41mag vs 44mag

[kennyb]

The story goes like this.

The 41 mag was set to debut and the ballistics were fabulous. Then suddenly, the movie Dirty Harry came out in 1971. Then the line by Harry Calahan (Clint Eastwood) went like this: I know what you're thinking. "Did he fire six shots or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk? Once the audience heard that line, the 44 magnum sales skyrocketed over night. You couldn't find a model 29 anywhere. They were just gone said a friend of mine that owned a gun shop back then. That friend of mine is 73 today. And what was left on the shelves? You quessed it. The .41 magnum says my friend.

The .41 magnum has superior ballistics, however because of the fact that nobody wanted a .41, research to develop different bullets stopped. That is why there is such a small selection of .41.

In my opinion the .41 is a better performer that the .44. I have shot both for 30+ years. If one of the bullet manufacterers would begin developing performance bullets for the .41, I believe it would begin gaining popularity.

One last note. When the movie Dirty Harry was being filmed, the first half of the movie was shot with a .41 magnum. The second half, they finally got the .44 magnum and finished the movie with the real gun.

two areas not accurate...
1) the 41 mag.was released years prior to dirty harry
2) the dirty harry movie was filmed entirely with a 29-2 that was made for the movie in the S&W parts room
the 41 mag.story has been around forever but simply is not true
2)

 

[shawn mccarver]

So, i have been doing alot of research on the above 2 cartridges. From what I can find, up to 240gr bullets the 41 mag can do everything the 44mag can and sometimes a little better depending on the powder. The 44 mag has the advantage as far as heavier bullets go - 265gr and up. If what I am reading and finding is true, why isn't the 41 more popular? Seems to be superior to the 44mag in standard weights and lighter weights. Once you get above that the 44 shines but then you could go with the 45colt or 454casull and do the same and better. Seems like the 41mag just came around a little too late. definetly a better round though!

I think you answered your own question.

The .44 Magnum can do everything the .41 Magnum can do and more. That said, why limit yourself to a .41 Magnum.

Apart from its defense load, the 210 grain at around 950 fps, I have no other use for the .41 Magnum. And the .40 S&W has pretty much taken over the spot for a self-defense cartridge for those who want more than the 9mm/38 Special +P, but who cannot handle a .45 ACP or who want more capacity than the .45 ACP.

 

[loc n load]

41's &44's

Was on "the job" for 34 years, carried revolvers for the first 15 as a duty weapon and continued to carry them on and off as a off duty weapon for the next 19, and now carry them everyday as I am retired. I carried a M-58 when I was a motor cop for a Highway patrol in the South West back in the early 80's, I also carried a 4" M-29. I was pretty much the "lone ranger" a lot of times out there on the highway and I wanted something that I could shoot thru automobiles if necessary. In my dept. if you qual'ed master three consec. times, you could carry what you wanted as long as you could qual with it.
I always had confidence in the 41 and 44 mag in that role.
I also shot ISHMA with the 44 mag in a 7 1/2" super blackhawk for years, it had quite a bit of steam even out to those 55lb 200 yard rams. You had to knock them down to score.
I have harvested deer with the 41 mag and 44 mag as well as a stoutly loaded 45LC. They all produced one shot kills when bullet placement was good. In my book they are good tools in the tool box.

 

[rwsmith]

That's just it

The .41 magnum was made to give a little more than the .357 , but less than the .44. The .41 was almost as heavy as a .44 mag and still had plenty of kick so there seemed to be no real advantage for police departments to adopt it. It sold but without official adoption it wasn't a very big hit.

 

[dhom]

41 versus 44

As far as the argument on flatter shooting goes, I would say Hornady threw some **** in the game with the FTX bullets.

 

[SMSgt]

All I know is I shot my .41 Blackhawk a lot better than I shot my buddy's .44 Blackhawk. So if rounds on target count for anything, in my hands, the .41 wins.

 

[fredj338]

The 41 mag is a good round, but you pretty much max out @ 220gr, not enough powder cap for heavier bullets. The 44mag easily runs the 24-250gr bullets & you have the advantage of real heavy wt 300-310gr if needed. The 41/220gr has an SD of 178, less than the 240gr/44 @ 186, no real comparison as the 44mag pushes those heavier bullet faster. The 41mag will always be a niche/cult round but a good one. I wish I could find a nice M58.

 

[427mach1]

The 41 mag is a good round, but you pretty much max out @ 220gr, not enough powder cap for heavier bullets. The 44mag easily runs the 24-250gr bullets & you have the advantage fo real hevy wt 300-310gr if needed. The 1/220gr has an SD of 178, less than the 240gr 44 @ 186, no real comparison as the 44mag pushes those heavier bullet faster. The 41mag will always be a niche/cult round but a good one.

There are several bullets heavier than 220 grain for the 41. I've seen 295 grain bullets and I load 265 grain bullets at 1400 fps out of my 41 mag Redhawk.

 

[s2harry]

Your ALL right. Some facts some beliefs some opinions. I think the question is wrong. .41vs.44 should be .357vs.41 The .41 mag starts at 210gr and goes up generally. the .357 starts at 125gr and stops at 180 generally but some go 200gr so even that is below the .41 mag factory loads. The rub really is with factory ammo. So there isn't any argument really, just what argument you make yourself. Factory ammo limits your choices reloading lets you utilize the full potential of any round. What kind of gun you want? if 357 is enough ok if 41 is enough ok if 44 is what you want use it.

I remember the police load for the 41mag was supposed to be a cure all but over penetration was cause for concern. In my opinion insufficient training was the problem with magnums. The four CHP officers killed in Valencia 1970 had the right gun for the job. Tactics and not having your head on a swivel got them killed. FMJs and car bodies was what the 357 was made for. Just think of all the cops that died because of the low powered .38 special. When its time to pull your gun you need power.

You cant say 45 is better than 44 and 41 over 44 and 357 and so forth. They all got their place. You want to toss your model 27s cause they aren't .41s? Hell no! and then you'd have to get rid of your model 10s and on and on and on......
Don't use the word "better" there not better... there different.

 

[s2harry]

Oh I forgot..the .41 that really gets to me is the Blackhawk .41 mag. that is allot of juice in a small package

 

[s2harry]

My reply about 41 vs 44 came out different than it started out. I was just trying to compare factory bullet weights and then went off on some different idea. I think the 357 and 41 mag are closer for a comparison. The 41 just isnt popular with some people. Factory jacketed bullets were not as good in the 70s. Now you have very good jacketed bullets and heavy cast bullets. Some writers used to say that there was no need for the 41 but it looks perfect to me. It does not matter that you can load the 44 mag down. If powder does not fill the case then it will get erratic pressures and velocity will vary shot to shot. Enter the 41 maybe it has just the right combination to fill where the 357 is straining with 180-200 gr bullets yet is more efficient than the 44 for bullets less than 250gr. Also some folks got small hands and just how much can you hang onto?

 

[fredj338]

There are several bullets heavier than 220 grain for the 41. I've seen 295 grain bullets and I load 265 grain bullets at 1400 fps out of my 41 mag Redhawk.

Never said their were not heavier bullets available, just that the 41mag case doesn't really have enough powder room to push them fast enough IMO. So accuracy may suffer as well as reduced terminal performance. A 265gr/41 would be close to a 280gr/44 in SD, but the 44 will be going faster.

 

[SuperMan]

Never said their were not heavier bullets available, just that the 41mag case doesn't really have enough powder room to push them fast enough IMO. So accuracy may suffer as well as reduced terminal performance. A 265gr/41 would be close to a 280gr/44 in SD, but the 44 will be going faster.

Fred...did you read post 52 above... Those 300s are going 1300 fps...and accuracy at least practical accuracy for game killing doesn't suffer at all...

Bob

 

[BigBill]

I like my 44mag's but i love my 41mag's too. I have more 44mag's than 41mags but that will soon change in time.

I'm man enough to own and shoot the 44's but i like having more choices in calibers to play with.

The 41mag was developed for law inforcement who wanted something more powerful than the 357mag. I guess it caught on with some but not everyone. Its like the 10mm auto its there but not everyone likes it because its too hard to handle while the 40cal is a lesser round power and recoil wise.

The 41mag seems to have less recoil to me over the 44mag even with a 4" barrel.

 

[jlynch34]

I've own two of each (all Rugers') over the last twenty years. The biggest difference for me is I've killed nine deer with a .44 Redhawk and never a deer with the .41 mag. The .41 does recoil a lot less and is much more fun to shoot.

Jerry

 

[rcmarch1]

Model 57 .41 mag

I picked up a model 57 .41 mag a few days ago. Waiting for the brass and bullets to show up so I can start working up some loads. I haven't shot one of these yet but I think I'm going to be happy.

 

[M29since14]

You will be. Just don't expect miracles. Sometimes .41 people let their enthusiasm get away from them and will lead you to think the .41 walks on water. 57s are fine revolvers (and I like them!)... but not magical!

 

[silentflyer]

Ford vs. Chevy, blondes or redheads, .41 vs .44, ..this discussion could go on forever. Wider selection of lead for the .44, the 41 shoots flatter, other than that whatever you hit with either one won't know the difference.

 

[Jellybean]

It sort of feels like "Night of the Living Dead" with these old threads popping up.

Anyway, since this is a reloading forum, there is no significant difference between the .41 and .44 mags. Even though the .41 mag is my favorite cartridge and the .44 mag isn't second, it doesn't have anything to do with ballistics. The .44 is ever so slightly larger and will be ever so slightly better, at most things...but not all. But for most purposes, there is nothing one will do that the other can't, and that includes bird shot, multi-balls, and etc., etc., etc.

But reloading wasn't a consideration in the development of the .41 mag., it was a marketing scheme. The main focus for law enforcement at the time the .41 was introduced was the "police" load, it was "the" best cartridge for police use ever developed, so the story went. S&W could have easily made a load for the 29 that did the exact same thing, but that wouldn't have sold as many new guns. The problem was the guns were too big and heavy for many law enforcement officers, and not just the females, which I believe was the reason it didn't become the success they thought it would, not to mention that many departments, and individual officers, chose the jacketed "hunting" load for various reasons.

But now we have the .40 S&W, which is the latest and greatest law enforcement cartridge we ever had. The fact that it's ballistics are nearly identical to a cartridge that is over 130 years old doesn't really matter, as long as it sells.

 

[ArmyCop]

I recently looked into same - thinking which I'd prefer - the 44 magnum or the 41 magnum.
I decided I'd prefer the 41 BUT when checked ammo availibility and price I couldn't find either so for now I'm staying with my 357 magnum and might reconsider the 41 sometime in the future.