Range Report - .41 Special

[Orygun]

Tested 6 loads in the .41 Special today. All were 5 shot groups from a S&W mod. 57 w/6” bbl. in a Ransom rest at 25yds. and over a chronograph set at 10’ from the muzzle.
Powders used were Titegroup & Win. 231 and a Lyman 410459 (220 gr.) cast with WW’s, sized to .410 & lubed with the old green RCBS lube. (These are some that I cast about 30 yrs. ago and when I wasn’t quite as picky on quality control as I am today).

Results:
5.0 gr. Titegroup – Best group 1 1/16” – avg. 846.5 fps
5.5 gr. Titegroup – Best group 1 1/4” – avg. 904.4 fps
6.0 gr. Titegroup – Best group 1 3/16” – avg. 953.9 fps (Had another group of 4 going at 1”, but got a flier that blew it)

5.0 gr. Win. 231 - Best group 1 1/4” – avg. 766.3 fps
5.5 gr. Win. 231 - Best group 1 3/8” – avg. 824.4 fps
6.0 gr. Win. 231 - Best group 1 1/8” – avg. 883.275 fps

Most of the other groups were 1 ½” to 2” with of course the occasional flier (probably a crappy boolit). The most consistent and smallest groups were the 6.0 gr. Win. 231 loads. After the test run, I shot each one of these loads (the fun part) and there was no discernable difference in felt recoil. All of the loads were very pleasant to shoot and of course there was not any signs of excessive pressure.

So for all of you fans of the .41 Mag, don’t overlook the “special” for a fun plinking or small game load. Guess you can see which load that I intend to settle on. Now, on to the next boolit. :lovebooli

Top group in photo is the 6.0 Win. 231 load, bottom is the 6.0 Titegroup. And yes, they are both 5 shot groups.

[NHlever]

I always liked the .41 Mag, and have had a couple over the years. I carried one a lot when I was hunting more, and liked the lighter weight of the Ruger Blackhawk over other guns of that power. All this talk about the .41 special has me thinking about getting back in the .41 groove. Those groups are nice, and very pleasant to shoot while packing some real power too for evryday use.

[Rocky Raab]

Love mine, for sure. A 215-ish cast bullet at 900 fps is just a fabulous handgun round.

Orygun, I've tested something like 50 load combos and haven't found one yet that I'd call "bad." I get 2 1/2" 10-shot groups at 25 yards so often it is boring. Those are hand-held groups. Extreme spreads in the low 20s and SDs in the single digits were common.

I had good results with a number of powders, including W231, Clays, Universal, American Select, RedDot, GreenDot, BlueDot, Nitro 100, 700X, Unique, AA-2, AA-5, Solo 1000 and Solo 1250 plus some discontinued powders like the old Alcan series.

My "mostest bestest" are 7.5 AA-5 at 900, 6.1 Universal at 950 and 6.5 Solo1250 at 1025 fps

[fourarmed]

Are these loaded in shortened cases and fired in a standard magnum cylinder?

[Orygun]

Are these loaded in shortened cases and fired in a standard magnum cylinder?


Yes. Brand new .41 special cases.

[Rocky Raab]

Some of mine were tested in a Blackhawk 41 Magnum and some in my own gun chambered to 41 Special (only). Velocity results weren't dramatically different despite my gun having a barrel about 1.5" shorter. Mine was more accurate, as you'd hope in a custom gun.

I trimmed all brass to 1.15" and allow them to grow to 1.16" (if they grow at all - most don't).

[cavemike]

Hi guys,

What about using the Special data in Magnum length cases?

I have Boomer Mikey's 413640-PB 41 Mag mould and would like to use these boolits in my Blackhawk.

I just wonder about using so little powder in such a large case.

Thanks
Mike

[Rocky Raab]

You can do that, but you'll run into the main reason for the Special length: small loads in big cases are woefully inconsistent. You'll get larger (or MUCH larger) extreme spreads, poorer burning and possibly worse accuracy.

Small charges in small cases, large in large; that's a fairly good plan.

[cavemike]

Thanks Rocky,

I inherently knew this, I just needed some kind of confirmation.

I found this on the IMR website

245 GR. CAST LSWC IMR Trail Boss .410" 1.630" 3.5 683 12,600 CUP 6.0 834 16,100 CUP

Maybe I'll try to find some Trail Boss and see how that works.

Mike

[exile]

Orygun,

Could you describe your .41 Special? What kind of conversion is it? Who made it for you? How about a picture or two? Thanks.

exile

[Rocky Raab]

Orygun has a stock M-57, as reported in the OP. I have the conversion. I is (or was) a four-digit Ruger Flattop 357 that had been almost destroyed. Only the frame and cylinder were usable.

I sent it to Clements Custom Guns for his full custom conversion. Here it is, in a poor photo I took ten years ago.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c170/RockyRaab/41gun.jpg

[ddixie884]

s&w 686 .41spl conversion by Dave Clements.

[Lloyd Smale]

very nice!
s&w 686 .41spl conversion by Dave Clements.

[Rocky Raab]

My only regret is that Dave Clements got "discovered" shortly after I had mine done. I think it was John Taffin who spilled the beans. Until then, Clements was one of the better-kept secrets in the custom handgun world. I don't blame my friend John; Dave deserved the accolades given him.

But what had been a six-week turnaround for comparatively cheap work is now almost a two-year wait at painful prices. Dave's work STILL rates what he charges, I hasten to insist. He is truly half magician and half artist.

[dougader]

That's a real nice conversion on the S&W 686, ddixie. I wonder if its just as feasible to do the conversion on a GP100?

I know the 357 flat top conversion is real sweet, too, Rocky. I've seen pics of a 41 Special conversion on an old model Ruger Single Six done by Alan Harton (5 shot cylinder)... and a 6 shot 41 mag conversion on a 357 flat top. I love all of those. Super nice.

[Rocky Raab]

Clements does the conversion on GP100s.

We have a local guy who made a 41 MAGNUM Single-Six. I handled it, but never shot it (and would have been a bit scared to). He made stretched-frame Blackhawks in 45-70, 375 Win, 444 Marlin and even 223 as well as 475 and 500 Linebaugh. I shot all but the 223 in that frame size, and all were heavy recoilers but shootable - except that 444 Marlin, which had the sharpest, quickest rap. It hurt my wrist every time I touched it off. One cylinder was enough for me.

[exile]

Fantastic. Thanks. Love the flattop and the 686. Many years ago I sold a four-inch 686. Wish I had it back now for a .41 conversion.

exile

[NHlever]

That's a real nice conversion on the S&W 686, ddixie. I wonder if its just as feasible to do the conversion on a GP100?

I know the 357 flat top conversion is real sweet, too, Rocky. I've seen pics of a 41 Special conversion on an old model Ruger Single Six done by Alan Harton (5 shot cylinder)... and a 6 shot 41 mag conversion on a 357 flat top. I love all of those. Super nice.

Anything a 686 can do, a GP100 sure can :D pressure wise, and cylinder size wise. They both have 1" bolt circles on the chambers, but the locking latch notches are offset in the Ruger.

[ddixie884]

I fired some .41spl today, loaded with a commercial cast 215 gr swcbb,and 7grs of Power Pistol. This was the heaviest load I have fired in my 686 conversion. It shot very well, and was very clean. Cases ejected easily, with gentle thumb pressure. This is the first time I have used Power Pistol, and it meters very well. The reason I was interested in it was because of the good results other people have had in .44spl.l It seems to give high velocity at reasonable pressure.

[Lloyd Smale]

little to late dixie but i had my best luck in the special with 6 grains of power pistol. Another good load was 5.5 grains of unique. Both with the lyman swc.

[ddixie884]

I loaded and tested a few of these today. Very mild recoil, easy ejection. Noticed it shot a little lower than my 215gr cast, but not much.

[pearson1662]

Did you happen to chronograph those 13.5gr loads of 2400?

[ddixie884]

Tried a couple of new loads. Had some long nosed 205gr swc bullets that didn't seat too far into case and some Sierra 170gr jhc. Tried both over 14.5grs 2400 with federal LPP. Both were pretty stout, and loud. The velocity seemed to be higher than the 7gr PP loads I tried the other day, but the recoil was not as sharp. I need to get a chrony. Primers were nice and rounded with no flattening any where, and ejection was smooth, and easy with gentle thumb pressure.

[ddixie884]

LLoyd, You are right that 5.5gr Unique load is a real honey, and cleaner than I expected. I guess the 215gr swcbb takes up enough space, and gives enough resistance to get a good burn. Of course, I crimped them pretty good, too.