The .41 mag has proven to be a most useful cartridge to me for handgun hunting....It seems that no matter what make of handgun your shooting, the 41 is accurate...I`ve been told that a big reason for the accuracy is that from the beginning the bore dimensions have been the same .410" for every maker with no variation as with other calibers.. My 7 1/2" S&W, with or without scope, puts those 210 gr. bullets on target every time... A big plus for me is how much easier this caliber is to shoot when compared with 44mag or bigger cartridges... Then when I add a hot handload to my scoped Freedom Arms model 83, I can expect almost rifle like accuracy... All in all I find that the .41mag is an almost perfect caliber for most of the handgun hunting that can be found across North America....

Nice write up and nice pig. I've been eyeballing the .41 for quite some time now. I have a .44 and 10mm, so this would fit nicely right between.

Randy

I tend to agree. I have several guns to choose from but its hard not to pick up the bisley hunter .41.

People are quick to say that the .41 sits between the .357 and .44 magnum in power, but that just isn't true. Hornaday's factory 210xtp load generates a little more than 100 foot pounds of kinetic energy more than their factory 240 grain .44 magnum load. The same is true of Remington's loadings. While I will admit that the .44 has more pure power potential when you get into heavier bullets, the .41 is right there with until you get above about 250 grain projectiles. In a world without big bears (Texas) I feel like there isn't anything anybody can do with a .44 that can't be done with the .41.

I don't think looking at muzzle energy figures does any cartridge justice. It's calculated and not measurable and frankly a poor measure of lethality. The .41 has proven time and again, that when loaded properly, if is one fine animal killing machine!

I had, at one time a Blackhawk in .41 magnum. Got rid of it because I "had to have" a .44 magnum. Well, now that I have 2 .44's, among other calibers a .41 is always in the back of my mind should the right one come along at the right time. If only I had known then............

The .41 Mag is my favorite revolver cartridge. I own three, a 4 5/8" Blackhawk, a S&W 57 6" and a Super Redhawk .41. There's just something about the .41 I've always liked.

I love my Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter... I wouldn't trade it for a truck load of 44's. Such a killer and very sweet to shoot!

Hoping to bloody my late grandfather's 41 Magnum Blackhawk this year.

If you've got a 44 you really don't need a 41 but need never has anything to do with it when it comes to guys & handguns. The 41 trails the 44 a bit in versatility but not in accuracy & only a little with 250 gr bullets. Go above 250's & the 44 rules.
Never kept track but I've probably taken just as much game with my 41's as I have with my 44's.
I could easily spend the rest of my life with my 5 1/2" 41 Bisley & never have any regrets. And if I had to use one load it would be 17 grs of 2400 with a 250 gr LBT & I'd eat backstraps til the day I died.

Dick

Best to just get both of them. Love them both.

For a good many years a pair of 41's were my only centerfire revolvers. One 6.5 inch Blackhawk and the other a 4 inch S&W 57. Man, I regret trading off that 57. My current 41 is a Ruger Bisley. All have been accurate and easy to load for.

My first several years in Alaska, the 6.5" BH was my only centerfire revolver and I carried it everywhere. I kept it stoked with 280 grain WLN bullets from an LBT mold cast of 50/50 WW/lino. I've never felt under gunned with a 41 magnum.

Great review of the round James!

I wish we had more options on jacketed bullet weights for hand loading. I think expanding bullets of 225-240grs would have their uses.

Reeds ammo in Oaklahoma City has heavy jacketed bullets available.

http://shop.reedsammo.com/Jacketed-Specialty-Bullets_c330.htm
Thanks for the info.

You are correct, the 41 magnum is lacking when it comes to a good line of heavy jacketed slugs compared to the 44 or 45.

Dick

I`ve found the 41 mag is a better cartridge cartridge for the strength of the S&W N frame then the 44....

James, you just nailed it!!

Dick

Thanks to Dick Thompson -- I'm in the .41 Mag. fan club.

Speaking of.....I just loaded up some of Dick's PC 230gr .41 Keith's. I've got an OM Ruger project in the works that these will be feed to. Couldn't find much load data for that bullet so figured I'd start off with 8.5 grs of Unique and see what happens.

Dick is a good enabler!

Well I just got the fever. Been looking at new Blackhawks and Blackhawk Bisleys in 41 Mag and 45 Colt for a few weeks now plus a couple of other interesting used revolvers around the shops.

Was a 41 Mag 3 screw with conversion on another site, 6 1/2" barrel and pretty clean for a near 50 year old gun.

Kicked it around for a week since it was blued and had a longer barrel than I was really wanting but I just couldn't resist any longer, especially at the price so I talked with the seller today and it will be on its way from Texas to Missouri next week.

Now what to load in it. Cannot decide whether to get a box or 2 of factory fodder before it gets here or just order up some dies and component and roll a few of my own.

Guess I will see what all of this 41 mag talk is about!!

Given the cost of factory fodder, dies pay for themselves pretty quick.

Congrat's on the new to you toy.

I've owned some type of 41 magnum since the late 60's & I've yet to see one that didn't shoot great with just about anything you fed it, you can't say that about a lot of calibers. What it lacked for so many years was a little heavier bullet.
It seems like in the last 10-15 years more people have lined up in the 41 "corner" I can't really say why but it seems to kill deer a little quicker than the 44 & that doesn't make sense when you compare the two. there's only a fraction of a difference but that fraction goes in favor of the 44 yet I've killed deer for almost 50 years with both & I swear a slight edge seems to go to the 41, go figure! I've heard the same thing from other 41 shooters & maybe we're just over thinking it, don't have the answer. I'll report back in about 2 weeks though with more solid evidence.
Watch for some interesting write ups from guys using the 41 in coming months, it's hotter than ever.

Dick

Yes they do but right now I will have to drop around $100 buck to get a start. Will probably go the reload route since that Hazmat fee to ship ammo is a ripoff.

There shouldn't be a hazmat on ammo. You can ship ammo yourself and there is no hazmat. It does get costly though as USPS dosn't allow it and UPS or FedEx ground can be rather expensive to the average Joe. I once checked into shipping a single box of 22 Hornet and it would have cost almost as much as the ammo itself. I have ordered 22LR from Midway and it isn't too bad but I also order a bunch of other stuff at the same time.

For some reason I was thinking there was a fee for ammo, primers, and powder.

Primers and powder, yes, and that is a rip off. They don't treat that package any different than any other. It's just another gotcha fee.

Goes to show you that I have never bought any of the above by mail order.

So I guess the ammo they ship doesn't contain primers or powder????? Glad I never bought any ammo then.

I think that is true, the 41 seems to be the sweet spot for that frame.