Cast Lead .41 cal source???

Dave Workman

Dave Workman

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I gotta believe this one is going to get me in trouble with somebody! :D

I was going through some old volumes of G&A at the office back to 1977 and found an old Elmer column or two on loading for the .41 Magnum. He was running 20 grs of 2400 behind a 220-grain lead bullet of his design.

Now, that seems just a hair hotter'n the barbecue in Hades, and I've used some data Elmer suggested back in my early days. Flattened primers, head stamps on cartridge basses kind of flattened...YIKES!

That said, does anybody know a good source of cast lead .410-caliber bullets? While it is widely known I'm a fan of the 210-grain Nosler JHP and the nearly identical Sierra 210-grainer, I can see some use for a lead Keith-type bullet. And I've got a can or two of Alliant 2400 around the shop.
 
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Dave,

I have never purchased cast bullets for the 41, in part, I don't remember seeing any offered. I cast both a 210gr SWC and a 215gr SWCGC. At the moment, I have no need to move mountains, and I have a few boxes of 41 Silver Tips for self defense. For every day range use, I put a 210gr over 6.5gr of WW231 with standard primers. It is an accurate, docile load that I can shoot all day long.
 
I've been shooting Missouri Bullets 215gr SWC with great results. I'm shooting the bare lead, but will be trying the coated soon as well. My model 58 is new to me, so haven't done a lot of load experimenting, but so far 11.0 gr of No. 5 has been a great load for me.
 
Dave Workman said:
...does anybody know a good source of cast lead .410-caliber bullets?
...I can see some use for a lead Keith-type bullet.
Click to expand...

Rim Rock makes a nice Keith style 240gr SWC-FB cast bullet.

Missouri Bullets makes a 215gr SWC-BB Hi-Tek coated bullet.

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Rim Rock bullets
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I bought a few boxes of 250 gr WFNGC bullets from a company in Montana. I used them to load bear loads using a powder not many folks like ..L'il Gun. I used that same kinda load many years ago(with a different powder) at under 1100 ft per second out of my early M-57 for a bear gun in Alaska. Shoot clean through a bear..... I also used a H&G #258 for all my 41s. It is a nominal 210 gr bullet....but mainly for fun shooting
 
If you buy get the Rimrock 240gr SWC FB . Not too hard & have excellent lube . Montana Bullets are also done right , handcasted so they're a little more pricey . Missouri Bullets are too hard & the lube sucks , get the powder coated if you buy from them . Matt's Bullets are also very good with correct alloy & excellent lube . Welcome to the " 41 Lunatic Club " .
 
+1 on the Rim Rock .41 cal 240gr SWC. Great bullets. Have also bought a number of cast bullets from Matt's. Never been disappointed.
 
as a friend of yours i think a guy with the first name of walt knows, i am a 41slut so to speak. mostly i cast them from 170 grain to 300grain. I have bought lead a few times once with matt for a bullet i don't think he is making anymore but high quality work, and the other was from montana bullet works, he advertises a 258keith style bullet Products Archive - Montana Bullet Works
although i have not had the need to order from them, i know brian pearce mentions rimrock all the time too.
 
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Like Ron, I cast all my own .41 bullets now but have bought bullets from:

Matt's Bullets
Montana Bullet Works
Penn Bullet
Cast Performance Bullet Company
Leadhaed Bullets
Beartooth Bullets

Have no complaints about any or them.

There are two "real" Keith designed .410 bullets The original dating from the 1960s is 220 grains and looks like a smaller version of his famous .44 (429) bullet. Before he died a close friend helped him resign the bullet upping the weight to 230+- grains and a larger meplat. I had the whole story somewhere but can not fined it right now. NOE has the new mold in their catalog.

Hard to wrong with any load in a .41...Bob
 
My experience loading the 41 mag with 200 grain to 220 grain cast lead bullets is that any more 2400 powder than 18 grains just makes a bigger flash and more noise. No change in accuracy or point of impact. Barrel lengths are 5.5" and 6.5". Gary
 
I cast all my own . I have the HG 258 (220gr )swc mold . I have several of Veral Smiths molds " LBT Molds " . His I really like the best . I have a 210 gr LFN , 220 WFN and a 225 gr swc . I believe Leadhead has the newer design Keith bullets , shorter nose and wider meplat . I have read that somewhere . I agree that 18 grs of 2400 is , what I consider the max . I really like 20 grs of IMR 4227 with a full magnum primer . My std loads are 9.0 grs of WSF . If I want a little more , 11.0 grs of HS6 . Regards , Paul
 
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Dardas cast bullets. I don't shoot 41 mag. but I do use and shoot his 44 mad LSWC. He does offer different diameters if you need.
 
I'm amazed you can find cast bullets for .41 cal. Beginning in 2004 I started a business casting Keith style bullets. I had people beg me to offer one in .41, stupidly I did. Within 5 years I don't think I sold more then 300 bullets for the .41 cal.

I just don't think there are a large number of .41 cal guns out there. Shame it didn't take off but it just came out at the wrong time.
 
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