41 Caliber Range Day

[NorthBorder]

So, the weather's crappy. It wants to rain. It wants to snow. But we've had a pretty precipitous La Nina here in NW Montana this year.

Couple that with my recent roto rooter job (still peeing a flimsy rose wine color) I am still convalescing from and my groups were more like a pattern. OK I'll stop the excuses.
I took out my new S&W Model 57 for its first trial run today, accompanied by my Blackhawk .41 magnum.
I was using my own recipe of 16.9 g A#9 behind a 210 gr copper plated flat point.
The double action felt pretty heavy on the S&W so I backed the strain screw about 1 full turn. That made the DA pull much more tolerable. Single action felt pretty crisp at maybe 4-5 lbs.
I didn't feel like staying long, just long enough to put 24 rounds down range. But I didn't want to wait until Spring either. Sometimes I almost envy you guys in Arizona when you post picks of your range days in the desert or where ever it is you shoot.
In the Spring I will give the M57 a better trial.
The obligatory pic.

 

[Riomouse911]

Anytime is a good time to exercise the .41’s!

I hope you heal up quickly and completely and are able to get back out there for an afternoon of shooting…maybe when the ground is a bit less crunchy!

Stay safe.

 

[Domino300]

Get well, I commiserate with you, hard to shoot when ya don't feel well, cold hands etc. I'll go out and shoot when it isnt windy, but the wind chills me to the bone at my age.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Couple that with my recent roto rooter job (still peeing a flimsy rose wine color) I am still convalescing from and my groups were more like a pattern. OK I'll stop the excuses.

It's amazing how much you loose and how fast you loose it when you have an operation. Believe me, I know.
Enjoy your new 41 mag, and spring is on the way.

 

[NeroM]

[QUOTE="NorthBorder, post:
I took out my new S&W Model 57 for its first trial run today, accompanied by my Blackhawk .41 magnum.
I was using my own recipe of 16.9 g A#9 behind a 210 gr copper plated flat point.
View attachment 1127206[/QUOTE]

16.9 gr AA#9 must be close to MAX, any idea of the velocity this loading yields ?
Thanks !

 

[NorthBorder]

Max is 18.something. but the load does feel like it has some horsepower. Haven't chronoed it.

 

[Mini30SS]

Now you have me thinking about taking the Marlin 1894s and smith 657 out to the desert around me for some exercise.

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

Really wish they'd make a L frame .41 mag.

 

[Mini30SS]

Probably wouldn't hold up very long with full power loads.

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

Probably wouldn't hold up very long with full power loads.

Probably not, but the biggest reason the cartridge never got popular was because they never made a smaller revolver in the caliber.
That, or the fact it's .41 instead of .40 seemed too much of a niche for most people.

 

[NorthBorder]

Really wish they'd make a L frame .41 mag.

Why not? S&W makes the model 69.

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

Why not? S&W makes the model 69.

Yea that'd be the perfect config for .41 mag. I guarantee it'd become very popular among us "niche reloaders"

 

[Barbaroja]

41 mag is always a good choice

 

[bangswitch]

The double action felt pretty heavy on the S&W so I backed the strain screw about 1 full turn. That made the DA pull much more tolerable. Single action felt pretty crisp at maybe 4-5 lbs.

That's not really a recommended means to lighten the trigger pull. The strain screw is supposed to remain fully tight against the trigger spring. The trigger pull will smooth out some with use, but DA pull is supposed to be heavier.

[QUOTE="NorthBorder, post:
I took out my new S&W Model 57 for its first trial run today, accompanied by my Blackhawk .41 magnum.
I was using my own recipe of 16.9 g A#9 behind a 210 gr copper plated flat point.
View attachment 1127206
16.9 gr AA#9 must be close to MAX, any idea of the velocity this loading yields ?
Thanks !

That's a fairly middle-of-the-road load for .41 M, should give about 1225 fps MV with a 6" barrel. The Hornady manual maxes their .41M load at 19.2 grains of Accurate #9 with a 210 grain JHP (1400 fps). I load my .41M loads to about the same velocities as yours, and I use AA#9 as well as Win 296 and H110. You'd probably rather stay away from max loads, they're not much fun after the first cylinder full. I shoot both my .41's quite a bit, and it's much easier on the hand with midrange loads. (obligatory picture below)

That M57 looks nice, has a feature the original never had (4 screw frame ). What year is that, is it one of the Classic Series? I don't think I'd want a .41 Magnum on an L frame; too light to mitigate the recoil, even with a full underlug.

 

[NorthBorder]

That's not really a recommended means to lighten the trigger pull. The strain screw is supposed to remain fully tight against the trigger spring. The trigger pull will smooth out some with use, but DA pull is supposed to be heavier.

No argument there.
BTW I like the grips on that top revolver. The bottom revolver is a Model 58?

ETA: Mine is the Classic.

 

[bangswitch]

No argument there.
BTW I like the grips on that top revolver. The bottom revolver is a Model 58?

ETA: Mine is the Classic.

Stocks on my M57 are from Altamont. That's the only revolver I own that I didn't get the factory stocks with. It's a 1968 vintage gun. The bottom one is a M58, it's from 1967.