Every so often its nice to see how many members use the 41 Mag for hunting and if there are any new 41 users. My three- top to bottom: S&W 657 w/S&W scope mount and rings.
S&W 57/58 with four inch barrel
Freedom Arms m-83 with 10" barrel. This gun is the most accurate 100 yard revolver I`ve shot...

one of my favorites to hunt with. I have a blackhawk converted to bisley and a redhawk that needs some work. with 210 xtps, it is death to deer.

Love the 41s. My 2nd magnum gun was a Ruger Blackhawk 41 Mag., 4 5/8". Since then, many have come, few have gone. The stable includes FA 83, several Dan Wessons, Ruger Blackhawks, Bisleys, Hunters, Redhawks, about 9 S&Ws 57s, 58s, 657s, and 357 ( the model, not the caliber )Scandium PDs, and several T/C Contender barrel, 10", 14". Hunted with them off and on.

Doc

as to .41s 6''DWA, Tracker 4'' .410 Redhawk 5.5''
9''TC .41 have taken deer, yotes and one euro boar 280#
Have owned a .454, .44 mag, .45 Colt, but went back and stayed with the .41
like Doc have had a 4''57. 4-5 different blackhawks. 6'' and 8 3/8'', 3'' round butt S&W 57s

eventually I'll have a .41,...I was gonna buy one in the mid eighties and after looking at the few components for handloading for it as compared to the .44, I went ahead and bought the Redhawk .44 magnum,plenty of components,...Dick Metcalf was who I really looked up to in those days and that was one of his favorites(.41)

My first handgun deer kill was with a 4 inch S&W M57. My 6 inch M57 is my favorite revolver.

I owned a .41 mag in a 10" contender. Liked it but it was not a 44 and hard to find components for reloading. It was more gentle to shoot than a 44 and had lots more energy than my 357's. I know that there are followers, just like the Hi-power followers. A few years ago, I decided that I had too many rifles and pistols that did the same thing, so I traded and sold some and my .41 was one of them. Now that I am older, probably should get a .41 and unload my .44's because i shake my wrist with most every shot of the mighty 44.

Love my M97 in .41 Mag...







Deer and hogs hate it.

I have always said is the most versitile of the .41, .44 mag and .45 Colt. Your 57 4" looks like the one I cut my teeth on. reflex264

I love the 41. Personally, I can't tell the difference in the recoil of a properly loaded 41s and 44s. The advantage goes to the 44 with heavier slugs I guess but I found that 265s in my 41 were just awesome. On the other hand, the 41 has typically been more accurate out of the box than the 44 for me. I don't know if its just lucky for me or maybe the fact that the barrel/cylinder dimensions have always been pretty much spot on for the 41s. The only 41 I ever had with tight cylinder throats was a M58. GREAT guns!!

This was LABRAT's first handgun deer taken with his .41 MAG

Flex,

Not a bad way for your boy to break that one in!

My 41 stable includes a M57 (4"), M657, 2 FA M83s, and a FA M97. I agree with some of the above observations, that the my FA 41s are the most accurate revolvers that I own.

Yep I hunted for years before I even saw a buck that nice!

The performance of the S&W 57 using 175 grain Silvertips always made a great deer and longrange target gun with 215 SWCs cast with wheelweights. In a six inch it just seems to effortlessly hang on the deer.

My 41 hunter was my first ruger single action it really opened my eyes about revolvers 100 yds shots no problem, I've since added 5 more 2-45's a 22 hunter a shopkeeper &sp 101 327 and I still look everyday.

I have only taken 5 animals with a .41 mag. (three bucks and two does) and all were from a 9" MGM Contender using a 210 grain Remington JSP/296 handload:




I have since added a couple of .41 Mag revolvers to the fold, a 7.5" Redhawk:

and a 7.5" S&W 657:


I have yet to take an animal with one of the 41 Mag revolvers...hopefully that will change.

Dang Darrell! Those are great 41 trophys. I never did kill a buck with the 41s. Just does and pigs. A really fast 210 makes a mess out of Dillos and other small vermin though

I lusted after one when they first hit the market but, never got close till about 7-8 years back. Wouldn't be without one now.
This one has been with me for close to a decade

Just got this one

Steve

Nice collection, James.

Nice, Darrell.

And the rest!

I'm looking into the 41 myself. Are the reloading components easier to come by these days? Of course I'm not talking about the whole government BS. I mean will I have difficulty getting enough stuff to work up a hunting load for deer sized game?

I just shot my second with my 41 bisley yesterday afternoon. The doe yesterday and the buck last year both went down after a quick 40 yard dash with a hole in their heart. I don't load too hot (~1,200 fps) but those xtp's still break shoulders and pass on through. Very accurate load with 2400 or 296. (2400 is a little better in mine.) YMMV.

I'd recommend it over the 44 or 45 for deer. A little less recoil than the 44, flatter shooting, and just as accurate as any 44 I've had. As you say though, getting bullets for it has been a bear lately. To make it worse for me, my bisley doesn't shoot worth a darn with any cast bullets I've tried. LOVES xtp's though so I guess I'm ok.

Starline reports mid-December brass available. Hope so!

I had no luck with XTPs. They provided great accuracy when loaded hot (~1,500 fps) but that is just above the engineered specs for functional velocity. At that velocity, I found terminal performance to be lacking on game. In the end I switched to a 250 grain WFNGC bullet at 1300 fps. This small 4x4 Colorado mulie was the result of that effort during a DIY public land hunt during the fall of 2013.

The shot was taken at 65 yards seated.

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First handgun buck taken with Clements custom 41 5 1/2" Blackhawk and Speer 220 half jacket. Sorry for the poor picture quality it was pre digital.

I just acquired my first 41 Maggie. It's a 3 screw Blackhawk with 6.5" barrel...

Just got my second 41 Mag. Had a Ruger Hunter w/scope but was talked out of it by a friend a few years back. Now i have this Ruger Blackhawk. Great trigger and will see which ammo it likes. I have a bunch of 210 Cast bullets over H110 and some XTP's over H110. Also I got a bunch of Winchester Silver tip factory loads and some Speer Deep Curl Factory loads with the pistol. Maybe it will shoot one of them.
Can't wait to try it on some hogs or deer.
Mike

My 41 bisley is probably my favorite

My recently departed father started my obsession with .41 caliber guns for my 16th birthday. That was a new 8 3/8" Mdl 57, which has taken a number of animals and has been a great companion all these years. The last 30 years have seen my collection of .41 caliber grow to the following:
Mdl 57, Mdl 58, Fluted Bisley Blue, SS Bisley, SS Redhawk, SS Dan Wesson, S&W Night Guard, NM Flat-top Blackhawk, Blackhawk, .41 GNR Blackhawk, .41 Special Bowen conversion on 686 Mountain Gun, .414 SuperMag Bowen conversion on Ruger Maximum, Marlin .41 levergun, Encore .414 SuperMag carbine.

I've been very impressed with Barnes 180's and Cast Performance 255 WFNGC's for hunting.

I'm biased, but I only own two .44 Mag's. My fathers Super Blackhawk and a Ruger 77/44. I only have three .357's, my father's Blackhawk, and two more 586's destined for .41 Special conversion. Admittedly, I've a bunch of other calibers of handguns, but I love the .41 caliber and see little reason to complicate my life. The .41 does it all for me.

MadBadger