Loading the .41 Magnum

[Dave Workman]

One of my favorite cartridges is the .41 Magnum and no doubt some of you have seen my July thread on acquiring my latest wheelgun in that caliber, a handsome 4-inch M57.

The best part of the .41 Mag is its reloadability, methinks. I've been doing some tinkering lately and found that a 210-gr. Nosler JHP over 20 grains of H110 works rather well in this particular revolver.

I also found an old box of 220-gr. Speer JSPs that I've been running over 15.5 grains of Alliant 2400. (Note, use standard primers with 2400, Magnum primers with H110.)

I've got a couple of boxes of 210-gr. Gold Dots somebody gave me, and that's the next chore.

I may do a magazine column on this somewhere over the horizon.

Who else loads for this caliber, and what's your pet load?

 

[gwpercle]

Long time fan and member of the Unoffical model 58 Club.

For targets and tin cans:
Lee 410-195-SWC, cast and sized .410, over
depending on what powder is available, either
5.0 grains Bullseye
6.0 grains Red Dot
7.0 grains Unique
You just said "pet" load and that's what gets shot most at the range these day's . That's my model 58 in my avatar with Ahrend's Retro Combat grips in Cocobolo. Looking good.
Gary

 

[rkrcpa]

My only load for close to thirty years has been a true Keith SWC over 19 grains of 2400. Clocks close to 1400fps and is more than accurate enough for hunting purposes.

Since 2400 is so hard to get I may have to switch to something else.

 

[Charlie Foxtrott]

I have three fifty sevens and a fifty eight.

I load a 210 grain Hornady XTP bullet on top of 21 grains of Winchester 296 powder. It will do anything that I need it to do and quite accurate to boot.

 

[Doubless]

For years my favorite load for my Smith 57s has been my own cast Lyman 410459 and 21 grains of IMR 4227. No less an authority than Ken Waters said many years ago that this was his preferred load, and he never worried about a few un-burned/partially burned kernels of powder left in the case and the barrel, as the load's accuracy and relatively soft recoil made the case moot. I tried it and never found a reason to load anything else if I was looking for "full tilt" performance.

Now, having said that, somewhere around 7 grains of AA #5 behind my own Hensley and Gibbs #255, a nominal 175-grain full wadcutter, was also a hoot, and incredibly accurate. Talk about big, beautiful, perfectly round holes in paper!

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I once owned a mod 57 with 6" barrel, a great gun that shot straight and probably still does. If I still owned it I couldn't duplicate this target again, got bad eye sight and shaking hands. I had a friend spotting for me, a very reliable one at that. I was sitting down, leaning against a vehicle with arms braced against the inside of my knees.

 

[max]

I only shoot paper targets, so a cast swc over 7 grains of Unique is my favorite. I took it deer hunting 20 or so years ago and I loaded up some jhp's over 2400. Since the deer were absent that day, I still have them all.

 

[Iggy]

I used one grain less of 2400 than Elmer Keith did with a 210 JHP bullet as a duty round in a Model 58 for 13 years.

It did everything I needed.

 

[loc n load]

41 mag

I too, am a big fan of the 41 mag. I shoot it in everything from a 657 3" up to a super 14 in the T/C contender. All of the loads posted in the previous posts are good loads and ones that I have shot over the years. If I am brewing up a full throttle hunting load in my 6" or longer bl's, I will go with a 210 JHP or a cast 220 SWC over a charge of 2400, 296 or 4227.
If I am working with 4" or shorter bl's I will load a 220 gr SWC over 8 or 9 gr's of Unique. My everyday load in my 58 or 4" 57 is a 220 cast SWC over 8.5 gr's of Unique. I load the same thing for my 3" 657.
The 41 mag is a great round, can be loaded from end of the ballistic spectrum to the other with a variety of bullets which in my experience have always been accurate and effective for whatever application.
I recently acquired a full WC mold for the 41 and have cast a supply of HBWC's and solid's, am going to start them out with bullseye and go from there.

 

[SMSgt]

I haven't reloaded for the .41 in ages because the gun was stolen. I absolutely loved the round. I loaded Speer 220 grain jacketed SWCs over Blue Dot back when those bullets were available and before Blue Dot suddenly became a problem in the .41 Mag.

I'd love to run across another Blackhawk in .41 Mag. Awesome gun and round.

 

[colt_saa]

I LOVE 41 Magnum.

I own many firearms in this caliber. This old family photo has perhaps half of them in one image. The 6" Nickel in the lower left corner is the one that got me started back in 1980

Many thousands of 212 grain SWC have gone through them over 7 grains of Unique

I like the Remington 170 SJHP, but my supply is almost dry. 26.5 grains of H110 drives that projectile:
1284 FPS from a 4" 657
1418 FPS from a 6 1/2" 657 Classic Hunter
1568 FPS from a 8 3/8" 57
1863 FPS from a 10" T/C
2078 FPS from a 20" Marlin

210 XTP over 22 grains of H110:
1291 FPS from a 6 1/2" 657 PC Magnum Hunter
1321 FPS from a 6 1/2" 657 Classic Hunter
1340 FPS from a 6 1/2" 657 Classic Hunter II
1733 FPS from a 10" T/C

Just this week, I picked up a DW 357 Supermag with the intentions of converting it to 414 Supermag when I get some free time

I am also contemplating converting my stainless Marlin to a takedown

 

[just plain joe]

I have had good luck with 7.5 grains of Unique pushing a 210 jacketed bullet at about 900+ fps.

I have a model 58 which I use for plinking/practice. It is pleasant to shoot with this load. I have no need to shoot magnum velocities. This powder/bullet combination shoots poa/poi for me at 25 yards. YMMV.

Good luck with your Model 57.

JPJ

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Rim Rock makes a couple good cast SWC bullets that I like in the 41.

The 230gr (BHN:20) has a gas check & a little larger meplat but you can't beat the 240gr's (BHN:15) extra weight, flat base, & wider driving band.

The 240gr is longer (.803" vs .750" BOL) but the 230gr seats deeper (.445" vs .400" SD).

16gr/2400 in the 240gr is my regular load.

At 18gr/2400 it's getting some minor leading. (No limits on the 230gr. )

8.8gr/Power Pistol was very accurate with the 240gr. too.


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657-5 Classic Hunter

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[Sam Casey]

Anyone using the "coated" bullets offered by Bayou Bullets and others?

 

[gaijin]

My hunting load from a 657-4 MG (25 yds.)
1080 FPS.:

 

[emptypockets]

Sam Casey, I've been using coated bullets from Bayou Bullets for a few years. I really like them for my 41 magnum loads.

They're cleaner than lead and not much more in price. Donnie is a great guy to deal with and the whole bunch does a super job.

I wanted a good target load so I started at 8 grains of Unique and finally settled on 7 grains. Very easy to shoot but still has enough oomph to let you know you got a hold of something.

This is a very accurate load in my 58 even with me shooting it. Give Donnie a call and have him send you a sample I think you'll like them.

 

[m657]

My former gaggle of 41 mags has shriveled to a single 4" Mtn Gun 657. It gives accuracy most pleasing, with a variety of recipes of cast 210-220 SWC over anything that produces 950~1200 fps.

 

[336A]

Here is a good thread all about the .41 Magnum started by one of our very own. It contains a lot of useful information, and a lot of different loads too.

.41 magnum/special data center

I like to use a 215 grain SWC over 8 - 8.5 grains of Unique, or a H&G #258 Keith over 18.5gr of 2400. The beauty of these two loads is they both hit to the sights from my revolver. I would have never thought it until I tried it, but bumping up another .5 gr of 2400 with that Keith bullet is something to behold. Recoil and muzzle blast goes from manageable in my Ruger BH, to down right unpleasant. It will also loosen up the grip frame screws in fairly short order too.