Just a survey here of what you 41 aficionados use. What's your revolver of choice? Which bullet do you prefer? What type of holster do you use? Anything else you might add would be nice.

This discussion needn't be confined to deer hunting. It's just that that is what I will be using the 41 for this season. I'll add that where I hunt in north Georgia there is always a good chance of running into a black bear. The area that I has been crawling with them for the last 20 years or so.

Landrum

S&W 357pd (Ti-Scan Airweight) 4" bbl
Tritium 3-dot Night-Sights
Galco Phoenix Holster

Load: 265gr. Beartooth Hardcast, 15.0 gr. 2400. Around 1100fps.

It's my walk-about revolver - light weight, great power, superb sights and the Galco Phoenix let's carry in either cross-draw or strong-side depending on what I'm doing.

In the condor range here in Cali I'm supposed to carry a leadfree load...Still trying to work up a 180gr. Barnes...broke my arm and haven't made it out to the range yet.

Hornady 210's and Speer 200's have worked well for me with 20-21 gns.H-110. Early on, I got good results with S&W M-57's in 6 and 8 3/8 bbl lengths. As my eyes "aged"....I have found a 10" bbl. Contender w/ a red dot to be a great alternative. I've done a fair amount of handgun hunting in the S.E. US and in Africa, going back to the mid-1970's. Never taken a shot on game over 50 yds., usually much less. I'll also add here (since you asked): It's a purely personal thing, but I've never been happy with my results shooting Ruger single actions. That's just me. They are fine guns, and many folks love'em.

I've used a couple of Redhawks, a couple of Blackhawks and a couple of FA 83's. I'm down to a 4 5/8" Blackhawk worked over by Hamilton Bowen about 20 years ago, and the 2 FA 83's. Don't have a photo of the Blackhawk handy, but here are the FAs:





I settled on using 21 gr. 296, CCI 350's and Sierra 210 JHC's for my use, years ago. A very good slightly lighter load is 17.5 gr. 2400 with the same bullet, or a hardcast bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
S&W 357pd (Ti-Scan Airweight) 4" bbl
Tritium 3-dot Night-Sights
Galco Phoenix Holster

Load: 265gr. Beartooth Hardcast, 15.0 gr. 2400. Around 1100fps.

It's my walk-about revolver - light weight, great power, superb sights and the Galco Phoenix let's carry in either cross-draw or strong-side depending on what I'm doing.

In the condor range here in Cali I'm supposed to carry a leadfree load...Still trying to work up a 180gr. Barnes...broke my arm and haven't made it out to the range yet.

Sounds like a great load!

Darrell, great trophies as usual!

I have shot one whitetail buck with my 41 mag a 215 gr hard cast at 1050fps out of my ti 4 inch.
At 60 yards drove the bullets in one side out the other thru the ribs and lungs. My son proceeded to put a 338 250 gr right next do it as he ran away.

The buck still manged to travel apox 70 yards before pileing up.

Dead on his feet from one shot or the other just did not know it.

My 41's usually get 17 grs of 2400 & a 230 gr cast slug for deer or elk. My everyday, walking around load is 8 grs of Unique & the same bullet. We've taken moose with the first load but the caliber is a little small for a animal that big, still,it was a one shot kill.
My best revolver year I took 11 animals from elk & bear down to hogs, 9 were taken with the 41 maggie.
Dick

+ another for using the 210 XTP or Remington SPs. I load both over 23 gr H110 in RP cases with a CCI 350 primer. Velocity is 1450 fps out of my 7 1/2" barreled Ruger Bisley. The XTP is more accurate than the Remington but bot are very adequate to 100 yards which is my self imposed range limit with the revolver. I have a Burris Fast fire on my Ruger and i carry it in a Michaels vertical shoulder holster. The holster is slightly modified for the sight.

This has proven excellent on deer and hogs for me.

larry Gibson

That's really nice, Darrell!

Love the unfluted cylinder!

Landrum,

I've been using the FA M97 in .41 Mag for one full season now. After the great component shortage of 2009, there were no Hornady XTP's available in that caliber - I stocked up on Speer 210 GDHP and used them all last season (and still trying to shoot them up). The M97 is topped with the Lovell mount from FA and a FX-II 4X Leupold. I use a Pistol Packaging Bandito rig for carry...this setup accounted for 1 deer and 4 hogs this past season.

Nice pics, CarolinaHunter!

If you guys were inclined to buy a new Ruger Blackhawk (other than Bisley), would you buy the 41 Magnum in the regular Blackhawk configeration or in the flattop configeration? Which would you prefer and why?

Landrum

Thanks for sharing pics and info, nice hogs!

quote:

If you guys were inclined to buy a new Ruger Blackhawk (other than Bisley), would you buy the 41 Magnum in the regular Blackhawk configeration or in the flattop configeration? Which would you prefer and why?

The flat top. I like the grip shape, the looks of the flat top and that they're all steel. If someone will offer a .41 and/or .45 Colt in that config, I'll be all over em.

Should say, "configuration". Yeah, I've got my eye on one of those flattops.

Landrum

Very nice, hikerbum!

I use 20.2 grains of H110 behind either the Hornady 210 XTP or Remington JFP with great success. I have never had one fail to exit within my 75 yard self imposed limit. One of the whitetail was 240# field dressed. My guns of choice are a Wiegand spruced up 8 3/8" Model 57 or my Performance shop 657 that looks just like x-caliber's 629.



For a backup when I'm rifle hunting I carry a Taurus Tracker 4". It seems to like Federal Castcore loads, so that is what I feed it.

I have shot two deer with a Blackhawk NM 6.5". the first one I had it topped with a Cabella's Pine Ridge red dot sight. The first was an average size buck at about 90 yds. For him I was using a Rem JSP 210 over 20.5 grains of H110 and a single neck shot with him DRT. The second was a good sized doe at about 40 yds, this time I had a 3X Burris scope mounted on the 41, but this one I used a 210 grain JHP although I don't remember what brand. She ran about 10 yards and piled up.

On a slightly different tangent with the .40 caliber approach. I've been using Power Pistol in a Sig 226 to push a 180grain cast bullet at 1131 fps for a great load with lots of firepower in the 12 shot magazine. Haven't taken anything with that load yet but have taken some smaller mule deer bucks with the 155 grain load from the same shooter at 1297 fps all over a chronograph.

You lads that live in those states with the hogs seem like you have plenty to shoot at according to the reports available. I haven't taken any of those hogs but wondered how difficult they are to hunt, how durable and what loads seem to get'er done.

quote:

Originally posted by TEANCUM:You lads that live in those states with the hogs seem like you have plenty to shoot at according to the reports available. I haven't taken any of those hogs but wondered how difficult they are to hunt, how durable and what loads seem to get'er done.

Hogs provide great practice between seasons. They are a very smart animal, with a nose that is second to none -- you always need to be cognizant of the wind's direction.

quote:

Originally posted by x-caliber:
Hikerbum, I love the way that you have the Redhawk setup. Is that a Weigand rail?

Larry, I LOVE that gun! It needs to be reunited with its long lost brother!

Yes, weigand rail.... No drilling and very easy to install.

quote:

Originally posted by hikerbum:

quote:

Originally posted by x-caliber:
Hikerbum, I love the way that you have the Redhawk setup. Is that a Weigand rail?

Larry, I LOVE that gun! It needs to be reunited with its long lost brother!

Yes, weigand rail.... No drilling and very easy to install.

I like their products a lot. I have a Weigand base on my Bisly Hunter.

Yup. The rings are even closer together than they are on an SRH. The ring spacing appears optimal for a scope, but the Ultradots don't fit. The Weigand base mounts to the ring cutouts.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:

quote:

Originally posted by TEANCUM:You lads that live in those states with the hogs seem like you have plenty to shoot at according to the reports available. I haven't taken any of those hogs but wondered how difficult they are to hunt, how durable and what loads seem to get'er done.

Hogs provide great practice between seasons. They are a very smart animal, with a nose that is second to none -- you always need to be cognizant of the wind's direction.

Is there a season or is it always open?

Any bag limits?

How do they taste in comparison to domestic pork?

Rifle calibers commonly used?

Pistol calibers commonly used?

From what I've gathered, in Arkansas if it's on private land you don't need a hunting liscence and it's open year round, no limit except what the property owner says. For public land you need a liscence, I think it's open year round and don't remember the rest.

I have shot two deer with a 4 5/8" Blackhawk that I had. Both deer were 110 yards. One was shot with a 293 cast at 1275 the other was 210 soft point Winchester factory load.

I have been thinking of getting another 41 Blackhawk but I think I'll go 6" next time.

Nice pigs Darrell...monsters!

Teancum, in North Carolina, NCWRC doesn't recognize feral hogs as a game animal, so there are very few limitations on harvest (ie - no bag limits, closed seasons, etc). South Carolina has some limitations, but more focused on manner of taking than bag limits. They do provide great "off-season" pursuit, and can turn a poor day of deer hunting into a great day!

I'm with x-caliber on the swine for table fare...if I'm targeting a whole pig for the grill, I'll try to go for a sow under 150 lbs as a rule...however, the largest boar I killed last year was just over 300 and delicious, and I didn't grind a bit of him. But, I've found that if you can smell the pig when you walk up on them, that meat is gonna be strong, no matter what the size.

As far as handgun caliber selection, I prefer .41 Mag and up, but have done them with .357.

With rifles, you standard deer gun will work just fine - I have used rimfires, but that was because I had nothing else with me

Early this year I shot a 250-lb boar in North Carolina and the meat was excellent. Sometimes they're gamey, sometimes not. I got lucky! Wild hogs are typically a lot leaner and therefore, it's easy to dry it out when cooking it.

For varmints, I usually favor the Sierra 170grJHC. Moving up to Deer, antelope, pigs < 250lbs, I like either the Hornady XTP or Nosler JHP weighing 210gr. In a long barrelled Ruger Blackhawk, Redhawk, or a FA83, the 170s can be pushed >1800FPS while I run the 210s at 1650+/-. For truly big,mean critters, I like Montana bullet's 250WFNGC bullet since I quit casting my own. I've taken elk, black bear, a moose, and African plains game up to kudu in size. Also, had to kill a nasty old range cow that wanted to set her hooks in me. I've tried the 265s and SSKs 275/295 but got diminishing returns and no real increases in killing power. Would like to try some cast hollow points but as I've said I quit casting. I've got .41 fever in my blood and don't want the cure.

X-caliber and Carolinahunter and Whitworth:

Thanks for the responses and the pictures. Sounds like that would be fun to be out chasing those rascals. Even more so with a handgun and black powder. Anything that extends the season provides for the opportunity to get outdoors and spend some time relaxing is very welcomed.

Looks like some of those hogs would be sweet on the BBQ.

Thanks again.

When I was deerhunting in SE Alaska, there was every chance of bumping into a Black Bear, not to mention the on-purpose looking for one.
My handgun choice is (I still carry the gun) an M57 S&W 6" in a strong-side belt holster.
If I'm on a backpacking/walking trip, I mount an S&W M58 4" on the backpack webbing.
Because of the bear possibility, there are hardcast 210gr SWCs in the cylinder. I use WW+2% tin loaded to 1200fps or so from the M57. Or I use Linotype at about 1300+fps.
Have fun,
Gene

Nice to see so many .41 shooters out there. I have only killed a few deer with a handgun and they were a long time ago in Texas with .357 and .44. Now that they are all gone, living in NH with fairly limited deer population and no hogs handgun hunting is tough.

I hunt a lot in Pa. now and see lots of deer. Opening day two seasons ago found me out with a 8 3/8 57 topped with a 4 power Leupold scope and 210 Sierra HPs with 23 grains of H110. Right after daylight a nice bodied buck came running in and stopped 50' in front of me look back the way he had came...a very easy shot to say the least...except he was a fork...and where I hunt a buck has to have at least three points on one side...so all I could do is "practice" sighting in on him for the 3 minutes he stood there...

The next day I was hunting with a FA 83 6" with 255 CP WFN GC cast bullets. During the day I had 10+ does walk by between 10 and 30 yards...all were either yearlings or moms with little ones and I passed all the shots. I already had one nice doe in the freezer with a muzzle loader so I wasn't worried about getting another deer....just getting picky in my "old age"... Last year I hunted with .35 rifles...this year will mix rifle an handguns...

Don't have a pic of the 57 but here is the 83...Clements did the front sight blade... Shot a 2"x5" group yesterday at 100 yards...







With it's Baby Brother.....also a .41...





Simply Rugger holster and a bunch of reloading supplies came with the gun...





Back in 2001 had Gary Reeder build a stainless .41 for me. It also has the .41 GNR cylinder but I have not loaded for it yet. It likes 300 grain bullets as well as the lighter stuff...





50 yards sitting with 300/19.0 H110.



For deer bullet wise I am not sure if it makes any difference...find a load your gun likes and put the bullet where it belongs and the deer will go down.

Speer GD HPs...impact with gallon jugs of water at 950-1250-1400 fps... Bullets were all recovered in the second or third jug of water.



CP 255/22.0 H110...1300 fps, 6 gallons of water, one sheet of 3/4 marine plywood and then burried itself into a 4x4" post...





Speer 200 JHP/23.0 H110...6 gallons of water, one piece of marine plywood and stuck in the face of the next. Really miss this bullet...wish Speer would bring it back...




As to the question of Flat Top or Blackhawk...depends on what grip fits you better as they are not the same. The FT uses the original all steel XR3. The BH uses the larger XR3 RED. The FT comes with SKINNY checked pastic grips that are not pleasant to shoot with heavy loads.



I replaced them with a little larger set of bonded ivory and it made shoting much more pleasant...



I like the sights...



One day I would like to replace the gripframe with one from a Super Blackhawk... I did this on a 80s vintage BH and it shoots great...




Hope this helps....Bob

I have been using a 6" M57 pistol (with recessed jugs and a pinned bbl) for deer for a much longer time than I'd care to admit! (something like 40+ years)

Is an old setup ... 2x Leupold on Buehler rings and base. Has Pachmeyer grips.

Have taken deer with 220 keith cast projectiles, but honestly find that it is hard to beat the terminal perfomance of the 210 gr Remington SP factory load. Kills very well and a box of them lasts rather a few seasons.

Longest kill to date was 124 yards (lasered) with a Keith cast bullet.

I also concealed carry a 3" Smith 657 Round Butt in the woods. The run was commissioned by Horton's years ago. Decent pistol for that job.

I have shot quite a number of deer with various .41's. My favorite and long-term keeper is a 4 in. M57 and I normally use 255 FN cast bullets.

Very nice pictures of the FAs and the Ruger flattops, RJM. When I tried the same thing in my 6.5" Blackhawk with the water jugs and 210gr JHPs I got similar results, stopped in the 2nd or 3rd jug; when it was cast bullets they went through all of the jugs and kept going. I tried AA#9 and W296 but got off track for several years and am just starting to shoot the .41 again. A 250gr CP WFN over 11.5gr HS-7 gives me around 1100fps to start with.

RJM, I miss that Speer too.I used the .44 version ,225 gr 1/2 jacket SWCHP .The only one I recovered went through almost 30" of deer and very accurate too ! Now using Barnes all copper.

www.corbon.com has their Barnes bullet in .41. 180 gr @ 1300. Excellent performers these all copper bullets.

The 41 Mag for deer....
Well I guess it works OK some of the time...

However, I have killed several deer WITH MY 44 MAGNUM, that had 41 mag bullets sticking halfway in their skin...

Just saying...

Sorry, could not resist.

quote:

However, I have killed several deer WITH MY 44 MAGNUM, that had 41 mag bullets sticking halfway in their skin...

Just saying... stir rotflmo shocker

Seen a buck with a .41 bullet hanging from his antler on a chain!
It was the piercings and rings in his lips that took the cake.
I like the .41 and have shot many but never bought one. The reason was when it came out, there was just not much choice of components.
Today is different and it brought the gun to where it is.