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

[orygun]

I got ahold of my first 41 Mag about '89 and bought a bunch of new Remington ammo. Most of it was the LSWC 210 gr "police" load, which was loaded similarly to the .41 Special. In the 4 5/8" Blackhawk it was easy to shoot, but leaded up the barrel quickly (fault of the bullet, not the load). The 210 JSP load was considerably hotter and was a bit more of a handful, but it shot well.
I started reloading using fast burning powders and lead bullets. Shooting loads that the books showed around 900fps were best described as pleasant. (boring) Turning up the wick with slower powders made it much more interesting to me.
Dirty Harry musta been my uncle, or something.

 

[mmaton]

Love my model 57 no dash. Been shooing it a ton lately trying to find the best load. HSM 230 grain gas checked is what it likes best so far.

 

[rbrbrb6]

Hamilton had rear sights with different side offsets if I remember correctly so I sent him loads and he used the correct sight. From there I paly with loads to move elevations. The stainless looking 3 screw is another Bowen gun that I had sent to Robar for their Np3 coating.

 

[orygun]

The stainless looking 3 screw is another Bowen gun that I had sent to Robar for their Np3 coating.

41Mag?

 

[rbrbrb6]

Yes, the Robar finished gun is a 41 mag. When my son came home from one of his deployments "over there" I let him choose between three custom revolvers and that is the one he selected. The grips are Dall sheep by Roy Fishpaw and the bisley spurred hammer is by David Clements.

 

[orygun]

That's darn near the perfect single action, if you ask me.

 

[Captain O]

Most of it was the LSWC 210 gr "police" load, which was loaded similarly to the .41 Special. In the 4 5/8" Blackhawk it was easy to shoot, but leaded up the barrel quickly (fault of the bullet, not the load).

The cure for this problem consists of a three-prong approach. You can either,

1. Shoot a 98% lead (1% tin, 1% antimony) and use a 208-grain LSWCHP with a 2-grain copper gas check, or,
2. Shoot a harder 210-grain lead alloy slug (1% tin, 2% antimony) and shoot a LSWCHP at a slighly higher velocity, or,
3. Shoot a Lehigh-type ("Extreme Cavitator") weighing 170-grains that will penetrate deeply while still disrupting flesh at moderate velocities.

Loading these in a .41 Special case will permit you to differentiate (and separate) self-defense loads.

Problem solved.

 

[Deavis]

657 6" owner here.

I love .41.

Just finished loading 500 rounds for mine.

Wicked accurate, plenty of power without the pesky pressure of the .44 mag (which is a lying cartridge as it's really .429!).

 

[Captain O]

657 6" owner here.

I love .41.

Just finished loading 500 rounds for mine.

Wicked accurate, plenty of power without the pesky pressure of the .44 mag (which is a lying cartridge as it's really .429!).

The .41 Magnum is rather misunderstood. I prefer it because you can load it down, load it up, put it in a shorter case, (.41 Special) running it from high .40 S&W power levels to running right along with the .44 Remington Magnum cartridge. It can, and frequently does, more than most shooters think.

I have said it before and I'll say it again. the .41 Magnum is the "thinking man's Magnum".

 

[Deavis]

Explain some of this .41 special short case logic to me.

Instead of cutting down the case can't you just load flush wadcutter styles and some mellow propellant like Trailboss?

 

[Captain O]

Explain some of this .41 special short case logic to me.

Instead of cutting down the case can't you just load flush wadcutter styles and some mellow propellant like Trailboss?

You are doing so in order to increase uniformity in the ignition rate. According to John Taffin, the uniformity of the loads in the shorter cases provides better ballistics for the lighter-loaded cartridge. The less area that the lighter charges occupy, the more uniform the ignition of the faster burning propellants.

 

[rbrbrb6]

You can down load the 41 mag and you can cut the mag cases down to special length but I just like using properly head stamped cases thus my supply of 41 Special cases. Also, while you can rechamber a midsized Ruger Blackhawk to a 41 mag, and I have had those guns, the Special case lets you use a wider range of cast bullets in the midsized gun cylinder.

 

[coyote223]

I have a 3" 657 with combat grips, fun little gun to shoot and carry,,,

 

[Captain O]

You can down load the 41 mag and you can cut the mag cases down to special length but I just like using properly head stamped cases thus my supply of 41 Special cases. Also, while you can rechamber a midsized Ruger Blackhawk to a 41 mag, and I have had those guns, the Special case lets you use a wider range of cast bullets in the midsized gun cylinder.

Bingo!

 

[Captain O]

Believe it or not, Lane Pearce quoted Elmer Keith himself stating that (at a maximum pressure of 25,000 CUP) That "the .41 Special would be superior to the .357 Magnum." With 200-grain JHP bullets running at 1200 fps (a mirror-image of the full-power 10mm Auto) the .41 Special will kill medium-sized game routinely without even breathing hard while putting less wear on the handgun than the original Magnum-level cartridge.

 

[gmerkt]

These are my two Smith & Wesson .41 Mags, both 57's. The 8-5/8 in. bbl. is an older one, SN N691XXX. The 4 in. bbl. is a 57-1, a later one SN AJK1XXX. Both are very accurate. I don't shoot magnum loads. 215 gr. EK lead SWC bullet, 7.4 gr. 231 in the magnum case. Cast my own, never have leading problems. I haven't noticed inconsistent ignition with this load and I've been shooting it for years.



Photographed on my dad's Australian Army blanket that he brought back from the Pacific theater when the war was over.



I also have a T/C Contender bbl. in .41 Magnum.

 

[rbrbrb6]

Latest 41 Special conversion by Alan Harton.

 

[Captain O]

That's a great .41 Special you have, brother. I LOVE it!

 

[rbrbrb6]

Thank you sir. I am kind of excited in that Monday two old model Ruger blackhawks arrive and both have been converted to 44 Special and both have had the top straps rebuilt to mimic the Colt or USFA style topstraps! One will look for a new home and one may well get rebarreled and a new cylinder so I have a more robust version of the gun above. Many guys have been wishing for a 41 Ruger Vaquero and I think I'll have one made using one of these base guns.

 

[Iceberg]

I have a early 3" model 657 & mid '70s 4" Model 58. I have liked the .41 Magnum since the '70s when my father was taking me to the range & woods.


Model 657

Model 58