1964-2014...The .41 Magnum

[SuperMan]

Somewhere along the line I just completely forgot this year marks the 50th year of the .41 Magnum. Many years ago this became my favorite revolver cartridge and since this round is the favorite of many here, as well as the guns that shoot them, I would like to start a tribute thread not just to the cartridge and the S&W guns of this era that shoot the round but if acceptable to the Moderators all guns that shoot this fine round...

So if you have pics, stories or just love the round and the guns that shoot them please chime in....

My first .41 Magnum was a nickel Model 58 bought about 1973. Wonderful shooter but was one of two 58s I've had that didn't shoot to POA with standard 210 grain loads...it shot low and the only bullets that would come close to POA were cast from an old 240 grain Lyman mold. In my youthful stupidity I actually had a gunsmith drill and tap the tropstrap for the Bushnell Phantom scope mount but the recoil proved too much and I ended up selling the gun...so if anyone out there finds a nickel 58 with two holes in the topstrap that is where they probably came from.

The next one was a Model 57 blue 4". It was carried while I was a Dallas Polce Officer in the late 70s till 1980 when I switched to a .38 Super Colt 1911. In 1980 I won the North Texas Sectional IPSC revolver division and placed 7th overall with that gun out of about 75 shooters.

In 1983 a fellow officer and Dallas pistol team member offered to sell me a 1980 vintage gun that he had bought new but didn't shoot well for him. Ended up buying that gun from him and still have it. After sighting it in with a load of 8.0 grains of Unique behind a 211 grain Keith bullet made of pure linotype I shot this group at 25 yards double action....



My friend and his female partner were looking as I shot the group and I remember him saying "That never shot like that for me". When I asked him what round he was using he said the standard Remington 210 lead SWC....that would lead the barrel up in about two cylinders full.

I still have that gun but the first 57 was sold in 1983 to a friend who I shot IPSC with. I had shot it so much that it needed a complete rebuild and he was just starting to study gunsmithing and wanted it to practice on...

So lets hear your .41 stories...Bob

 

[flundertaker]

1964 1st Year 4" Unfired

1979 4"

Brother from another Mother 15 years apart!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk

 

[ko41]

This was my introduction to the .41 Magnum, Dad bought it in December 1964.

Over the years since I have accumulated a few more.

.41 Magnum | Flickr

KO

 

[jubela#4]

I love the model 57 and the 4 inch guns in particular. I use a load of 7.5 grains of Unique and a 220 grain cast SWC.

Here is a first year gun shipped in December 1964.





Here is one I shoot regularly, shipped in December 1966.





Here is another shooter, shipped in March 1968.



Here is a picture of the 1964 gun on the bottom and the 1966 gun on the top.

 

[M29since14]

The .41 Magnum and the S&W N-frame have been a great combination since day-one. Of course not everyone recognized that (I was one of those) and so the 29 always overshadowed it. I was late coming to the party but now have a couple 57s and wouldn't particularly want to do without them. A first-year 4-inch that was temporarily re-shoed with Nills after its original stocks came up missing somewhere:



I think the Nills are not bad looking but the old gun has since had its honor restored with a proper set of S&W stocks. No case or tools to go with it, but still one of my (many) favorite S&Ws.

 

[XTrooper]

I became a fan of the .41 Magnum in the late '70s when I bought my first 4" Model 57 and several more followed over the decades. Then there was a stretch when I didn't own any .41 Mag handguns till I bought the elusive-for-me Model 58 which I now own.

Since I was always a fan of the simple utilitarianism of the Military & Police revolvers and carried a 6" Model 10 as my duty revolver during my years with the NJ Highway Patrol (which merged with the State Police in 1979), I really love the Model 58. It's my absolute favorite revolver!

PS- I own a set of proper PC Magna grips for it, but it never wears them except for the occasional photo op.

 

[jjbrewst1]

Picked mine up recently. It's quickly one of my Favorites too

Shipped Oct 1964

 

[Retired W4]

50 years! Time does really fly by. The M-58 in the 1970's was my introduction also. Still kicking my self for selling it. This is what I have now. The blue 6" gets the most work. The little leather patches keep them from scratching each other. I wonder if S&W plans to issue a 50 year pin like the 44 Magnum?

My comment on "introduction" had to deal with the .41 magnum, not S&W revolvers. Just had to clear that up. Thanks.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

I've always wanted one even though I've never even fired one. I can handle a .357 Magnum, but a .44 Magnum is just too much gun for me, so a .41 Magnum should be just right - correct? By the way, I've never met a .41 Magnum owner that was unhappy with the cartridge or the revolver.

Regards,

Dave

 

[boatboy]

There is something special about my model 58
It was one of the first revolvers I ever bought as a kid. A guy took off to go fishing for a week in Canada he came home and his wife cleaned him out even hired a guy to cut his vault door to get in his gun room. When he got back he had a boat I just sold him his 58 and dog. The store bought back the boat I bought the S&W he kept his dog it was sad for a 22 year old kid to see
Even sadder for a 50 year old guy to remember I will never forget it.
I had pacmeyers on it for years a few years ago I was here in the forum and reolized the pacs need to be removed and the factory stocks needed to go back on

It was like taking off a liesure suit and putting on a tux

I have quite a few 41s but the 58 is the tall dog for sure

Born in 64
The 41 mag
The 10/22
and ME

What a great year!
Hank

 

[Doc44]

Model 57 (no model number since it was made in S&W's tool room in late 1967 or early 1968) with a rare 5-inch barrel and nickel finish. It was made for Colonel Cunningham, a collector and friend of many S&W employees. It is the only Model 57 that has been documented with a 5-inch barrel. It was part of my Model 57 display at the S&WCA meeting in Columbus, OH in May. I displayed Model 57s in honor of the 50th anniversary of this model.
(click on the photo for a better look).

Bill

 

[weatherby]

The story has been written......cast, crew, and location have been set.

Filming is scheduled to begin in September.

 

[SuperMan]

Boy talk about 60s vintage 57s/58s coming out of the closets!!! Keepm' commin'....

Since I started this thread I went out shooting...two of the .41s shot were a first adition 657-2 Hunter serial #5 and a 1964 6" that was cut to 5"..



Bob

 

[Retired W4]

Model 57 (no model number since it was made in S&W's tool room in late 1967 or early 1968) with a rare 5-inch barrel and nickel finish. It was made for Colonel Cunningham, a collector and friend of many S&W employees. It is the only Model 57 that has been documented with a 5-inch barrel. It was part of my Model 57 display at the S&WCA meeting in Columbus, OH in May. I displayed Model 57s in honor of the 50th anniversary of this model.
(click on the photo for a better look).

Bill

Doc44, you have blessed all of the 57 lovers with that one. I sorely miss seeing it in person. Thank you!

 

[usm1rifle]

This was my introduction to the .41 Magnum, Dad bought it in December 1964.

Over the years since I have accumulated a few more.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/38075781@N07/sets/72157625249256222/

KO

Love the pinto 57 and the nickel 58s. Fantastic photos. Where ya at in MN?

 

[Iggy]

I bought this gun in 1966 after I had to shoot a porcupine 6 times with the Model 10 .38 special. I kept thinking, what if he had a gun and was shooting back.
Elmer and Skeeter were bragging on the .41 Magnum round and the Model 58, and it was cheaper than a Combat Magnum back then.
I paid $81.00 for it NIB and a box of shells.

It was my sidearm for 13 years as an LEO.

It proved effective anytime I needed it.

I used hand loads mainly because the only factory loads available at the time were hunting loads and just plain nasty to shoot and I couldn't afford to buy factory ammo.

I hand loaded the rounds to levels recommended by Elmer and Skeeter at the time.
I used a 210 Sierra JHP and a dose of 2400 powder. In the 900 to 1000 FPS range.

The cartridge is effective, I've killed injured wild life and cattle. Killed a mule deer when I was in too close quarters to bring a rifle to bear.

Even did a one shot stop on a Ford Bronco way back when.That one shot went through the back of the Bronco and took out radio in the dash. The kid driving it went to the PD and said someone was chasing him and shooting at him.. The Bronco belonged to a friend, and he tried that as an excuse for the bullet hole I had put in the rig. Well..... He did stop a little while after I put only one shot into the rig after he ran me down.
He got out of jail before I got out of the Emergency Room. Helps to be the son of one of the City Fathers.

I made a tie tack out of that bullet. I use to tell people that WHPs didn't need vests, our ties were good enough.

The modified Magna grips that came on the gun were pretty tough on the hands and not cool back then.
I couldn't afford factory Target grips on a new cop's salary so I destroyed the PC grips to get the hardware and made the set of grips you see in the picture.
Those grips that I destroyed would probably sell for more than the gun would today.

I did a heck of a lot of practicing with that gun and got pretty handy with it. It's got the finish wear to prove it.

We got into some serious social encounters and it got me home more than once. There are a pair of notches in the frame under the grips.
I have owned a beautiful blued 4" and and nickel 6" Model 57 and let them both go, but that old M&P ain't going anywhere.

My name is etched in it, and it is the last gun I will ever let go of, and that will be when I settle down for a dirt nap.

 

[TDC]

The .41 Mag has long been my favorite caliber. It has belatedly begun to receive the recognition it has long deserved...

I, like may others on this board, hope that S&W will recognize the need for this caliber to be offered on the L frame platform like the new Mod. 69. I can think of no other caliber more perfectly suited to that concept.

If you hand-load and cast your own bullets, as many of us do, you will recognize the all-around versatility of the .41 Mag. Had the caliber been offered by Remington in both a magnum and a 41 Special case for law enforcement I believe the early acceptance of this caliber would have been a whole different story.

Long live the .41 Magnum! It is one caliber that has earned its strong following today....

 

[DR505]

Here's my .41 magnum "fun gun." It is a 657 from 1986. VERY fun.

 

[22hipower]

Thought I was fortunate to find this first year six inch in a pawn shop this year. Haven't lettered it but it is a S series and in the first year range.

Jeff
SWCA 1457

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

Thought I was fortunate to find this first year six inch in a pawn shop this year. Haven't lettered it but it is a S series and in the first year range.

Jeff
SWCA 1457

You thought right!