.41 Contender Carbine

[RNT]

Aloha everyone,
I’m new to the group and thought I’d pick your minds about a project I’ve been thinking about.

Currently my primary hunting rifle is a T/C Contender set up as a rifle in 30-30 Ackley Improved but lately I’ve been having a yen for something in a larger bore. Specifically I’m interested in .41 calibers. No real reason other than I’ve always liked the .41 magnum in a pistol and, probably most importantly, I don’t have one.

Exploring my options, it looked like the 411JDJ would be a good choice. But that idea went out the window; when Mr. Jones at SSK Industries informed me that they don’t offer that chambering any more. Neither in barrels or reloading dies. He suggested that I look at 405 Winchester. I did that and it looked pretty good. But thinking about it further (always dangerous) I started to get the feeling that both the JDJ round and 405 win. were a little too much gun for what I had in mind.

What I want is a round that I can load with .41 pistol boolits in the 210-215 grain range but still have the option of going heavier if I feel the need. I really don’t need, or necessarily want, a lot of power; 210 grains at 1800 fps is more than legal for where I hunt and the type of game I’m after.

Now I’m thinking about the 414 Supermag. On paper it looks like it will deliver the performance that I’m looking for and has the added advantage of being able to shoot .41 magnum ammo as well. Barrels are available and .41 magnum dies work just fine.
If any of you have had experience with this chambering in a rifle length barrel I would love to hear about it.

[missionary5155]

Greetings and welcome about.
The 414 SM is one of my favorite calibers. I have been shooting 41 mag sice 1981 when I bought my first .41 mag DW. About 1992 I bought a .375 SM. Then my last time up I turned it into a 414 SM. Found a DW cylinder in 414 and had a custon barrel made to screw onto the .375 SM frame. I have done the same procedure to produce a 32-20 on a DW .357 frame.
Next time up I will have a 414 SM in a 336 Marlin if all goes well. I already have the rifle & I trust will soon be sent into Jesse Reboring to open it to .410 then to get the chamber cut.
What I learned from an 8" revolver barrel was the 414 SM gave a good 350 fps gain over the 41 mag with the same 265 grain GC boolit. My 41 mag Marlin will get the same 265 going to 1550 fps with a healthy load of 1680. So I do not see any reason why the 414SM in rifle barrel should not produce 350 fps gain + over the 41 mag carbine. I also have a 41 mag 14" contender barrel that will get the rechamber job to 414SM.
So you are not alone working the 414 into a usfull tool. I only wish I could have bought an origonal 414 SM Dan Wesson when they were being produced.
Mike in Peru

[rockrat]

You can always download the 405 win, or even go to a 40-65Win, but I think the 414 supermag is just what the doctor ordered, for you.

[exile]

Sounds like a great project. Hope you will share some of your findings here. And welcome to the group.

exile

[RNT]

Mike,
Thanks for the input, that’s just the kind of information I was fishing for. It looks like the increase in velocity that you experienced with the 414 Supermag over the .41 mag will put me right where I want to be. In fact even the numbers you gave for the regular .41 mag in your Marlin look pretty good for what I have in mind.

Rockrat,
Before I stumbled on the 414 Supermag, downloading the 405 Winchester was the direction my thought process was taking me. But it impressed me as kind of a waste of a potent “Big Medicine” cartridge. I have a very nice Ruger #1 in 45/70 and that is all the medicine I need. I have to admit that running a 125 year old cartridge like the 40/65 in a relatively modern rig like the Contender has a certain appeal for me. But I think it would be better served in a nice HI-Wall, which happens to be another fantasy acquisition for me. So I agree the 414 Supermag looks just like the medicine that the doctor ordered for me.

Exile,
Yes it does and yes I will.

[Three44s]

Grey Beard Outdoors forum has a lively classified section for Contenders ....... recently there was a 414 SM barrel up for sale.

Three 44s

[45r]

I don't know if JD still offers the 40/44 woodswalker but the hornady dies and that chambering worked great in my 10mm contender barrel,shoots 40 cal 200 grain xtp's real fast and into a ragged hole.Can't find no GC boolits for it but it shot j-words so well I had him put a break on it later,it had a lot of muzzle flip with a 10 inch barrel.It uses 44 mag brass.It shoots faster than my 12 inch 357max.I use the max for cast boolits.If you got a max from MGM I bet you would be real happy,they use rifle reamers that work great I hear.My max used to a 357 mag but after rechamber with dave mansom rifle reamer it turned into a real tack driver.Sold the reamer later on E-bay for 50 bucks less than what I paid for it.Love the max.

[RJM52]

Your best bet if you want a .41 caliber with more punch than a .41 Magnum would the .41 SM. You will find it will put out more than enough velocity to take care of any business on the planet. If you go over to the Gary Reeder Custom Gun site they have shot cape buffalo with the .410 GNR from a handgun. This is a .454 Casull necked down to .41...using 255 grain Cast Performance Bullets.

I have a 14" Belhm rechambered barrel that is a one of a kind. The chamber dementions are much like the .41 GNR #2 but has a longer lead in the barrel. I am getting 2000 fps with AA1680 with 255 grain CP bullets...it is not fun to shoot this round in a Contender and have purchased a G2 frame just to use with this barrel....

One big problem with the .411 JDJ is that it holds more powder than can be burned in anything less that a LONG barrel. The .41 GNR #2 shoots bullets just as fast with leas powder in a 14" barrel. The .411 JDJ was replaced with the .416 JDJ as there were more heavy hunting bullets available than in .41.

The .405 Winchester is NOT a round you would want to shoot in a Contender. One of the shooters I know cut a TC Encore .405 barrel down to 16.5" and it not something you shoot with full loads for too long...

I have one of the limited edition TC Collectors Assoc. .41 Carbine barrels (16.5") and it is a great shooter. I think at the time they offered the buyer the option of having the barrel chambered in .41 Mag or .41 SM...

Let us know what you decide....Bob