41 Magnum and Special loads

Marshall 357 · May 11, 2010

I have been looking for a 41 magnum,and I have heard people on this Forum talk about the 41 Special. I only have one reloading manual,it has nothing of a 41 Spl.? Even looked at a few manuals in the gun shop the other day,no 41 spl. Could someone share some good 41 Mag and Spl. loads? Thanks.

Jellybean · May 11, 2010

The .41 Spl. is a wildcat and you won't find any data in loading manuals for it. You can find some on-line though.

If you don't have a firearm chambered specifically for the .41 Spl, you will be wasting your time and money on loading ammo for it as there is nothing you can't do with the standard cases that you can by shortening them. The fact that the .41 doesn't have a "family" of shorter cousins that can be fired in a gun chambered for it isn't the disavantage that many people seem to think. The other cartridges kept getting longer to keep them from being fired in older firearms that weren't made to take the higher pressures, but you are better off to load all your loads in the longest cases your gun is chambered for.

Just my opinion, and I'm sure folks are filling up their Zippos by now.

tt66 · May 11, 2010

I reload my .41 mag cases with 7.5 gr of Unique with a 210 LSW. It is my .41 "special" load. Moderate recoil, very accurate, uses standard cases. In my opinion, the true .41 Special is best suited for a custom mid size frame Ruger Single Actioin, unless you have that, I would find a comfortable load to use in the standard case.

max · May 11, 2010

I suppose I fire mainly 41 specials in my Smiths, but they are in regular magnum cases. I just tend to load on the light side. My standard load is a cast swc and 7.0 of Unique. Since I don't have a gun made especially for the special, I don't have a need for it.

I hope you find your 41 magnum, you will love it.

Calaveras Slim · May 11, 2010

41 special

I believe it was John Taffin who did some serious testing of the 41 special. He published some load data over the years that I have followed.

There has been another feller on this and other forums that has been selling 41 special brass. Try the Smith & Wesson forum or the Ruger forum. He may have some left.

Look on Handloads.com for the Taffin Tests and there is the load data.

While it true that you can do the same thing with 41 Mag brass, that you can do with special brass, I strongly prefer my specials to the mags.

Good luck.

Reddog · May 11, 2010

41 loads

Marshall,
I've been shooting 41s for a long time now, and it's one of my favorite cartridges! I have two different 220 gr. semiwad molds, one a plain base and one a gas check, both by RCBS. One of my all time favorite loads is 9.0 gr. of Herco. Another is 16 gr. 2400. Neither is a max load, just be sure your gun is in good, safe shooting condition.
I remember several years ago, when one of the Shooting Times writers told about how he and Hank Williams, jr. had cut down some 41 Mag cases and called them 41 Special. They were shooting them in single action guns. I agree with Jelly, there's not much point in it.
Good luck!
Dick

borntoraisehogs · May 11, 2010

I wish i had never loaded 38s for shooting in my .357 . I will carry my bow , before I shoot specials in my .44

three-five-seven · May 11, 2010

On the subject of 41 Special I have always thought Smith should bring out a L-frame revolver in that caliber. It should have a 4", 5" or a 6" barrel with perhaps a patridge sight. Maybe interchangeable front sights. I also wish the Model 696 would come back with a 6" barrel. These are the stuff of dreams. They brought the model 24 back...?

Paul5388 · May 12, 2010

My M57 is the most unused gun I have. If I decide to start shooting it again, I'll use a wadcutter at about 200 gr, similar to what I use in my M629.

Dan Cash · May 12, 2010

Paul5388 said:
My M57 is the most unused gun I have. If I decide to start shooting it again, I'll use a wadcutter at about 200 gr, similar to what I use in my M629.

My nickel M57 is perhaps my most used gun. 15 gr of 2400 for a heavy and 6 gr Unique for light under a 260 grain LBT makes that revolver most versatile. Only one cartridge case is needed; no confusion or hazzard about magnum or +p+ or .38/44 loads as with .38 and .357.

Jellybean · May 12, 2010

Paul5388 said:
My M57 is the most unused gun I have. If I decide to start shooting it again, I'll use a wadcutter at about 200 gr, similar to what I use in my M629.

Paul, I shoot a 208 gr. WC from a Lee mould, using 3.0 grs. of Bullseye for a very pleasant mild load or 8.0 grains of Unique for a defensive round. Both are very accurate.

ISOM · May 12, 2010

.41 Magnum and .41 Special loads

I have been loading Magnum/Special loads before somebody put the word "special" to the lighter loads.
Go on Google and type in .41 Special. You will find lots on information.
8.0 grains of UNIQUE--duplicates the "old police load".
5.0 grains of UNIQUE is my PPC load.

oldreno · May 12, 2010

For those intereseted in the Handloads Digest 17th Edition, edited by Bob Bell there is a article on the 41 special by David Ward, which includes loading data. Case length of 1" thought to be more efficient for a modest load range in the 41 mag. To each his own.

Carl Williams · May 12, 2010

Guys, This is a very interesting subject, with a lot of different opinions, all of which have their points. Here's my thought:
I have a M57, shot very little and in very pristeen condition. Mostly it has been a "safe queen" I purchased new. How about seating the bullets in "41 Special" loads deep into the 41 magnum case over the 41 special powder charge. This would minimize or eliminate visual identification of the lighter, more pleasant loads, while preventing "41 special" burn rings in the cylinders, of which we have all seen and heard so much of in the "38 specials in 357 magnum cylinders" discussions. Your thoughts please.....

n4zov · May 12, 2010

My "go to" load for the .41 has always been 20.0 grains of WW296 with a Sierra 210 grain JHP. It works well for metallic silhouettes and just about anything else needing a magnum load. First cases fall out of my M57. The charge can be increased if care is used, but the 20.0 grains works so well there really isn't much point.

Jellybean · May 12, 2010

Carl, I don't see any reason to seat the bullets deeper over a "special" powder charge, seating normally will only decrease pressure/velocity a small amount depending on the powder you use. Of course, since the .41 Special is a wildcat and has been touted by several different people there are no SAAMI standards set for it concerning pressure levels and case length. Make sure you check the length of the cases used in the data you're looking at compared to the brass or seating depth you intend to use. If you're using a 1.155" length their won't be that much difference between the normal 1.29" lenth to really worry about. Trimming your brass to the 1.00" length sounds like a good idea to save on powder, but it's not. As you move away from the mouth of the case the wall gets thicker and seating a bullet too deep, or cutting it shorter will cause the bullet to bulge the case and may even prevent certain longer bullets from even being used. This was a problem with the .41 AE which was developed using cut down .41 magnum brass.

The best way to make .41 special type loads is to use powders that are generally found in other special cartridges. I use three basic powders, Bullseye, Unique and H110, for three different power levels in the .41 magnum, all using full length brass. I have experimented with the .41 magnum quite a bit over the years and found this to be much better than using shortened brass. Using a set of dies for the .41 AE I have tried various lengths of brass ranging from .866" to full length 1.29" magnum brass. And two that were even longer. The advantage of saving a little powder wasn't enough to offset the loss of accuracy.

One thing I have never understood was why Remington choose to use the 1.29" length to start with. Since there were no shorter and less powerful cartridges, and the weaker firearms that would have come with them, to worry about, they could have used a much more efficient case length. They were probably afraid consumers would think it wasn't as good as the other magnums if it didn't look like them.

kennyb · May 12, 2010

some interesting recipe's here...i too love the 41 mag.and have reloaded for it for quite some time...i just picked up another 41mag.with a 3"barrel...may just have to try a few of these...thanks!

three-five-seven · May 12, 2010

I posted a day earlier with a desire for a L-frame in 41 Special but I must admit sometimes i do wonder why? Maybe a L-frame with a 5 shot cylinder chambered for .41 Magnum would be ok but what might the recoil be like? Anyway I still think bringing back the 696 with a 6" barrel would be cool. just dont try to make it a 44 Magnum. I do get the bug sometimes for a .41 Mag. Its not in the Smith website but stocking dealers are offering a model 57 Mountain gun. They do this to get you to visit your favorite smith dealer and thats the only way to find out about these offerings. I have got some of my neatest models this way. A .41 could happen as I do have brass. Sometimes I get the brass for a caliber first and then get the firearm. this is a crazy hobby.

Paul5388 · May 13, 2010

Jellybean,

That's probably the same WC mould I have and I have a similar one in .429".

If the M629 wasn't shooting those WCs so nicely, I would give your recipe a try.

Jellybean · May 13, 2010

Paul, the Lee mould I have is similar to a .429 WC version they make. What kind of loads are you using in your 629?

41 Magnum and Special loads

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