41 Mag and Saeco #410 220gr FP

[PacMan]

Any of you guys shooting the above bullet? If so what kind of accuracy you getting. I am looking for a PB bullet for my just aquired .41 Ruger BH.
At some point if i need to i will most likely get an LBT 240gr maybe gas checked.
Any advice or input would be muchly appericated.
Thanks
Dwight

[canyon-ghost]

I've been shooting a 220 grain Keith mold, that's a tad heavy and has a high arc. I do get it to even out at 100 meters and can hit a silhouette ram with it. It takes a load of 15.7 grains of 2400 that I got from a Contender Loadbook.

I shoot 14.2 grains of 2400 with the same bullet for close range light loads. I'm still working with 41 mag and have an LBT 235 WFN GC mold to test out next.


I have a 14" Contender barrel that's real accurate and a NMBH in 41 mag. What I was talking about above is the Blackhawk, just love that revolver.

Ronhttp://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx228/3rdshooter/contenders/142grainsof2400lightloadsin41.jpg

[PacMan]

Thanks for the reply Ron. What Keith bullet is it you are using?
I am really courious how that 235 LBT does so let me know.
Thanks
The best to you and yours.

[sixshot]

I don't have the #410 but I do have a #411, mine drops at 230 gr, its a plain base & I've taken a lot of game with it including elk, hogs, deer & bear, its a proven game bullet. In my eyes a GC isn't necessary, no problems with those who want to shoot them though. I'm sure I've shot somewhere over 100,000 of them in the last 40 years. I also shoot a 250 gr LBT plain base thats taken elk with one shot with complete penetration. Bought my first one in the late 60's.

Dick

[PacMan]

sixshot thanks for thr reply. Does Saeco still make the #411 mold? Could not find in any catalogs that i have. What style of bullet is it.
I just got my .41mag this week and have dies and brass ordered and will shoot jacketed until i decide which mold to buy.
Sounds like you have quite a bit of experience with handguns and the .41 mag. I have little with either.
If you have a load that you care to share i would appericate it.
Hope this finds you and yours doing well this holiday season
Thanks
Dwight

[canyon-ghost]

Dwight, I bought the mold on this forum. It's a Lyman 410459A that another member (Dale2242) sold me in the chat room. He's a former competitive shooter that happened to have one very cool mold. Dale and myself talked about that saeco mold that you're using. It comes very close to an LBT design. It's worth shooting for a game bullet and, if you can get decent accuracy from it, maybe some long range target work.

The Keith style is nose heavy compared the standard SWCs and heavy too. Of course, my musing is making me wonder how fast and straight I could shoot a lightweight bullet. Really, when loading lead bullets in handguns, there's not much to fear. I've loaded them up too hot and sometimes you can shoot them, other times you pull the bullets and dump the powder. When a handgun kicks hard enough that you don't want to proceed, you just take your loads apart. That is, with consideration to the sturdiness of the Ruger, which is mostly manufactured of tool steel. My Blackhawk has me impressed, if you can shoot big magnums real fast on the design, it's a very good revolver.

I'm usually prepared to sacrifice the brass, powder and primers for the sake of living to shoot another day. That, and I must be responsible for disposal out here, I can't just throw anything into the Dumpster and expect the city's new trash truck to deal with it. No live rounds from me, I play nice. lol.

I bought a box of 50 for the Blackhawk when I bought it, have one round left on the load bench now. Believe me, you can make better with a little studying.

Ron http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx228/3rdshooter/contenders/Oopsmissed-1.jpg

[pearson1662]

The only mold I own for my M57 is the 410. It's the first mold I ever purchased and I'm still a novice at the casting game but I thought I would share my limited experience since it is directly related to your question. The boolits were sized .410 and dropped at 231 gr from straight WWs. (I did sort my boolits to +or- .4gr)

I used four different powders, 2400, H4227, Unique, VV3N37. Five shot groups at 25 yards.

The starting load of 2400 was 16.0gr and the max load that I loaded was 17.5gr at 1203'/sec ave
The starting load of H4227 was 16.0gr and the max load that I loaded was 18.0gr at 1329'/sec ave
(Three of the five rounds of 18.0gr of H4227 didn't register on the chrony due to fading sunlight.)
The starting load of Unique was 5.0gr and the max load that I loaded was 9.0gr at 1012'/sec ave
The starting load of VV3N37 was 6.0gr and the max load that I loaded was 10.0gr at 994'/sec ave
All velocities were instrumental readings 12 feet from the muzzle with a Competition Electronics ProChrony.

The three smallest groups were (1) 1.45" w/ 7.0gr Unique at 831'/sec, ave (2) 1.55" w/ 18.0gr H4227 at 1328'/sec ave (3) 1.79" w/ 9.0gr Unique at 1012'/sec And (4) 1.86" w/ 16.0gr 2400 at 1152'/sec ave

None of the loads tested caused sticky extraction but the load that developed the most case expansion was the load of 18.0gr of H4227 at 0.43710"(ave) as compared to the Winchester Platinum Tip 240gr HP factory load at 0.43670"(ave) as measured with a Fowler digital micrometer.

I don't have a great deal of experience shooting revolvers in calibers larger than the .357Mag. So, until I repeat these tests, I don't consider the group sizes as significant as I do the case head expansion measurements. With that in mind, I don't intend to shoot any loads hotter than the 18.0gr load of H4227 in my 6" M57-3.

A few other comments: 1.) Hodgdon.com has a load that lists a 245gr cast LSWC with a starting load of 18.0gr of H4227 and a max of 20.0gr. 2.) VV3N37 yielded the largest average group sizes which probably explains why I found so little data for it with the 41Mag and cast boolits. 3.) I only shot 99 rounds but there was no leading apparent in the bore of the revolver. 4.) I have a pound of H110 but didn't use it. I think I will try it next.

The load of 18gr of 4227 satisfies my hunting needs:D

You're primary question regarded accuracy and I'm pleased with groups less than 2" at 25 yrds with open sights, my old eyes and limited experience. I'm sure that other people on this board do much better with the same equipment. It's a good mold.

[sixshot]

Dwight, the Saeco #411 must be very hard to find, I have some friends who have looked for that mould for a long time & not found one, you might do a little advertising & get lucky. My 230 gr slug is a Keith style that shoots superb. My most used load in it is 17 grs of 2400, not a max load but its taken a lot of game. The 41's were made right (throats/barrel demensions, etc) so they seem to shoot about any load well, Unique or 231 is always a good choice for a reduced load.
Wyoming muley with the 41 maggie & 230 gr Keith slug.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k3/6shot_01/100_1623-8.jpg
Cow elk with the 41 Bisley, this was using the 250 gr LBT, slug went through both shoulders & exited at 74 yds.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k3/6shot_01/100_2228-6.jpg

Dick

[GLynn41]

thanks for the pictures 6 shot- I have a 2 cav and single cav 410459 Lyman with the single cav being HP'd -- I have one cal .41--including a couple of wildcats 41/445 in a TC and a 5.5 Redhawk in 41/454- the only bullet i have recovered was 2 hollow points and one that hit a doe in a slew after she was wounded -- I got about 5" of water then her-- even then the bullet almost went through--the one boar i shot was with a 255 LWN and it was a complete pass through-- anyway in march I hope to go to a hunting lodge for an eating elk -- a cow-- hence the reason I liked your picture-- you probably won't need a GC- but of course suit your self-- for my hunting loads -- with the 220 -230gr/ 18 gr of 2400-- 12 gr of 800x and this last has shot wonderful in all 10 of my past and present .41 //22 gr of 296-- all this in my guns as yours are different

[PacMan]

You guys are great. Thanks for all the info.
Nice shooting Sixshot. After eome rather disapointing results with my new BH today and 210 XTP's i put her away for a few days while my son and i go camping and hog hunting. I wa working with 2400 starting at 16gr and increased 1/2gr and stoped at 18 grain when i had problems keeping them on paper at 25yards.
Best to all you guys and your familys this holiday season
Dwight

[GLynn41]

hope you and your son have a good trip and a safe one and successful too --surprised that 18 gr of 2400 and an xtp did not shoot well ???

[PacMan]

Yea GLynn41 i was really disapointed with those results also. I also ran some Rem 210 SP through the gun and it did not like them at all.Hoping that i did not get a bad one.Little earily to tell yet. When i return from our hunting trip i will start again.
Merry Christmas to al.
Dwight

[GARCIA]

Dwight Hardy, I have exactly zero experiance with the mold you mention but I do have some experiance with the NOE 230gr LFN.

Went out Friday and got a little trigger time with a second hand 41 mag Redhawk that I just picked up.

Shot three differant loads with differant powders in each (HS-6/2400/H110). Had no problem getting decent size groups at 25 yards.

Tom