Let's hear it folks. What is your opinion of the 41 mag. in a 10" Contender for 100yard whitetail hunting. If useing factory ammo what would you go with in bullet weight?

Thanks for any info,
bobg

Bob,

I would go with a 200gr. JHP velocity would be around 1440fps and @ 100yds would deliver over 1000fpe..

6.5 Bandit

My opinion - pay close attention to your pressure signs with some of the published data on the .41 Magnum. Most of it is for wheelguns, and acts differently in our single shots.



10" .41 at 100 yards - yeah, but not much past that.



Sierra's 210 grain JHC were ok, Hornady HP/XTP's were better in Project 41 (14" barrel).



Powders of choice: H110, Lil' Gun for highest velocities

Blue Dot, Unique for accuracy and reduced recoil.



Try your loads with different primers as well, I documented a measurable difference between Federal, CCI, and remington primers. Crimping is another thing you may want to experiment with. My barrel doesn't like crimped loads; heavy or light, no crimp worked the best for me. Not sure how the 10" barrel will show it's colors, but my 14" will keep 5 shots at 1.5" @100 with my hunting load, and 1" with my accuracy load (Unique didn't quite expand the XTP's to my satisfaction at 1300 fps - Lil'Gun does a nice job at 1756 fps, but accuracy is 1/2" larger)



I have a box of Speer 200 grainers that I never got a chance to experiment with, maybe this winter. And after talking to Gary Reeder about his .41 GNR, I passed on the 170 grain pills - I'll save them for the GNR.



Good Luck, I had a lot of fun with mine.





shocked:Aw hell - you said factory ammo, sorry can't help you in that department.

Nuttin better than a 41mag in a 10" barrel!!



I have been huntin with one for years and REALLY like it! If i were to use factory ammo on deer it would be one of the 210's. Anything bigger and i would go for the Federal Castcore. Winchester is supposed to be introducing a new 240 grain load that i would consider also.



The 175 Silvertips would work great for varmints and yotes.



Great Caliber!!

I have a 10" OTT 41 Mag encore barrel. I like it very much. I have been playing with a couple of different loads with it.



The bullet weight's have been mostly 210 JHC's by Sierra, 250 Grain Cast Performance w/ GC & also 230 grain cast Keith style bullets. I have had good results on targets out to 50 yards. I have a Tasco Optima Dot mounted on my barrel & I think that is where my problem comes in beyond 50 yards. I may put a better dot on it or maybe a 2X scope.



I did get to use it to finish off a deer this year. So I am pleased with it so far. Good luck the 10 " barrel is great you get good veloicty & it is easier to carry around than 14" barrel.

rich, what do you do to the forearm for those full bull OTT encore barrels? sand them out?
hows the optima for picking up on moving game, or getting on target quick?

I bought the standard forend & opened it up with a 1" grinding stone on a drill. It worked pretty well. I used a socket that measured 1" outside dimension to check the opening with. After I was done resealed the inside with polyurethane.



The Optima was good for getting on target fast. I seems to loose it's accuracy beyond 50 yards or it could be me I'm not really sure. I may try that Bushnell Trophy red dot with the 4 reticles.

Try the Bushnell you'll like it. I have one mounted on my SGB .41RemMag Hunter. The fine dot, 3MM I think, is more than fine enough to do close work out to 100yds. When I started way back in "89 with my very first .41 there were no hunting loads at all now there are at least two from big name ammo companys and three from the custom ammo guys.

Bobg,

The 41 Mag in a 10" Contender will do anything that a 44 Mag will do in a revolver, that is with bullets of relative weight and S.D.

For whitetails, the 41 Mag is easily a 100 yard handgun, IF the hunter is able to place the bullet accurately.

It seems everyone is giving you their favorite handload when you asked for a factory option for this purpose.

It is no secret that I like heavy bullets no matter the caliber. In fact I love the 200 gr pills from Cast Performance in my Ruger 357 Mags.

Velocity in handguns means very little as far as killing power. 95% of the handgun rounds can not produce enough velocity using safe pressures to create hydrostatic shock waves in game animals. They kill by drilling large diameter and deep holes through vital areas.

Because of this I would use Federals Cast Core factory load which I believe uses a 265 gr bullet from Cast Performance.

This bullet and others of its type will always fully penetrate whitetail size targets even out to 100 yards.

They do not, nor do they need to expand to kill big game, therefor they will not fail as many HP bullets will.

Also, they perform no matter if they impact at 1500 fps or 800 fps. They will drive deep and true and cut a large diameter wound channel.

They are definately not need for game the size of whitetails, but I have never been one to want to use a bullet that "just barely get the job done". There is no disadvantage to being over bulleted.

Just my opinion, stay away from the HP jacketed bullets. Hundreds will curse me for that comment but there is simply no way for a properly designed hard cast bullet to fail if you hit the target in a vital area, this can not be said for a HP jacketed bullet.

Good Shooting!!!

50

Thanks for the help folks. I reload for all my other guns so i probably will for this on too. It looks like your suggestions on handloads will come in handy also.

Thanks again,
bobg

Hey Bob sorry I missed the part about factory ammo. Here is a url where you can buy loaded ammo for the 41Mag like 50 Driver & I were talking about. Buffalobore