.41 Magnum / 41 Special Load Data Center

[jem102]

That is a great bullet for the mag and special. Matt's sells them for those that do not have the mold

http://www.mattsbullets.com/index.ph...rgc07v7pjcotk3

I have been using Matt's boolit on top of a moderate charge of Red Dot with Fed. 150's and it shoots very well!

[Frank V]

Interesting bullets. I really like the wadcutter in the .38 Special, no reason it shouldn't work well in the .41!

[Apples]

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I wanted to add to this great thread although I'm only on Page 9... I'm a new reloader and also a recent convert to the .41 S&W/.41 Remington Magnum cartridge. I have several commercially-loaded offerings but most are for hunting and run on the fast side.

I knew! that the .41 would be the cartridge that I would learn handloading for... and since factory-loaded .44 isn't exactly an economical plinker, I have dies for .44 Remington Magnum too.

I am excited about my next opportunity to shoot my first reloads of some .41 Mag Starline brass: 7.5, 7.7 then 8.0 gr Unique under a Hunters Supply 215 gr LSWC... this might be the least crimp I'd ever use. Let me know what you think. I'm eager to get to the range but a shift change at work with overtime is keeping me away from the firing line... gotta make hay while the sun shines.




1967-made Ruger Old Model Blackhawk wearing Ajax grip panels




Thanks go to 336A, ko41 and Frank V for the encouragement and the nod to Cast Bo0lits!

[reed1911]

Welcome to the addiction of the .41. You've been warned, you'll want to start saving now to add to the collection. I highly recommend the Dan Wesson's if you can find them for 800.00-ish. I'm partial to S&W over Ruger, but only my personal pref. Nothing wrong at all with the BH or RH. Next thing you know you'll be over on Gary Reeder's sight drooling on some of th e.41 Wildcat's and yes, they are worth it!

[336A]

Welcome to the addiction Apples, thats a great looking revolver BTW. I bet you will enjoy the 8gr of Unique load a lot. As I and those more knowledgeable than I have found there is just something about 8-8.5gr of Unique and a cast boolit that really make the .41 shine. Due to a recent move I haven't been able to get out with my .41 and do any shooting. Ranges in this new locale are few and far between, and those that I have found charge astronomical membership fees. I hope you get a lot of enjoyment and use from you new acquisition.

[Frank V]

.
I wanted to add to this great thread although I'm only on Page 9... I'm a new reloader and also a recent convert to the .41 S&W/.41 Remington Magnum cartridge. I have several commercially-loaded offerings but most are for hunting and run on the fast side.

I knew! that the .41 would be the cartridge that I would learn handloading for... and since factory-loaded .44 isn't exactly an economical plinker, I have dies for .44 Remington Magnum too.

I am excited about my next opportunity to shoot my first reloads of some .41 Mag Starline brass: 7.5, 7.7 then 8.0 gr Unique under a Hunters Supply 215 gr LSWC... this might be the least crimp I'd ever use. Let me know what you think. I'm eager to get to the range but a shift change at work with overtime is keeping me away from the firing line... gotta make hay while the sun shines.




1967-made Ruger Old Model Blackhawk wearing Ajax grip panels




Thanks go to 336A, ko41 and Frank V for the encouragement and the nod to Cast Bo0lits!

You are welcome, that round looks good to me. You are going to enjoy the .41 Mag it's a great cartridge. You can load it down to very comfortable levels & you still hit whatever you shoot with a bullet of .41 diameter, & somewhere around 210grs! You are going to be hooked on reloading.
Let us know how it shoots when you get to the range.
Thanks & good shooting.

[GLynn41]

I have three of Gary's wildcat bottle necked .41s I like them all
I also trim brass and shoot .41 specials from a 4''Tracker
a well reloaded .41 is a thing of beauty--

[Frank V]

I like the .45 Backpacker, but it'd be great in .41 mag. too.
He does have some nice guns & his .41 offerings are interesting.

[GLynn41]

yes indeed they are-for example my 41/454 will go 1630 fps in a 5.5 Redhawk with a 255 gr LWNGC-- normally I stop at 1450-1500
a 41/445 in a 12'' TC is the same bullet at 2100+

[Frank V]

I have found I'm comfortable to about 1100fps with a 255 gr bullet or lighter & I could probably live the rest of my life comfortably with the same weights to 950fps. In the area of 850 things are really pleasant & I got a Grasshopper today at about 10yds with a 255gr 45 lead bullet at about 830fps, he just dissappeared!
Grasshoppers are actually a little challanging at 10yds with a six-gun they are almost always moving a bit..

[GLynn41]

the only reason I go that high is I want the bullet be at the speed of sound on impact with in my shooting distance
for a straight up.41 =1300 or so with a 230 gr
in my Tracker=.41 special at 1000-1100 208 cast HP or 225 LNGC

[Frank V]

I'm becoming more & more content with middle of the road loads from most all handguns.

[Apples]

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Frank V

You are going to enjoy the .41 Mag it's a great cartridge. You can load it down to very comfortable levels & you still hit whatever you shoot with a bullet of .41 diameter, & somewhere around 210grs!

Thanks!

When I posted my "Greetings!" thread I mentioned that I wanted to run a 215 gr LSWC near 1000 fps. I think it was Scharfschutze that said that was close to the old .41 police load.

Hey Frank, did you see posted much earlier in this thread the suggestion that Green Dot was a "best-kept" secret for .44 Mag mid-level loadings (as it should be for .41)? I found some G.D. and added it to the stash! There's Unique (my #1 choice), AA #7 and #9, Bullseye, TiteGroup, Viht110 and when I'm ready for, as runfiverun calls it, some "J-word velocities", 2400.

GLynn41

I also trim brass and shoot .41 specials from a 4''Tracker
a well reloaded .41 is a thing of beauty--

I was justed pointed to Starline's website; they're selling another run of their.41 Special brass. I snagged some for when I find that elusive Tracker.

https://www.starlinebrass.com/brass-cases/41-Special/

[Frank V]

I missed the Green Dot post, but looking through my powder to see what I needed to buy, I found an old ( I mean the old short square metal can) of Green Dot. Now I may just have to go to one of my old loading manuals & see what they say.
Thanks for the reminder.

[RJM52]

Welcome Apples...you are in good company here!!

As said the 8.0 grains of Unique load just seems to be magic in .41s... If you use Special brass I've found that 7.0 does about the same. The 8.0 with a 210 will duplicate exactly the original soft swaged 210 grain Police Load from both Remington and Winchester which are both going between 925-975 fps from a 4" barrel.

As to your crimp..I've found that a good heavy crimp allows the powder to burn better and the shot to shot variation of velocity much less. I am still using brass that I bought in the 1980s and will get a body split before any neck splits so heavy crimp doesn't seem to shorten brass life.

That is a VERY nice OM BH you have there. I've had two OMs and three NMs with the 4 5/8" barrel...very good shooters. The only problem I've run into with the pre-1970 vintage Rugers was that the front sight was too short and as a result one runs out of vertical adjustment before zero can be achieved at 25 yards.

...and again...welcome to The Cult....

Bob

[RICHP]

This months Handloader magazine has the first of a two part article by Brian Pearce on the .41 Special, shows a few loads.

[rking22]

On the Handloader, did you notice that he comments on the GP100 and 686 conversions not being able to take "magnum level loads" ? I was pumped when I saw the article, now have little hope for it. Why order and wait for a custom 41 SPECIAL and then try to make it into a 41 Mag???? just buy a M57 or BH and call it good.

[RICHP]

The idea is not to make a magnum out of it, there are plenty of those. The special cartridge is meant to be used in a smaller more compact firing platform, where a magnum is neither needed or wanted. I may only be able to have one custom revolver built in my life, it will be a .41 Special. Nuff said!

On the Handloader, did you notice that he comments on the GP100 and 686 conversions not being able to take "magnum level loads" ? I was pumped when I saw the article, now have little hope for it. Why order and wait for a custom 41 SPECIAL and then try to make it into a 41 Mag???? just buy a M57 or BH and call it good.

[rking22]

RICHP , that was my thought exactly,, and I had mine built . A Dave Clements GP100 short lug in 41 Special, blued and beautiful. Will most likely be my only custom revolver, no need for another, it does everything I need. If I ever need more there are 41Mags and 44Mags in the safe to fill that need
Was hoping the article would be more pressure tested data for the 41 Special , not about trying to make a custom 41 special into 41 magnum, makes no sense whstsoever!

[jetinteriorguy]

I too am a big fan of GD for my .41. 8-8.2 gr works very well. Moderate recoil without the snappiness of Unique, and very accurate with most any 210-220 gr bullet. Been using this load for about 30 years.