RELOADING FOR THE .41 REM MAG

[TEXVET]

I recently purchased a M57-1.
I reload for everything I shoot, including this new purchase. I am looking for some advice from other people who reload this round.
What seems to be a good load for punching holes in paper? That being said, I am not looking for some wimpy "cowboy action" load. I am looking for something that replicas a factory load and is safe to shoot in my M57.

This months American Handgunner has an article concerning the .41 Mag turning 50 years old. In this article, the author describes using 22 grains of IMR4227 and 220 grain LSWC bullets. He also says he usually drops back to 20 grains and the 220 grain LSWC bullet so he won't damage his S&W revolver. I have not found any other published reloading information on IMR4227 and the .41 mag.

Please take into consideration what powders are available these days. A favorite load using a powder such as Unique (for example) is not helpful due to the fact no one has seen Unique powder in a couple of years.
My favorite revolver to shoot is one my M29s. The load I reload for those guns approaches factory performance, so recoil is not an issue for me.
Thanks in advance.

 

[colt_saa]

I do not understand your inability to locate published data, you should be able to find loading data for the 41 Magnum in every single loading manual printed in the last 40+ years.

the load I have fired the most in my 41 Magnum over the last several decades has been a hard cast LSWC that drops from my mold at 212 grains. I load that over 7 grains of unique

I hear that you don't want load data for unique but that is what I use. I have never been out of unique in three+ decades of hand loading. I don't wait until I run out to see if there is more available. When I get down to three or four pounds I put 3 or 4 pounds on back order

if you tell us what powders you have available to do it would be much easier for us to give you the data that we use with those powders

 

[Doubless]

I have loaded a "pussycat" load of 8 grains of Hodgdon Universal Clays behind a 220-grain LSWC, but my all time favorite load is 21 grains of IMR 4227 behind the same bullet. ( I started with the Lyman 410459 projectile, but have gone to the Hensley and Gibbs #258.) FWIW, that was the load that Ken Waters suggested for the 41 Mag in his Pet Loads manual...

 

[TEXVET]

I did not say I couldn't find any reloading data for the .41 Rem Mag. I said I couldn't find any published loads using IMR 4227 powder.
I have about 5 lbs. of 4227 at the house. I use it for my .44 Rem Mag loads.

I have six reloading manual from various suppliers. Each manual has loads for the .41 Mag using various powders, but not for IMR 4227.
I was trying to verify the magazine article loads prior to loading up a bunch of bullets I might have to take apart in the future.
I currently have the following powders available Win. 231, Titegroup, IMR 4227, Bullseye, AutoComp, and two others I can't recall at the moment.
As far as Unique availability here in Texas, if you ask any gun store or other source that sells reloading supplies if they can get Unique powder, they all laugh.

I heard that 2400 was a good powder, but it was dirty. Just looking for some user input prior to buying another brand of powder.

 

[colt_saa]

Try the manufacturers website.

It took me 30 seconds to find roughly half a dozen loads for the 41 Magnum and 4227

As to Unique, stop going to corner gunstores and order it on-line. Put it on back order and be patient. In the past year I have probably received 3 or 4 pounds of it.

I do not shoot it up as fast as I used to since I switched many loads over to 231 during the past decade or so.

I LOVE 41 Magnums

 

[fredj338]

My revolvers all live on a steady diet of lead bullets. A 210-220gr LSWC over 8-9gr of Unique is a great do anything load. If you only have IMR4227, also works great, but only at the top end or you get incomplete powder burn. Just use starting jacketed data for a lead bullet & you should be good.

 

[Homie]

TEX,
In addition to all of the sources mentioned previously, try the LYMAN CAST BULLET HANDBOOK for 4227 data.

HANDLOADER magazine #285, August '13, had a good article on the .41 by Brian Pearce using other powders.

Taffin's loading data always seems to be in line with other published data.

I've used powders from Bullseye to H-110 in my .41s so I'm sure you'll find something that will work with what you've got in stock.

Good luck with your project- we need to keep the .41 Mag alive!

 

[TEXVET]

My local reloading store manufactures their own lead bullets, including the 215 grain hard cast LSWC for the .41 mag. It is your typical "Crayola tip" shape with one wax groove. I use their lead bullets in all of my range handguns. It is a very accurate round.

Yesterday I loaded fifty rounds of .41 mag using 19 grains of IMR 4227, Winchester Large Pistol primers, and the 215 grain lead bullet. I am now guessing this may be a little under powered and I am going to have the unburned powder issues mentioned above.

Oh well, that is what makes reloading fun.

By the way what website did you visit to get the multiple IMR 4227 listing for the .41 mag? The Dupont/Hodgon website only listed Trail Boss for the 215 grain LSWC bullet when I looked this morning.

 

[fredj338]

My local reloading store manufactures their own lead bullets, including the 215 grain hard cast LSWC for the .41 mag. It is your typical "Crayola tip" shape with one wax groove. I use their lead bullets in all of my range handguns. It is a very accurate round.

Yesterday I loaded fifty rounds of .41 mag using 19 grains of IMR 4227, Winchester Large Pistol primers, and the 215 grain lead bullet. I am now guessing this may be a little under powered and I am going to have the unburned powder issues mentioned above.

.

That load is actually pretty stout. Hornady shows 20.5 under a 210gr xtp as max. Lead bullets load a bit light than jacketed for sim pressures & vel.
Instead of just lading 50 & guessing, why not do correct load dev? Start 10% off max & load just 5rds in 3/10gr increments. Shoot them in order from a bench. Note accuracy, low or high pressures, your gun will tell you what it likes.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

41Mag & I4227

By the way what website did you visit to get the multiple IMR 4227 listing for the .41 mag? The Dupont/Hodgon website only listed Trail Boss for the 215 grain LSWC bullet when I looked this morning.

You are correct on that but Hodgdon also has very few listings of IMR4227 for any cartridge. They almost exclusively list it for H4227 though on their website, while I4227 is the only version I see available locally. They told me that while they are not the same powder you can use their data interchangably, just work up slowly (disappointing they can't list both if they're different).

I haven't tried I4227 in the 41Mag yet. I use 2400 & while it may be a little dirty when downloaded, with cast bullets, it burns fine at higher levels.

.

 

[bob2231]

Let me know if you need another set of dies.

 

[max]

You could try 7 to 8 grains of 231 with a cast bullet. I can't imagine loading the 41 without Unique, so keep your eyes open and hopefully some will eventually show up. 2400 is for top end loads and I seldom use it. I have been loading for the 41 for 40 years or so.

 

[bob2231]

Go to Hodgdon's site,put in your cal. and projectile,or pick "use all" for proj,"use all" for powder,and "use all" for manufacturer.
It's going to give you a couple dozen different loads.
Set your sights on pistol reloading data | Hodgdon Reloading

 

[Jellybean]

Lyman Cast bullet manual, third edition, lists load data for their 215 gr. LSWC, no. 410610, using IMR4227.

Start 14.9 grs @ 20,100 C.U.P. to Max 19.2 grs. @ 35,000 C.U.P. at an OAL of 1.575"

My favorite hole punching load for that bullet is 4.0 grains of Bullseye, but be very careful you don't double charge a case.

 

[TEXVET]

I have a few pounds of 231. I load my .45 ACP loads with 5.6 grs. of 231 and a 200 gr. LSWC bullet. Very accurate load.
I have tried 231 in some of my other revolver loads and found it produces quite a bit of smoke from a 4" or 6" barrel. It does not do this in my .45 ACP loads. I assume this is due to the .45 ACP being a smaller volume case with much less pressure.
These smoky loads sure don't help in the "making friends department" at the range.

 

[max]

The "smoke" is almost always from the bullet lube, not the powder.

 

[.41 cal]

Tried out 4 new loads this weekend out of my 6"M57

12.5g Accurate #7 Berry's 210g FP - 1054 FPS
12.8g Accurate #7 Berry's 210g FP - 1097 FPS

And some magnum loads with VV N-110
170g Sierra JHP Fed LPMM primer 22.5g N110 - 1467 FPS
210g Nosler JHP Fed LPMM primer 19g N110 - 1217 FPS

All loads were very accurate

.41 cal

 

[RalphK22]

19 grs 2400 under Sierra or Nosler 210 gr JHP has always work well for me in Smiths and Rugers.

I had a load for Win. 231 that shoot well and seemed milder. I will see if I can find it if you like.

 

[TEXVET]

I loaded up three different loads for my .41 mag Friday. My favorite of the bunch was 16 grs of 2400 driving a Barry's 210 gr. plated flat nosed bullet.
The M57 was very accurate and consistent with this 2400 load. The load sounded worse than it felt, but you still had to pay attention. I didn't find the load to be excessively dirty as had been predicted by others.
Another thing I learned was I prefer shooting my M57 rather than my M58. I am not a big fan of the frame and stocks on the M58.

 

[m657]

TEXVET:

for general plinking I've come to favor recipes that drive my M57 cast loads at something under 1200 fps for range steel and paper targets. The powders I've used don't really seem to make all that much difference as long as FPS are in the 1100-1200 range for 210-220g cast lead persuasion.

Some day I'll work up a hunting load for this fine revolver, as it's as accurate as one could hope to find.

I've winnowed all my 41 mags down to this one S&W Mountain gun. It even likes Trail Boss despite the very soft recoil.

I've used all those powders you mention except 4227. Not sure which serves the purpose best.