41 magnum, what do you think ??

[MULEMAN]

I have been looking at various revolvers and keep coming accross the 41 Mag's. All I have read says they are flatter shooting than the 44 Mag and everyone comments on how much less they recoil. I have also read that you can load them to almost identical 44mag ballistics or down around the 357 ballistics. I already have a 44-40 and it appears the 41 would be a little bit more than my 44-40 hot loads. I am not worried much about factory ammo availability as I would be hand loading for it. So what are your experiences or opinions of the 41mag. I would be looking at using it for Hogs or possibly deer at shorter ranges under 75 yards. I have been looking at the Taurus raging bulls as I have just always liked the look and feel of them.

[thearborbarber]

I have a S&W 657 7 1/2" barrel and a taurus 415 with 2 1/2" barrel. I love the 1 mag. I have three loads for it a 215gr LSWC powder puff load to plink with, a 210gr Hornady XTP full power load for deer hunting that works great and a a 250gr LWFNGC full power load for anything bigger than a deer. I also shot these loads out of my 1894fg as well. If you reload you would be hard pressed to find a better handgun round.

[IN1894SS]

I like the 41Mags - only have 1 at the moment - I will say it is a round that it helps to be a reloader for as ammo is spotty.

[Charlie98]

I currently have 3 .41's in the stable... I have never owned a .44Mag and probably never will. When I first started handloading you were fairly limited on component selection but in recent years that has changed. There is quite a variety of lead bullet weights and the normal jacketed fare. Unique and W296 handle the propellant duties but there are plenty of alternates.

The .41 is sort of the redheaded stepchild of the handgun world, as you mentioned sitting right inbetween the .357 and the .44. Is it better than the .44? I don't know, the differences are too small to really make a difference. I liken it to Baskin Robbins 31 flavors... it's all good ice cream, just pick a flavor you like and go with it.

The past 20 years has seen quite a few new firearms introduced (the Raging Bull, Desert Eagle's autoloader, Marlin's 1894FG and S, S&W's Classic and Performance Center revolvers to name a few) so we .41 shooters are in high cotton.

I have found, when trying to buy or sell .41's, that you get conflicting responses... if you are trying to sell one, they are an oddity and aren't worth as much, but when you are buying one they are rare.

[Tedak]

Muleman,
Get one! Since you reload, you don't have to worry about finding/paying for factory fodder. If you cast, then you're in really good shape.

I haven't taken any of them hunting, but there is a noticeable difference in recoil vs. the .44 mag, and the .41 is capable of fine accuracy. My 6" M657 shot a 4" group (iron sights) at 50 yards, with a 200gr Rem JHP loaded to 1350 FPS. I don't shoot this load much, since it is pretty wam, and I don't want to beat on my S&W.

I have three .41's now. I've had the 657 since '89, the Blackhawk since November, and my latest pickup was last week.... a 4" M57.

[reflex264]

I love the .41 mag. I would shoot a elk with it using the 255CPB bullet. Our deer loads are usualy with 210gr JHPs. My favorite is the no longer made 210 Nosler. The XTP is a good bullet as well. We just started using A BRP mold that is a 4 cavity with a unusual round nose in 3 cavities and a hollow point on the end cavity. Awsome isn't a good enough description of this bullet. It runs 253grs and will see a lot of hunting time this year. The hollow point end cavity drops at 238grs with a 50/50 PB wheelweight mix. These are among the most accurate bullet I know of in the .41. reflex264

[Bill M]

I have a Blackhawk and love it. I don't personally notice that much of a recoil difference between it and a 44.
A little less than 2 hundredths of a difference in diameter between the two as opposed to a little more than 5 hundredths from the 357.
My only knowledge of the Raging Bull is from a shooting partner who has a 454 Casull. He shot a lot of full-house loads in his and had it pretty loose in a year. He had it repaired and doesn't shoot those loads unless he's hunting; less than 6 a year. He had to pay for the repair.
That would be my only concern with Taurus.
I have a Taurus 44 Special Snubby and love it. Taurus is a great gun. Just be carefull with the hand loads.

[MudMan]

I have a Blackhawk and love it. I don't personally notice that much of a recoil difference between it and a 44.
A little less than 2 hundredths of a difference in diameter between the two as opposed to a little more than 5 hundredths from the 357.
My only knowledge of the Raging Bull is from a shooting partner who has a 454 Casull. He shot a lot of full-house loads in his and had it pretty loose in a year. He had it repaired and doesn't shoot those loads unless he's hunting; less than 6 a year. He had to pay for the repair.
That would be my only concern with Taurus.
I have a Taurus 44 Special Snubby and love it. Taurus is a great gun. Just be carefull with the hand loads.

Bill M is right. People don't think about the fact that a 44 mag is .429" and a 41 mag is .410" 0.019" difference - not much.

[Combat Diver]

My first cartridge reloaded was for my Uncles .41 Mag (57 w/ 8.375") in 84'. Have owned half dozen Smith N frame .41s and still have a blued 58. Then there is the 14" T/C Contender bbl and the Marlin 1894S both in .41 Mag. Just gave my son my model 29 so no more .44 Mags in the house. Just got Ranch Dogs TL411-255 6 cav mold for the Marlin earlier this year. I'll be looking for a new 6 or 8 3/8" Smith when I get home. Love the cartridge. Since Dan Coonan is bringing the Model B back out there is hope for it in .41 again. (1911 in .357 or .41 mag) Cartridge is capable of doing anything that I need done.

CD

[Hank in Arkansas]

Muleman, I love .41s. I bought a Blackhawk back in 1967, but it was stolen in a burglary. I used the insurance money to buy a S&W 57 8", then ended up trading that for a now discontinued Redhawk .41 7.5". Still have that one. Added a S&W 657 3" customized backpacking gun. Next came a T/C Contender 10", scoped. Finally, I picked up a Marlin carbine in .41. If funds ever permit, I'd like to add a Freedom Arms .41. I've never owned a .44 Mag. I rather suspect that a deer hit with a .41 vs a .44 would never know the difference. By the way, that's the cartridge I started handloading on. I even started out as a newbie in '67 casting bullets for it, because I had so much trouble finding factory bullets.

I don't have experience with the Raging Bull, but it sure looks sturdy, and it's gotten pretty decent reviews. Good luck!