To the reloader, what's the difference between .41 mag, .44 mag, and .45 Colt?
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Roverguy
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To the reloader, it's much of a muchness. There are fewer options in .410" bullets vs . 429" and . 452" , but case construction is very similar among the three, and none of them are delicate or fiddly brass. So, from a reloading perspective, not much difference.
From a shooter's perspective, there are obvious differences. Magna offer greater velocity, at the cost of recoil. No magnum is ideal for target shooting accordingly. It offers greater velocity and power, at the cost of greater recoil and more difficulty to master.
From a killing perspective, hunting and defense, there are differences. The magna offer flatter trajectories, so more reach in theory. But again, this comes at the cost of recoil that can diminish accuracy for many. On the other hand, people just don't seem to grasp the fact that 325 -300 grs of soft lead at 800 - 850 fps (45 Colt) will kill most anything (the exception being very large heavy boned animals where the hot 44 Mag with solids carries the edge) just as dead as the magna with possibly less recoil and almost certainly less perceived recoil. As to terminal ballistics, with the exception mentioned above of large heavy boned animals where hot, heavy 44 Mag has a clear advantage, all three will likely perform just as effectively given similarly effective shot placement.
I am obviously biased in that I have more firearms chambered in 45 Colt than in any others with the same cartridge, currently have none chambered in 44 Magnum, and have never had any chambered in 41 Magnum.
From a shooter's perspective, there are obvious differences. Magna offer greater velocity, at the cost of recoil. No magnum is ideal for target shooting accordingly. It offers greater velocity and power, at the cost of greater recoil and more difficulty to master.
From a killing perspective, hunting and defense, there are differences. The magna offer flatter trajectories, so more reach in theory. But again, this comes at the cost of recoil that can diminish accuracy for many. On the other hand, people just don't seem to grasp the fact that 325 -300 grs of soft lead at 800 - 850 fps (45 Colt) will kill most anything (the exception being very large heavy boned animals where the hot 44 Mag with solids carries the edge) just as dead as the magna with possibly less recoil and almost certainly less perceived recoil. As to terminal ballistics, with the exception mentioned above of large heavy boned animals where hot, heavy 44 Mag has a clear advantage, all three will likely perform just as effectively given similarly effective shot placement.
I am obviously biased in that I have more firearms chambered in 45 Colt than in any others with the same cartridge, currently have none chambered in 44 Magnum, and have never had any chambered in 41 Magnum.
Charlie98
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Based on experience... The first centerfire pistol I ever shot was my brother's .41MAG, and I ain't been the same since. I have owned .357's, but, as I say, I've been out of the .357 business for a while now. The two exceptions to that rule would be a very nice Dan Wesson .357, or, as AJC mentioned, a Colt Python... both very unlikely at this point. I have owned one .44... a .44SPC Ruger just like Slam's bottom photo. While I liked the pistol very much, it had problems, so it went on a ride one day. I found nothing magical about the .44SPC, and likely the same if it would have been a .44MAG... at least compared to the .41, and my purposes for it, specifically.
I am a realist, however. If I would have shot a .44MAG instead of a .41MAG as my first pistol... things likely would have been different. I'd be posting on here... "Who needs a .41? It's redundant, it's expensive to shoot, you can't find ammo/bullets/pistols for it compared to the .44."
Conversely, the .41MAG of the autoloader universe... the .40S&W... I have no use for. Go figure.
RealGun
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Make a good 41 Special?
Charlie98
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While I agree on the surface... the Lew Horton specifically made no sense to me. I don't like round butt revolvers, especially Magnums, and... just my personal preference... a 3" N-frame didn't make logical sense to me. If that pistol would have had a 4" full lug barrel... or *gasp* a 5" lugged barrel... I'd have one in the safe right now.
Make a good 41 Special?
You might be on to something, there.
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I passed on the three inch, round butt, Lew Horton 44 Specials. Boy, have those things increased in value, much more than my four inch versions!
41 Mag
Member
Well my first 41 was a Ruger 3 screw Flat Top that I purchased in '85, followed by trading it for a Redhawk in around 90. Sometime in between I also purchased another RH in 44. Those held me down pretty good until around 2015 give or take when I added in a 45 Colt also in a RH.
As to why one over the other, well I hunt with all of mine. I have taken multiple deer and feral hogs along with an occasional squirrel or coyote through the years. All have performed well but the one that gets the most time has been the 41. Call it confidence or whatever it just works out as far as I feel comfortable holding steady.
As to bullet selection in .410", I just dont know how many a person really needs. With a 200, 210, 220, and 250 it pretty well covers a broad area of game. Going to cast if you can draw it, I'd lay money that Tom at Accurate Molds could build it. In fact he has a bunch listed in the catalog already. I've run all factory jacketed weights and cast from 170gr up to some heavy 260-280 grain but overall found that a 200-210 in either just does everything that I need done. Shoots flat and kills DOA.
For the 44, we'll it's hard to beat a 240-260'ish gran HP or WFN moving along at around 1350'ish fps. Following that up with the 45C and a 260-280'ish WFN at around 1000-1200'ish Fps and your pretty well covered.
Before anyone get flustered these are all 7.5" SS Redhawks and the loads have been worked up from book listed loads. That said, if I really wanted to crank something up I can always go with the 454C and run 300gr WFN up around 1600fps which is plenty for anything I'm going to pursue.
So having a good amount of loading from and shooting all three from mild to wild, plus a number of 357s through the years, about the only thing I could honestly say is personal preference. If you buy a magnum, in my mind, run it for what it was made for. If you can't you don't need a magnum. What's great about all of these and even the 454, you can always find data to cover a spectrum of weights and velocities and then it comes down to preference again.
As to why one over the other, well I hunt with all of mine. I have taken multiple deer and feral hogs along with an occasional squirrel or coyote through the years. All have performed well but the one that gets the most time has been the 41. Call it confidence or whatever it just works out as far as I feel comfortable holding steady.
As to bullet selection in .410", I just dont know how many a person really needs. With a 200, 210, 220, and 250 it pretty well covers a broad area of game. Going to cast if you can draw it, I'd lay money that Tom at Accurate Molds could build it. In fact he has a bunch listed in the catalog already. I've run all factory jacketed weights and cast from 170gr up to some heavy 260-280 grain but overall found that a 200-210 in either just does everything that I need done. Shoots flat and kills DOA.
For the 44, we'll it's hard to beat a 240-260'ish gran HP or WFN moving along at around 1350'ish fps. Following that up with the 45C and a 260-280'ish WFN at around 1000-1200'ish Fps and your pretty well covered.
Before anyone get flustered these are all 7.5" SS Redhawks and the loads have been worked up from book listed loads. That said, if I really wanted to crank something up I can always go with the 454C and run 300gr WFN up around 1600fps which is plenty for anything I'm going to pursue.
So having a good amount of loading from and shooting all three from mild to wild, plus a number of 357s through the years, about the only thing I could honestly say is personal preference. If you buy a magnum, in my mind, run it for what it was made for. If you can't you don't need a magnum. What's great about all of these and even the 454, you can always find data to cover a spectrum of weights and velocities and then it comes down to preference again.
denton
Member
Years ago, I got a smokin' deal on a 41 Mag Ruger Redhawk. That was the deciding factor in my choice of big bore cartridges. Later on, a little 2 1/2" Taurus in the same cartridge came along. I suppose that if a 44 had come along about then, I would have settled on that instead, and been happy with it.
With target loads, the Redhawk is a joy to shoot. I've shot friends' 44 side by side, and to me, the 41 has an edge in enjoyment.
The 41 is strictly a reloading proposition. Factory ammo will break the bank.
The little snubbie will launch a 170 grain bullet at just shy of 1400 FPS. So it was handy to take allong on an Alaska fishing trip.
With target loads, the Redhawk is a joy to shoot. I've shot friends' 44 side by side, and to me, the 41 has an edge in enjoyment.
The 41 is strictly a reloading proposition. Factory ammo will break the bank.
The little snubbie will launch a 170 grain bullet at just shy of 1400 FPS. So it was handy to take allong on an Alaska fishing trip.
Archie
Member
A good friend of mine has a S&W model 58, which is the fixed sight version of the .41 Magnum revolver (M57 had adjustable sights). I cannot remember for sure, but it may have been cut to three inches. He shoots a 'mild' .41 Magnum load and carried it as a concealed defense arm for years. He has ceased carrying for personal reasons. The load he used is likely quite similar the .41 Special load, but before the concept was widely known.
Works well, he says.
Works well, he says.
Riomouse911
Member
For the hand loader, there is so much overlap between these three rounds that for all intents and purposes they’re practically interchangeable.
Component and firearm variety certainly favors the .44, but versatility is pretty much equal when shooting through comparable firearms. I doubt any game animal from an elk on down taken with max loads from any of the three will vary much in response to a solid vital-zone hit from any one of them.
When factory loads are the only option, the .44 runs away with it. Far more (allegedly!) is on the shelf from mild to wild.
I load for and shoot all three (Plus .357 Mag and .454 Casull) and like the .44 least of all, but reality dictates it does hold several edges over the others.
Stay safe.
Component and firearm variety certainly favors the .44, but versatility is pretty much equal when shooting through comparable firearms. I doubt any game animal from an elk on down taken with max loads from any of the three will vary much in response to a solid vital-zone hit from any one of them.
When factory loads are the only option, the .44 runs away with it. Far more (allegedly!) is on the shelf from mild to wild.
I load for and shoot all three (Plus .357 Mag and .454 Casull) and like the .44 least of all, but reality dictates it does hold several edges over the others.
Stay safe.
Shivahasagun
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Something I just realized is that because I load .45 acp with .452 dia. 200 gr lead bullets I could probably load those into .45 Colt brass for a practice/plink load.
FROGO207
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They might work if they bump up. I use 250 grain .454 lead bullets in my 45 Colt ammo for accurate regulated to aim rounds.
You forgot Schofield. https://www.starlinebrass.com/45-sw-schofield-brass
Shivahasagun
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Starline also has .41 Special brass in stock.
Charlie98
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Those of us who have been handloading .41's all these years have been doing that and not realizing how 'cool' we were...
As an aside, Dirty Harry was doing that, too... in his .44MAG, the Most Powerful Handgun in the World.I'm not a big '.41SPC in a .41MAG' revolver person. There is very little advantage to using SPC brass vs MAG brass in the .41, except to exasperate the moon rock build-up behind the chambers in the cylinder. That's one of the reasons I quit shooting .38SPC in my .357's back when I had them... preferring to just load down in .357 cases. Using a bulkier powder.... like Unique.... gives you a lot of versatility, even in the bigger capacity Magnum cases.
Hondo 60
Member
Why choose?
I have all 3.
As stated above they can be loaded from mild to "Holy Crap"!
My one 44 and three 45s are all single action (SAA),
whereas my 41 Mag is a S&W Model 58.
That too can be loaded to my preference - pretty mild.
Here's my 41 Mag a Smith & Wesson Model 58-1
And a SAA in 45 Colt
I have all 3.
As stated above they can be loaded from mild to "Holy Crap"!
My one 44 and three 45s are all single action (SAA),
whereas my 41 Mag is a S&W Model 58.
That too can be loaded to my preference - pretty mild.
Here's my 41 Mag a Smith & Wesson Model 58-1
And a SAA in 45 Colt
GeoDudeFlorida
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"To the reloader, what's the difference between .41 mag, .44 mag, and .45 Colt?"
"Just curious."
Nineteen thousandths of one and twenty-two thousandths of the other.
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