Author Topic: Thinking about a .41 (Read 2657 times)

BillinOregon · « **on:** July 30, 2008, 08:52:54 AM »

I owned a short-barrelled Blackhawk .41 Magnum about 25 years ago that gave me fits: ejector housing popped off, cylinder was binding, Blue Dot made for some sticky extractions. But it was a powerful revolver and easy to pack. It was shipped back to Ruger and they fixed the cylinder and ejector housing issues, but I ckind of lost interest in it.
All these years later, I am thinking a plain-vanilla Blackhawk .41 with 6 1/2-inch barrel and a good heavy cast handload would be a fine choice for blacktails here in Southern Oregon.
I'd be happy to hear comments or advice on all aspects of the .41 from the dedicated .41 users here at GBO.

warrior1 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 30, 2008, 10:46:58 AM »

good gun, good shooter. go for it. dan

handi243 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 30, 2008, 02:31:38 PM »

I really think that the 41 is the best all around deer cart. I know some people will say diff. but power to recoil it looks like from your post that you reload. Of course you have to go back to shot placement, bullet and your ability. Trigger time is all i can reallt say when it comes to hunting in general.

ms · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2008, 03:43:59 PM »

Go for it.

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #4 on:** July 31, 2008, 02:25:47 AM »

Great choice, those .41's, .44's & .45's
Make sure and see the post from Alliant as provided by quiktoo regarding the .41 & Bluedot as told in (Handloading For Handguns & Rifles) with the thread being (Bluedot Warning From Alliant) as it sounds like they
Dont recommend the Bluedot for any bullet weights in the .41 anymore.

nodlenor · « **Reply #5 on:** July 31, 2008, 03:23:55 AM »

Great cartridge! I love my Redhawk 41. I use W296, & IMR4227. H110 works good also.

gl411 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 31, 2008, 03:26:49 AM »

no think do

Lone Star · « **Reply #7 on:** July 31, 2008, 04:25:15 AM »

Quote

...(Bluedot Warning From Alliant) as it sounds like they Dont recommend the Bluedot for any bullet weights in the .41 anymore.

No, what they said was not to use their existing data for BD in the .41. They will be re-testing the data and re-publish.

There is no reason not to use BlueDot in the .41, just use data from Hornady or Speer or Sierra.

.

BillinOregon · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2008, 04:49:27 AM »

Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I've fooled with a lot of revolvers over the years, and currently keep a 4 5/8 BH in .45 Colt with cast Lee 255-grain flat point handloads as my walk-around gun. But I want a longer barrel for deer hunting, but don't want to go back to a SBH. I'm thinking that with the 6 1/2-inch barrel, the plain blued BH .41 is easy to carry, yet offers a practical sight plane for the 75-90-yard shot, yet weighs but 41 ounces naked and goes for under $400 new. I'd probably look for a Veral Smith-style heavy-for caliber bullet with monster meplat in the 255-280-grain range from Beartooth or CPBC to work up an accurate load from 1100 to 1200 and figure myself very well set indeed for an Oregon blacktail. I've heard the .41 is capable of very fine accuracy. I know the guys with the top end FA revolvers spank the heck out of the silhouettes with this caliber.

Ken ONeill · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2008, 10:21:31 AM »

Every .41 I've owned has been quite accurate. Have experience with Ruger BH's, RH's, Smith 57's and 657's, 10" Contender and FA 83. I've always used 2400 and 296, and never saw a need for anything else.
With the BH, I prefer the 4 5/8" version, but of course that's a personal thing.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2008, 10:48:52 AM »

I own a Taurus Tracker in 41mag with the stubby bbl. Its my side arm for when I'm in bear country. Your not giving up much to the 44mag and with cast core loads, no bear is going to know the difference.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 31, 2008, 01:58:45 PM »

The only 41 cal I own is, a Gary Reeder custom Encore barrel in 410 GNR. It is a 454 Casull necked down to 41 cal. Awesome accuracy and down range power.

Luckyducker · « **Reply #12 on:** July 31, 2008, 02:26:22 PM »

Bill, I have the exact gun you are contemplating over. I load mine with 20.5 grains of H110 with a 210 grain bullet and the accuracy is good with cast and great with jacketed. I tried a milder load and the accuracy went south, so I stick to this load. BTW, the cast slugs I bought were sized to .411 and I believe if I would have opted for .410 I think they would have been just as accurate as with the jacketed bullets.

ftw · « **Reply #13 on:** July 31, 2008, 05:37:47 PM »

I luckily kept the 4 5/8" Ruger .41 mag that I bought in 1968. It is and always has been an accurate and fun gun. A few years ago my Stepson bought me a stainless Redhawk .41 with the 7 1/2" Barrel and a Pentax 2X scope. It also is a fine gun and I have killed several deer both guns and all deer went down quickly.

I started reloading with 2400 way back when and have never changed. I use 210 lead SWC, JSP and lately Hornady XTPs.

I would love to have a S&W 57 or 58 4" but they have become so prized the prices are more than I can bear.

Can't go wrong with a .41.

BillinOregon · « **Reply #14 on:** July 31, 2008, 07:50:55 PM »

Should have my 6 1/2-inch barreled Blackhawk by Tuesday or so. Will do the usual polish/burr cleanup/lube and have a spare Belt Mtn. base pin at hand if the cylinder is a bit wiggly. I'm sure the various 210-grain bullets available will be more than adequate for our deer here, but must admit a fondness for the heavier wide-meplat slugs in just about any sixgun. Luckyducker: I have a canister of H110 eager to be put to work, and FTW, some 2400, too.

Dand · « **Reply #15 on:** July 31, 2008, 09:09:19 PM »

Good for you! I like my 41s - have 57, 657 MG, Bisley, Redhawk and Marlin. If you don't like to mess with cast bullets, Joe Cullison over in Bend Ore. makes a dandy 250 jacketed bullet at reasonable prices. You can reach him at Outlaw Bullets jcunclejoe@aol.com. I have loaded a bunch of his bullets but haven't killed any game with them. Try googling him or email. I don't have a phone number handy.

I took a very small caribou with some corbon 265 ammo but if anything it was too much of a good thing and shot right through the little guy with modest effect - of course it would have helped to have better shot placement - I shot very poorly that day.

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #16 on:** August 01, 2008, 03:20:40 AM »

Quote

No, what they said was not to use their existing data for BD in the .41. They will be re-testing the data and re-publish.

There is no reason not to use BlueDot in the .41, just use data from Hornady or Speer or Sierra.

I knew that there would be somebody around here to keep be straight

While I don't own a .41 The accuracy load from Sierra for my .45 using the Bluedot has been great.

BillinOregon · « **Reply #17 on:** August 01, 2008, 08:09:45 PM »

DanD: Didn't know Joe made such a bullet. He is a very nice guy; I've met him a couple of times at silhouette shoots in the Rogue Valley. I'll give him an e-shout.
Thanks.
Bill

gl411 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 04, 2008, 01:35:41 PM »

Dan d could you give some more detail you Carbiou hunt? I have had or have 57 --657-- tc, Blackhawk --Redhawk --I like them and have shot a few deer with some of them and some Ground hogs- - At first I went back to them because of the smaller weapons but now as to handguns .41s are all i own

BillinOregon · « **Reply #19 on:** August 06, 2008, 06:56:41 AM »

Have my new .41 in hand. Very nicely balanced with the aluminum grip frame, but I might be tempted to go to steel at some point. But one of the nice things about this sixgun is that it is so bloody strong, and even with 6 1/2-inch barrel weighs scarcely more than a 1911.Will report when I shoot it. I have some loads made up with H4227 under the CPBC 250-grain WFN, and a few with 5 grains of Trail Boss under the same for a plinking load.

COR · « **Reply #20 on:** August 06, 2008, 12:14:17 PM »

For whitetail it's damn hard to beat the 210XTP's with some 296. I use the 230K with some Unique behind it as my walking load (try Leadheads). They also kill well but I can't beat the accuracy from those XTP's...everytime I say "just cast bullets" I pick up a box at the gun shop.

Cayoot · « **Reply #21 on:** August 07, 2008, 03:21:39 PM »

I have a 6.5" Blackhawk in .41 mag and just love it. I feed it two different bullets. One is a WFGC that was developed as a custom bullet mould over on the cast boolits forum. It weighs 260 grains. The other is a classic Keith style SWC that was also developed as a custom bullet mould on the cast boolits forum (these custom moulds usually go for about $70 for a 6 cavity mould when we do group buys). The SWC weighs in at 275 grains. My blackhawk loves them both and will out shoot me every day of the week!

BillinOregon · « **Reply #22 on:** August 07, 2008, 07:55:54 PM »

Cayoot: What are you feeding those slugs with, and how fast are they traveling?

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #23 on:** August 11, 2008, 12:22:52 AM »

ive got a couple 41s. Im down to just two customs right now. Ive had many over the years but just never got real attached to them. Never saw what they did that the 44 didnt do better.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #24 on:** August 11, 2008, 02:03:31 AM »

Quote from: Lloyd Smale on August 11, 2008, 12:22:52 AM

ive got a couple 41s. Im down to just two customs right now. Ive had many over the years but just never got real attached to them. Never saw what they did that the 44 didnt do better.

Well said Lloyd..

BillinOregon · « **Reply #25 on:** August 12, 2008, 10:25:33 AM »

Lloyd: You are right about the .44 of course. My reasons for the .41 include: cheaper than a Super Blackhawk; lighter than an SBH; less recoil than the SBH; still a sure bet to kill a blacktail or mulie with a properly placed bullet; I've had seven or eight .44 Magnums, and this will be my second .41 in 20-some years.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #26 on:** August 13, 2008, 02:33:34 AM »

I didnt think they were anymore expensive. If they are it sure cant be much. they make the super in 4 5/8s both blued and stainless (at least they did) with the round blackhawk trigger guard (much better then the dragoon grip on the super) It may be a tad heavier then a 4 5/8s 41 because it has a steal grip frame (better) but then again the holes in the chambers and barrel are bigger so im sure that about equals out the weight. Want a nice trail gun take a 4 5/8s super and fit an aluminum grip frame to it. There lighter then any blackhawk and you can pick up like new grip frames for around 50 bucks all the time. If your not a handloader the 44 wins hands down. Alot easier to find ammo for you can use 44 specials in it and ammo is cheaper. even if your a realoader components are usually cheaper and much easier to find for the 44. Like i said i keep a couple around and probably allways will but ive never seen ANY SITUATION that a 41 outshinned a 44.

Quote from: BillinOregon on August 12, 2008, 10:25:33 AM

Lloyd: You are right about the .44 of course. My reasons for the .41 include: cheaper than a Super Blackhawk; lighter than an SBH; less recoil than the SBH; still a sure bet to kill a blacktail or mulie with a properly placed bullet; I've had seven or eight .44 Magnums, and this will be my second .41 in 20-some years.

gl411 · « **Reply #27 on:** August 14, 2008, 12:08:57 PM »

something I quit doing a while back is comparing caliber--but it is hard not to-- I just like my .41 ones-- plain and simple-for me that is enough-- because one out does another can lead to nothing but the 500s - All of us should shoot what we like and what works for us--probabley the nicest handgun I have ever owned was a 7.5 old Model dragoon style super blackhawk .44-- Fit and finish was great and boy would it shoot- but I let it go-- I also tried the .357 and hot loaded .45 Colt-but in the end I like my .41 and that is all I have because it is all I want.. I have cast bullets that go all the way to 350 grains( have not shot any of them yet) and down to 230 and Lloyd you are right a wfn does mean won't fly no where -- so you warned me

-- but still I have one- the .41 is not my only odd cal. I have 2 .358s Win, one with an 18.5" barrell, and a almost normal 25.06-- why because it is what i like-- and that is the point

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #28 on:** August 17, 2008, 01:12:45 AM »

your tastes arent that much differnt then mine. the 358/356 and the .2506 and most all the rest of the .25 calibers are some of my favoirte rifle rounds.

gl411 · « **Reply #29 on:** August 17, 2008, 02:55:31 PM »

cool /I would like to have a .356 of some kind but they are rather rare it seems-- not in the budget anyway