I'm thinking of purchasing a 41 mag. Ruger Blackhawk for whitetails and varmints.
Anyone here have any input on the cartridge?
My only other hunting handgun is a Contender with 44 mag. bbl.
For some reason the 41 is interesting, at least to me.
Ken

Personally, I like the 10mm, and it is very close in performance to the .41 Mag, and is enough for deer-sized game. So if you want a revolver, go for it!
Besides, the Rugers are great guns!

I own the ruger redhawk in both 41 and 44 mag and i love them i personally prefer the redhawk.But that is my preference i own the blackhawk in other calibers.But as far as the 41 mag it's a real nice bullet specially if you reload.Not as many factory bullet options as the 44 but i'm sure you won't be sorry about going to the 41 mag have fun good luck

OH NO! Another 41 thread!

LOL!

I am a huge fan of the 41mag and 41 caliber. I am currently preparing for a 41 GNR#2. The 41 will do most anything that the 44 will do but with a flatter trajectory and less recoil. Most of the bullets 200 grains and up are excellent for deer and some have had success with the lighter Sierra 170. I personally have taken numerous game animals from ground squirrels to deer with this round. One day i hope to bag a black bear and a wild boar.

Ken - Great cartridge and great pistol. Nice "ballistic balance" if you will. I've got both a 6.5" Blackhawk (go figure ) and a 14" Contender barrel. The Blackhawk, being a single action, rolls a bit during recoil, but it's not that bad unless you have a really energetic, heavy handload. As stated earlier, the .41 Mag is a handloader's proposition but there are some quality factory loads (Federal 250gr Castcore comes to immediately to mind or loads using 210 gr Hornady XTPs). For kicks and some info, do a search on .41 Magnums and 170 gr bullets (I use 210-255 grainers myself, but that's my 2 cents worth before taxes).

MSSMagnum - No, my Contender barrel is still not up for grabs

Ken.... .41 is a great cartridge. If you don't reload however or there isn't a commercial reloader in your area practice ammo is sparce. WW and Remington used to have a 210 grain LSW at 950 fps but the bullets were soooo soft they wiped out a bore in 20 rounds. All the rest of the available rounds are either full load hunting ammo or reduced velocity personal protection ammo. I have four .41 Blackhawks with barrels from 4 5/8" to 7.5"...they all shoot great......Bob

I like 44 magnums...but I LOVE the .41 Mag. I wouldn't consider a 10MM or any autoloader for that matter. The .41 will do something none of these automatics will ever do and that is allow you to load it up, down, around...anyway you want to load it and with anything you want to load it. It will shoot fine with all of this.

Try that with an automatic and you will be in "Malfunction Junction."

I wanted to be a 41 Magnum fan after purchasing a Ruger Super Redhawk in 44. It is nice, easy to scope and strong, but it weighs a ton. I wanted a double action revolver that would be much lighter for carry in the field. I thought a Smith & Wesson model 57 with a six inch barrel would fit the bill perfectly. Well, I looked and looked, but I could not find one. Talked with several gunshops, they had not even seen one in a long time. So, I ended up with a model 29-3 with a six inch barrel. Oh well.

And I have a 10mm Colt Delta Elite and it is not a 41 Magnum, nor will it ever be. The 10mm is a little more than a 357, but it is not a 41.

[ 01-18-2003, 19:40: Message edited by: stans ]

If you are locked in on the cowboy styling enjoy the Ruger. I went through that phase, but never got through the Dirty Harry phase. I hunt with the Smith & Wesson Model 57. (I've tried to get myself to buy a 10mm, but I get everything I need from the .41 so why waste my time and money.)

I've always assumed more people shoot the .44 Magnum, but no one loves their weapon more than a .41 owner. They have the perfect combination of handling ability, accuracy and power. They never gained acceptance like I thought they would when they first came out, but they won't die either.

On hunting forums I see more posts about the .41 Mag than about the .44. I don't understand why that is, but I get a kick out of it.

Have had a 6" M57 for 35 nearly years. It is fitted with a 2x Leupold on Beuhler mounts.

Has been absolutely certain medicine for white tails to 125 yards. Have tried a number of bullets ... like the factory 210 SPs best for hunting. They blow through but do expand. Cast projectiles rely on the frontal area for their effect as they pass through with no expansion like hardball.

Couple of years ago I tried a 40 S&W comp gun built on a 1911 frame. Weapon is fitted with a Holosight. It is designed to be loaded to 10 mm velocities as it has a ramped Nowlin bbl. Drives a 135 gr Nosler HP at 1450 fps with ease.

Projectile exploded in the chest of the deer. No Exit. It did a forward summersault and was very dead upon landing. Did no meat damage ... internal organs in the upper chest were destroyed. Did not mess up the gut though.

Could not recommend doing that again though, whereas I would recommend the 41 Remington Magnum at any time.

Pecos45, 4500 rounds and counting in my Glock 20. Not one jam. And I beat the crap out of that gun.
Did about 1100 rounds in 2 hours once. All full powers, too. I like the really hot Texas Ammo Company stuff. Plus I like having 16 or 18 rounds.
I wouldn't trust ANY other 10mm auto, though.

But I must say I am VERY pissed at Glock right now, and it will be a VERY long time (if ever) that I buy another.

Of course, S&W has that 10mm revolver. But it is an S&W. Ick...

Glock - My issue with the automatics is lack of versatility. I can load any bullet I want over any powder I want and loads from hot to squib... No problem. The auto guns can't do that. Most you vary from the straight and narrow of this bullet and this pressure range and they will quit working in a hurry.

Granted with a good one and ammunition the gun likes, and you are in good shape. But you gotta stay on the sidewalk, so to speak, when you shoot an auto.

Don't really care much for the 41 mag although I will say I had a mod 57 once upon a time that was fantastically accurate. But if you like the 41 you really should purchase the current issue of Rifle's HANDLOADER magazine - it has a good article on the 41 Mag and reloading for it.,
Regards, and watch where you step!

True the autos can't handle super-light loads. But the G20's at least can handle the "fed-lite" .40-level loads, up to the hot TAC ammo (200gr @ 1250fps with the 5" barrel, even more with the 6" hunting barrel). If I could have only one gun, it'd probably be the G20. It's a carry gun, plinker, and hunter. You can do anything to it, it'll still work. And quick to reload too.
That said, I must admit I'm NOT a revolver fan (can you tell?). I've only owned/shot two. A Ruger .454 and a FA .475. The Ruger is the smallest revolver I'll ever buy. If I need to bridge the gap between the 10mm and .454, I've got my .50AE. It's just that is NOT a dangerous-game gun. A Glock it aint...

Come to think of it, there used to be a .41Mag desert eagle.

I have three. A Blackhawk that is stock, a model 57 that has a 8 3/8" barrel that has been nicely redone by Jack Wiegand, and a S&W 41 Magnum Hunter. It took me a while to find the hunter, but it will never leave me now. They all shoot much better than I do. The model 57 shoots a ragged hole at 50 yards with my small scope on it, and the blackhawk does the same at 25 with open sights. The hunter is...sweet! I use them every year to take deer with no problem.

"For some reason the 41 is interesting, at least to me."

This is the early stage of a disease for which there is no known cure. You have been warned.

You are perilously close to becoming a member of "Them .41 Nuts".

Run while there is still time!

Hehehehehehehehe.........

I purchased a 41 mag in a blackhawk, and shot the daylights out of it. I was proud of its accuracy until I shot a buddy's blackhawk in a 44 Mag, and it doubled my range that I was comfortable shooting. I haven't shot that gun much since then. I'm not sure if it was the gun or the caliber, but I would choose a 44 over a 41.

I have two .41's one is at Reeders right now being rechambered to a .41 GNR it is a 5.5 Redhawk blue-- my other is a 6" DWA .41 you really need to reload but then I think you should for every claiber if you are going to shoot much -- but I relly like the .41 -- I have had 357s a $$ Magnum, a $% Colt but now only .41s --I will problably pick another up at sometime in the future

to clarify that last post -- were I went stupid while typing -- I had a .44 magnum and a.45 Colt

I have been 41 Mag fan from the get go about 6yrs. now I have a S/W mod. 57 I carry open sited & 10" contender with a 4x scope. Use both for deer,pigs,& varmints.If you roll your own you can work up some great loads with a little time. If you dont. Id go with corbon for hunting deer (ETC) & Rem. for the rest.
Enjoy they are great

...well here's another one. Somehow there is now one of the S&W Mountain Guns in the safe. If these things don't stop breeding in there I'll end up with as many .41's as I do .38 Supers....and they're real breeders let me tell you.....

Bob

I think this is my first post on this forum, and I am glad it is in reference to my .41 magnum! I have owned and shot most everything at one time or another,(where handguns are concerned) and I think I like my 4" model 57 Smith & Wesson the best of all. It is an older gun, pinned and recessed, and blue finish. It is a pleasure to shoot with all the power I need. I use Hodgdon's Lil Gun, and Remington 200 grain hollow points. One load, to hunt, plink, and keep off two legged snakes. I wish I had bought one years ago.

I think I can sum up all the .41 Mag posts and simply say, "To know this cartridge is to love it." EVERY time I pull it out of the holster, I KNOW it's going to do what I ask it.

7mm/08. WELCOME

[ 01-26-2003, 23:48: Message edited by: Pecos45 ]

The 41 mag has been a favorite of mine for years. My S&W mod 41 is a great shooter.
I would offer one thing to be aware of , the 41mag round will fire in a 44 mag pistol.
I found this out one day when a friend asked if he could shoot my 41 mag while I was at
the range checking out a new S&W mod 29 44 mag . I set my friend up with the mod 57 S&W
and a bag of 210 full power loads. My friend shot a few rounds and said this is great and
wonder if he could shoot the 44 mag, I said sure. Well , after aprox 30 min went by and my friend
said thanks it was fun and that a couple of rounds kicked really hard. At the time I did not think
too much about this and we shot for another hour or so. That evening while cleaning the guns
and sorting the spent cases for reloading I noticed two swelled 41 mag cases. The cases were
ballooned out starting at about 1/8 in. forward of the rim and all the way forward to the mouth.
While cleaning the guns I looked the 44 S&W over very well knowing it had shot well for the rest
of that days shooting which included another couple hundred rounds of full power loads in both
the 41 and 44. My only conclusion was that my friend had mistakenly fired two 41 mag rounds at
random followed by a full power 44 mag round that may have pushed a stuck 41 bullet out of the
barrel. Both guns shoot fine to this day some five years later. From that day forward when letting
someone else shoot one of my guns I never have a 41 mag and a 44 mag out at the same time
and keep 41 mag ammo away from 44 mag ammo.

You will enjoy a 41 mag , they are great.

Best , Dyno

Dyno, I'm glad to read your account of the 41/44 ammo mix-up. I load 44 Mag for a good friend and we frequently shoot both pistols together. I have been worried about this hazard and warned him from DAY ONE to check his ammo before firing.

So far we haven't had a problem. I also got two different colored sharpy pens and marked the head of our cases around the primer pocket with different colors. .41s are green. 44s are purple.

You might try something similar.

Anyway, glad to know the guns survived.

I always figure anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. So far it's saved me many problems.

Pecos45 ,
How the ammo mix-up occured remains a mystery to this day. My son and I reload together for many pistol and rifle cartridges. Both of us are aware of the dangers of the wrong ammo in a firearm. When I set up my friend to shoot the 41,I opened the blue case up the S&W came in and gave him a bag of 41mag ammo. When he shot the 44mag , the blue case for that gun was opened and a bag of 44mag ammo was placed in the open case. The correct ammo was always with the correct gun. At that time no one thought about a mix-up in the ammo. It was later when trying to figure out how this may have happened we realized he had both the 41 and 44 out at the same time and close together. He was not given both of these to shoot at the same time, the 44 came later and it was probably thought at the time he was out of ammo. My friend has been shooting with us from time to time for years and never a problem. Since that time our policy is only one gun out at a time.

You thoughts on marking the primer pockets for 41/44 with different colors is a good idea , especially for anyone who cannot readily identify
the 42/44 ammo.
In our case,to us just the size difference alone would make it difficult to mix-up the 41 and 44 ammo.
Your saying is a good one. >I always figure anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.<

Thanks for the tip.

Best , Dyno

Well I to have been shooting the 41 mag for years, and wouldn't have it any other way. Sure there are lot of great hunting cals. out there, and I won't bad mouth any of them or the people who shoot them, but for my money 41's are the best choice for the hunting I do, do. mule deer and elk. S&W 57 6" /Nikkon 2X

41's are great!

X-Ring

Hi,

I have a friend who owns a Redhawk in .41 Mag and he says that it is the most accurate gun that he owns and it is his favorite. He reloads his own and I have shot it, and tho' I am not that much of a wheel gun fan, it does shot very accurate and is fun to shoot. You can also shoot 41 specials if you can make them.