41 Magnum - Page 1

Posted: 8/4/2017 10:41:47 PM EDT

I think 41 Magnum always gets the short end of the stick. It would be a much more popular cartridge if revolver makers could start to put it on frames smaller than similar offerings in 44 Magnum.

For example: between an N frame 41 Magnum and an N frame 44 Magnum, the 41 Magnum will be heavier due to smaller chambers and more metal in the barrel. It will also have less power... because 41 Magnum.

A equivalent 41 Magnum Blackhawk will weigh more than a 44 Magnum Blackhawk for the same reasons.

What I propose:

An L frame 6 shot 41 Magnum? Can it be done?

A GP100 6 shot 41 Magnum? I mean if we can have a 44 Special GP100, why not a 41 Magnum?

I'd even settle for a K frame 5 shot 41 Magnum.

Who's with me?

Posted: 8/4/2017 10:59:07 PM EDT

[#1]

I hear ya, but it won't be happening. The .41 is a sweet round, but not many think that. It just never got traction like the 44.

You would think the void between.357 and .44 would be easy to fill with the .41. Nope.

Posted: 8/4/2017 11:19:48 PM EDT

[#2]

Quote History

Quoted:
I hear ya, but it won't be happening. The .41 is a sweet round, but not many think that. It just never got traction like the 44.

You would think the void between.357 and .44 would be easy to fill with the .41. Nope.

View Quote

Yeah I get it.

Elmer Keith, even though a huge proponent of his 44 Magnum still thought highly of the 41 Magnum.

I don't currently own a 41 Magnum. But with the right gun, I'd be all over it.

Posted: 8/4/2017 11:20:31 PM EDT

[#3]

It's only 19 thousandths smaller. It doesn't do anything a 44 won't do.

It's like comparing a .270 Win to a .280 Rem. They both do the same thing with factory ammo. One just became more popular and has market inertia.

I wouldn't mind a .41 Mag, but to say it fills any niche is a stretch.

Posted: 8/4/2017 11:33:12 PM EDT

[#4]

If you've got the money and are patient, Hamilton Bowen can turn a 686 into a 5 shot 41 mag.

Posted: 8/5/2017 12:20:27 AM EDT

[#5]

I think the S&W L frame may be suitable for the 41. Isn't it big enough to make it a six shooter?

Posted: 8/5/2017 12:25:51 AM EDT

[#6]

I own a 6" model 57 and a 4" model 29. Shooting the .41 is a joy compared to the .44, plus I can reliably hit steel at 100yds with the .41, which if I'm on my game I can do with the .44 about 50% of the time.

The only reason I'll carry the 29 in the woods is two less inches of barrel. An L frame would be nice, but I'm just as happy with the N frame in a good holster.

Posted: 8/5/2017 12:31:41 AM EDT

[#7]

I would love a 41 686

I saw a custom colt python .41 magnum conversion once

Posted: 8/5/2017 12:37:27 AM EDT

[#8]

Not me. I love my stainless N Frame S&W model 657 with 4" barrel. It's perfection. Less weight and the 210 gr Remington rounds would kick much worse than they do now. If I could change anything, I would have Safariland restart the manufacture of their Comp speed loaders for the .41 magnum.

https://postimg.org/image/5q1xp0my5/]

[/url][/img]

Posted: 8/5/2017 12:41:45 AM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:

I would love a 41 686

I saw a custom colt python .41 magnum conversion once

View Quote

I did too. I saw one in a local shop about 20 years ago that used to have very unusual pistols like this and I was very tempted to buy it. But, I was concerned that a Python was designed to shoot .357 magnum and shooting .41 magnum rounds out of that frame/barrel might not be a good thing over time. I always thought that it was too bad that Colt never made a .41 magnum Python, instead of the .44 magnum Anaconda (which did not have a trigger that was anywhere near the velvety smooth action of the Python

).

Posted: 8/5/2017 10:49:43 AM EDT

[#10]

I thought that the Python was built on what was the Colt 41 frame.

Posted: 8/5/2017 12:27:22 PM EDT

[#11]

To me the real question is why Smith never made the model 58 in .44 mag.
I would buy that gun in a heartbeat.

Posted: 8/5/2017 12:43:35 PM EDT

[#12]

I speculate one reason the 41 Magnum never got popular was the absence of a 41 Special.

The development of the 357 and 44 magnums went in a logical course.
38 special to 357 Magnum and so on.
Remington put out the 41 Magnum in 1964 but there was no standardized 41 Special for practice and the times when Magnum loads weren't needed.
A guy can make his own 41 special ammo but the round was never standardized.

Posted: 8/6/2017 4:49:16 AM EDT

[#13]

I think there are a couple smiths doing 5-shot conversions on GP100s, sounds like it would be a great woods gun.

I have three .41 Mags, all in Ruger Blackhawks....two are older 3-Screws, and one is a New Model. Heavyweight hardcast lead bullets in 250-265gr range are impressive, and can be loaded to 1200+ fps.

Posted: 8/6/2017 11:47:38 AM EDT

[#14]

All four of these are .41 Mags. I cast from 195 gr to 270 gr projos for them.

Would love to see Dan Coonan chamber his auto in .41 Mag. One gun I regret selling was my Smith 657 Classic Hunter 6.5" (first run)

CD

Posted: 8/10/2017 9:10:35 AM EDT

[#15]

I used to shoot a 6 inch .41 smith(model 57) at a deer target(steel cutout) at 200 yards. I got tired of picking up the steel plate after hitting it at 200 yards. I love a .41 smith and I think it was federal(if I remember, somewhere in the early 70's?) that had a police load for the model 58. I shot mine with the loading about like the police load. about 900-1,000 fps with a 200 gr. lead bullet. I also think its a little more accurate than a .44 mag.(and no, I don't really have any to base it on.) but if I had to have only one revolver it would be a .41(ok, the problem is I have a bunch of other pistols and calibers I really like too). but I don't think a .41 smith can be beat, equaled maybe, but not beat!(ok, I love Smith .41 mag pistols, any barrel .)

Posted: 8/10/2017 9:16:12 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
I think the S&W L frame may be suitable for the 41. Isn't it big enough to make it a six shooter?

View Quote

No. Bowen said even 10mm is too big to be a six shooter.

Posted: 8/10/2017 11:43:52 AM EDT

[#17]

Does S&W even make a .41 mag any more? I like the idea of the Redhawk, but it feels like aiming a kettlebell. That thing just feels yuuuge.

The .41 mag Henry rifle appeals to me.

Posted: 8/10/2017 12:48:04 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
Does S&W even make a .41 mag any more? I like the idea of the Redhawk, but it feels like aiming a kettlebell. That thing just feels yuuuge.

The .41 mag Henry rifle appeals to me.

View Quote

I think last time I looked they had a 57 in the classic line.

If it wasn't for Skeeter Skelton I'd have one right now, but I found a good deal on a .44 Special first. I used my dad's last year to hunt with and I loved shooting it.

Attached File

Posted: 8/10/2017 1:21:43 PM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:

No. Bowen said even 10mm is too big to be a six shooter.

View Quote

I think it would be possible. S&W made the 646 a six shot L-frame in 40S&W. If S&W can get 6-round of 40S&W or 7 rounds of 357 Magnum in an L-frame I would bet they could get six round of 41 Magnum.

ETA, quick sketch-up in CAD. This is only approximate because I can't find the exact bolt circle dimension for a 686 plus so I had to approximate it. In each sketch the inner cycle is the chamber diameter and outer circle is the rim diameter of the respective cartridge.

Approximate 686plus cylinder

Theoretical 41 Rem Mag cylinder bases on the same bolt circle as the above approximate 686plus cylinder. It's thin but not as thin as some other cylinder walls like the cylinder wall of a J-frame.

Posted: 8/10/2017 7:15:54 PM EDT

[#20]

.41 is one of those things that should have taken off like a rocket, but didn't because of timing.

It's perfectly sized between the .347 and .430(44) magnums.

Imagine if Dirty Harry carried a 57

everybody would say - "what's a 44 magnum"

.

Posted: 8/10/2017 7:47:17 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:

.41 is one of those things that should have taken off like a rocket, but didn't because of timing.

It's perfectly sized between the .347 and .430(44) magnums.

Imagine if Dirty Harry carried a 57

everybody would say - "what's a 44 magnum"

.

View Quote

He did carry a 57 and 29 but called it both a .44 in the movies.

Posted: 8/10/2017 10:16:02 PM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:

He did carry a 57 and 29 but called it both a .44 in the movies.

View Quote

yep, but you know what I mean

Posted: 8/11/2017 12:36:42 AM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:
It's only 19 thousandths smaller. It doesn't do anything a 44 won't do.

It's like comparing a .270 Win to a .280 Rem. They both do the same thing with factory ammo. One just became more popular and has market inertia.

I wouldn't mind a .41 Mag, but to say it fills any niche is a stretch.

View Quote

One advantage the 41 has is uniform Bore size and chamber throats. As far as I know every maker of 41 mags has gotten these right.

It's still not enough for me, give me a 44 every time.

Posted: 8/11/2017 10:06:11 PM EDT

[#24]

I hear you OP. I could see a 41 magnum in the right size frame being a very sweet pistol.

Posted: 8/12/2017 10:15:33 AM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:
I speculate one reason the 41 Magnum never got popular was the absence of a 41 Special.

The development of the 357 and 44 magnums went in a logical course.
38 special to 357 Magnum and so on.
Remington put out the 41 Magnum in 1964 but there was no standardized 41 Special for practice and the times when Magnum loads weren't needed.
A guy can make his own 41 special ammo but the round was never standardized.

View Quote

So you think if there was a 41 Special, all of the sudden the 41 Magnum would be a common round? No

357 and 44 Magnums came from old black powder loads that continued through time to become what they are. 41 Magnum was never anything other than that.

Posted: 8/12/2017 10:33:14 AM EDT

[#26]

Love the .41 Magnum.....

My favorite is my S&W Model 57

Posted: 8/12/2017 10:34:52 AM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
I speculate one reason the 41 Magnum never got popular was the absence of a 41 Special.

The development of the 357 and 44 magnums went in a logical course.
38 special to 357 Magnum and so on.
Remington put out the 41 Magnum in 1964 but there was no standardized 41 Special for practice and the times when Magnum loads weren't needed.
A guy can make his own 41 special ammo but the round was never standardized.

View Quote

The original load was called the .41 Police and was not the hotrod you see today. It was going to be a more mild service load.

Posted: 8/12/2017 10:42:09 AM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
Love the .41 Magnum.....

My favorite is my S&W Model 57

http://i.imgur.com/AKIH7EJ.jpg

View Quote

What a beauty!

Posted: 8/12/2017 10:46:01 AM EDT

[#29]

Quote History

Quoted:
Love the .41 Magnum.....

My favorite is my S&W Model 57

http://i.imgur.com/AKIH7EJ.jpg

View Quote

Thats a model 58 M&P not 57.

CD

Posted: 8/12/2017 10:48:22 AM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:
The original load was called the .41 Police and was not the hotrod you see today. It was going to be a more mild service load.

View Quote

Two loads were introduced in 1964.
210 gr LSWC at about 900 fps, your .41 Police load
210 gr JSP/JHP at 1300 fps, your full magnum/hunting load

CD

Posted: 8/12/2017 11:02:39 AM EDT

[#31]

Quote History

Quoted:
Thats a model 58 M&P not 57.

CD

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Love the .41 Magnum.....

My favorite is my S&W Model 57

http://i.imgur.com/AKIH7EJ.jpg

Thats a model 58 M&P not 57.

CD

I have both.... typo.

Posted: 8/12/2017 11:21:19 AM EDT

[#32]

Name change. 10mm Long Rimmed.

Posted: 8/12/2017 12:04:49 PM EDT

[#33]

Quote History

Quoted:
Name change. 10mm Long Rimmed.

View Quote

Should be 10.4mm Long Rimmed

CD

Posted: 8/13/2017 6:34:12 PM EDT

[#34]

Have owned and enjoyed my .41 Magnums since the mid-1980's. After experimenting with lots of loads I ended up using 210 to 215 grain lead semi-wadcutters driven 970 fps with 15.5 grains of IMR-4227 or 6.9 to 7.2 grains of WW-231. I use Winchester standard large pistol primers, you don't have to have magnum primers for these two loads. You can shoot these loads all day long without flinching or cutting your hands. They are accurate and powerful enough for self-defense.

Full power .41 Magnum loads aren't as bad as full power .44 Magnum, but not by much. Other than hunting, they have no useful purpose IMO. Follow-up shots are critical in a self-defense situation and full house magnum loads are the worst possible choice in that roll.

I currently have a Ruger New Model Blackhawk with a 4 5/8" barrel and two S&W M57's both sporting 4" tubes. One S&W is a 1975 model with the recessed rim cylinder and pinned barrel, the other a new S&W Classic.

I have a 1000 Sierra 170 grain HP bullets that I'm going to try with the starting charge of True Blue. The Western Powders website shows you can safely drive them as slow as 1050 fps. This may turn out to be another option for a self-defense load should it be accurate in my firearms. All of these "weak" loads generate close to 500 foot pounds of energy, hardly something to sneeze at.

Posted: 8/13/2017 7:32:02 PM EDT

[#35]

My Ruger Redhawk was the first handgun I bought from an FFL dealer (I was 22). I've been a .41 fan ever since, even though I own a 629.

Posted: 8/17/2017 8:09:07 AM EDT

[#36]

Quote History

Quoted:

I think it would be possible. S&W made the 646 a six shot L-frame in 40S&W. If S&W can get 6-round of 40S&W or 7 rounds of 357 Magnum in an L-frame I would bet they could get six round of 41 Magnum.

ETA, quick sketch-up in CAD. This is only approximate because I can't find the exact bolt circle dimension for a 686 plus so I had to approximate it. In each sketch the inner cycle is the chamber diameter and outer circle is the rim diameter of the respective cartridge.

http://i.imgur.com/VOVms3Kl.jpg
Approximate 686plus cylinder

http://i.imgur.com/QkafV5Tl.jpg
Theoretical 41 Rem Mag cylinder bases on the same bolt circle as the above approximate 686plus cylinder. It's thin but not as thin as some other cylinder walls like the cylinder wall of a J-frame.

View Quote

I'm a little bit late to the party, but I wanted to address this post. The cylinder wall thickness is greater in your 41 sketch, except for towards the outside of the cylinder. Add to that, the concept that with a 6 shot cylinder, the bolt notch is directly over the chamber, and you see that the notch creates a dangerously thin area. This is avoided with the 5 and 7 shot cylinders because the notch is in between the chambers.

Posted: 8/18/2017 3:16:19 PM EDT

[#37]

I'd be on board with a .41 Mag GP100 and I have zero interest in the .44 Special.

Posted: 8/19/2017 9:08:52 AM EDT

[#38]

Quote History

Quoted:
Not me. I love my stainless N Frame S&W model 657 with 4" barrel. It's perfection. Less weight and the 210 gr Remington rounds would kick much worse than they do now. If I could change anything, I would have Safariland restart the manufacture of their Comp speed loaders for the .41 magnum.

https://postimg.org/image/5q1xp0my5/]https://s6.postimg.org/jwhok8xtd/S_W_657_1.jpg[/url][/url]

View Quote

Yeah, that's a nice set-up/revolver. I find the "N" frame is my absolute favorite revolver for it's size, balance, and weight. A 4" barrel is the sweet spot for barrel length for me, especially with a full lug. I put Altamont "Combat" grips on my round butt N frame and talk about soaking up the recoil. It make shooting .45Super feel like standard .45acp.

Posted: 8/19/2017 2:25:36 PM EDT

[#39]

Quote History

Quoted:
I'd be on board with a .41 Mag GP100 and I have zero interest in the .44 Special.

View Quote

+1

or 686

Posted: 8/21/2017 12:57:49 AM EDT

[#40]

Quote History

Quoted:

He did carry a 57 and 29 but called it both a .44 in the movies.

View Quote

Although that story has been told many times, it turns out not to be true. They used three guns, two in .44 magnum and another that was re-chambered to .45 Colt to accommodate the standard 5 in 1 blank cartridges used in Hollywood at the time.

John Milius owns one of the guns in .44 magnum.

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