so I don't know why not in .41 Magnum except that it seems to be more of a hunting & handloading thing.
Click to expand...
There has never been a L-frame .44 magnum. At least not a S&W L-frame revolver.
 
Concur, there was never an L-Frame .44 Magnum.

.44 Special, yes, but a .44 Magnum would be asking for trouble, especially with the thin cylinder walls and forcing cone.

That same forcing cone wouldn't be quite so thin in .41 Magnum, hence my asking.

Not that I would ever consider trading off my 696... ;)
 
Well you only get to add .019" of metal to handle the pressure difference of the .44 spl and the .41 mag (which matches the .44mag in pressures).
 
Shoot, I'd be happy--really, really, go-out-and-buy-one-at-MSRP-today happy--if they'd chamber one of those L-frame 5-shooters for .41 SPECIAL. It's not got enough cylinder beef to hold the much greater pressures of the magnum, but you could easily stuff in a shortened .41 case (which lots of wildcatters have worked up data for) and load a 210-220 LSWC or Speer's 200 gr. SJHP to 1050 fps or so (the level of the old 'police' loading of the .41 mag). Now THAT would be an outstanding little carry gun, and a dream for lots of .41 fans out there, I think.
 
I'll play too...

+1 on a 5-shot, L-frame .41 Magnum with a 3" barrel and a round butt grip!

Better yet, make it a "bull" barrel and fixed sights like the Model 58 and I think you'd have a winner. :D
 
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