41 magnum, why?

I can load .41 Magnum for about the same price as .357 Magnum, or even my 6.5 Grendel rifle. It comes out to about $.90/round if you use new brass, so that cost per round drops with every re-use of the brass. This is also factored using premium bullets, in my case Hornady XTP 210 grain for the .41. If anybody is interested in the parts breakdown, here ya go:
New Starline brass case, $.29 when bought in a lot of 500
Hornady 210 grain XTP, $.27 each from a box of 100
20-ish grains of H110, $.06 from an 8 lb container
Federal 150 primer, $.30 from a lot of 1000

Total per round, $.92

Depending on where you buy materials you might do better than that.

bangswitch said:

I can load .41 Magnum for about the same price as .357 Magnum, or even my 6.5 Grendel rifle. It comes out to about $.90/round if you use new brass, so that cost per round drops with every re-use of the brass. This is also factored using premium bullets, in my case Hornady XTP 210 grain for the .41. If anybody is interested in the parts breakdown, here ya go:
New Starline brass case, $.29 when bought in a lot of 500
Hornady 210 grain XTP, $.27 each from a box of 100
20-ish grains of H110, $.06 from an 8 lb container
Federal 150 primer, $.30 from a lot of 1000

Total per round, $.92

Depending on where you buy materials you might do better than that.

Click to expand...

I think you may have your decimal point in the wrong spot for the cost of your primers. I have a Blackhawk in 41 and love it. It was given to be by my father who originally had it for handguning pigs when he was stationed on Guam. I think he may have had it because he enjoys the less common calibers. I’m casting 210 and 240 grain bullets from range scrap so my loading cost is much lower yours.If i were to be using new starline brass they would run about .33 per round. With once fired brass it’s costing just over .06 per round which is right at $3 per box of 50. Cheaper that .22!
I’ve not tried the xtp but have heard good things. The only jacketed bullet I’ve messed with has been the Speer deep curls, good bullet but once I found good loads for my cast bullets it’s hard to shell out the money for them.
41 magnum is a caster and reloaders dream

First post thanks for all the great reading so far.

Ive never shot either but I do shoot stout loads in my lightweight 6-inch 357 Target Bulldog one-handed. I'd be curious how that same approach would feel in the 41 and then the 44. Ultimately I feel that a caliber should be useful, not just a range toy. (Agree with that followup post by Antihero). I often carry my 357's for the explicit purpose of hiking in bear country. If taken by surprise i know i can aim and shoot fairly well, onehanded. Obviously there'd be a rule of diminishing returns in accuracy moving up through they magnum calibers...and an increase in stopping power IF you hit something. So where is the sweet spot for my situation where I may meet a 500lb black bear? I often wonder the same stuff as the OP discusses. I dont think I need a 44, and probably wouldnt be able to shoot it offhand with anywhere near the accuracy that I could with my Target Bulldog 357. But a 41 mag? The thought has crossed my mind alot. And no, I dont mind being different either if there's a benefit that helps ME achieve what I want to do.

I think someone who wants to go with 41mag ought to be prepared to commit himself to some reloading, is all. Otherwise go 44. I'd be very curious to try 41 next to 357 in very similar guns.

Barbaroja said:

I think you may have your decimal point in the wrong spot for the cost of your primers. I have a Blackhawk in 41 and love it. It was given to be by my father who originally had it for handguning pigs when he was stationed on Guam. I think he may have had it because he enjoys the less common calibers. I’m casting 210 and 240 grain bullets from range scrap so my loading cost is much lower yours.If i were to be using new starline brass they would run about .33 per round. With once fired brass it’s costing just over .06 per round which is right at $3 per box of 50. Cheaper that .22!
I’ve not tried the xtp but have heard good things. The only jacketed bullet I’ve messed with has been the Speer deep curls, good bullet but once I found good loads for my cast bullets it’s hard to shell out the money for them.
41 magnum is a caster and reloaders dream

First post thanks for all the great reading so far.

Click to expand...

Yep, if he’s paying 30 cents a piece for primers he’s getting snookered. I have not payed more than 2 1/2 cents yet. I’m sure I’ll have to someday, but not yet.

My 30 year old pachmayr presentation grips on my Blackhawk are cracking down the backstrap. Thinking of replacing with some nice hardwood. Any recommendations?

Barbaroja said:

My 30 year old pachmayr presentation grips on my Blackhawk are cracking down the backstrap. Thinking of replacing with some nice hardwood. Any recommendations?

Click to expand...

If it's a shooter... I'd stick with the Pachys. I had a set of beautiful Hogue monogrips on my 686 .357... those things, with the exposed backstrap, were merciless. Same same with my N-frames... they show in wood, but they go to the range with rubber.

Barbaroja said:

I think you may have your decimal point in the wrong spot for the cost of your primers.

Click to expand...

LOLBELL said:

Yep, if he’s paying 30 cents a piece for primers he’s getting snookered. I have not payed more than 2 1/2 cents yet. I’m sure I’ll have to someday, but not yet.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I need some remedial math courses, get Jethro to help me bone up on the naughts and such . Maybe next time I'll take off my shoes and socks to give me more digits to count with.

The good news is, it decreases the cost per round to reload by about $.27, to $.65 each

bangswitch said:

Yeah, I need some remedial math courses, get Jethro to help me bone up on the naughts and such . Maybe next time I'll take off my shoes and socks to give me more digits to count with.

The good news is, it decreases the cost per round to reload by about $.27, to $.65 each

Click to expand...

I fully understand, it’s getting to the point I can’t do simple math with out a calculator. If I have to do some of those “times” or “goesintas” a calculator doesn’t even help much.

I bought my first .41 mag from a co-worker with 300 rounds of ammo 35ish years ago. I fell in love with the round. I have reloaded and cast for it for the past 30 years. I own 2 blackhawks, 657, 57 Mountain gun, a plain old 57, & a Dan Wesson with 3 barrels. I also had to add the Henry lever because the Marlin is unobtainium. All of the revolvers are very consistent and accurate. I enjoy shooting the .41 much more than the .44. I still have some 44 mags, but they don't come out of the safe much.

ditmo said:

I also had to add the Henry lever because the Marlin is unobtainium.

Click to expand...

I was lucky... I searched for an original Marlin 1894C in .41 for about 10 years, then I found out they were reissuing them as the FG... and I couldn't get my wallet out of my pocket fast enough! I've actually converted my FG over to a straight lever (like the C...) and it gets shot pretty regularly... it's a keeper. I'm amazed at the insane prices they are asking for just the plain vanilla FG's, let alone the LTD's; I'm not a big fan of the Henry, but you takes what you can gets!

I'm new to the forums and I have been going through all the revolver posts first. I discovered this forum when Google searching the Ruger Bisley Blackhawk in 41 Magnum. In my 68 years of existence I have never owned a 41 Mag but I have had quite a few 357 and 44 Mags so this will be my first 41 Mag. Before buying the revolver I checked ammo availability and SGAmmo had plenty. Can't wait to give the 41 a try.

Oh my. That's a FLUTED .41 Bisley. Pretty rare 1st model. I have one too. The thing is a complete tackdriver. I have been handloading the .41 since 1988. It is my favorite revolver cartridge. I have handloads with enough power to reach out and knock a 40 lb. steel ram off its stand from 200 yards but won't stress your wrist at all in that Bisley. I can shoot it all day. The .41 shoots considerably flatter than a .44. I started shooting .41 with a standard Blackhawk but I find the Bisley MUCH more user friendly.

Due tell! I ordered my die set for the 41 today. I'm interested in shooting lighter loads to preserve what's left of my old hands. Any suggestions whould be appreciated.

Using the generic 215grn cast SWC bullet, 8 to 9grn Unique is a standard load. You can adjust the powder to suit the power and recoil you desire. That load also works with many jacketed bullets, too.

7.2 of universal under a 215gn cast swc is a personal favorite. 4.5gn of clays is a really light load but also quite accurate in my blackhawk and great fun to shoot.

On a side note I love going into gun stores these days and seeing that 41 mag is the only pistol ammo on the shelf. I don’t buy factory ammo but it warms my heart to see my favorite is still on the shelf.

That happened to me, too. I cruised through a LGS (looking for a can of TAC, left empty handed...) and the pistol ammo shelves were bare... save for a single box of Buffalo Bore .41MAG ammos.

Atrox88 said:

Due tell! I ordered my die set for the 41 today. I'm interested in shooting lighter loads to preserve what's left of my old hands. Any suggestions whould be appreciated.

Click to expand...

Atrox88, Lot of good information on 41 Mag in this thread: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/41-mag-association.599046/