New Model Black Hawk in .41 mag

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

There's a local shop that has a .41 Mag Black Hawk for $270.  It is definitely used.  A few rust dots on the hammer, and some blueing warn off the grip frame.  But it doesn't look abused.

If this gun were a .357 I'd snap it up right away.  But for whatever reason, this one is tempting.

.41 should be right between a .357 and .44 in terms of power and recoil?

But then I think of:  buying all new dies, brass, and bullet molds (of which there's not much selection).  Plus my lever action is chambered for .357, so I'd want to get a Winchester Model 92 chambered in .41.  Uggh.

[Larry Gibson]

Black Jaque Janaviac

"There's a local shop that has a .41 Mag Black Hawk for $270."

Get it, you won't regret it.  I have been shooting .41s since the mid '70s when I had a M28 4" converted.  Also had a M58 that I let slip through my hands.   I've small hands so I ended up letting the N frames go when I got my Ruger NMBH some years ago.  Mine is a bisley with 7.5" barrel and unfluted cylinder.  I run the XTP or Rem 210 SPs at 1500 fps.  Recoil is very manageable and it is quite deadly on big game.  There are actually sufficient moulds available covering a wide range of bullet weights.  I use the XTP or Rem SP for hunting big game and have settled on a very mild cast bullet load for plinking and small game hunting.  I use the Lee 175-TL bullet.  I shoot them as cast and tumble lubed lightly.Over 5 gr of Bullseye they run 850 fps and are very pleasant to shoot and extremely accurate.  I have also shot commercial cast bullets of 210-215 gr over 9 gr of Unique for 1190 fps, another very good load.

The Ruger is a big revolver and I carry it in a comfortable shoulder holster.  It is my serious hunting revolver and does the job on deer, pigs and elk.  I have hunted numerous of these and seen many more killed with handguns of all sorts and various ammunition.  I also currently have two .44s, several .357s along with a .45LC, several .45ACPs and a couple .45ARs not to mention the two .32 mags and a .32SWL that I hunt small and large game with.  I have found the .41 Magnum to be quite sufficient for hunting big game.  Of course the 357 is adequate within its limitations but the .41 is markedly superior.  While the .44 Maganum is more effective it becomes less distinct in most cases with deer in particular or most animals under 250 lbs.  

It is my personal observation that most experienced handgun hunters will be mor accurate and thus more effective with the lessor recoil of the .41 when hunting deer and smaller big game.  Expert handgunners (they are really far and few between) who can handle the recoil of  heavily loaded .44s, .45LCs and the other high performance cartridges do as well with them.    Any handgunner should address his own limitations based on marksmanship abilities, cartridge, barrel length and the velocity of the bullet chosen.  The .41 is a very good cartridge fro probably 90% of handgun hunters.

Larry Gibson

[41MAG]

 A S&W mod.57 41mag was the first handgun I ever bought.It is the best thing I have ever spent money on. Mine has cdropped many deer along with varmits.Besides its just fun to shoot. With the new Winchester round if you dont want to reload for it you have a great hunting round.The new 240gr. hp is outstanding. Buy the 41mag you wont regret it.

         :grin: Dennis :grin:

[crawfish]

DO NOT BUY THAT .41!!!!!!! They are like mice if you see one pretty soon they'll be others and others. Just pulling your chain. I currently have 13 handguns in .41 caliber, 10 of them are in .41RemMag. In 1989 when I got my first hunting handgun I didn't know squat about the subject. I didn't know you could ONLY hunt with a .44RemMag :wink: . Over the years I guess all the animals I have killed didn't get the word either 'cause they sure died real dead when shot with at .41.
Many deer later the .41RemMag is my 98% go to caliber for big game. I also have a carry gun in .41RemMag. It has killed countless deer, hogs, pigs, feral dogs/cats and 5 very large 600lbs+ animals all with one shot, all complete pass through. To say I enjoy shooting the .41RemMag would be highly understated.

[JOE MACK]

There's a local shop that has a .41 Mag Black Hawk for $270.  It is definitely used.  A few rust dots on the hammer, and some blueing warn off the grip frame.  But it doesn't look abused.

If this gun were a .357 I'd snap it up right away.  But for whatever reason, this one is tempting.

.41 should be right between a .357 and .44 in terms of power and recoil?

But then I think of:  buying all new dies, brass, and bullet molds (of which there's not much selection).  Plus my lever action is chambered for .357, so I'd want to get a Winchester Model 92 chambered in .41.  Uggh.

Given that the firearm has some rust and is missing bluing, I'd try to dicker with the shop owner a little. I picked up my last used .41Magnum Blackhawk for $250 with no rust and only the cylinder ring. If the owner took this in as a used gun he'll have quite a bit of leeway. He's probably got less than $200 in it. Tell him you'll buy a box of ammo with the savings.

The .41Magnum is my ultimate favorite cartridge. I've taken everything from armidillo to wapiti with one. My collection goes from an American Derriger to the Thompson Contender all in .41Magnum. I had 48 firearms in .41 caliber at last count. About 37 are straight .41Magnums while the rest are wildcats. I particularly like OMBHs and Bisleys.

While there are more choices in factory ammo now, I'd still reload for the caliber.  Check on the auction sites as they always have .41Magnum dies for sale. Two hundred pieces of brass is cheap considering how many times the can be reloaded with moderate loads. Lee moulds can be had for a good price and other moulds found on the auction sites again.  The only trouble is, that like the potato chip, it's very difficult to stop with just one .41Magnum. Buy it and join the swelling ranks of .41Magnum shooters. RKBA!

[safetysheriff]

The thing to concentrate on is the handgun, if you decide you like the caliber.   Once the caliber is chosen you must check the individual revolver to determine whether or not you want it!    If it's crap then who cares what caliber it is?

Is the muzzle crown good, is the action smooth, is the timing of the cylinder lock-up good ahead of the hammer falling, is the grip frame tight to the cylinder frame.  Is the barrel pitted.  What is the barrel to cylinder clearance and what is the cylinder end-play.    Are the hammer and trigger properly mated for sear engagement -- if you know how to tell this on a Ruger from looking at the two parts with the hammer cocked.   If the hammer is cocked and it is pushed forward with significant thumb pressure will the engagement hold.....    What condition are the front and rear sights in.....

These are the things you now look at, if the caliber is OK.  

If the timing, barrel-cylinder gap, cylinder end-play, or sear engagement are improper then forget the revolver.     It's not worth buying a used weapon just to pay for it to be fixed.    

Sorry, but there's too much to look at with a used piece besides caliber.


Take care.

[Steve P]

It is absolutely worth making an offer on.  If any rust visible, I would hum and ho over it a little and then lay about 11 $20s on the counter.  Maybe go up a little from there.  You will love the 41.  

I would say I have every caliber of blackhawk made, but someone would come up with a rare one that I haven't found yet.  

When I go elk hunting and out in the woods, I usually grab the 41 for my protection.  I hit a football sized rock 5 out of 5 times at 75 yards last year coming out of the woods after a hunt.  We always stop to shoot the muzzleloaders and have to shoot something else as long as we stop.  That 41 just fits me perfect, is reliable, acurate, and gives me the confidence needed for a hunting or protection handgun.  

Merry Christmas to you!!

Steve

[pireaux059]

Hey yall I can see I am seriously undergunned I have 6 pistols 5 are rugers & the 41 mag is certainly a sweet piece. Seems kinda pricey for the condition though.

[Blunderbus]

I've got a 4 5/8-inch barrelled Blackhawk in .41 mag. For years I've sporadically contemplated either swapping it up for a SBH .44 mag or swapping down for Blackhawk .357, because .41 mag ammo was so limited, scarce and expensive (I don't reload).  But this particular revolver is noticeably lighter in weight than any Ruger .44 SBH made and capable of more power than any .357. The new Winchester 240 grain loading sort of seals the deal. I'm keeping it.

Blunderbus

[alamogunr]

Three or four years ago, I bought a .41 Mag Blackhawk,new, for $297 + shipping, about $20.  I just sold it, unfired, for that amount to a friend.  I needed the cash to finance a .41 Mag SS Ruger Bisley.  The place I bought to Blackhawk was called Gunfinder.  Name may have changed since.

[Gun Runner]

I've got the new mod black hawk in 41 cal its my second one. let the first one get away. I use it for a woods gun and made up some snake loads for the buzz tails. I put a super blackhawk hammer in it so I had something I could gert my thumb on. Probable tomarrow its going to my gunsmith and the bbl is getting bobed to 4 5/8in, has the 6 1/2 right now. Reason for the shorter bbl is carrying while gold panning and crawing round the brush. I hand load for it so have a little bit more option on bullets.

Gun Runner

[Mauser]

I had a BH 41 but found that because of the additional size and weight the SBH 44 had about the same recoil.  I sold it and am sticking with my 44s.  The BH 41 was a good and accurate revolver though.