I am a huge fan of the 41 mag. In my experience the factory 210 loads for the 41 out penetrate the 240's in the 44. The 41 is a significant step up the food chain ladder from the 357 and has a bit less recoil than the 44 mag without giing up much or anything in the field

The cartridge deserve to be more popular, so let's hear your experience with the 41, the forgotten magnum

I don't know that it is forgotten as much as it is never was, at least from a popularity standpoint. It's a great cartridge though for beginners or experienced shooters alike. The only downside is that finding factory ammo isn't quite as easy as it is with 44's. I've killed a few critters with one with a 150lb hog being the toughest.

I had a hankering for one and last fall I found a old model minted in 1972, just like me. The bluing is incredible on the gun and the action smooth. I honestly have only shot it a few times for maybe 200 rounds so far, but it is a gun that I need to spend more time with. I will soon..

I too am a big fan of the .41 magnum, but I don't want to join any .41 mag fan club.

One of the .41 Magnum's greatest attributes is the accuracy shown by most revolvers in that chambering. For the most part, that's because barrels and chamber mouths were originally conceived and engineered/manufactured to handle .410 bullets (or usually .411 for cast), instead of a range of .427-.432 or more for .44's and .451-.457 or more for .45's.
The 3 .41's I own are all superbly accurate, and the others I've owned over the years have been accurate as well.
My hunting with the cartridge has been limited, but I've taken deer, sheep, javelina, hogs and turkey with it. One 300 lb. (or so) boar travelled over 100 yards through thick south Texas brush country after a solid lung hit, and I was lucky that 3 of us found him, but all other kills have been quicker.
Although I like the .41 Mag., I will admit that I prefer the .44 Mag. or larger for animals in the deer, hog, black bear class ... just 'cause I want to.

I, too, am a 41 fan. I own 3 FA revolvers and one S&W M657 in 41 Mag. I have shot (and seen shot) numerous animals with 41s. Most were "deer sized" animals. In my experience the 41 performed well on these animals using 210 gr jacketed bullets. I am aware of one situation when an oryx was shot with a 41 using cast bullets. The first hit was not ideal and it took a total of six hits to finally kill the animal.

As has been stated above, my 41s are very accurate. The FA revolvers (one in particular) are the most accurate revolvers that I have fired.

I shoot the 41s a lot. They are my "fun" guns. My loads (with XTPs) are very accurate and pleasant to shoot. I have 44s and 454s that I use at times. However, the 41s are my favorites.

Nothing at all wrong with the .41. Only problem long ago was selection of boolits. Factory loads left out desired loads too. I think that today, it is a better choice then long ago. It does not deserve the bad things said about it. One was too much recoil---hey, get real.
Yet, if you look at molds for the caliber, it is still lacking. But you can buy loads that work.

I still have some 41 ammo and brass in hopes of getting another one one day--I sure like the 657 S&W

For many years now, I have preferred to use the Sierra 210 JHC bullets in my .41's. However, I've been unable to find any at the major "discount" houses like Midway for more than a year, with no backorder policies. Does anyone have a recent lead on where to buy them?

For 2 legged vermin I use the 170 Sierra JHC ran at 1536 FPS out of my 4" M-57.

The M-57 and M-657 and the 41 mag are a marriage made in Heaven

I picked up a Mod 97 FA in .41 Mag last year for Christmas (Thanks Honey!) and absolutely love the gun and cartridge...I had wanted one ever since shooting a 657 with the 8 3/8 inch barrel some years ago, but started the search in earnest late in 2009. Came real close to pulling the GunBroker trigger on a couple different 657's, but waited out a good deal on a FA. Wow - great gun, small frame, and incredibly accurate. Topped it with a 4X Leupold FX-II in the Lovell mount, and rides nicely in the Pistol Packaging Bandito.

I was backordered with the rest of the country on 210 XTP's until recently, so I had resorted to shooting factory Speer Gold Dot 210 GDHP's since my best intentions to have a load developed will have to be postponed until after season. The factory loads proved to be just what was needed last week, breaking the gun in right with a 220lb boar and mature SC doe. Gonna have a hard time carrying something else this year for those "100 yds and in stands"...

Congradulations on aquiring such an outstanding firearm..

How about a few more details on the fine trophys that you took with the 41 mag

JWP,

Just posted some less than stellar photos on the Bragging Board...better ones to come. I'll start a new post detailing the hunt, so as not to derail your post...