41 magnum 250 jacketed bullet and loads & tests

[Dand]

I have run my first test of these 250 gr JACKETED bullets.

Date 12-11-06

Ruger Redhawk stainless 7.5 inch barrel, B Square scope mount Burris 2 3/4 X scope
temperatures about 20 -25 F calm

all shots fired off a sand + shot bag on a bench

bullet: 250 gr Outlaw jacketed .410   See GB New Products: http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/topic,97065.0.html
or
JCUnclejoe@aol.com

TRY AT YOUR OWN RISK.  THESE LOADS WORKED IN MY GUNS AND APPEARED SAFE.  I MAKE NO PROMISES IN ANY OTHER GUNS.  HODGDON POWDER OFFERED LITTLE ADVICE OTHER THAN TO TRY STARTING LOADS THEY LIST FOR SIMILAR WEIGHT CAST BULLETS.

case: Remington 2x fired   Note, in my experience Winchester cases may have less powder capacity and can show high pressure signs with less powder than might be used in Rem cases.

primer: Win Large Pistol
all bullets crimped with a Lee factory crimp

1. 16.5 gr H 4227, 1.590 OAL 25 yards wow! impressive first group! mild pressure and recoil
2. 17 gr H 4227, 1.590 OAL 30 yards not bad mild pressure and recoil moved out a little for more challenge
3. 17 gr H Lil Gun , 1.590 OAL 30 yards a little more pop than H4227 but mild, lowered scope 6 clicks
4. 17.5 gr H Lil Gun , 1.590 OAL 30 yards moderate pressure and recoil
5. 18 gr H Lil Gun , 1.700 OAL 30 yards moderate pressure and recoil more accurate or was I more careful?
6. 18.5 gr H Lil Gun , 1.700 OAL 30 yards moderate pressure and recoil good accuracy
7, 19 gr H Lil Gun , 1.700 OAL 30 yards pressure and recoil moderate but growing good accuracy Try more powder.

I'll load some more at 19 gr and try 19.5, maybe 20 gr.  I like working with Lil Gun when I look at the pressure information in the 2004 Hodgdon manual.  It seems to work at significantly lower pressures than other powders. That's comforting when exploring uncharted waters.

Heck these are the best groups I've shot with this gun and its been a over a year since I've fired it, maybe 2 years. This is probably the most care I've taken with my shooting it in a while.

That first group was truly exciting. Sometimes my best groups are my first before I start getting twitchy or impatient.

All groups fired while wearing gloves which really made an even squeeze a challenge.

I like seating the bullets out and they fit the Redhawk fine - probably will fit the S&W m57 and Bisley fine too.





Heck the Marlin fed the 1.7 loads just fine too!

Marlin FG results same bullets

all fired in Marlin FG 41 magnum, Weaver scope mount Beeman 2x-7x AO all but first 2 shots fired using 7X.

temperatures about 20 -25 F calm

all shots fired off a sand + shot bag on a bench

bullet: 250 gr Outlaw jacketed .410

case: Remington 2x fired
primer: Win Large Pistol
all bullets crimped with a Lee factory crimp - I checked for bullet slippage after 2 shots and saw none in remaining 3.  Will watch but cannelure seems sufficient and so was my crimp.

1. 18 gr H Lil Gun , 1.700 OAL 50 yards moderate pressure and recoil accuracy ok pleased to find ammo cycles fine.

2. 19 gr H Lil Gun , 1.700 OAL 30 yards pressure and recoil moderate but growing good accuracy Try more powder.

Accuracy fair  but would be nice to find a tighter grouping.   I need to be sure the bore is free of leading – I gooped it up last summer.



I'll try seating at conventional 1.590 and reducing charges too.

Now I'm eager to do some chronographing on these.

I haven't looked down the bores to see what cleaning awaits but I sure like the smooth handling of the loaded ammo.

H110 is high on my list to try next but I have high hope for good velocity and performance with Lil Gun - and hope for lower pressures to be safe.

[S.B.]

Thanks, my only request would be that you publish the velocities for each load?

[Dand]

I didn't chronograph these loads.  I didn't have time.
The main effort here was function, pressue indications, and some accuracy.

I hope to chrono them in the future.

NOTE that these loads were fired in relatively low temperatures 20 to 25 F.
Pressures could be higher in "normal" 50 to 75 F temps.

At this time of year in Alaska we don't have much daylight.  I'll try to get the chrono set up on a nice day.

I have just ordered 500 more bullets to work up loads.

[RJM]

Thanks for the information. I have not reloaded any jacketed bullets over 220 grains but have loaded a lot of cast bullets in the 250-305 grain range with H110.

250-265 grain bullets generally run 1300-1375 fps from a 5.5" barrel with 22 grains of H110. 19 grains and a 295-305 grain cast bullet runs in the mid to high 1200s.

It will be interesting to also see if these jacketed bullets will expand and to what degree from a revolver length barrel. I have a TC Contender barrel in .41/.445 Super Mag that will run a 300 grain cast bullet in the 1900s...this 250 grain jacketed bullet should work well in that round.

Thanks again...Bob