New .41mag member here

[drklynoon]

I went into Gander Mountain today on a lark. I was actually looking for some AA#9 and thought I'd just make sure they didn't have any. Well I spotted the New model Blackhawk in .41 mag that has been there for like 6 months. I've been jonesing for a new big bore revolver that I could do some long range silhouette type shooting with. I could do this with my .45 LC vaquero but I wanted something different. So the .41 blackhawk fit the bill it was a little unique it has enough barrel length 6.5" but the price, Yikes. So I asked the young man wearing a skeet shooting vest (does anyone else find this odd) to let me take a look at it. On inspection, the gun is just great, everything looks fine. So I tell the gentleman that I would be interested in the gun if there was room in the price. He of course tells me that they price match but that is about all. I immediately pull up Bud's and the skeet vest tells me they don't count. This goes on for a while as I show one after another online vendors with the same gun for around 500. No luck. I shrugged and figured oh well not meant to be. So, before I left though I swung by the skeet vest and now he is more flexible. He brings up some kind of warranty thing and tells me he can get it down to 570 out the door. I tell him no dice I need 550 out the door or I can't justify it. I get three steps away and he says let me ask for permission. I am having flash backs of every car dealership I have ever been too. The sales associate comes up to me and instead of yelling pull, tells me he can make the deal. After paper work and all the price magically dropped again and I got it for 529. Not a bad deal from my perspective. Now I have to get a bunch of equipment so I can load this durn thing. I ordered the NOE 412-238 WFN mold and some other mess from midway. I can't wait to take this to the range and see if it is everything I think it is going to be.

[Captain O]

Excellent score, Nathan! I have an S&W Model 657 and a "Parkerized" Model 58. Enjoy your new revolver!

[clintsfolly]

Found a NMBH 41mag 4 5/8. The price was about a hundred to low but I agreed to it. When I picked it up the guy give me a Bianchi holster and a box of shells too. I think this is going to be my woods/exploring/ just because gun!

[drklynoon]

Clint,
That sounds awesome. How do you like the holster. I may get a holster for mine but I usually don't like the longer barreled holsters.

[Combat Diver]

Congrats. I miss my 6.5" .41 Blackhawk. The only thing I disliked on my was the black plastic grips. Swapped them out for the old wood grips off my Single Six.


CD

[huntrick64]

The 41 is awesome in the heavier boolits, but don't forget the standard 210 gr. Keith and 2400. It was designed as the most efficient boolit for that cartridge. I warn you though, you might as well start saving for a 41 lever, they are pricey.

[Uncle R.]

I like my Blackhawk .41 a lot.
I think a Blackhawk in .41 is an excellent SA belt gun, combining moderate size and weight with substantial power.
Congratulations on your purchase.

Uncle R.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

congrats on your new pistol I lucked into a like NIB 4 5/8 41 magnum about 2 years ago did not even have a mark on the cylinder best plinking load i found is a Lee 195gr swc with some reddot under it 162771

[Scharfschuetze]

Nice perseverance at Gander.

I rarely shoot full power loads in my Model 58, but I duplicate and shoot the old police load with Unique powder under the RCBS 41-210-SWC design a bit.

[tigweldit]

Way to go drklynoon,aka new .41 mag guy. Looks like you got a good deal on a good gun. I still have and shoot a .41 OM Blackhawk that I got for Christmass in 1968. That gun never fails to deliver, as long as I do my part. Mine loves 210-220 grain cast boolets. I never had the urge to try anything heaver. Never liked the 170 grain. Just didn't work for me. My OMB also likes 210 JHC's with a full charge of 296. Took an Alaskan bull caribou at 173 yds. with stock sights with that combination. Hope you have as many years of fun and great service with your .41 as I've had. Please post your results with the NOE 412-238. I'd really like to know how that one shoots in your gun.

[44man]

Fine gun and I don't know how you did it at Gander. We have one store in range and I kind of walk through in a big hurry. Holy Smokes!
Now another shop opened real close but they fell off the other side of the moon. To make it worse, they will not order or sell reloading stuff at all. They are going into custom 1911 stuff. Dollar signs 2 miles long!
But enjoy your gun, it will be a good one.

[drklynoon]

Thanks guys, I was going to take it out today once I found some ammo for it but time wasn't on my side. It will be going out tomorrow. Unfortunately, all I found was a box of 20 Winchester 175 gr. I am not too terribly interested in the lighter bullets but it will work for testing the gun for function. A .41 lever gun is an interesting idea and one I had not thought of. I've got a .45 lc henry and I love it too pieces but hadn't thought about expanding my lever gun collection. As for Gander, I don't know how it worked. The place is so overpriced that I figured I couldn't hurt by being persistent. I knew it had been sitting there for months and I am pretty sure they have already passed the inventory for tax purposes so I don't know why they decided to come down. I'm glad they did though. Ours has some reloading stuff not much. They keep primers and some random powders that aren't very useful. I was hopeful when they moved in but it hasn't been great so far. I am going to swing by the Bass Pro Shop in Macon early next week to see if they have any AA #9. I've heard they have a good reloading selection.

[clintsfolly]

Drklynoon I have no idea how it carrys as the holster was Rh and I am Lh

[Lefty Red]

The BH in 41 carries and feels better than the SBH in 44. If it wasn't for the fact I have a 44 Special Flat Top on that standard frame I might get another 41. Just don't read anything by Paco Kelly and using heavy bullets in it. :)

I think a 195-210 bullet is the best range in the 41. Just don't try to make a 44 out of it! I did and I still don't know how many time the strength of the BH framed saved me! It's a good caliber and will take deer size game out to 100 yards cleanly. I wouldn't push it past that. Then it has the same drop as a 44 and you loose "power" too quickly and the 41s flatter trajectory.

If you use Blue Dot, which you aren't, but if you find older reloading info on it and due DONT EXCEED ANY MAX LOADINGS!!!! Blue Dot is strange in a 41. Good powder but will jump from mild to hot to KABOOM quickly! It's not a linear pressure increase, it spikes suddenly!

Paco Kelly has a couple of good articles over on Leverguns.com. Sunday's Child and Using Heavy Bullets In A 41 Magnum. Well, just read Sunday's Child. :) But he likes to hotrod the loads so be careful.

But the 41 is an awesome caliber. It was the first caliber I reloaded for in 2004. Did it on a Lee Hand Press. Everything fitted into a tool box. Simpler days. Anyways, the 41 will out pace the 357 pass 75 yards and hang with the 44 up until 100 yards. And the BH is a wonderful handgun to shoot it in. Let it roll with the recoil. Just don't start thinking about a RH in 41. Don't do it! :)

Jerry

[drklynoon]

Lefty,
Thank you. That is a lot of good information. I hadn't really considered Blue Dot but I did see some loads for it. Unfortunately, the powder choices in my Cast Bullet Handbook #3 are quite limited. I am going to start with H110 then move to AA #9 and maybe 2400 or some other powders of the ilk as I experiment. I was planning on sticking with the 200-210 bullet weight; however, I could not find a mold that I liked in that weight ange so I bumped it up to 230ish. I've got some data in other books that I will be following but for a starting load I am looking at 18.5 gr. H110 w/ LMPP. Hopefully that will be a cool place to start and get a feel for it.

[cainttype]

Clint,
That sounds awesome. How do you like the holster. I may get a holster for mine but I usually don't like the longer barreled holsters.

Look at Biachi's Cyclone line, #111 (IIRC). They are cross-draw holsters that make carrying longer barreled handguns much more comfortable. Excellent quality for a reasonable price that can improve every field outing experience you'll ever take with your new gun.
The truth is, I prefer the Cyclone for revolvers with barrels as short as 4" and standard length 1911s over any strong-side holster for field use.

Enjoy your 41. There is no finer, more versatile, revolver caliber available for medium game. All you need is the proper moulds to match up with it.
Personally, my favorites run from 210 to 250 grains. I may need to add the new MP 41-265 TS to that list, but have not had them out for a thorough trial... yet.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

162858162859
this is from my Lyman handbook

[Four-Sixty]

Drklynoon,


On your way to Bass Pro, check out Sporscenter in Perry. They always have more powder than Bass Pro and some is at better prices.

[Combat Diver]

One very good load is a cast bullet (200-220) with 8 grs or so of Unique. This will give you 900-1000 fps and your brass will last a very long time. On the level of the original Police loading.


CD

[Groo]

Groo here
Another load is 6gr Trail Boss , 215gr SWC, hot primmer, and a good stiff crimp.

[drklynoon]

So, I took it down today and processed the 20 rnds of winchester. Man this thing is great. It rolls a bit in the hand but it isn't a problem or abusive. I am attributing this to low bullet weight more than the nature of a magnum Blackhawk. I was having a hard time staying on target because my first shot would be dead bull and I would start laughing. I also finally tested my .45LC Henry True Blue loads and they were awesome as well. What a great short day at the range. I can't wait to get more time with the .41. I also got a tour of another range that has silhouette targets and lots of steel, I may be changing membership or adding one at least.

Lucky,
Thanks for the pictures. I look forward to experimenting with different powders and this will help. Fortunately, I can use Accurates website for starting loads as yours and my Lyman loads do not have #9 or #7 as options for the .41.

Four-Sixty,
Thank you for the heads-up I will certainly check that out. I really want to get some #9 without having to pay hazmat fees.

Combat and Groo,
Thanks for the loads. I always end up trying a Unique load so this will certainly help.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

162897162898
this may help

[Sam Casey]

If you are shooting the regular Ruger grips with full power factory 41 mag loads, I suggest you stop by your local Home Depot and pick up a 3 pack of their light work gloves. My Old 3 screw 41 will rock back and take a pretty good bite from my shooting hand w/o the glove. 7 grains of Unique also solves the problem.

[drklynoon]

Lucky,
Thank you that is exactly what I was after. Is that an Accurate manual or a caliber specific manual?

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Yes caliber specific and you're welcome

[sw282]

noon--41 mag is a favorite of mine.. 0pen sites don't agree with my old eyes. l shoot a 657 w/red dot and a TC Contender scoped. l am shooting a FAT casting SAECO 220GR bullet. l say FAT because my boolets 410dia cast from coww ,sow come out the mold @ 236gr... lts gotta be the mold because the same alloy cast in RCBS or LYMAN are pretty close weight marked on mold... The SAECOs shoot great when pushed by 8gr of UNIQUE

[drklynoon]

Sw thank you. I got my mits on some 2400 today and my mold from Al was in the mailbox when I got home tonight so it is almost time to start experimenting. My first step is to cast a few soww bullets and check her throats and barrel and order a bullet sizer. I think I am going to try PC bullets in it to start but I do not feel like having to get 2 sizing dies and I don't know if the lee sizing die really crimps gas checks or not I suppose I could get a Lyman style and run it dry but I worry about that as well. hmmmm

[Four-Sixty]

The Lee push through sizing die should crimp the gas check just fine.

If you did use a lyman without lube, you could always spray the bullets with WD-40, as Ranch Dog advised on his web site for sizing without lube. (this works for the lee die to) I've tried it and that works. But, I bet the Lee sizing die will work for you to get those checks on.

If you have trouble getting the checks to stay on straight with the Lee die, reverse the boolit and size them base first if you have a flat enough meplat. You could spray the bullets with WD-40 and crimp on the checks. Then, you could pan lube the bullets and size them again nose first the traditional way.

[drklynoon]

Four-Sixty,
I never considered sizing them backwards. You are a genious. I don't know why ideas like that do not come to me easier. I swear I get use to a procedure being done a certain way and I get to married to that procedure. I think it must be years of following flight checklists or something. Thank you that will work.