I have a S&W PC Magnum Hunter - see attachment (6" Mag-na-ported barrel/unfluted cylinder). Been shooting, reloading and handgun hunting white tail for over 30 year. Moving from my normal comfort zone. I am one year out from a Colorado Elk Hunt. I will carry the PC in a chest rig most of the time with 2 speedloaders on my belt. I have several excellent bullets to work with. Recently saw the specs on the Hornady Factory load for the 210 gr XTP (which I have several boxes of) loaded to 1545 fps with over 1100 ft lbs of energy. I WANT! Can't find them in stock anywhere!!! Would like to AT LEAST be able to duplicate that load for practice, distance shooting, etc. but may have to just carry my own loads. Anyone have anything approaching this load to suggest. I will obviously carefully work up to this, but need at least a starting point. Many thanks and safe shooting!

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Sir ... Just FYI, a shop in Myrtle Beach currently has 8 what appears to be boxes of the Hornady you mentioned listed for sale on one of the national auction sites. Good luck in your search!

My hunting load is 18.5 H110 and a 250 gr LBT LFN. Long flat nose. Also in the same gun as Yours. Just flattens Elk and Mule deer.

I'm not into .41 Mag but I do like the gun and grips.

I’ve never gotten that kind of velocity in my 41’s unless I’m using 170 grain bullets and a near max load of H110.

Dan

What, exactly, constitutes a "heavy duty ELK"?

Just remember CO requires 550 ft lbs at 50 yards, to legally carry a handgun while hunting big game (even if it’s a “ backup” or SD gun).

Best chance I see is W296/H110, magnum large pistol pistol primer.



Notice their test data is from a 10" tube.

Weather and time permitting, I have a 4 5/8" Blackhawk that I may chronograph later today.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

Have been shooting the .41 for a long time...the 210 XTP is probably the best bullet for big game that there is...

22-23 grains of H110 is what I use for most 210 jacketed bullets. Use a Magnum or the Winchester LP Primer with a heavy crimp...

I'll try and find the chronograph velocities...

...and just because Hornady says their load is going 1545, exactly what gun are they using...a 10" TC Contender? 210 with H110 should be mid-1400 from a 6" barrel...

Bob

Went and looked in my book...

210 Hornady with 23 grain of H110:

S&W 57 4": 1250 fps

S&W 57 6": 1350 fps

Ruger Blackhawk 4 5/8": 1355 fps

TC Contender 14": 1820 fps

Marlin 1894S 20": 1850


Would suggest starting at 21 grains and work up a 1/2 grain at a time... I went to 24 grains which showed some pressure signs in my guns and only a few feet per second velocity gain so I standardized at 23 grains.

26.0 grains of H110 with a 170 Sierra is my favorite high speed hunting round...1536 from a 5.5" Redhawk, 1875 from a 10" TC and 1980 from a 14"...

Good luck...Bob

Nice pistoli!
Can I ask who made those grips?
Beruisis

Thankfully this is not the case. The 550/50 requirement is for if you're using it to put down animals when legal, CPW confirmed there are no requirements other than general Colorado legality for what defensive arm you can carry where hunting.

I visited with Bob Thompson, our Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement, about the question. Bob’s guidance is pretty clear on the proper use of the handgun in the field. The paragraphs below summarize the issue. Bottom line is the first sentence. There is no “backup handgun” for hunting big game, the manner of take allowed is what is prescribed for the season and the license.

There is no such thing as a back-up sidearm during hunting season. You may carry a handgun with you during the act of hunting for personal protection but that is the purpose. There is no specific requirement for a legal handgun for personal protection (barrel length or caliber)except that it is in legal possession of the person under Colorado Law.

The use of a handgun to “put an animal down” would only fall into use during a rifle season and then the handgun must be in accordance with a legal method of take and meet the criteria listed in the Big Game Brochure, i.e. At a minimum, it must have a four-inch barrel, fire an expanding bullet of .24 caliber (6 mm) or larger and use a load that produces a minimum 550 ft. pounds of energy at 50 yards. Shoulder stocks or other attachments are prohibited.

Colorado Parks & Wildlife -
Lesson 3

19.5 GRS OF VV N110 WITH THE 210GR XTP IS AN AWESOME 41 LOAD. I'VE BEEN USING IT FOR YEARS IN A 3" 657. I'VE CARRIED IT WHILE HUNTING IN WY. JUST OUTSIDE THE EAST GATE OF YELLOWSTONE. I HAVE SHOOT SEVERAL LARGE BODY MULE DEER WITH IT. LOTS OF POWER. BUT YET RELATIVELY EASY TO SHOOT. THE NOSLER 210GR JHP IS GREAT ALSO WITH THE SAME LOAD. JP

HEY PPCSHOOTER

any idea what your velocity is with that n110?

1420 FROM MY 3 INCH. IF MY MEMORY SERVERS ME CORRECTLY. JP

Hornady does not list that 210 gr. XTP for Elk.........
it does list it's 44 Magnum bullet for Elk.

That 1100 ft/lbs of energy is at the muzzle.
At 25 yards it drops to 995 and at 50 yds the ME is at just 891 ft/lbs.

If the temperature drops to 32 degress, that 50 yard energy becomes only 798 ft/lbs, to drop a Elk.

It might be doable, but the odds of loosing a Elk to poor placement or body damage, does increase with the minimum energys.

Good luck on your idea but a good hunter want to make a clean kill over
loosing game, any day.

Based on already known loads they approved the .41 with an "expanding" bullet, either JHP, JSP or SWC or similar that will mushroom. I am just trying for even more oomph!

I certainly understand. Placement and closer distance is a given. I do not intend to use the pistol for my Primary weapon for hunting Elk, BUT it would have to be "legal" to hunt with even to finish one off. Just trying to cover all my bases.

I have used the 170 grain from this pistol AND from my Desert Eagle for white tail with devastating results. Longest shot to date was 75 yards. All just dropped. Honesty didn't know about a bullet that light on Elk. Leaning toward the big heavies as fast as I can school of thought. Should start doing load development in a week or so. Will post progress.

I guess the next one I see <WEG>.

I love them. See my other post with contact info!

Custom Grips and more

If you don't mind my asking Bob, what gun/barrel length are you using and what velocity are you getting out of the 23 grains? Any issues with it being too much? Thanks.

Thanks for the loading data. By any chance did you get the opportunity to chrono your load in your Ruger? Hope to start my load work ups with my chronograph sometime this week.

Ended up with some Underwood factory ammo. 265g LFN (powder coated) @ 1300fps from my 6" and just over 1000 foot pounds of energy. Groups well at 50 yards and manageable in recoil and muzzle blast. Will duplicate some practice reloads in anticipation. Still using my old 220 gr LSWC for deer this season.

That is an awesome load and what I carry in my Ruger® Blackhawk® for Bear defense!

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David
CW3 USA (Ret) 1968-1990

Friend of mine has used 41 Mag for years, even in Alaska. Killed a good sized black bear few years ago, 1 round from about 50 yards. Have no idea how many deer and other critters he taken with it. Local Academy Sports has quite a few boxes of Hornady “ X” bullets, not sure which as didn’t look that close.

The 41 and 44 hitting a target are like barn doors being pushed by a Kenworth, 277 and 308 hitting are like fence posts being driven by an Indy car. You want speed or momentum?

What you bought is gonna pack a wallop, but, the quicker the jobs done, the better for all involved.

And just for insurance I picked up 4 more boxes. Practice between now and THE HUNT!

As expensive and hard to come by as elk hunts are, I'd really consider a rifle, with your 41 for in case you get the right opportunity.

Primary hunting weapon is my Ruger M77 in .300 Win Mag. The thread above gives a more thorough explanation as to they WHY of the proper loads for the handgun.

I concur with your choice of a heavy solid flat nose. I have some 220 grain nasties I bought a few years ago for a specific reason. I never ended up needing them, so I never shot them. I am pretty sure they would bark.

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NHI, 10-8.

I have some cast 245-250 gr WFNGC bullets I have loaded for many years. I only push them to about 1050-1100 FPS. I do know they will shoot through a moose front to back-end. Bears too. Any good bullet at 1050 to 1300 will work with proper placement

Here is my bullet of choice:

Cast Performance 41/265gr WLNGC

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No good deed goes unpunished.

A 265 cast will probably never be recovered...can't think of anything around here that will stop it...

The 265s+- I use are run with 21.0 grains of H110...not sure if I have chronographed them...

250 WFN from Cast Performance are driven with 20 grains of H110 and run 1309 from a 4.25" Freedom Arms 97...it is a handful...

Accurate Molds 41-250L with 22.0 H110 runs 1444 from a 6" FA 83...also have a 300 grain Mountain Mold that runs in the 1200s...

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Not sure if I am a big fan of using a 41mag for hunting elk. Even with a rifle they can take off after a good hit. I used a 270win and had to use a second shot. 460 mag would be a different story.

The moose I shot with the 250 WFNGC at about 1100 went into the front of the chest and out the left hindquarter at 40 yds 2 steps and down. The 41 at reasonable range will work on anything in the US. Shot an elk at 50 ft with a handgun DRT. Both were targets of opportunity and not in flight of course. The elk was shot while I was standing next to my truck just after unloading the 71 Winchester and putting it in it's case. Had been hunting hard in the black timber all morning. ...then came the hard work! At least my hunting partner showed up before all the hard work was done! I have shot 6 larger animals with handguns primarily the 57 I bought in Fairbanks in 1966 and all were mostly DRT. Good shot placement though on all. A key element in my opinion. With any caliber

Thanks to those who have followed the thread and understand the entire reason for the initial questions (Legal and ethical). Pistol will be a back up but I will not turn down a reasonable ranged shot should the opportunity arise. I will be carrying the 265 gr Underwood (Please Wait... | Cloudflare) in the .41 Magnum S&W PC Magnum Hunter along with 2 speedloaders for grins and giggles. I already went through one box of 20 to test function, overall accuracy (my ability to group and control) and impact on the handgun. Off the bench I hit a 1' steel gong @ 200 yards 3 out of 6 shots. NO I WOULD NEVER TRY THAT IN THE FIELD, but... I intend to load up my duplicates for range time between now and save my factory loads for Colorado. I'll add some pictures of practice targets and (with luck) from Colorado as they come up.

What powders are you using with the 250gr WFNGC/ I recently acquired several hundred of these and need to work up a load. I'm not looking for barn burners, just something to get the job done, the 1100fps range is what I'm thinking.

"What powders are you using with the 250gr WFNGC/ I recently acquired several hundred of these and need to work up a load. I'm not looking for barn burners, just something to get the job done, the 1100fps range is what I'm thinking."

Last year I made up some 250-300 grain rounds with my standard 8.0 grains of Unique and were in that velocity range...

I used Unique and was happy with the load. Have shot other powders from Herco to 4227 296/H110 2400 and others. Have finally settled on L'il Gun...at about 1100 FPS. Some do not like LG because it burns hot and supposedly erodes forcing comes...but I don't shoot them all that much...and they usually do not stress the gun with high high pressures. The 8 gr(approx) Unique load I used shot through an Alaskan moose. Front to back. DRT...it was not alerted to me though. Just bang/flop...side to side on a large cow elk. Again B/F

Lil Gun is my main magnum pistol powder. I've used several pounds over the years in the same guns with good accuracy, lower pressures, and no damage of any kind.

A bull elk shot between the eyes with a 22 lr will drop like a rock. A bull elk shot in the guts with a 338WM will go a long ways. Power is fine, accuracy is final. Plus, it isn't all about ft/lb. A 255 gr SWC 45 Colt at 1000fps (566ft/lb) and a 53 gr hp out of a 22-250 at 3800fps (1700ft/lb) are 2 completely different deals. No way is the 22-250 3 times as deadly on elk. To me it is another stupid law.

You can not legislate good sportsmanship or make up for poor shooting or hunting skills with caliber or power requirements.

Face it a really good bow hunter could kill elk with a 22 and really bad rifle hunter could wound one with a 460 Weatherby

I do believe in using "enough gun". But, Montana has no caliber restrictions except that if you use a muzzle loader it must be a 50 cal. If you draw a moose tag you could legally kill it with a 22 short, a sling shot or a ball peen hammer. How wise any of those choices are is of course debatable. I have seen several bull moose I could have easily shot between the eyes with a 22 though. The problem here isn't getting a moose it is getting a moose permit.

I highly doubt any CO game warden is going to take your 41 mag to a ballistic lab, fire it over a chronograph and weigh your bullets then issue tickets over a few ft/lb of energy.

PS, years ago I was with my brother when he shot a small bull elk in the head at less than 50 yards with a 55 gr soft point 223 from a Ruger mini 14. It of course dropped right in its tracks. Ir was perfect because we didn't have to pack it anywhere, just get it loaded in the back of my jeep. We were just sitting there deciding which way to go when it stepped out of some trees and stood there looking at us. The 223 was right there handy. Bang.