The .41 Magnum Club

I found the .41 Magnum very easy to reload, in fact it was 10 years before I fired a factory load in mine.
My experience with Blue Dot in .357 was it worked great with 110/125 JHPs, did not work well with lead bullets. Several of the gun writers warned against using in cold weather.
 
I have two M57s - a well-traveled (has German proof marks) 8-3/8" -1 from 1984, and a 6" -4 from 1993. Great guns - fun to shoot, fun to reload for.
 
I had a M58 back in the late seventies that I milled a slot in the top-strap and attached S&W revolver rear sight. I also machined an intregral ramped front sight to match the new rear sight.

I have a Ruger .41 Magnum Blackhawk that I carried when I lurked in the Pere Marquette River woods adjacent to my 45 Acers.

I also had a M57 with an eight and three-eights barrel. It was a beautiful gun, but found it cumbersome to carry, even slung across my chest, riding under my left arm pit.

I had a S&W 657 with a six-inch barrel with which I took a big Michigan doe, shooting double-action.

Although I do not have a .41 now, it was a great cartridge.
 
For loading .41 I generally load lighter loads with WW 231 and lead bullets. Those are very nice easy shooters.

For something heavier I use AA 7.

And if I want really get my magnum on, WW 296.
 
6.5" NM Blackhawk here, bought from the second owner. Each owner before me had fired 6 rounds and it came with an old box of Remington ammo with 38 rounds inside.

Great cartridge IMO, and the gun really likes those Speer 210gr half-jacket bullets they don't make anymore. Loaded with H110 and I only have a couple hundred of those Speers left...but it's the sidearm I always pick up as a hunting companion or just knocking around in the woods. I think it's easier to shoot than the .44 and close enough to the energy delivered for whatever I'm likely to run up against.
 
I've got a few, including a .41 Special, so yeah, I guess I'm a fan.

This 6.5" Blackhawk will be coming home from Tyler Gun Works next week.

custom_41b_29f5f5c3f2942eaaf96f604d77bbbaf8e95218f8.jpeg
 
Had my 4" M-57 no dash since 1980, I was such an active reloader then, it was 10 years before I put a factory round through it. Thinking about a Henry Big Boy to complement it.
 
Always really enjoyed the .41 Magnums. I started with a Ruger, similar to yours Tex, and sold it several years ago as I never shot it. Before that, I bought the 657 in the photo, which was carried by an FBI agent on duty for decades. I also had a 1894S, but we just never got along and I also sold it. I do have a .414SuperMag barrel for my Encore and shoot .41 Mag out of that as well. The 16" Henry will soon replace the carbine once a few guns I have on consignment sell.

Easy to reload, and as you can see from the photo, I have a variety of loads, even a snake shot load that I roll myself as well.
 

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Rosewood grips?

Hey rodfac,

If you're still there/here, I've got a question; on your post #3, the middle photo shows your NMB with rosewood grips? Wondered if you made those, or if you purchased them, from where? I'd maybe like a set of those on my NMB.

Also, I've got the same M94 carbine you show there, too. Where did you get the saddle ring safety replacement? Pretty sure that's what you have there.

Thanks,
reinert

Also, I had a buddy who replaced his NMB .41 grip frame to a Bisley, and when he did that, he had a Super Blackhawk hammer on his .41 that he gifted me. Really a nice upgrade on my old Blackhawk.
 
Reinert, I made the rosewood grips on my Flat Top Blackhawk from a block I've had for over 30 years. Finished in Tung Oil, they darkened to their present condition...when new they were a much lighter shade of red.

Making them up is not an especially hard project. You fit the top angle first, then then drill the hole for the locator pin, finally drill the hole for the stock escutcheon screws. I sand mine to shape on a belt sander, then finish by hand. Making them yourself, you can get any shape/fit you want. I like mine wider by about 1/8" overall, up top, behind the hammer for recoil comfort, and thinner down at the butt, for overall feel.

Here's a few more on some of my Rugers. Top to bottom: Cocobolo, black & white ebony, fiddle back maple, and the bottom is poplar fence rail. A good place to look for exotic wood without buying a hundred dollar board is Woodcrafter's turning bowl blanks 6x6x2.5". Brownells has the escutcheon screws and bolts along with an easy to use drill/countersink.

The saddle ring came from Beartooth Mercantile...delivery took less than a week...and installation was a breeze, but you do have to remove the butt stock to get at the safety installation screw fittings.

HTH's Rod

 
rodfac,

Beautiful work! I asked about the grips as it looked a bit as you had some extra thickness on the wood. I don't mind the original walnut grips on mine, but I've always thought at some point to get something with a little extra "beef" on the grips. I've got a great old chunk of walnut I've had for 25 years that I may try to form a set at some point down the road. And thanks for the tip on the Beartooth Mercantile saddle ring, too. I've thought of doing something like that on my carbine from time to time. Your work shines on your Rugers. Well done, indeed. Love my .41s.
 
I traded a beat-up S&W 686 4" and $100 for a beautiful New Model Blackhawk Bisley with a 5.5" .41 Mag barrel. I really wanted a 7.5" in .44 Mag, but I had an old friend in Arizona who always swore by .41 Mag and I respect his opinion. I went ahead and got it and I like it a lot. I got my first Whitetail handgun kill with it this year, a spike buck, and I'm tooled up to start loading for it although I haven't started working up a load yet.

For a handgun hunting role the .41 Mag is great. I wish factory ammo was easier to find, but these days it doesn't seem like anything is easy to find no matter what you shoot. If I step up in power to anything now I'll skip the .44 and go right to .454 Casull. I've always wanted a Freedom Arms revolver.

I shot my spike with the Remington XTP 210 grain semi-jacketed flat points. He didn't go far but there wasn't hardly any blood. I'm going to use Hornady XTP hollow points when I work up a handload for deer hunting, should create a much better exit hole.

I picked up some 265 grain hard cast slugs from Grizzly Cartridge Company for using in the bear woods for defense if I ever have that need.

I like the .41 Mag a lot so far, I imagine I'll like it even more when I finally start loading for it.
 
I like the .41 Mag a lot so far, I imagine I'll like it even more when I finally start loading for it.
Click to expand...
Yes, you will.

I think I have at least a dozen boxes of factory loads that have sat on my shelf for over 15 years. Just does not match what the cartridge is capable of. Similar issues with 10mm.
 
I'm in ... a S&W model 58 .
Been casting and reloading for the 41 magnum since 1972 , would enjoy discussing loads .
Gary
 
gwpercle said:
I'm in ... a S&W model 58 .
Been casting and reloading for the 41 magnum since 1972 , would enjoy discussing loads .
Gary
Click to expand...
I used AA#9 for a long time, but have been using Lil Gun recently. A little bit of Enforcer as well. Mostly shoot 210 grain slugs.

I do use 4.0 grains of Clays under 110 grains of #9 shot for my snake shot loads.
 
.41 mag rules

I have been hog hunting with my S&W model 57 (Armoloy finish) 6-inch bbl and a trigger that i8s smooth as butter.
Hogs have never moved after being hit with 250gr castcore 1250f/s produced by Federal Premium Hunting.
The 41 is a great calibre to reload and enjoy.
 
My original load for my 4" M-57 was a 210 SWC over 8 grains of Unique. I saw I was getting unburied powder, cut back to 7.5 grains,,good accuracy,no unburned powder.
 
"Been casting and reloading for the 41 magnum since 1972 , would enjoy discussing loads."

There have been a LOT of threads in the Handloading forum about pet loads for .41 Mag. over the years.

Lots of good information to be found there.



As I noted, my primary load for my .41 is more of a .41 Special load using .41 Mag cases, a 215 gr. LSWC, and WW 231.

IIRC I get right around 900-1000 fps. with that load but it's been awhile since I looked at the specifics.
 
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