Ruger Blackhawk 41 MAG vs S & W 657
- Thread starter JBP
- Start date
Robert the41MagFan
New member
It's all going to depend on what type of finish you are looking for (657's are stainless and Blackhawks are blue steel), what is going to feel better in your hands and how much you want to spend (Big factor! Smith's cost almost twice as much and more.). Another factor is barrel length, not much selection there. Both guns are stronger than the cartridge and will give a lifetime worth of service. I'm personally bias towards the Smith & Wesson due to their better fit and finish, desire ability and value. The superior accuracy don't hurt either.
Robert
Robert
Doc Hudson
New member
re: .S&W .41 Mag
If you are looking for an S&W .41 Mag, I came across one a couple of weeks ago. It was a nickle=plated M-58 with a four inch barrel and finger-grooved combat grips. Looked to be 90%+.
If interested, e-mail me and I will send you contact info for the shop I where I found it.
Doc Hudson
If you are looking for an S&W .41 Mag, I came across one a couple of weeks ago. It was a nickle=plated M-58 with a four inch barrel and finger-grooved combat grips. Looked to be 90%+.
If interested, e-mail me and I will send you contact info for the shop I where I found it.
Doc Hudson
I've never owned a .41 but have had .44s in both S&W and Ruger (SA) revolvers and would take the Blackhawk every time.
To me the recoil characteristics of large caliber DA revolvers are punishing. They hammer the web of my hand even with rubber grips. I do not miss that M29 S&W nor do I have any desire for future DA revolvers over .357. Obviously many others do not feel this way, but if you have friends that own both styles you might want to see for yourself with equivalent ammo before investing.
I have shot a .41 4&5/8 inch Ruger with magnum loads and remember that it had fairly ferocious recoil because it was so light with that aluminum grip frame. But you could always swap for a steel grip frame and/or load down.
To me the recoil characteristics of large caliber DA revolvers are punishing. They hammer the web of my hand even with rubber grips. I do not miss that M29 S&W nor do I have any desire for future DA revolvers over .357. Obviously many others do not feel this way, but if you have friends that own both styles you might want to see for yourself with equivalent ammo before investing.
I have shot a .41 4&5/8 inch Ruger with magnum loads and remember that it had fairly ferocious recoil because it was so light with that aluminum grip frame. But you could always swap for a steel grip frame and/or load down.
I have the Blackhawk in 4 5/8", but I'd be super-happy to have the Model 58 that Doc Hudson knows about. (Those 58s are getting hard to find! Doc, I would email you myself but for the NIB .40 Hi-Power I bought last weekend!) If it were the other way around, I'd be super-happy to have the Blackhawk, too.
I personally don't feel either revolver has the edge in recoil. I think the Blackhawk is probably a little sturdier than the N-frame, and less likely to go out of time. I used to manage a gun store many moons ago, and it was not uncommon to see S&Ws loosening up more than one would like after a diet of heavy loads (very common with the .44 mags). I've never seen a Blackhawk with this problem. Robert's right, though, the Smiths have a much prettier finish, a generally sweeter trigger right out of the box, and are a tad more accurate on average.
As I said, these are both guns I'd like to have (and you haven't even brought up the elusive Ruger Redhawk in .41!). The .41 mag is a great little round!
I personally don't feel either revolver has the edge in recoil. I think the Blackhawk is probably a little sturdier than the N-frame, and less likely to go out of time. I used to manage a gun store many moons ago, and it was not uncommon to see S&Ws loosening up more than one would like after a diet of heavy loads (very common with the .44 mags). I've never seen a Blackhawk with this problem. Robert's right, though, the Smiths have a much prettier finish, a generally sweeter trigger right out of the box, and are a tad more accurate on average.
As I said, these are both guns I'd like to have (and you haven't even brought up the elusive Ruger Redhawk in .41!). The .41 mag is a great little round!
I have five .41 mag revolvers.
One md.58 customized by C&S with a 3 1/8" bbl hard chromed, DAO, mcGivern front sight, round but. It is my city ccw.
On the farm I usually carry a Ruger 4 5/8" Blackhawk. Just nostalgia I guess.
For hunting I have a Ruger RedHawk with a red dot sight.
A &%$#* to cut the rings and fit a Weaver rail for Holosight.
S&W Moutain gun and another md.58(San Antonio Police trade in) in reserve to customize later.
If you plan on using HWT bullets I suggest you find a RedHawk. It is the Largest of the produced pistols. Mass does matter in recoil control and safty.
I use a very hot load that was given to me by Hogdon in the Red Hawk and my Marlin carbines. I will not publish it.
Good luck, The .41 mag is one of the most efficient magnums.
Cheers,
ts
One md.58 customized by C&S with a 3 1/8" bbl hard chromed, DAO, mcGivern front sight, round but. It is my city ccw.
On the farm I usually carry a Ruger 4 5/8" Blackhawk. Just nostalgia I guess.
For hunting I have a Ruger RedHawk with a red dot sight.
A &%$#* to cut the rings and fit a Weaver rail for Holosight.
S&W Moutain gun and another md.58(San Antonio Police trade in) in reserve to customize later.
If you plan on using HWT bullets I suggest you find a RedHawk. It is the Largest of the produced pistols. Mass does matter in recoil control and safty.
I use a very hot load that was given to me by Hogdon in the Red Hawk and my Marlin carbines. I will not publish it.
Good luck, The .41 mag is one of the most efficient magnums.
Cheers,
ts
I recently purchased a S & W .41 Magnum Mountain Gun. Rather hard to find since only a thousand were made and the last ones were shipped out of the factory over 2 years ago. I believe barrel lenght is your big consideration. Currently Smith only makes the .41 Mag in 7 1/2", 6" are fairly easy to find.
My mountain gun has a 4" taper barrel, a little lighter wgt (still almost 40 oz,) for my camping, hiking, and fishing trips.
Glad to see your not interested in a Taurus, what a piece of crap.
My mountain gun has a 4" taper barrel, a little lighter wgt (still almost 40 oz,) for my camping, hiking, and fishing trips.
Glad to see your not interested in a Taurus, what a piece of crap.
Glad to see your "technical" assessment of Taurus quality quiet boy. I don't share your view. I don't have the Taurus in .41 mag (I have the .44 mag), but my dad does -- and he likes it. But what would he know, he is only a custom gunsmith and one of the most knowledgable people on firearms that I know...
maybe you should change your signature to read "just a guy trying to SHARE (and not learn) a little info, quiet guy.
no feelings hurt here. i DO trust my life with a Taurus product, and I WILL continue to do so. maybe one day i can say that I was saved by a peice of "crap". oh well, one man's crap is another's...
no feelings hurt here. i DO trust my life with a Taurus product, and I WILL continue to do so. maybe one day i can say that I was saved by a peice of "crap". oh well, one man's crap is another's...
Thanks for the feedback. As always the responses shows the savy of those that frequent TFL. BTW, I bid on both a S&W and Blackhawk and won them both. I did find a RH that would have fit in nicely with my SRHs in .44 Magnum and .454 Casull but I felt that the asking price was a bit too high. Apparently so did every one else that looked at it since the Reserve price was never met and no one opted for his For Sell price of $450.
Gunslinger
Moderator
I bid on both a S&W and Blackhawk and won them both....
See, now wasn't that easy.
I'd be surprised if you are disappointed in either one. In fact you will probably find a niche for each. The Ruger for hunting and the Smith for target work.
Congrats!
See, now wasn't that easy.
I'd be surprised if you are disappointed in either one. In fact you will probably find a niche for each. The Ruger for hunting and the Smith for target work.Congrats!
Gunslinger
Moderator
Oh, and if you do not already reload START! Feeding a .41 mag factory ammo gets expensive in a hurry!
One man's crap is another man's piece of exploding crap......
.........so buy (or insist others follow one's own opinion) a Taurus.
A good gun is one that: goes bang every time; sends the bullet in the intended direction; fits the user.
I personally don't care for Taurus wheels (suggest "ammo dismantling" is why), but my "off-body always" is a Taurus auto.
All my wheels are Rugers; these satisfy me best (but my wife carries the S&W M38).
.........so buy (or insist others follow one's own opinion) a Taurus.
A good gun is one that: goes bang every time; sends the bullet in the intended direction; fits the user.
I personally don't care for Taurus wheels (suggest "ammo dismantling" is why), but my "off-body always" is a Taurus auto.
All my wheels are Rugers; these satisfy me best (but my wife carries the S&W M38).
M
M58
Guest
Have Smith, Ruger and Taurus and others in .41 mag.
Smiths have the nicest triggers and most barrel options.
Rugers are strong and fun for the cowboy shoots and have nice single action pulls.
Taurus offers some things the others do not yet: factory porting and Ti in .41 mag. The triggers are no match for Smiths, however.
Depends what your needs and uses are I guess.
IMHO
Smiths have the nicest triggers and most barrel options.
Rugers are strong and fun for the cowboy shoots and have nice single action pulls.
Taurus offers some things the others do not yet: factory porting and Ti in .41 mag. The triggers are no match for Smiths, however.
Depends what your needs and uses are I guess.
IMHO
Factory Ammo
Last year, before my .41MAG dies arrived, I went around to 5 or 6 gun shops that sell alot to hunters and bought ALL
the .41 ammo. The total came to 250 rounds and most were expensive. Even CCI Blazer was $24.95.
.
Order some reloading equipt.soon ! Love the .41...dewey
Last year, before my .41MAG dies arrived, I went around to 5 or 6 gun shops that sell alot to hunters and bought ALL
the .41 ammo. The total came to 250 rounds and most were expensive. Even CCI Blazer was $24.95.
.
Order some reloading equipt.soon ! Love the .41...dewey