Smacking Steel with the .414 (Get some!)

[ohland]

Article from Todd Spotti, Guns Magazine, March 2002.

http://dwcollectors.org/dwca-content/articles/2002_mar_article.pdf

"For those who like pouring their own, Redding SAECO has the widest variety of .41-caliber cast bullet molds available, including its No. .415 which is a beautiful 220-grain gas-check design. SAECO molds are simply the best you can buy."

I believe these are from an 8" tube:

NOTE: These are loads used in a Dan Wesson! I would definately start low and work up...

23.0 H4227 220 SAECO Win 1506 1.78
25.0 H4227 220 SAECO Win 1593 3.00
25.5 H4227 220 SAECO Win 1618 2.11

[THerbert]

Looks like fun to me...

I had Bisley Blackhawk in .41 Mag in the late '80's, and heavy loads in that thing would just pound the **** out of my palm. I guess my hand just didn't like the grip geometry, even with a Pachmayr rubber grip. I traded it away, for what, I don't even remember. What I should have traded it for was a standard Blackhawk in the same caliber. I've regretted it ever since, and I still have the dies, and brass sitting on the shelf here. I'm getting another one, soon.

I wonder if Handgun Silhouette is still going?

BTW -- there's a thread from 2013 on the Marlin Owner's site for a guy that had a 336 rebarreled for .414

[ohland]

336 rebarreled for .414

Yes, the 336 folks do the .414SM

My 23" 41 Mag Contender barrel is (hopefully) nearing completion. It will be @ 3 months of a wait. BUT, the extra time allowed me to get the .41 Mag RCBS dies, Starline .41 Mag AND .414 SuperMag brass, plus drop hammer on this gorgeous SAECO #415 220gr TCGC.

I want to see what the .41 Mag can do in a long tube before punching it out to .414

[boatswainsmate]

Here is some light reading on the 41 magnum!
http://www.singleactions.com/HeavyFortyOnes.pdf

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Some years back I got the itch to get beyond the caliber 41 Mag DW and ended up with a Hy-bred 414 DW based on my 375 SM DW frame. I did not alter the 375 one scratch so please do not think I went nuts. The DW 414 cylinder was fitted to my 375 frame and I had a custom barrel turned in caliber .410 to match the threads.
The 8 inch DW 414 will add about 250-300 fps over the caliber 41 mag 8 inch DW with cast 265 grainers which is significant. I do not bother with lighter cast in the 414 as that is what the 41 DW does very well. Up to 290 grainers are excellent shooters in the 414 8inch.

Next 414 project was a 10 inch Contender. Had a standard caliber 41 barrel re-chambered to 414 and again 265 -290 grainers are the main food it gets fed. The muzzle whip is a bit vicious at top loads but will beat out the DW by about 75-100 fps.

Finally as there is always the desire to have a rifle in the same caliber as a revolver (least to me) the idea of transforming a 336 Marlin to 414 came about. Sent a rusty bore 336 to JES and he rebored to .405 (.412 groove). Then had it chambered to 414 SM. Interestingly this rifles works well as was without any alterations to feed guides or bolts face. RN cast cycles well.
But big flat nosed "hunters" were somewhat 20% needing to be "double pumped". So one day looking at the length difference between 30-30 and 414 the light blinked and I loaded a batch of 265's seated out to the first grease groove. Bingo ! Good feeding and picked up about 10% case capacity. So end result with the long seated cast in a 20 inch barrel is about 300-350 fps gain over the 8 inch DW with heavy cast.
All these cast are GC and generally propelled with 1680 which so far is my favorite powder in the 414 with heavy cast.

So there are all sorts of 414 possibilities awaiting some one to jump in and try it out. The 414 SM is one of those calibers sitting and waiting for the 41 affectionado to try it out.
If you do a 414 SM (Supermag) search here in Castboolits the rest of the story is all written up.
Mike in Peru

[ohland]

If you do a 414 SM (Supermag) search here in Castboolits the rest of the story is all written up. Mike in Peru

OK, I read the thread. So the .405 Win is 2.5+ inch, the 414 is 1.6, is there an intelligent reason for taking the .414 past the 1.6 and up to 2.0 using .303 Savage brass?

As with all men, bigger is better, but does the 405 or 40-65 or whatever actually put the extra case volume to good use?