Make the .41 Special

[David LaPell]

I wish Smith would make a dedicated .41 Special revolver. Take a k or L frame gun, make it just able to handle the .41 Special, and lobby the ammo makers to come up with the loads for it around 900-950 fps for a 210 grain bullet. It will do two things, give people a great carry gun, and give shooters something mild to shoot in their .41 Magnums.

 

[tekarra]

Sounds like a good idea.

 

[Sputnik]

The .41 should fit in the L frame. Would have been just the ticket for a Police side arm if they had made it back in 1963. The N frame was just too big. I dont see a very large market for a .41spl today. The CAS guys might like it though.

 

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

Sort of like a 41 version of the 396.
I have a 396 and love it. Would buy another one with out hesitation.

A version of the 396 in 41 special would be a great carry gun. If Hawaii had CCW.

 

[S/W - Lifer]

We could be half-way home on this idea if Remington would just bring back the .41 police load. It was a 210 gr. lead SWC at 900 FPS.

There are times - and there are some guns - when the fully loaded .41 Magnum is just too much of a good thing.

 

[n4zov]

I think the market for the .41 Special would be very limited, and I cannot imagine S&W or any other manufacturer investing in it.

 

[Jeb Stonewall]

Be a nice load for self defence.
But I doubt anyone would come out with a new SD round for a revolver!
Everyone seems to (need) a semi auto now days for SD!

 

[clang444]

Why not just buy one of the 646 revolvers S&W made in .40S&W a few years ago? You can come up with .41 special type loads and get the benefit of moon clips.

 

[Combat_Diver]

Stonewall,

They did come out with a new revolver cartridge for self defensive last year.

.327 Federal Magnum!

CD-diehard .41 fan

 

[BlindJustice]

It has been made.... just give Hamilton Bowne a gun to get yours.

http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt41spec.htm

Google is your friend

Randall

 

[winshooter]

I would buy a .41 Special on a K frame in a heart beat if they would offer it. Maybe a special run by Lipsey's could be done. Lipsey's just came out with .44 Special on the Ruger medium Blackhawk frame in two barrel lengths. It could be done if enough of us send in requests to some of the big distributors.

Mike

 

[BlindJustice]

Heck S&W hasn't even make an L-frame 10MM Auto/.40 S&W - full moon clips of course. A .41 Special on a K-frame = Never Happen even if the cartridge went commercial.

A realistic IMO

Randall

 

[Doug M.]

I have a vague recollection that the 646 is an L frame 40, six shot, with moon clips. Not a common gun at all, too; I think that there were 2 variants, but that's not a piece of information I need. I'll bet someone will know, though.

As for the .41 special, it will never happen. There is not enough demand, and it is generally a solution in search of a problem. The hand loaders can get there with light .41 magnums, and both the .44 special and .45ACP/AR can do that job. If you want a light 5 shot gun in that mid range, I suspect that you are SOL except for the 296/396 line. I am not inclined to a 5 shot revolver for serious use except in the limited circumstances below.

I have a 296 for that limited use, but generally restrict it to my dog walking/fanny pack assignment. It is a very narrow niche for me. For any other serious use, I tend to a 9-10 shot small mid-bore auto, my 9mm Wilson KZ (16+1) or my duty 1911. That 9mm Wilson, although full size, is pretty light weight and pleasant to shoot.

 

[Slick Rick]

David, I shoot .41 Mag, and I also reload it, I have to say that there are light loads that make it very comfortable to shoot, I guess it all depends on what gun is used, I found it to have less recoil than my .357 Magnum loads especially when I load 158 gr HPs they kick like an angry mule, try a 210gr bullet preferably a Hornady XTP HP over 11.2 grains of IMR Hi-Skor 800X that load is not too bad a kicker, I just want the .41 Mags to continue being mfd so that us fans of .41 special will have platform to work with!

 

[MADISON]

If S&W would make a .41 Special revolver in 3 inch it might save the .41 Special/Magnum.

The thing that killed the .41 Magnum, for police duty was the ammo. The "Old Police Load" of 8.0 grains of UNIQUE behind a 210 gr cast bullet did not exist. A full charge HUNTING LOAD was to much for the officers to handle.

 

[ddixie884]

I loaded some .41 spl this week on some .41 mag Redding dies I got in the mail on saturday. It was a 4 die carbide set and performed all operations with great precision, including a final sizing, and beautiful roll crimp. I fired some thru my 3in 686 clements conversion, and was struck by a thought that the perfect .41 spl conversion, or factory model would be a 4in mountain gun on an L frame. I can almost see it, especially when I look on Alpha Precision's web sight and see the one he did in .44 spl using a 696 cylinder. Check it out.

Reed's Ammunition & Research, Oklahoma City is loading & selling .41spl for those who don't load or would like to try a few.

 

[thomashoward]

I loaded some .41 spl this week on some .41 mag Redding dies I got in the mail on saturday. It was a 4 die carbide set and performed all operations with great precision, including a final sizing, and beautiful roll crimp. I fired some thru my 3in 686 clements conversion, and was struck by a thought that the perfect .41 spl conversion, or factory model would be a 4in mountain gun on an L frame. I can almost see it, especially when I look on Alpha Precision's web sight and see the one he did in .44 spl using a 696 cylinder. Check it out.

Reed's Ammunition & Research, Oklahoma City is loading & selling .41spl for those who don't load or would like to try a few.

I have some loaded up but have not been to the range yet. What is your velocity? Powder? I'm using Unique at this time. I roll crimped with a RCBS die they made for me.
I've also talked with Clements and Bowen about converting a GP100 .357 to .41

 

[ddixie884]

I'm using new Unique, and Universal. Don't have a chrony. This is the first I have used Universal, and I think I like it. Is clements working on DA Rugers, now? He had stopped working on anything but S&W N-frames, Ruger single actions, and Marlin lever actions. I am very pleased with my 686 in .41 spl he did for me. I recommend his work, HIGHLY. I hope you decide to have one built. The more .41spl guns there are, the more likely it will become a factory offering, like the 25-06.

 

[epj]

Is your 686 conversion 5 or 6 shot? Got pics?

 

[ddixie884]

Six shot, A 5 would be a lot more expensive.