.41 Mag Question

[seagiant]

Hi,
I just put a Ruger Redhawk .41 mag on layaway that I found and was looking at the Lee 175 gr. trunicated cone mold and think its pretty good looking bullet. I've always shot an RCBS 210 gr. bullet but I'm thinking of trying this Lee mold. Anyone shooting this bullet??? Thanks!

[AZ-Stew]

If I were you, I'd get in on the .41 Keith Bullet Group Buy that's going on in the "Group Buys" section of the site. That style of bullet can't be beat, in my opinion. I have a Lyman 410459 2-cavity mould and a Saeco 4-cavity that's more nearly a true Keith, but I'm getting in on the six-cavity GB anyway, just for the production rate.

This style of bullet is exceptionally accurate and will penetrate better than you would ever believe. I use a load of 6.7 (six point seven) grains of IMR (Hogdon, or whatever it is now) 7625 (gray can) and standard CCI Large Pistol primers for 900 fps from a 4" barrel or 950 from a 6" barrel. The fired cases literally fall out of the cylinder without using the extractor. This 7625 load is my small game and concealed carry load. I don't call it a deer load because I've never used it for deer. On the other hand, I have no doubt that it would perform perfectly in that use, as well, at moderate ranges.

I have no need for a full magnum load, but would use an appropriate charge of 2400 if I needed something that hot.

No, I don't have any experience with the bullet you mention, but I have used other Lee designs with only marginal success. My point with this post was to suggest that you stick with a known quantity: the Keith design. It works.

Regards,

Stew

[Larry Gibson]

Hi,
I just put a Ruger Redhawk .41 mag on layaway that I found and was looking at the Lee 175 gr. trunicated cone mold and think its pretty good looking bullet. I've always shot an RCBS 210 gr. bullet but I'm thinking of trying this Lee mold. Anyone shooting this bullet??? Thanks!

I use the Lee 410-175-TL which is a SWC Over 5 gr of Bullseye which makes for an extremely accurate plinking/small game load at 850 fps out of my 7 1/2" Bisley. I would suspect the 175 TC bullet should do as well. The lighter bullets are very nice to have and offer increased options. However, as mentioned in another post, you will want a good 210-220 gr SWC for general purpose shooting.

I also use the Lee 410-210-TL at 1150 fps as my "general purpose" load. This is the load I mostly shoot. Additionally I have a Lyman 210 GC mould that I had modified to be a PB bullet (wish I hadn't) that gives me a good SWC at 215 gr. In the GC mode with a softer alloy that expands I could push it to 1450 fps with good accuracy. In its PB mode I lose that accuracy at 1200 fps and need a very hard bullet to shoot well at 1450 fps. Some like heavier bullets which is ok but I've not found a need for them in the .41.

Larry Gibson

[fourarmed]

A truncated cone bullet has one advantage over the Keith styles - it works nicely in speed loaders (if you can find a .41 speed loader, and if you need one). My experience with light bullets in the .41 has been limited to low velocity use. I have a Lee mold for a full wadcutter that makes a really fun round with about five grains of Red Dot. (There is a group buy for that going on now, too.) I also had great success shooting IHMSA field pistol with the Sierra 175 HP with 8 grains of Unique out of a Contender. By far the most of my .41 shooting, however, is with the Lyman 410459 and either 8/Unique or 12/SR-4756.

Another reply that isn't an answer.

[Leftoverdj]

We're also running a group buy on a .41 WC in the Group Buy section.

[seagiant]

Thanks Gentlemen,
Larry, I appreciate your indepth observations on using a lighter bullet in the .41 Mag. The little 2 cavity Lee mold is so cheap that you can get a lot of bullets for practcly nothing and then if you like it when the 2 cavity goes south you can chunk it and get the same bullet in a better quality mold. My outlook anyway! Thanks!

[Explorer1]

Interested in trying a heavy 41 bullet? I have a SSK design 275 gr mold that is collecting dust while I "need" others. May have some bullets somewhere as the mold is used, I do not recall loading them.

[azrednek]

Seagiant, I can echo Larry's post. I was loading mine with 4.5 Bullseye and using it in a S&W model 57. It makes an excellent accurate short range load for punching paper or killing tin cans. The mild load is easy on brass, very pleasant to shoot and I don't recall any barrel leading casting from straight wheel weights and using Lee's tumble lube.

My favorite for more serious longer range 41 mag shooting is the gas checked Lyman 410610 and the plain based and now discontinued Lee 240gr SWC.

By the way. If this is your first 41 mag congratulations and be for-warned they are addicting. After you're hooked on the 41 Mag, there are only two handgun classifications, 41 Mags and everything else!!

[Jbar4Ranch]

Interested in trying a heavy 41 bullet? I have a SSK design 275 gr mold that is collecting dust while I "need" others. May have some bullets somewhere as the mold is used, I do not recall loading them.

I was googling for a heavy .40/.41 bullet, and came across this post. I might be interested in your mold for casting heavy bullets for the .40-60 WCF if you still have it. What style is it and is it plain base or gas check?