powder for a .41 magnum

[Skip Sackett]

Right now I'm just loading plinking rounds. Some 200 grain cast bullets on top of 8.0 grains of Unique. I figure pretty soon I'll be loading heavier loads, so I'm just making sure I have all my ducks in a row and don't spend 30 bucks for a pound of powder that throws me +/- .5 gr differences.

Good. That Unique load is good for around 1000fps maybe more, depending on barrel length. A nice everyday use load, nothing wrong with that.

Certainly, if you want to stay in that ballpark, there are a LOT of powders that can get you there.

1400-1500fps is doable with H110/W296 and a 210gr XTP. Hodgdon says that out of a 10" barrel, their load went to 1631fps! So, with a normal size barrel, you could expect the above.

All of the magnum powders, with the exception of H4227 are going to meter like water. It is a stick powder and might not flow so well through some powder measures. It is a good powder for magnum loads though......

Hope this helps.

 

[Boxhead]

Titegroup on the low end and Lil'Gun at the top.

 

[Nevada Ed]

IMR 4227 is a small grain powder that meters very well do to its very small size.................for the slowest of the powders.

 

[djml66]

metering with Unique....

Hey everybody, got another question for you. I'm loading for my .41 magnum and I've noticed that my powder measure doesn't really throw Unique very well. Probably because the powder is flaky, but I was just wondering if there was a powder that worked well for the .41 that's round(ish) enough to meter well in a measure.

I like unique's wide range of application so much, I just gave up and went with an RCBS digital scale and thrower. I use Unique for over 90% of all loads, so I just keep my thrower full of it. On the few high power loads with h110/w296/2400, I just bite my tongue and trickle a load in another digital scale. I only use full power magnum loads in carbines anyhow--my arthritis makes my handguns not much fun with a heavy load. I can get plenty of "thump" from a unique load....

 

[Doubless]

Accurate #5 for mid-range (one grain slower than Unique, but meters like water) and IMR 4227 for full tilt. It won't be as fast as H110, but your hands will thank you for that.

 

[flintsghost]

If your powder measure doesn't meter Unique well then try a different measure. My Uniflow which I've had since the late 60's, and the measures on my Dillon 550 both seem to have no trouble with it. Unique is the best powder for lead loads in 41 and 44 mags.

 

[Drm50]

If your powder measure doesn't meter Unique well then try a different measure. My Uniflow which I've had since the late 60's, and the measures on my Dillon 550 both seem to have no trouble with it. Unique is the best powder for lead loads in 41 and 44 mags.

I'm in the same boat with 41 & 44mg. Unique for cast, 2400 for
magnum jacketed. Just got a 44 mg carbine on trade that came
with all the fixens. Previous owner had been using H-110. Since
I got it with rifle, going to give it a go. He claimed H-110 is better
powder for the lighter bullets at max. loads. Having not shot a
lot of light bullets in 44mg, he might be right. None of these
powders have given me metering problems, thru various brands
of measures.

 

[cowboy4evr]

Unique is a fine powder for many applications -- when you can find it ? In the last 8 yrs I have only seen it twice . Soooo I switched to Winchester Super Field . It's just a tad slower burn rate than unique , meters well , is accurate and yes it burns very clean . Load data for it is a little thin so I start off with unique load data , go from there .
I have started really liking Accurate Arms Powder and Ramshot . Western Powder co has great load data , if you have a question they are very helpful on the phone . Unlike some of the bigger co's here .
So far I have used Accurate #2 , 5 , & 9 and NO disappointments -at all . I made up some 41 special loads using 41special brass from Starline using #5 under the Lee TL-41-210 cast bullet . Went to the range and really had some fun . That load , along with my load using Winchester Super Target were the 2 most accurate loads .
I'm a real 41 mag person , along with my sister . " If we could only have one gun , make it a 41" .

 

[Qc Pistolero]

IMR 4227 is a small grain powder that meters very well do to its very small size.................for the slowest of the powders.

I use both H110 and IMR 4227.Both are accurate but 4227 is more comfortable to shoot;more like a shuv compared to the kick of H110.That goes for the other 2 magnums too.And use mag primer in both cases.
Qc