.41 Magnum vs. .45 Colt

Both are reloaders cartridges right now. I unfortunately have zero experience with the .41 mag but I have found the 45 Colt to be very versatile cartridge.

41 cal has less availability than 45 Colt. There are many 41 fans here. I am not one. I am sure they will add their wisdom. Most here are way smarter than me.

I'm one of those that for no good reason at all has never felt drawn to the 41 Magnum. On the other hand I like the 45 Colt for several reasons; nostalgia, it can be paired with several readily available lever gun choices and because it can be loaded up to match 44 Magnum levels or down to the light, easy shooting Cowboy Action loads.
My two cents worth.

Like gunlaw I have no experience with the .41 mag, as for the .45 Colt it is a reloaders dream. Either way, if I didn’t reload I wouldn’t want either one of them.

As far as SAAMI specifications are concerned, the .41 Magnum is a much higher pressure cartridge, with a smaller diameter bullet in a lighter range of weights, going significantly faster.

But in appropriately strong guns, .45 Colt can be loaded much hotter than SAAMI specs, which changes the comparison drastically. These are typically referred to as Ruger Only loads.

I know there are some S&W DA revolvers chambered for .45 Colt that may fall into a grey area between being able to handle the hot "Ruger Only" loads and the much lower pressure of SAAMI spec. Where the line of safety is with such guns is not something that is common knowledge.

If I was limiting myself to only S&W revolvers then I would be hard pressed to want either one of them but I would get 45 Colt.

I like hot rod 45 Colt rounds but I wouldn’t load them for an S&W Mod 25 which has suspect durability with 44 Mag pressures and higher. Nonetheless, 45 Colt is a very versatile round and if you handload (which you would probably need to do with either cartridge) the 45 Colt gives so many more options.

Only rounds I don't consider to be for reloaders are the rimfires. The .41 Magnum and the guns designed for it are suitable for high velocity, magnum loads, the 45 Long Colt in an S&W M-25, like a Colt SAA ,Remington M-1875 and similar guns should be limited to the midrange velocities and pressures.

I have a model 25-15 “Classic” .45 Colt.
I have almost no experience with the .41 Magnum or the model 57 except I shot one once years ago. Nice revolver.
I am not interested in hot rodding the .45 Colt and load within SAAMI pressures.
I did ask a rep from Smith & Wesson about hotter loads and was told they do not recommend “Ruger Only Loads”. I really didn’t expect them to say “Oh sure! Go ahead.”
One of my favorite loads is a .451” diameter 255 grain RNFP Bear Creek Supply bullet over 8.0 grains of Unique. Velocity is 800 fps. Has some oomph to it but it’s still only around 13,000 psi. The .45 Colt max. PSI is 14,000.
The SAAMI max pressure for .41 Magnum is 35,000 PSI. BIG DIFFERENCE.

jag1954:
41 Mag and 45 Colt are among my favorite cartridges; hunt with, reload and actively shoot both...

Have a M25 for 45 - it has a great feel in my hand - load it primarily with 255 SWC or 265 LBT bullets at pressures in the high teen levels - not above 20k psi. A 255 gr SWC bullet at 1000-1050 fps is amazingly effective on game. Plus accurate, easy on gun, gunner and ears to shoot. Took the M25 on my walk about the back40 this afternoon, temp had not gotten up to zero - wind chill a lot below. When i got back, the gun frosted over right away in the basement - action still smooth. It is a so called classic M25, with MIM parts and hole - i know there are a lot of negative nancy comments about these attributes- this revolver felt great right out of the box, is tight, locks up great and shoots well - chambers throats are .451-.452; load mostly .452 cast bullets.

The 41 is a FA83, load it with 250 gr LBT bullets to approx 1220 fps, not max for 41 - but a good solid and highly effective load with great game penetration and LBT creates a good channel - and is highly "shootable". The FA is incredibly accurate and my sight set up is very quick for in brush shots. In my opinion, if one is serious about hunting with a handgun - a FA83 is a superior tool for this - it has been my primary deer/hog gun for over a dozen years. Depending upon your hand and 41 loads, M57 may/or not be optimally comfortable - i have shot one a few times - for me, hard to tell from the M25, except more recoil and blast. Either is a great choice.

I have little experience with the .41 Magnum, considerable with the .45 Colt. Non-handloader would be best advised to go with the .41 Magnum if power and high velocity is are the goals. The .45 Colt hard to find high performance factory loads.

Handloader: For high velocity, flat shooting varmint/medium size game, I'd pick the .41 Magnum. For really big game with very heavy bullets, its the .45 Colt hands down. Few other cartridges can handle a 350 gr.+ bullet at worthwhile velocities. I've always kind of thought a 7 1/2" barreled Blackhawk in .41 Magnum might just be the ideal for long range varmint plunking.

Bob Wright

jag1954 said:

I'll prefix this by saying that both of these calibers from S&W are on my 2022 radar. I'm going to end up most likely with both a Model 25 and a Model 57. So, what's the difference between the two.? Recoil is not an issue, I'd just like to have some feedback as to peoples' perceptions of both wheel guns.

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Both S&W revolvers chambered in 45 Colt and 41 Magnum are built on the same N-frame design. The 41 Magnum (Model 57) will weigh a bit more than the 45 Colt (Model 25) all other things being the same due to the smaller diameter of the 41 Magnum cartridge.

In general, it is not recommended to push the limits of 45 Colt ammunition in a Model 25 although some folks do. Higher pressure 45 Colt loads rated for T/C Contenders or Ruger Blackhawks should be avoided.

At shorter ranges, the usual 250-255 grain bullets are quite effective from a 45 Colt revolver. A longer ranges, 150-200 meters, trajectory gets rainbow shape and large hold over is needed to hit a target. With my 6" Model 25-5, I had to hold about 20 feet above the 200 meter ram(IHMSA silhouette shooting) to get a hit on the target.

41 Magnum is the 44 Magnum's baby brother. The performance of full power loads with the 41 Magnum is slightly less than what can be obtained with a 44 Magnum primarily due to the lighter weight bullets generally used in the 41 Magnum.

The higher velocity of the 41 Magnum bullet will allow for flatter shooting and more retained energy out to longer ranges as the 45 Colt.

As said by others, you need to be a reloader to optimize the performance of both cartridges.

I like the 45 Colt cartridge and have several S&W and Ruger revolvers chambered in them. I have one 41 Magnum S&W Model 57 with a 8-3/8" barrel.

Having .41, .44, and .45C Rugers; the .44 is King, no doubt. This .41 is very close, shooting a 210 gr bullet, the .44 at 240 gr outperforms. But them 200 gr .44 evens things out.
The .45C compares with it's 250 gr bullets, but it less velocity. Even with 200 gr bullets, it falls short on velocity.

When loaded with 200 - 210 gr bullets @ 950 fps. All 3 are managsble and virtually identical.

The .45C is an awesome cartridge. It is NOT a magnum in a S&W.
The .41 Magnum is an a week.e cartridge. It is 90% of a .44 Mag.

Any of the N frame S&W will be a great acquitition. Take your pick and enjoys.

I have both calibers in a variety of guns, in .45 Colt an Old Vaquero 4 5/8” and a 7.5” SRH .454/.45 Colt, in .41 Magnum a 4” Model 57, a 7.5” Redhawk and a 6.5” Blackhawk.

The .45 Colt is a great cartridge, as the guys said it’ll shoot 255 gr bullets at 850-odd fps and will do just about anything you’ll need . You can charge it up as was also mentioned. Id say in a Redhawk, the .45 Colt will push beyond the max limits of the Model 25. Once powered up to magnum levels with heavy bullets it does pack some serious recoil.

The .41 is another great round; flat shooting without being overly abusive. Loaded down it’s really fun, maxed out with 265 gr SWC it’ll pack enough punch for elk at handgun ranges.

Both can have “Special” loads made up, .45 Colt using .45 Schofield cases and .41 Special can be made with special-length cases.

There is a lot of overlap between the two, you may just want to get one and shoot it for a bit. For all intents and purposes the other won’t be that much different.

Good luck, and stay safe.

As one of the 41 Magnum guys with a full range of experience loading and shooting 45 Colt, I have to say that my 41 Magnum is more versatile since it can shoot cowboy loads all the way up to high pressure hunting rounds, all in a single gun. I have never had trouble getting bullets for either one but understand that with today's market shortages and North American hunting season demands, I might not find my 210 XTPs so easily. Mostly I shoot lead in mid range loads and can get those bullets from Penn at any time.

RealGun said:

As one of the 41 Magnum guys with a full range of experience loading and shooting 45 Colt, I have to say that my 41 Magnum is more versatile since it can shoot cowboy loads all the way up to high pressure hunting rounds, all in a single gun. I have never had trouble getting bullets for either one but understand that with today's market shortages and North American hunting season demands, I might not find my 210 XTPs so easily. Mostly I shoot lead in mid range loads and can get those bullets from Penn at any time.

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Agree completely....... if i had to be limited to one - would choose the 41.
However, if one does not handload - the 45 would be a better choice,
due to the range of loads offered and availability of those loads.
Can purchase "cowboy" loads for plinking and small game,
and full pressure loads from Buffalo Bore, Underwood with a 255 gr bullet at 1000 fps
and Grizzly with a 265 WFN at 950 fps; covering our most common hunting needs.

I have both and both get used a lot. I don’t think, in normal situations, either one out shines the other. If I could only keep one caliber it would be the 41s but I wouldn’t fret if I had to keep the 45c instead.

If you reload and cast I would get the 41 lots of molds out there for it it's in oddball cartridge like others have sead you can go from mild to wild I shoot mine on the mild side with a 195 gr bullet under a load of RedDot

You will be doing well to get a gun in each.
It took me 15yrs to ultimately get the gun I wanted in .45Colt at a price I was willing to give.
It’s a S&W M625-5 4” Mountain Gun.
I had a Ruger 5” RedHawk. Real BRUTE of a gun. Crew served handgun is a good description. I carried it ONCE on an all-day pig hunt using my boat to access hunting area. HEA-VY!.
Had two Black Hawks. Neither were accurate due to triggers and thread choke in the barrels. One, a new model convertible had overly tight throats in the cylinders. Both took permanent road trips...
Finally the 625! Perfect! Not too heavy, not too light (also HAD a 329PD!) Very accurate. Though not suitable for the abusive Ruger only loads, an approximation of factory.44Mag can be achieved at pressures approximately that of the .45acp are easily attained. Brian Pierce has published loads running 1,100+ FPS with a 270gr SWC. I’ve tried some! (11.2gr of LongShot). I find 9.7 to be equally acceptable and even more accurate. A 275gr Keith SWC at 950fps isn’t tossing nerf balls... My everyday load is the Lee 255gr RFN over 9.2gr of LongShot. (6cav molds!) Also ~950fps.

I had a M57 6” I kept as security on a loan I made to a long time acquaintance. He encouraged me to shoot it as he knew I’d take care of it.
I shot a few odds and ends of factory ammo I stumbled across and loaded some mid-range cast semi wad cutters for it. He finally after 6-7yrs came looking for his gun so it was repatriated. The gun/cartridge never really struck a cord for me, so I’ve never become a huge fan. Market prices are astonishing!

Riomouse911 said:

There is a lot of overlap between the two, you may just want to get one and shoot it for a bit. For all intents and purposes the other won’t be that much different.

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That...^^^^

I have 3 .41 pistols, and 1 .45 Colt revolver... I'd happily trade the .45 Colt revolver (a Ruger Vaquero) for the same thing in .41, and live my life a happy person. I like the .45 Colt, I like the .41MAG more.

As was mentioned, you can take the .41 to Magnum levels, but in all honesty, how much of that are you really going to shoot, vs a lighter target load... so essentially it's a draw, and particularly between 2 S&W pistols.

I have a .41 Mag. No .45. I like to load and shoot the .41 Mag. But....if buying over I would get a .44 Mag. Very versatile and I just do not see a downside to the .44 Mag nor see an advantage for the .45 Colt or .41 Mag.

I like to shoot my .41 Mag better than I like to shoot my .357. Both with light and heavy loads.

A lot of good comments have been offered. I would only add that the “versatility” of the 45 Colt is greater than the 41 - now let me qualify that statement by saying - from a reloaders perspective.

The 41 is best with bullets in the 170 - 210 range, with 250 being the heaviest I’ve ever seen for the cartridge.

OTH, the 45 has a much greater range of bullet weights and designs than what you can find in the 41. While some will say, “you’ll have more fun and get ‘er done with a .41,” the 45 will get ‘er done from ,” mice to elephants.”

I have and shoot both - to me, the 41 is more boutique and says you like a fine cigar and an aged bourbon… the 45 says, “hold my beer and watch this..”

45 colt is a pleasure to shoot. 800-900 FPS and even a guy like me can read a target at 25 yards just by looking.

41 I always wanted a 3" or 4" example that definitely seems fun and practical. Might replace 357 as an outdoors cartridge for two legged snakes if I had one.

45 colt I just use for range fun.

Really two very different guns and cartridges. As the others have said, the .45 N-frame is limited to so-called "Tier 2" loads in the 21,000psi range, because it's also suitable for .45ACP. You can get a 250gr up to 1100fps. If you just want a moderate big bore, it's a fine choice. IMHO, the .41Mag is the perfect chambering for the N-frame. Long term, the .44Mag is a little more than the platform can handle but the .41 seems to be just right. For outdoor use, either cartridge is going to be capable of taking the same critters, with a slight edge going to the .41 with heavier bullets.