.41 Mag Association

Nice looking gun...you sure the rib is silver soldered on? That should be a Pachmayer rib and as I recall they were glued on...

RJM52 said:

Nice looking gun...you sure the rib is silver soldered on? That should be a Pachmayer rib and as I recall they were glued on...

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What type of glue? I've asked around looking for knowledge of these vent rib add-on's, but nobody seems to know much about them. I've closely examined the revolver under 10X magnification, and used a fine dental pick along the seam between the rib and the barrel ridge. What I found was something slightly 'rubber-like', it gave when I poked the dental pick at it. I was told my my local LGS (who didn't know anything about the rib or what it was secured with) to take it to a small gun shop across town, where the owner was very knowledgeable about S&W revolvers. He looked at it through a set of loupes and told me it was silver soldered in place, and it would be almost impossible to remove without making a huge mess, and would require re-bluing the gun afterwards. Iwant to believe him, and I mentioned that the adhesive seemed to be somewhat flexible, but I couldn't be sure.

I've decided to leave the vent rib in place. While I'd much rather have the revolver in its stock appearance, the rib doesn't affect the sight picture. It doesn't look terrible, whoever installed it did a very clean job; it looks like part of the gun, and not some half-arsed attempt to just stick it in place. The revolver is otherwise a 9/10ths gun, very good shape, and I don't want to take a chance of screwing it up to pull that rib off.

@DudeFromSweden
Were you able to find out from the gun store any more information about the gun? serial numbers, etc.

Hey!
I did get some information back from them, the weekend was stressful bit now I'm here!

It's not a S prefix serial: N3347xx
They inspected it and apparantly the bore was scrubbed clean after I pointed the problems out during my last visit, because now, the one inspecting it claimed the bore has a mirror-like appearance.

They were not willing to discuss the price, no big problem in the long run I guess, but I'll live in indecision for another week and then check back with them. I have more expensive firearms but it's still quite alot of money for me.

I'll probably end up getting it though, maybe I need to in order to get a good nights sleep again and not obsess over it

Dudefromsweden

Pssssssst......do it ( demon whispering in shoulder)

bangswitch

I think Polychoke use to make ventilated ribs for a number of different revolvers, like the Ruger Security Six, Blackhawk, and Super Blackhawk, along with various S&Ws. I believe they were glued on for the most part though they could have been silver soldered in place as well. If it were my gun I would leave it on there as I would hate to take the chance of ruining the finish underneath on what is such a fine looking revolver to begin with!

dawei said:

I use the following load for hunting Black Bear and Elk. It puts them down very quickly.
• https://www.underwoodammo.com/colle...de-long-nose-gas-check?variant=18786989998137

And it is far cheaper than Buffalo Bore®.

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This is one mean looking round/bullet:



BTW, here is the bullet that was available from Miha at MP-Molds https://www.mp-molds.com/ :



http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?359771-CLOSED-41-MP-Mold-413-265-WNFP

I don't see this one on list of molds https://www.mp-molds.com/product-category/molds/ , but send him e-mail and ask him if he has has any on stock from last group buy. He usually makes few extra.

I use to have Ruger Bisley 7.5", newer model with rolled cylinder. Managed to get Blackhawk 357 Maximum cylinder with intention of making new custom 41 Magnum cylinder. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a smith in Canada to take this project, and abandoned project. I liked that 41Magnum Bisley, and shoot it more than all other revolvers combined. I was shooting half scale silhouettes (25, 50, 75, 100 meters) for fun, no serious competition. Loads were 210-220 grain bullet at about 1100-1200 fps.I could shoot all day long, 100-150 rounds, no fatigue, no tingling in hand, no blister on hand web. I tried same shooting 44-250 in 7.5" Redhawk at same velocities, 60-70 rounds was the limit. No 44 Bisley, but I doubt that situation will be any better, because Bisley is lighter revolver than Redhawk.

Onty said:

This is one mean looking round/bullet

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Those bullets are, basically, available to the handloader at either Cast Performance, or Montana Bullet Works. I have use the CP 250grn FN/GC bullet, it is an excellent bullet in my 1894 Marlin, as is the 240grn Montana WFN/GC.

http://americanhandgunner.com/1978issues/HND78.pdf

Here is some reading material for my fellow 41 mag fans. I came across this issue while looking for load data for a discontinued Lee .410 240gn swc mold I purchased off of eBay. The article on handloading for the 41 features the Lee bullet in question. By the time I found the article I had already worked out some nice loads with universal and H110.

Recently after getting a flattop Blackhawk in .44 special ( probably the closest I’ll ever get to a 41 special) I picked up some 2400 and unique to try out the classic loads made famous by the legends Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton.
I figured since I have the powder I might as well try the data provided in this article.
Excited get out to test them. I’ll try and remember to get some photos of the targets to share.

Anybody else got anything .41 related going on?

My 41 magnum Contender barrel came in the mail today. With any luck I'll get out over the the weekend and see how it shoots.

I just recently obtained an older (1976) S&W 57 with the 8-3/8" barrel. Lots of blue wear, well used but still tight, with a nice shiny bore. My first trip to the range was with a ladder of GT 250 WFN HPs over Vihtavuori N105, from about 1150-1250 fps. Groups ran 3/4" to 1-1/4" for 12 rounds at 10 yards fired over a sand bag rest, and absolutely no leading. What a great old wheel gun! N105 is about the same burn rate as Blue Dot, and possibly the most consistently accurate powder I've ever used.

Or if you want a nice reduced load (like a .41 special), you can use 7gr Unique under a 210gr bullet. In my case I used Berrys Plated 210gr and the Starline .41SPL brass (shorter case length). Very pleasant to shoot.

A nice reduced/target load for me has been the Berry's 210 plated over 6.4 gr of Clean Shot or 8.0 gr of HP38, with the bullet deep seated to crimp on the ogive @ 1.515". Sort of a .41 Special in magnum cases.

I would have used some .41 magnum cases, IF I could have found some .41 magnum to buy. I only got the gun a few months ago, and I couldn't find ANY .41 magnum cartridges, not even the expensive specialty stuff. And buying them on line was not an option for me.

As it was, the Starline .41 SPL cases were easy to find, and so were the Berry's plated bullets. And that worked out perfectly for me.

Dudemeister said:

I would have used some .41 magnum cases,

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If you need some, I can probably peel some off my mountain of .41 brass. PM me if you are innersted.

Barbaroja said:

I came across this issue while looking for load data for a discontinued Lee .410 240gn swc mold I purchased off of eBay.

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I found that, too, when I got those 240grn Montana bullets. I had to improvise a little, but they are going in my 1894, anyway, so I'm not so concerned with near-max loads as I would be in a pistol. 2400 wound up giving me the best accuracy, IMR4227 not so much in my pistol... and, of course, flip-flop for the 1894, where 2400 printed high left, but excellent accuracy in the 1894. *sigh*

Have yet to try 4227. I’ve been liking 2400 in my .44 spl so I hope to have positive results. To be fair there really are not too many combinations of powder and bullets that I’ve tried that didn’t work well in my 41. Now that I’m thinking about it the only “bad” loads ive worked up we’re bullet lube problems. This caliber is a sweetheart.

Barbaroja said:

Have yet to try 4227. I’ve been liking 2400 in my .44 spl so I hope to have positive results.

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I tried 2400 many years ago, when I first started loading .41... and I didn't have very good luck with it, so I just stuck with heavy charges of Unique, or W296/H110 if I wanted full-house. I tried IMR4227 on a fluke... during the Dark Ages that was about all that was on the shelf, so I grabbed 2 cans. At first, in the pistols, I didn't like it. It smelled, and burned dirtier than Unique. I decided to just load it all up to get rid of it in some .41's for my Marlin 1894 I needed for a shoot... and that's where it really shined. It needs a full case and some barrel length to work really well, which it did. I still don't use it in pistols very much, but it is my go-to for the 1894.

I do have 2# of 2400 now, however. I got it primarily to try with the .45-70, but I thought I would give it a go in the .41, again, to see if I've missed something all these years. It does give more velocity, generally speaking, than IMR4227... sort of a bridge between that and W296, but as I mentioned, the accuracy was kind of spotty, more than any other factor in the .41 that I've experienced in 30+ years of loading for it. You are right... finding a good load for the .41 is almost stupid easy...

Charlie98 said:

If you need some, I can probably peel some off my mountain of .41 brass. PM me if you are innersted.

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Thank you, I appreciate it, but I'm good with the couple of hundred specials I made.

Stay Safe.

Here’s a though! Perhaps with the recent acquisition of marlin by ruger will result in some 41 mag lever guns to pair with their revolvers. One can hope.I was looking at the Henry in 41 mag with the brass receiver and 16” octagonal barrel, to be honest it didn’t feel like I wanted it to, rather heavy and not nearly as handy as I had imagined. I still want one but but maybe I need to try the 20” with the steel receiver.

Barbaroja said:

http://americanhandgunner.com/1978issues/HND78.pdf

Here is some reading material for my fellow 41 mag fans.

Anybody else got anything .41 related going on?

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I read the two articles, by Ayoob and Marshall. Not much new since then about why .41 magnum fell on it's butt as a LE caliber. I found it interesting in Marshall's article the contradictions in the perceived issues of the .357 Magnum. One statement was the manufacturer's claimed velocity of a round being 1550 fps, and the round tested in a 4" barrel being around 1145fps (which is about what a 124 gr. 9mm load runs) and saying the decreased velocity was a "critical loss in stopping power". Almost the very next sentence talks about the overpenetration problem with .357 Magnum. Can't have it both ways.

As for what else is going on related to .41Magnum, I shot my M57 at a club fun shoot the other weekend, knocking steel at 15 yards and paper targets at 25 and 50 yards. Had half the competitors and range officers wanting to shoot it. The match was only 17 rounds, but ended up putting over 30 through the gun, letting people try it out. Made a believer out of several of them.

Charlie98....
I use 2400 in my 41, a reasonable balance between the faster unique or CFE-P and w296/110 powders; especially with heavier bullets. CPC 250 gr bullet takes a lot of case, 13.5 gr 2400 yields approx 1130 fps from a FA83.
Also use 2400 in 45-70, lots of opinions about this. With 405 gr cast bullet try 25 gr. I seat an over powder wad at base of bullet and use magnum primers - not sure they help. 1450 fps from 18 inch barrel. Highly effective loading for me.

I just got in my new RCBS 210 gr SWC .41 bullet mold and cast about 150 of them before I had to go do something else. I cannot wait to size, load, and shoot them.

NeroM said:

Charlie98....
I use 2400 in my 41, a reasonable balance between the faster unique or CFE-P and w296/110 powders; especially with heavier bullets. CPC 250 gr bullet takes a lot of case, 13.5 gr 2400 yields approx 1130 fps from a FA83.
Also use 2400 in 45-70, lots of opinions about this. With 405 gr cast bullet try 25 gr. I seat an over powder wad at base of bullet and use magnum primers - not sure they help. 1450 fps from 18 inch barrel. Highly effective loading for me.

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I LOVE that 250grn Cast Performance bullet... it shoots well in anything I've ever tried it in. 18grn W296 gives me 1100, 1280, and 1550fps (4", 6", & 20", respectively.) I'm trying to see if I can get that Montana Bullet Works 240grn to shoot as well as the CP 250... next step is to try it over W296/H110.

As far as pistol powder in the .45-70, of them I prefer 2400 more than, say, Unique. 19grn under a 385grn cast RN gives me 1230fps out of my 32" Pedersoli. I really prefer IMR4198 for cast rifle cartridges... 29grn IMR4198 under the same bullet gives me the same velocity without the question of a wad or filler, and works in cast .308, .30-30, and .348WCF cartridges as well, all with standard primers.

For those of you who cast your own bullets, what do you use for raw material? Old wheel weights, or do you buy an ingot of something specific?