I have an S&W Model 657 and an older S&W Model 58 Are there any other .41 Magnum Lovers out there?

[Captain O]

I love both of these revolvers. The 657 is more accurate than I'll ever be. While rather heavy, the fixed-sight Model 58 4" barreled Military and Police is a fantastic revolver.

Both can handle both light and heavy loads These handguns are generally at their best with 210-grain bullets. I have yet to try them with Underwood's offerings but the interest is there.

I would like to see a return of Coonan's .41 Magnum self-loader for woods tramping, because it would be even more powerful than my 10mm Auto pistols. (I know this is heresy, but if it works, I could live with it).

I prefer this revolver cartridge to the .44 Remington Magnum when walking in the field. Why? Because I can hit with it, that's why. (If it isn't broken, don't "fix" it, right)?

Is any of this worth discussion?

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[scrandall01215]

My avatar is my model 58. It's a1965 with all the original papers and box I love the 41 mag it's my favorite caliber next to the 10mm. I would love to get a 41 in a lever gun some day.

Stacy

 

[Jamie6.5]

I'm a YUUUGGE fan of the .41 Mag.

I only wish I had one.
I passed up a great deal on a S&W at Ole's a few years ago and I've been kickin' myself ever since.

 

[Captain O]

I'm a YUUUGGE fan of the .41 Mag.

I only wish I had one.
I passed up a great deal on a S&W at Ole's a few years ago and I've been kickin' myself ever since.

Ruger is making the Redhawk in .41 Remington Magnum with a 4.2" barrel. They are available through Gallery of Guns.

I hope that this helps.

 

[Jamie6.5]

Yer killin' me here Cap'n.

For the moment anyway, it's a financial thing.

 

[Captain O]

Yer killin' me here Cap'n.

For the moment anyway, it's a financial thing.

I'm not Roberta Flack, am I? If so I'd be "killing you softly with his song".

 

[Colts4me]

When I was younger you could not find a 44 mag model 29 and you could find a 58 so I bought one. Bought it and a model 13 which is the 58s k frame twin in 357. Great guns and wish I still had them.

 

[rbrbrb6]

I love the 41 guns too! About half of the revolvers in the safe are 41 Special, 41 mag or 414 Supermag.

 

[KKG]

While I don't think there is anything especially wrong with the .41 Magnum; I've just found the .44 Special/Magnum to be much more flexible. I do wish that Smith and Wesson had provided a Fixed Sighted 3 or 4" in .44 Magnum. I've done one Conversion of a Model 58 many years ago. It was a Very pricey project but he got what he wanted. The "Mountain Gun" is a fine answer and the Adjustable Sights are not bad.

 

[rbrbrb6]

Model 58s are great guns. The top gun stayed a 41 mag but Bowen did the sights and action job while the bottom model 58 I had him do the same sights but convert it to 45 Colt.

 

[Captain O]

I just left a message with Mike McNett (a friend of mine) at Double Tap ammunition and suggested that he begin loading .41 Special. (Since he already loads .40 Super and other "specialty" loads, it could prove profitable). With proper promotion and decent writeups in the "gunzines" it could be a money maker.

If he will load it, they will come.

 

[orygun]

I've owned two Rugers in .41 Mag. Loved them both, but I just have to work hard to hit well with a single action revolver and the one I liked the best had a 6 1/2" barrel that was always in the way and made for a long, floppy belt holster.
The 41 Mag was the very first cartridge I ever reloaded and is the reason I got into reloading. If I wanted to shoot more than a box a month I had to roll my own.

If S&W made a version of the Model 69, I would have bought it over the 44 Mag. I think the 41 Mag is one of the very best revolver rounds, even when stacked up against the 44 Mag. Too bad most people "step over" it and buy 44 Mags. But, look at the ammo shelves alone, that's where the 44 really shows it's popularity.

 

[rbrbrb6]

I'll have one more 41 Special arriving soon. I sent a USFA to Alan Harton and he is installed a 41 caliber barrel with a dovetailed front sight and a new 41 Special cylinder so it will be a modern version of the old Colt SAA 41.

 

[Captain O]

I've owned two Rugers in .41 Mag. Loved them both, but I just have to work hard to hit well with a single action revolver and the one I liked the best had a 6 1/2" barrel that was always in the way and made for a long, floppy belt holster.
The 41 Mag was the very first cartridge I ever reloaded and is the reason I got into reloading. If I wanted to shoot more than a box a month I had to roll my own.

If S&W made a version of the Model 69, I would have bought it over the 44 Mag. I think the 41 Mag is one of the very best revolver rounds, even when stacked up against the 44 Mag. Too bad most people "step over" it and buy 44 Mags. But, look at the ammo shelves alone, that's where the 44 really shows it's popularity.

The prosecution... rests.

 

[Captain O]

I'll have one more 41 Special arriving soon. I sent a USFA to Alan Harton and he is installed a 41 caliber barrel with a dovetailed front sight and a new 41 Special cylinder so it will be a modern version of the old Colt SAA 41.

This illustrates how a "boutique" loading (Underwood, Buffalo Bore, Double Tap, etc.) loading of the .41 Special would spur more "thinking" shooters to purchase long-barreled (6", 8 3/8") .41 Magnum as well as 2.5" and 3" barreled revolvers. The .41 Special revolver would naturally be produced.

 

[orygun]

Model 58s are great guns. The top gun stayed a 41 mag but Bowen did the sights and action job while the bottom model 58 I had him do the same sights but convert it to 45 Colt.
View attachment 445761
View attachment 445762

Those sights look great. Since they're non adjustable, or at least look that way, what do you do about "sighting in"? Did he tailor the sights, or you the load?

 

[41mag]

hey.....41 mag is what gawdHerself had in mind when she invented shot & shell...IMHO

 

[orygun]

would spur more "thinking" shooters to purchase...

Right there you just limited the audience by a considerable margin!
I say that not only in jest, but with truth intended.
I get what Captain O is saying, though (really resisting a pun right here) and like it. These are the "what if" kinds of shooters that can't leave well enough alone and come up with all kinds of interesting ideas, like the .41 Special. I think it's cool. Guys like me think it's cool and some, like rbrbrb6 actually do it. (I do my bubblegum with rifles, mostly)

I think most of the shooting world will go for a 44, or more likely a 357, and the .41 Special, while very practical, will stay low on the popularity chart. Taurus did the Tracker 5 shot revolver in .41 Mag, but I swear I've only seen one in person and my buddy wouldn't part with it. I'd like to give one of those a wringing out. After my experience with a light 44 revolver I might be changing my tune about the .41 Special.

 

[orygun]

@rbrbrb6 , what's with that stainless looking Ruger 3 Screw? That's quite a peach!

 

[Captain O]

The concept of the .41 Special isn't new. Elmer Keith suggested the lighter load. Winchester-Western and Remington loaded it in the Magnum case 54 years ago. Gunwriters and hand loaders cut down (and used) the .41 Remington Magnum case to create the .41 Special 38 years ago in 1980. The concept has bee around so long that there is loaded ammunition (PCI) and cases being produced (Starline) for the cartridge.

The average "joe six-pack" (low information, low motivation) still believes the old Harry Calahan hype and ignores a cartridge that is,

• easier to shoot,
• more accurate,
• just as effective on handgun hunting quarry,
• a marvelous self-defense cartridge.

This gave way to the "machine gun" handgunner that feels he needs 15 rounds of "booyah" cartridge to get the job done.

As we always said in Broadcasting School, "The public is an idiot".