.41 Mag light loads

WVfishguy

WVfishguy

Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
444
Reaction score
47
I need suggestions on reloading .41 mag., medium loads only (850-1,000fps).
The gun is a 4" Model 57 no dash.
I'm currently using 9.3 grains of HS6 under a 215 gr. LSWC (Missouri Bullet Co.) and regular (not magnum) large primers, usually Federal.

The HS6 is accurate and meters well on my Lee Pro Auto-Disk, but I get a fair amount of unburned powder and smoke.

I stopped using Unique because it was too dirty - even the new stuff is dirtier than I like. I now use Herco in its place.

Powders available to me are Clays Universal, Herco, Titegroup, Green Dot, and a few others. I can't find 2400 anywhere, and I won't use Bullseye in magnum cases.

If anyone has a wonderful, fantastic medium .41 load, I'd like to hear it, but the above mentioned powders are what I'd like to use.

Spherical/ball powders like H110 don't work well with my set up.

Thanks in advance!
 
Register to hide this ad
I also used Unique for 30 years. Here's why I stopped:
My wife and I go shooting together. She shoots around 250-350 rounds each time. I shoot about 150-250 rounds. We may take 3 - 6 guns with us.

With Unique, I have to spend the rest of the evening cleaning guns.

When I use Herco, my cleaning time is cut in half.

Also, with Unique, I have to clean the guns at the range - and that cuts into our range time.

This is why I specified no Unique. If I were shooting a 100-200 rounds myself, it would be no big deal.
 
I'm using SR-4756 under cast 215s from Oregon Trail, and I think my loads are around 8.5 grains, but might be 9 or 9.5. I'll try to remember to look tonight. I run them in a Model 58, and they hit about 900 fps.
 
Universal is almost directly interchangeable with Unique. I have just started using it as a replacement for unique and am quite satisfied with the results. Check the Hodgdon website for load specifics, but probably 7-8 gr of Universal will do what you want and be much cleaner. I used 7-7.5 gr of Unique in .41 with a 210 gr lead bullet as my go-to load for a long time.
 
Yes, I have been thoroughly impressed with Universal too in whatever I have tried it in. 9mm, 357 & 44 mag......I just wished I had a 41.
 
I have been using 7.0 gr. of Red Dot under a 185 gr. hard cast in my model 57 6". The most accurate load I have shot in it so far.Also very pleasant to shoot!!
 
Universal is right beneath Unique on the Burn Rate Chart.
I just found up some of my old .44 Special loads for a 200 grain lead Berry Bullet; 6.9 grains of Universal Clays.
I think I quit using Universal for .44 & .38 because I wanted to save that powder for .40 S&W. Universal works great for .40!
 
You can go to Hodgdon's website and the online data and find 215gr cast data using Tightgroup. These loads are rather light and under 1,000 fps.

My old Alliant data from 2002 says you can use 7.9 grs maximum of Green Dot with a jacketed 220gr bullet for 1,140 fps. For a lighter cast bullet load with the 215gr bullet I'd reduce 20% and load using 6.3 to 6.5 grs and that should be sub 1K fps. Need a chrono on that one.

7.0grs of W231 behind a 215gr LSWC bullet in Remington cases lit by a WLP primer chrono's at 956 fps from my 4" S&W 657. The old Winchester data recommended a max of 7.4grs with a 210gr LSWC.
 
WVfishguy, is there any particular reason you won't use Bullseye in magnum cases?
 
HP-38

Try 7.0 grains of Hogdon HP-38 under a 215 gr SWC or WFN with a Large Pistol Primer(non-magnum). It's about 950 fps, very pleasant and very accurate out of my Model 58.

This is almost identical to 'Steve' 's WW231 load above.
 
Last edited:
7.0 grains of IMR 7625 behind my 215 cast SWC, gives 850 fps from my 4" Smith's, and is extremely accurate.
 
Jellybean said:
WVfishguy, is there any particular reason you won't use Bullseye in magnum cases?
Click to expand...
It's a safety issue with me. It's too easy to double charge Bullseye with big cases. I used to use Bullseye in 9mm, but it makes me queasy to use it with anything bigger.
 
Groo here
I have used Trailboss with a cast 215 gr bullet.
Crimp heavy [the powder likes that] use a top load [fill the case]
and a hot primer [this helped me greatly]
you will get between 800 and 900 depending on gun and load..
 
I've done as Groo does, with Trail Boss - a lot of fun to shoot. I just loaded some up for a friend who has a Model 58. I favor a load that I based on Jessie's load, though: I use 7.5 grains of 7625 under a 215-grainer for 1015 fps out of a 4" tube with single-digit deviations. It's super-accurate for me (never found anything out of a .41 that wasn't decently accurate, tho the Trail Boss loading referenced just now wasn't especially so) and easy to shoot - but still would deliver the mail to an evil-doer.
 
I've considered Trail Boss, will probably give it a try. I shot some Universal today, worked great. No more accurate than HS6, but burned more cleanly and a lot less smoke.

Thanks for all the suggestions!
 
41 light loads

Ditto on the Trail Boss. I use it in my 57, 657, and Ruger Blackhawk .
I don't have my load data at hand, but you won't be disappointed with this powder.
 
I use 14 grains of Lil'Gun and a Large Magnum Pistol Primer and is quite accurate out of my 57 with the 8 3/8" barrel. It also works great out of my 58. I don't know how hot this is speed wise but I do know it is lighter then factory Remington or Federal loads.
 
Groo here
I have gone to magnum primers on my Trailboss loads..
I believe that although the powder itself is faster burning,
the fact that it is so fluffy means that the flakes are not packed
together and the fire has a harder time jumping the gap.
Hot primers- tight fit- heavy crimp- bullets that are light to normal
weight seem to do the job--- also I don't use any but a near max
or full case,, why when the powder is so light for the space it uses....
 
I thought Trail Boss wasn't supposed to fill the case, only the available space with the bullet seated.
 
I was out shooting today with my Model 57. Loaded with 15.5 grains of IMR-4227 under 215 grain lead SWC and CCI-350 magnum primers. It was 50 degrees and velocity from my 4" barrel was 900 fps on the money. Very accurate and plenty of power for my needs. The same load runs 970 fps from my 4 5/8inch Ruger Blackhawk. I wouldn't reduce this load any more because it's such a slow powder. 16.0 grains even would be good to try.

I also have used 6.7 grains of WW-231 and Winchester std. large pistol primers. It runs 950 fps from my Ruger, I haven't shot it over the chronograph using the S&W yet.

These loads are by far my favorites. I've tried all sorts of bullets and powders and always come back to these. Very controllable, but not anemic in the least. I consider them great self defense loads.
 
I have used 7.0gr. of Universal with 210-230gr. bullets. Out of my .41 Blackhawk with the 4&5/8 in. barrel the loads chrono at 990fps. +or- 10fps.It doesn't get any better than that.
 
I am almost ready to start reloading for my 41's and I am getting some great loads to check out. Thanks to all!!
Stephen
 
Trail Boss should have NO compression, period.

When I was working up loads for the 500S&W, the Hodgdon Tech told me to mark the case where the base of the bullet would end up and fill it up to there.

If I remember right, and memory is such a terrible thing to waste, it came to 16gr or so! That was in the 500 though so.................

If it were me, and there weren't any loads for the 41 and TB I would call. They are very helpful.

Personally, and I don't have a 41, I use Bullseye in my light target loads in 44Mag and have no qualms at all. They are 4.5gr under a 200gr LRNFP Cowboy Bullet. In the 41 case, that should be a good load too. Probably push it about 750fps to 800fps or so. Super light.

FWIW
 
I had my 57s out the other day, first time in a while, an 8 3/8" N ser.no., and a 6" nickle S sn. Enjoyed them both, I don't know why I haven't been shooting them more.

8.7 Unique / 215 SWCL clocked avg. 1070fps from both with some leading. Loaded in 2001. I use a Pact chrono.

Just fyi, 14.2gr BlueDot / 200 JHP went at 1275fps avg. These were loaded in 1996, but their age didn't seem to matter, I forget the Sd but it was not out of line.

Interestingly, both guns got very nearly the same velocities, I suppose the 8 3/8" is a shade tighter?

Lead bullet loads were slightly warmer than the OP and I were looking for, I'm going to try 7.5 and 7.0 gr. loads. Should put me down in the 800-900fps range which is where I want this bullet.
 
Any reason you won't use Bullseye? My go to load for the .44 is somewhere between 6.5 and 7.5 grains under a 429421 which got a hair over 1000 FPS out of a 4''. SD's in the single digits too, I bet it would work good in the .41.
 
No good reason, probably. My thought was that, since I shoot some of these light lead loads thru an 8 3/8" gun, very light loads of very fast powders would be more likely to 'burn out' before the bullet got out of the gun than would slower burning (Unique) powders. I've no idea if there is any validity to such a thought, but that's why. Generally a big fan of BE.
 
I ran across this 8+ yr. old thread while looking for medium .41 Mag loads for the new Win 244 powder. The .41 Mag is not listed...maybe just untested as of now. Logic suggests it would work fine. Anyone here have any knowledge about this?

Thanks, Cary/Lubbock Louie
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

pantannojack
Primers/ Mag or Standard?
Replies
9
Views
700
richrd
R
flyfishinjunkee
  • Locked
44 magnum load data needed
Replies
16
Views
2K
Cdog
Cdog
Cdog
H4227 And Powder Residue
Replies
23
Views
2K
sourdough44
sourdough44
J
.44 Special loads in .44 Mag brass
2
Replies
34
Views
5K
Qc Pistolero
Q
P
More Flat Primers (but with a minimum load)
Replies
23
Views
3K
Rule3
Rule3

Latest posts

Back
Top