Lee .41 cal., 240 g. SWC

[deltazulu334]

Last spring I was given three molds by a friend who had gotten out of casting. Two were familiar to me, one was not.
Please help by telling of your experiences with the mold which I am not familiar with: the Lee .41 caliber, 240 grain SWC. I do not now nor have I ever owned a .41 caliber revolver. However, I'm getting rather interested in finding a S&W model 58 to
shoot and carry.
1. Please tell of your experiences , good or bad with this mold. What velocity did it shoot most accurately for you? What game did it take and was it fully adequate for?
2. Was the accuracy good or very good compared to other designs?
3. What were the production years for this mold?

Any other interesting details which I could not think to ask would also be very welcome. Will appreciate the help and advice!

[9.3X62AL]

I have a similar mould, and it has shot WONDERFULLY for me in a now-departed Blackhawk x 6.5" and a S&W 657 x 6". Load is 9.0 grains of Herco for about 950-1000 FPS. No large game to date with these boolits, but they can do well under 2" at 25 yards with open irons and don't beat the shooter up very much.

[runfiverun]

it'll do what a 44 will.
a bit flatter shooting though.

[targetshootr]

The only downside to the 58, imo, is no ejector shroud which makes it look funny. And for what they cost nowdays, you could probably turn a medium frame Ruger into 41 mag or 41 spl.

[GLynn41]

Gary Reeder wants about 1500-2000 for that conversion--ifrc a used 58 is 700+ -- I wanted one have now gone to a Tracker .41 4" it has not arrived yet
that mold Lee shot great _ literally wore it out --time period was early 80's
I have had .45 colt, .454 .44 mag and .357 now all I have are .41s and .41 wildcats-- --

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Used this Lee mold for quit a few years until I received a 265 grainer which is now my hunting boolit. A 240 grainer is heavy enough for any deer or piggy I have seen.
In my 41 Marlin it shot as well as any other boolit and smacks critters with real authority.
50/50 mix was my normal for revolver or lever hunting. Pure WW for more FPS and better penetration on pigs.
I would not shoot it in my Taurus Tracker Titanium. The SS model is OK.

[targetshootr]

Gary Reeder wants about 1500-2000 for that conversion--ifrc a used 58 is 700+ -- I wanted one have now gone to a Tracker .41 4" it has not arrived yet--

He will also convert old model Ruger actions using his parts and keep the original parts for himself, for some reason. There are other smiths who will charge around $600 for that kind of job using the original parts. Even less if you send a 41 cal barrel.

[Mavrick]

Part of it will depend on which boolit you have. I have a TL mold and my "luck" has been less than wished.
In my M58, I've done all right with magnum-alloy and Red Rooster lube @ 1000fps+ or - with True Blue, 800X and Pearl.
With WW+2%, I've been pretty poor @ 750-900fps with BAC or Red Carnuba using Bullseye, WW231 and 700X, eventhough, All have been passable in my 6" M57.
I've tried 1200-1300fps in my M58 using WW296 and 2400. It's hot and the boolits were linotype w/Red Rooster.
All the above were sized in a .413 die and came out "as cast."
When the weather clears, I'll try some experiments with combos I've cast and loaded over the winter....'Beagled', water-dropped, and/or sized .413. They're lubed with Red Carnuba or BAC. I'll be trying several powders for about 1000fps.
I believe they'd be easier to be successful if I had conventional lube-groove boolits. I's SURE like to try them.
I'll have to retry several experiments with LLA. They didn't do well in my M57 8 3/8", but I don't have it any more. Maybe we'll see what they'll do in my 6".
Have fun,
Gene

[GLynn41]

yeah Gary will do lots of things-- he told why he keeps the old parts but I do not remember -- I have two of his guns-- a TC and my Redhawk .41/454-- he will always no matter who has it ,take care of his guns for you for free--
his prices are not unreasonable -- you can go his web sight and check on the GP100-- but he converts it to a 5 shot cyclinder-- --retimes it -- new .41 cal bar. with a lug -- refinish and so on -- to have a .356 GNR ( this is a 357/41)--is a much less because of less work -- I was not trying to dis Gary he is a friend that I have hunted with -

[9.3X62AL]

Quality gunsmithing is almost a seller's market these days. Any 'smith worth his salt gets overwhelmed with volume, and steep pricing as at least as much about "triage" as it is about economics. I don't blame 'em a bit.