.41 vs. .44 mags

[hoser]

THANKS everyone...now I want a 41 mag!! What about for a trail gun in BLACK bear country (no browns or Grizzlies)? I was considering the following guns (all loaded with hard cast bullets):

A). Model 696-1 with 3" barrel (L-frame, 5 shot 44 special):
Double Tap Ammo
DoubleTap Ammunition

Buffalo Bore Ammo
Heavy .44 Special Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

B). Model 29 snubbie 2.5" barrel:
Double Tap Ammo
DoubleTap Ammunition

Buffalo Bore Ammo
Lower Recoil .44 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition
OR
Heavy .44 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

C). Model 57 with 4" barrel:
Double Tap Ammo
DoubleTap Ammunition

Buffalo Bore Ammo
Heavy .41 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

No doubt the 696 would be easiest to carry and conceal, but thought I'd toss it out there. Never really considered the 41 mag until now!

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

The .41 Remington Magnum is so established and mainstream, I would hardly call it "obscure." If you want obscure, I suggest the 8mm Peabody Spoonbill. Hamilton Bowen can make you one. You won't see another at the range.

True, but although many disagree, the 8mm Peabody Spoonbill Improved is a distinct . . . well, improvement. Won't see many of them, either.

 

[hoser]

THANKS everyone...now I want a 41 mag!! What about for a trail gun in BLACK bear country (no browns or Grizzlies)? I was considering the following guns (all loaded with hard cast bullets):

A). Model 696-1 with 3" barrel (L-frame, 5 shot 44 special):
Double Tap Ammo
DoubleTap Ammunition

Buffalo Bore Ammo
Heavy .44 Special Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

B). Model 29 snubbie 2.5" barrel:
Double Tap Ammo
DoubleTap Ammunition

Buffalo Bore Ammo
Lower Recoil .44 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition
OR
Heavy .44 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

C). Model 57 with 4" barrel:
Double Tap Ammo
DoubleTap Ammunition

Buffalo Bore Ammo
Heavy .41 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

No doubt the 696 would be easiest to carry and conceal, but thought I'd toss it out there. Never really considered the 41 mag until now!

So what do you guys think of the guns and load selections for a carry woods gun in black bear country? Which of the three would you choose?

 

[ArgMauser]

Light-Weight Bear Gun?

If I thought I needed a light-weight bear gun, then I'm pretty sure I would think I needed a S&W Mountain Gun in EITHER .41 MAG or .44 MAG.
If I didn't feel I needed light-weight, I'd select a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt (300 gr or 328 gr handload) or .44 Magnum (300 gr handload). .44 Specials need not apply.
A .357 Magnum with a heavily loaded 180-gr. bullet would probably be quite adequate, for a blackie, but if you have a large caliber gun why carry a little one?

 

[hoser]

I heard that the heavy buffalo bore and double tap ammo in 44 special was good for blackies based on velocity and the hard cast bullet. That's why I included it.

 

[SMSgt]

I had a .41 Blackhawk with the 6" barrel and absolutely loved it. It was my constant companion in AK. A buddy had the .44 BH and my bullets would punch thru the same 6-8" Birch trees as his with a lot less recoil. I used Blue Dot powder, back before that was a no-no, and it worked fine. Like you, I like shooting the les common rounds. ANYbody can pick up a .44, but .41s are one the rarer side. I wouldn't hesitate a bit to own a .41 again.

 

[mkk41]

Found elsewhere.

"As for cartridges, you can use anything from .41 Magnum up to the .500 S&W. One of the most experienced hunters I've met says that any big-bore cartridge that throws a solid bullet weighing 200 grains or more at 1,000 fps or more is a thorough ticket-puncher for any black bear. By that standard, a heavy .44 Special or .45 Colt handload in the right gun would serve admirably.

Wayne Bosowicz carried a .357 Magnum Colt Python for years. Then he encountered a situation in which a charged-up bear came down from a tree and tore into his hounds and soaked up an entire cylinder full of 158-grain bullets in its chest without slowing down. Bosowicz immediately changed over to a Ruger Blackhawk in .41 Magnum, which has never failed to stop a bear."

Bullet selection is probably more important than anything, in fact. A black bear is tough-muscled with thick fur, hide and fat layers. You need a bullet that will penetrate through all that, and most hollowpoints used for .41-, .44- and .45-caliber commercial cartridges and handloads aren't good choices. Bosowicz uses commercial Remington 210-grain JSP softnose loads in his .41 Magnum, and recommends any similarly structured loads. In .44 Magnum a 240-grain JSP, or a 220-grain (or heavier) silhouette-style bullet like Federal loads commercially, or Sierra and other bullet-makers offer as components, would be a good choice.

 

[6pack]

THANKS everyone...now I want a 41 mag!! What about for a trail gun in BLACK bear country (no browns or Grizzlies)? I was considering the following guns (all loaded with hard cast bullets):

A). Model 696-1 with 3" barrel (L-frame, 5 shot 44 special):
Double Tap Ammo
DoubleTap Ammunition

Buffalo Bore Ammo
Heavy .44 Special Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

B). Model 29 snubbie 2.5" barrel:
Double Tap Ammo
DoubleTap Ammunition

Buffalo Bore Ammo
Lower Recoil .44 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition
OR
Heavy .44 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

C). Model 57 with 4" barrel:
Double Tap Ammo
DoubleTap Ammunition

Buffalo Bore Ammo
Heavy .41 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

No doubt the 696 would be easiest to carry and conceal, but thought I'd toss it out there. Never really considered the 41 mag until now!

I have N-frames in both .41 & .44 Rem Mags. I really like them both. Ammo is way, way easier to get for the .44 Rem Mag so consider that if you aren't reloading.

The shortest tube I have on these is 4" on this 57. I shoots really well and even more so when I changed the grips. It's a nicely balanced gun and handles really well. I've got a 1,000 swc bullets ready to be loaded...gotta get busy. So far I've only shot the Double Tap ammo load below. It's a peach to shoot and will take care of any problems I need it to. Simply Rugged leather really came through nicely for me, also.

Good luck....I like your choices...really can't go wrong with any.

 

[427mach1]

I have both, a .41 Magnum Ruger Blackhawk, 6.5" barrel, and a .44 Magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk, 7.5" barrel. I bought the .41 brand new in early '77, it was produced in '76. When my dad passed away in '81, I inherited his '78 model Super Blackhawk. I prefer the .41, which I hand load with 265 grain Cast Performance LWFNGC (I think I got all the letters in there!) and 21.2 grains of 'Lil Gun. According to Hodgdon's website, this is good for about 1500 fps, although they don't give a barrel length. I plan to chrono the rounds during Thanksgiving break. The .41 is much lighter and smaller and with these loads it is capable of stopping anything I could likely encounter while hiking.

 

[hoser]

Out of short 2.5" - 4" barrels, is recoil significantly reduced with heavy loads out of a 41 mag vs the 44 mag?

 

[GF1]

Back in the 1970s, it was thought that a steady diet of .44 Magnums shooting Metallic Silhouette would beat up a Model 29 pretty fast. But that .41s were easier on the gun and a Model 57 would hold up better.

This is true - I shot loose a M29 in the late 70s w/ heavy loads and the Lyman 429421 hard cast. It was superbly accurate, however. Got rid of it w/ about 20,000 heavy loads through it, after accuracy began to fall off.

The .41 is perfect for the N frame. I have three, all blued P&R, in all bbl lengths. All are marvelously accurate. They all like a heavy load of 2400 and jacketed or hard cast 210 or 215 grain bullets. I feel no need for a .44 S&W revolver.

 

[cp1969]

If I thought I needed a light-weight bear gun, then I'm pretty sure I would think I needed a S&W Mountain Gun in EITHER .41 MAG or .44 MAG.
If I didn't feel I needed light-weight, I'd select a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt (300 gr or 328 gr handload) or .44 Magnum (300 gr handload). .44 Specials need not apply.
A .357 Magnum with a heavily loaded 180-gr. bullet would probably be quite adequate, for a blackie, but if you have a large caliber gun why carry a little one?

Do you have this backwards? A Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt weighs 36 ounces per the Ruger catalog (mine weighs 40 ounces loaded with 255 gr. loads). My M29 4" weighs 47.5 oz loaded with 245 gr SWCs.

Are the Mountain Guns that much lighter than a regular N frame?

 

[GM4spd]

44 Magnum---is IT. Pete

 

[mkk41]

If anything can tell the diff between getting shot with a .41 vs .44 mag , ya shoulda used a rifle!