41mag loading advice

[boatbum101]

Managed to buy a Model 58 shooter & naturally want to see what it's all about . Since I don't have the space , time & means to cast anymore I wondering about bullets . I think I'll start with the old police load . I've been looking at Rimrock's Keith style 240grFB BHN 15 . If I stay below or at 1150fps should I be OK as far as leading ? They make harder BHN22 , but unless I'm looking for a full pressure load I think these would be too hard . I believe I've got 2400 , Universal & 296 on hand . Haven't been home since March & memory aint what it was . I'm going to have to get a set of dies & brass . Starline direct for brass & was looking for Lyman dies w/o luck . Will be loading on a Redding Turret press . Any constructive comments gratefully accepted .

 

[max]

My standard for years has been a 210-220 cast swc and 7.0 of Unique.

 

[Erich]

I've found that leading depends not just on the hardness of the bullet but also on its sizing and the powder used. For instance, I can just plate a bore with lead using Green Dot and .358" hardcasts at under 1k fps.

That said, I've not had difficulty with leading in the .41 using good hardcasts (I have never used Rimrock's and have come to prefer Tennessee Valley Bullets 215-gr LSWCs over many other fine choices) under 1250 fps. You should be able to do fine with the powders you have - Unique is certainly a fine powder for the .41 as well. (And I happily used Blue Dot a good deal with this caliber before Alliant issued their "The Sky Is Falling" warnings a few years back.)

Hope you get home soon, boatburn, and have fun with the .41.

 

[Steve C]

FYI the "the old police load" was a 210gr LSWC at 1,050 fps from a 83/4" barrel. If you run a 240gr bullet at 1,150 you are running a "full power" load. My 4" M657 S&W Mountain Pistol will send a 215gr LSWC on top of 9.7grs of Unique out the muzzle at 1,157 fps. 10.4grs of Unique is max for a 215gr LSWC according to Lyman.

I have use 7.0 grs of W231 and 7.8 grs of Unique with commercial cast 215gr LSWC bullets to duplicate the "the old police load" that runs a little over 950 fps from the 4".

 

[longranger]

Target was shot using 230gr.LSWC "Keith" 4.7gr Clays,S&W 657 6".@ 15 yds. Most accurate loads with out leading will be in the 750-850 fps. range.I have had similar results with Auto Comp.Missouri Bullet Co. has a great .41 bullet called "The Trooper" .Cast lead in the 750-850 fps. range will be tolerable and fun along with accurate.Save the full magnum stuff for important things.

 

[mkk41]

2400 and Winchester 296 (aka Hogdon H110) don't take kindly to less than full power loads. Recommended load density is slightly compressed. Erratic this happen with reduced charges.

Can't speak about Universal.

Ya might want to do a search about past threads on cast bullet magnum loading. There has been lots of good info , especially regarding the mighty .41 magnum.

 

[Fkimble]

I ordered some of those 240 gr Rimrock Keiths. Mine weighed just over 230, which was about what I thought a 41 Keith should weigh. Haven't got around to shooting them yet. Got em to build a classic Keith hunting load.

 

[wheelgun28]

Ive got a slightly different load for the 41

I found it via the internet a while back, its called the "41 special"

It can be made a few different ways but the article said this one had the most accuracy.

Its 5.0G Bullseye and a 215G bullet, Ive used LSWC and Berrys

Its easy shooting, its dead accurate in my 6" 57, 50' range.

Ive shot about 800 of them so far, mostly in club bullseye.

I havent run them over a crono (broken) but as a guess about 800 to 850 fps?

Its a winner and standard load to me.

Sorry if you dont like or care for BE loads...

 

[Walkalong]

The most important factor in leading is bullet fit. They need to fit your throats. The throats need to be about .001 to .002 over groove diameter. With a tight slip fit of throats that are .001 to .002 over groove diameter, you will be hard pressed to get leading unless you are using too hard of a bullet.

If your throats are undersized, you will get leading, but they can be reamed. If they are way to big, your just stuck.

22 BHN is harder than needed if the fit is good. 15 BHN will be fine. And actually, if the bullet is undersized for the throats a hair, 15 BHN has a better chance of bumping up under pressure, sealing the throats/bore, and not leading.

 

[SuperMan]

You may find that the 230 grain cast Keith shoots a little high in a 58 depending on your velocity. The original Police Load was a 210 grain swaged lead bullet at 950 fps +- from a 4" barrel. This is duplicated with 8.0 grains of Unique.

Using the same 230 Keith but from Leadhead Bullets 8.0 grains of Unique clocks 875 from a 4" 57. This is also my standard load from a 357 Airlite.

My favorite load for any 4" S&W .41 is 8.0 grains of Unique with a Berry's plated 210 TC. Berry's Manufacturing No leading, reasonable cost, TC design is very fast in a speedloader and no smoke when shooting indoors...and very accurate.

230 Keith...

From 6" 657 at 20 yards DA...

Berry's plated bullet at 10 yards DA...the one out was me not the gun...

Same load different 58....

I have been using the same Lyman Carbide dies for loading .41s since about 1974. There was a like new set of older Lyman dies on GunBroker a few weeks ago for I think $39.00...old black box...never sold that I saw. Also try a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die...all the loads above were run through as the final crimping step...

Bob

 

[SuperMan]

ps...just checked GunBroker.... There are three sets of Lyman dies...two in the plastic box as well as that older set. Put Lyman .41 and Lyman 41 in the search box and they come right up...

Bob