Howdee folks, I picked up a 57-1 last Friday and was wondering what is your favorite targrt load and hunting load for the sweet 41 cal? I will use Winchester 231 for my target loads (lead) and either LilGun of H-110 for the hunting loads. Oh hers is a pic of the new hogleg.

8 grains of 231 under a 200 gr. cast SWC makes a dandy plinking/target load. It runs about 900 FPS give or take, depending on barrel length.

Here is my '68 no dash-

Nice no dash. I actually bought this gun under the follow circumstances:

My co-workers husbands buddies, buddy needed cash. "It is a Smith and Wesson 41 caliber or maybee a model 41. It is blue and has like a 6 inch barrel."

That's all I knew when I said I'll take it. Oh yea he said 350 bucks will be good. Anyway, I ended up with this beut.

According to the WW book 7.4 of 231 will give you over 1100fps with a 210 grain lead bullet. I would start at around 6. My standard load is 7.0 of Unique and a cast swc.

My 4" 57 (and 3" for that matter) really like 6.5gr of W231 behind a 215gr SWC

7.0 grains of Unique shoots nearly any bullet well in my 5.5 inch Ruger Acusport. For a lighter load you might want to try 5.0 grains of Trail Boss.

Since you do not have any way to contact you listed in your profile, contact me and I will send you a excell spead sheet with many loads tested.

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Semper FI

Here are a number of loads I've used...I REALLY like the Lil' Gun load for hunting!!!

200gr. Remington JHP
8.2 gr. Win. 231
Win Primers
Starline Brass
Medium Crimp
FPS: 990 f.p.s. (S&W 57-1 w/4")-(Shot great in 657-4)

200gr. Remington JHP
7.3gr Unique
Win Primers
Starline Brass
FPS: 920 f.p.s. (Model 58-Ported 4")
FPS: 925 f.p.s. (Model 58-Ported 4")

210gr. Berry's Plated FP--(Preferred range Load over 8gr)
7gr. Unique
Win Primer
Starline Brass
OAL: 1.573
FPS: 832 f.p.s. (Model 58-Ported 4")
FPS: 910 f.p.s. (Model 57-1 w/4")

210gr. Berry's Plated FP--(too warm for repeated use)
8gr. Unique
Win Primer
Starline Brass
OAL: 1.573
FPS: 960 f.p.s. (Model 58-Ported 4")
FPS: 1,020 f.p.s. (Model 57-1 w/4")

210gr Lane SWC
7gr. Unique
Fed 150 Primer
Mixed Brass
OAL: 1.581
FPS: 830 (S&W M57-1 w/4" Barrel)

215gr LSWC - Meister Bullets
7gr Unique
CCI 300
Mix Brass
OAL: 1.581
866 fps avg
4" groups at 50 yds off rest - accurate load
S&W M57-1 w/4" barrel

210 gr. Sierra JHC
22 gr. Lil' Gun
Win (or Wolf) Large Pistol Primer
Mixed brass
OAL: 1.565
Feet per second:
10" Contender: 1,750 avg.
7.5" S&W 1,416 avg.
Scary accurate! Deer hunting load.

220gr Speer JSP-SWC
18.5gr. Win-296
CCI 350 Mag Primer
Mixed Brass
OAL: 1.580
FPS: 1,440 (10" Contender)

220gr Speer JSP-SWC
19.5gr. Win-296
CCI 350 Mag Primer
Mixed Brass
OAL: 1.590
FPS: 1,507 (10" Contender)
(best load in Contender...1.5" groups @ 50 yds)

Bob

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"Onward thru the Fog"

My pet .41 load is now with Hodgdon Clays, WLP and an RCBS 41-210 cast from wheel weights. Mine cast out at about 215 grains. Easy shooting at about 825 FPS and gave me a 1.124" group. If you contact Beans as requested it will probably be in his spreadsheet ( it is in there, isn't it Beans?? ).

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Non illegitimae carborundum

Was at the range today and ran 2 loads that shoot well that I've used for quite a while over the chrono. I shot them from my 657 4" Mountain gun and got the following results:

7.0 grs of W231 behind a Tru-cast 215gr LSWC bullet in a Remington case lit by a WLP primer gave an average velocity of 956 fps over 10 rounds. This pretty much duplicates the old "Police" load.

9.5 grs of Unique with the same components yielded an average velocity of 1,157 fps.

I have used 210gr JSP Remingtons on top of 20.3grs of H110 for 1,286 fps from my 6" model 57.

The best thing about the .41 mag is I've never found a load that doesn't shoot accurately.

20.0/WW-296 behind a Sierra 210 JHP. It doesn't get much better IMHO.

Favorite .41 Magnum loads using your powders are:

1] 7.4gr 231 w/215gr locally cast SWC ignited by CCI std LPP;

2] 21gr H110 w/210gr XTP ignited by CCI mag LPP.

Though these are satisfactory in my .41 Mags, please consult loading manuals to confirm applicability to your situation and firearms.

Regards,

Dyson

Sierra 170 20.3 296 mag primer. most accurate load in 10" contender, 200 meters, 8.5 unique 255 rn cast bullet. this was used in the 1970's in IHMSA.

All these loads are great. However, no one has picked up on this:

Wow! Someone call the cops.

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I just assumed that you knew that you practically stole it and didn't want to talk about it. It is a nice one.

Yea, I lucked into this one, I heard 41 and $350 bucks--I didn't care if it was a model 41, 57 or 58 at that price. I almost got skinned knuckles reaching for my wallet. The line of folks in this deal were all non-shooters (thank goodness). I will be going to the range tomorrow morning to give it a work out. One thing though-- What is this I hear about the 41 cal of this era (mid 80's) not being all that accurate?

My hunting load for my 6" Md 57 no dash is a Nosler 210 gr JHP with 21.0 gr W-296, WLP primer, Win case. Very accurate in my gun and chrono's at 1275 fps.

Lyman #410610 over 18.0 grains of 2400.

That's the first time I ever heard that.. The only other revolver that I have that can come close to keeping up with my .41mag is a 625.

Yea, I was thinking of calling bullcrap on that too. I shoot my 57 mountain gun and it can drill holes real tight if I do my part. So far I have only shot factory stuff in the 41 cal guns, but will soon run dry on those. I picked up four older boxes of Remington when I got the mountain gun last year. I broke down a bought the shell plate, dies, and whatnot to start loading see-in-how I had the 57-1 fall into my lap.

I have been using VV N110 lately in my large bore magnums. A bunch behind a 250 gr. WFN GC from Leadheads clocks 1437 fps out of my 7 1/2" Redhawk with amazing accuracy. Who said a .41 kicks less than a .44?

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"That which does not destroy me, has made a huge tactical error"

The 41 magnum is a lot of things, but inherently inaccurate is not one of them.

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