.357 vs .41 vs .44

[teamnelson]

as to being a wimp at 70. A wise man once said, never get in a fight with an old man. He might just kill you. 

[1911crazy]

Well now, lets see here.
I have the .357 and was searching for another roller. I did shoot a friends .44 mag the other day. I just don't want that much recoil. The .41 can, for my purpose be almost matched by the .347.
I have decided to get a .45ACP---I can bump it up some and I set up for reloading it.
The .41 just does not offer enough differnces in power and The .44 is out of my league for recoil.
OH--I can shoot it but it is not plesant enough to bear up under it. I am 70 and a wimp.
Blessings

William you have my respect for saying that.  I'll let you know how the 41mag shoots and how the recoil is.  Some of my 357mag loads in the past have been stout too.  Down the road we both will have and enjoy the auto's i'm sure.  You maybe right too the end for me with the massive recoil just maybe closer than i think too. I'm not too far away at 60yo.   I may have a few more years left but not many.   CZY

[Blackhawker]

Well now, lets see here.
I have the .357 and was searching for another roller. I did shoot a friends .44 mag the other day. I just don't want that much recoil. The .41 can, for my purpose be almost matched by the .347.
I have decided to get a .45ACP---I can bump it up some and I set up for reloading it.
The .41 just does not offer enough differnces in power and The .44 is out of my league for recoil.
OH--I can shoot it but it is not plesant enough to bear up under it. I am 70 and a wimp.
Blessings

Funny you mention wanting less recoil but you seem to want the power.  My 38-40 loads are somewhere between the 357 and 41 mag (probably on the closer side of 41 mag) yet the recoil is no worse than my hot loaded 357's in my Blackhawk.  It's really a nice round to tinker with if one has the time and patience.   The only downfall to the 38-40 and custom loads is bullet availability, not to mention a Ruger Blackhawk chambered in the caliber.  The 357 and 45 ACP definitely have LOTS of options when it comes to bullet choice.

If you've got your mind set on a 45 ACP, then just go with it.  It's a proven round for over 100 years, it's popular with lots of loading options, and in the end, who doesn't like a big bore pistol?   

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  One thing to keep in mind, while hot 41 and 44 loads do have heavy recoil, we can load them much lighter...I seldom shoot near max pistol loads any more, but the option is there if I want it...It is like buying a car that goes 140 miles per hour, we may not want that speed often, but at times it may be nice to have....

[gr8ful]

One thing to keep in mind, while hot 41 and 44 loads do have heavy recoil, we can load them much lighter...I seldom shoot near max pistol loads any more, but the option is there if I want it...It is like buying a car that goes 140 miles per hour, we may not want that speed often, but at times it may be nice to have....

I like the way you think...45 Colt in a Bisley Ruger Mild to WILD in the turn of a cylinder!

[1911crazy]

One thing to keep in mind, while hot 41 and 44 loads do have heavy recoil, we can load them much lighter...I seldom shoot near max pistol loads any more, but the option is there if I want it...It is like buying a car that goes 140 miles per hour, we may not want that speed often, but at times it may be nice to have....

I went away from here thinking that lastnight.  I no longer shoot nor enjoy the max loads unless its my side arm whyile bear hunting.  Having both 44mag redhawks  with the 5 1/2" and the 7 1/2" barrels the 7 1/2" barrel is a real pleasure to shoot with way less recoil over the 5 1/2" barrel.  The shorter 5 1/2" barrel does jump a lot more.  So for you(William) and me its the longer barrels i/we should look for in the revolvers.  I know S&W does offer the 8 3/8" barrel in some of there calibers but we need to go thru the whole S&W site to see them all.  For some reason some are listed in there classics while the others are listed in the "N" frames but look else where on that S&W site too. Now i'm going to look for a 41mag with a 8 3/8" barrel. If its still manufactured.

Example;  The S&W model 27 n frame in 357mag is listed in the classics as a 6" in blue and a 4" in blue and nickel finish.  Its listed again as a 6" in nickel too.  I'm after the S&W model 27 in 357mag in nickel, w/6" barrel.   I'm worried that S&W may discontinue there awesome nickel finish too someday.  Colt did.

Now do the auto's really match the power of the revolver magnum calibers?  Do they have the same knockdown power?  Or do they say the 10mm is close to the 41mag in ballastics?  I know the 45acp is under 500ft.lbs.  while the 41mag is pushing around 800ft.lbs. with Cor-Bon new ammo.  But yet i see all the different higher numbers too listed on the net. I guess its time to look at the bibles to compare them exactly.   To see if there close or farther apart.   You maybe right in thinking about the auto caliber thats close to the magnum performance another plus is the magazine capacity too on the auto's.  I believe the EEA pistol(russsian) has a mag capacity of 16rds in 10mm if i remember correctly.  In a gun fight that would give you/us an edge.

After being a logger for around 35 years and having arms like popeye i'm losing the muscle now and more and more every year too.  I used the 25lb 100cc chainsaw for many years lugging it around.  While i'm still strong i need to workout now.  I figure i can workout at the range lifting the larger framed revolvers right?  But really i'm losing my muscle but yet i'm still strong.   Like Paul Sr with his arms  on orange county choppers, have you noticed his arms getting smaller? I think its time to hit the weights.                             Bill

BTW; With all this 45 long colt talk should i get one too?  I feel i need two guns to get and support another new caliber. To me its not worth the cause to support one gun with a new caliber. Thats a great excuse to run past the misses right?

[41 mag]

Well now, lets see here.
I have the .357 and was searching for another roller. I did shoot a friends .44 mag the other day. I just don't want that much recoil. The .41 can, for my purpose be almost matched by the .347.
I have decided to get a .45ACP---I can bump it up some and I set up for reloading it.
The .41 just does not offer enough differnces in power and The .44 is out of my league for recoil.
OH--I can shoot it but it is not plesant enough to bear up under it. I am 70 and a wimp.
Blessings

Well I think you have it well enough in hand.

I have something in roller from .22 thru 454 Casull, and can honestly say that the 41 gets 95% of my attention. I also have auto's ranging from the tiny .380 through my .45ACP as well, so i feel pretty well rounded.

For me, the 41 has and probably always will be like the porridge, not too cold and not too hot, but just right. I load it with a 200gr Remington SJHP over 20.5grs of 296 for right at 1300'ish fps from my 7.5" Redhawk. It will cleanly bowl over a 200# hog out to 100yds if I do my part and keep it where it needs to be. I purchased my first 41 when I turned 21 from a local pawn shop. It was a excellent condition flat top. After shooting it I was hooked. I shortly after purchased both a GP-100 as well as a Redhawk in 44. Even with these I only shot the GP and had the 44 for almost a year and a half before even dropping a bullet in the cylinder.

Since then I have traded the flat top for the Redhawk, which worked out well for both parties. I have hauled that RH through the thickest of river bottoms on the tail of hogs never feeling under gunned one bit. My close friend and hunting partner, found he liked it so well he purchased a S&W 657 in 41 while the longer barreled model was still available. That's about all we shoot even given the other choices. Like you mentioned the recoil of the bigger ones is sometimes too much and the performance on the hogs with the smaller ones is sometimes not satisfactory.

Wishing you the best with your collection.

[1911crazy]

I'm kind of surprised how many posters are talking about there 41mag's maybe this over looked caliber does have a following and is much more than was expected.   It seems everywhere i mention the 41mag i get more replys with others who like it too.  no wonder why the 41mag ammo is harder to find at times mainly because thjere are many shooters duh???                                                          CZY

now i'm thinking about a magnum belly buster of a snubbie to carry while night fishing.  I'm never alone when my buddy and his 18 friends are with me, revolver w/two speed loaders. I think either a 41mag or 44mag will do.  I think the 44special / 45acp is a little light for what i want.  Its the 4 legged critters that i worry about.

[Blackhawker]

Had I not picked up my 38-40, I would own a 41 mag by now.  But the two are SO CLOSE!! 
I'm sure I'll eventually find a 41 and I'll get it .....just to have it.   

(keep in mind, I'm talking about a Ruger Blackhawk in this caliber.  Ordinary 38-40's CANNOT and SHOULD NEVER be loaded to "magnum" type loadings.)

[williamlayton]

Here is the culmination of my thinking and reasoning.
The .357 with factory loadings are a real pleasure to shot---HOOT comes to mind.
.45's have always been fun and I have a number of them in semi's.
I really have no need for a .44:
The recoil is too heavy for range work for me.
I don't walk in anything but an urban jungle.
.41's don't hold that much enthralment for me and is a complicated ammo gun unless I would reload for it.
.45ACP seems to be the most logical next step in this roller business---for me.
I don't know a blamed thing about this .38-40 but from the numbers it would seem like a hopped up .357.
Blessings

[1911crazy]

I like how my redhawk in 44mag w/ 7 1/2" barrel handles, maybe as i get older i like the longer barrels much better.  I may look at the 8 3/8" barreled 44mag in a S&W soon.  But the ruger super blackhawk in 44mag w/10.5" barrel is another choice.  I'm getting older too "William/guys" and i probably have a short window to still enjoy the magnums with regular magnum loads.

[oldfort]

I am reminded of the George Gobel quote, "Did you ever feel like the rest of the world was a tuxcedo, and you were a pair of brown shoes". I love the .41mag. I don't own a .357 or .44 anymore. I have .38's, a 5 1/2" Bisley in .45LC, and a 10mm Glock 20 to replace them. I had .44's in an 8" Anaconda and a 7 1/2" SBH. Too big and heavy for me to carry. My .41mag is a 4 5/8" Ruger Blackhawk that I bought new in the 80's. It has the old Bullseye springs, a Bisley hammer, and Hogue Mono grips. I think that it weighs in at 35oz. I also have a 28oz SS Taurus ported 2 1/2" snubnose in .41mag. It is nice for pocket carry in the mountains with 250gr Federal CastCores. The .41 Special ammo from Reeds at OK City let's it do double duty as a truck gun. Good luck.

[williamlayton]

.41's do seem to be popular.
NAW, i am not even going there---I refuse to think along these lines---Ya'll quit tempting me---I'm too easy---pick on someone else.
 

[WD45]

If you are going to get a roller in 45ACP why not get a ruger with both 45LC and 45 ACP cylinders. I always liked the 45 over the 44 mag due to the way it seems to recoil at least to me. The 44 has a more profound snap to the wrist than the 45 and the 45 is easier on me to shoot whether its light loads or heavy. I can shoot a much heavier 45 load than 44mag without wrist issues if I need to but a 250 grain keith at around 1000 or 1100 fps will do anything I need to do around these parts and is easy to shoot out of the 45

[drdougrx]

Will ya just buy the dag-gum 41 and be done with it sose you cin join d' dark side!!!!!

[45-70.gov]

i think for you the 45  is the way to go
i want  one  too.....and a 41 mag
i would  also  have to get some  45ar bullets for it...just because

but back to the original post

the  357 advantage.....available in small packages....j-frame  ect

44 advantage........power  and can  load down  to any level you choose

41  advantage.....its  almost a 44

[Lloyd Smale]

Almost but never will be! To me its kind of like putting duel exaust on your mothers 4 door car and trying to hang with the hot rod guys. Makes just as much noise but weights more and packs alot less punch. 

[williamlayton]

Your right Lloyd---of course I am almost a man--never will be again. 
Blessings

[drdougrx]

Like most of us, I have a few in each caliber... I've never used the .357s for hunting...I have 44s and a 480 for that ... for me, a 357 is an SD proposition that replaced the 38spec.  The 41 that I own is an older BH with the smaller frame ...  being converted to a bisley as we speak.  I load 250/255gr HC in it over heavy doses of H110...it is more compact than my 44s (my SW29 Mountain Gun included)....and...I have to say....a 41 is ... just ... plain ... cool!   

[shotgun-2]

These are all fine calibers, including the 45 colt & acp! I've got them all, but the 41 seems to get the most of my attention. The 357 (using 38 spec.)or maybe the 45 acp are the only ones to shoot if you don't reload and want to shoot very much. If you reload then they are all great.

The difference in performance and recoil between the 41 & 44 is really a mute point if you reload, the diameter difference is minimal, .410 to .429 and light to heavy bullets can be loaded in either one. I have a matched pair of Redhawks in .41mag & .44mag with 5.5" barrels that shoot about the same, love them both however I have a Marlin 1894 in 41 mag so as I stated earlier the 41's get most of the work outs together.
I have had or do have several S&W's with all available barrels in 41mag as well Dan Wesson and T/C contender, but the Redhawk is my workhorse, these are really overlooked guns.

Aside from 22 rimfires, the 41's will be my last guns for hunting and plinking I'll give up, ya they are a cult thing.