.41 Mag Association

"Demand for other calibers"= few can find primers for a reloader's cartridge like 41 Magnum.

 

I agree it's a reloader's cartridge, but in the grand scheme, .41M isn't as popular as most of the higher demand calibers offered by Henry. They probably sell 3X as many .357, 44 M and .45 Colt as they do .41. .41M uses the same primers as .44M and .45C, so it isn't because of a primer shortage. It may be more of a factory .41M cartridge availability. I don't see a lot of that on shelves, and I'd suspect many carbine shooters may not reload their own. Personally, I'd love to have a .41 Magnum carbine, my first choice for a pistol cartridge-chambered rifle.

 

Just picked this up tonight! Once starline ships brass, I’ll be in business.

 

You know they also make a shortened brass, an "unofficial" .41 Special, if you want something reduced power for cheaper plinking. I haven't tried it yet, I just load on the lower end of magnum charts.

 

That is going to be my plan as well. Still looking for unique but I’ll probably us 231 in the interim

 

Would be interested if anyone had recommendations on how to duplicate “police load”. The recommendation seems to be 8 grains of unique but I don’t have unique and it’s not currently available for purchase at my LGS.

So really looking for a powder suggestion and data (or where to find data) on the police load. I have bullseye, 231, be-86, 2400, no. 9.

I can buy no 5 and no 7, power pistol and maybe some other Hodgon powders

 

2400 is my fave
231, No 7, No 5 are good

Any loading/powder that puts a 210 gr bullet between 1000 fps and 1150 fps is considered a Police load.

 

What Seedy said... it doesn't take much to duplicate a mid-range load, which is what the .41 Police load is, basically.

I load 8.5grn Unique under any cast 215grn'ish bullet, for 1000fps out of my 4" Smiths.

You have BE-86? 10.8grn BE-86 gave me 1250fps. I don't recall the load data ranges, you might be able to download that for a little less velocity. Alliant has data, of course, and I know Speer has .41 data with BE-86. Hodgdon's online data gives you loads for the AA's #5, 7, and 9, too.

You have 2400 and AA#9... those would be reserved for full-house Magnum-level loads.

 

7 gr. of 231 would be very close to 8 gr. of Unique, and possibly even more accurate.

 

For a 215 gr cast SWC, suggest 14-15 gr of 2400, or just over 9 gr Longshot, or 8-8,5 gr CFE-P. Also approx 8.5-9 gr Herco works well.

 

I was getting low on Unique before I scored three more pounds of it recently. I normally use 8.0 gr. of Unique pushing a 215 gr. SWC. When I was low I tried CFE Pistol and it did pretty well, but I am at work and do not remember the charge weight off hand.

 

Ran 150 rounds through the 57 and Dan Wesson 741 yesterday... now I have dirty pistols, but clean brass!

 

Still waiting on starline back order. I did pick up 200 cases from grafs and just chamfered/deburred. I will probably load up some plinkers to break in the new gun.

 

Do you prefer one revolver over the other ?
I know it is early, is one more accurate or comfortable - than the other ?

 

The S&W has the best action and trigger in the safe, and with the 4" barrel, I think it's the epitome of what a 4" large frame revolver should look like. It is quite accurate as well.

The Dan Wesson is a big pistol, barrel length not withstanding. It handles full-house Magnum loads with ease, even with the factory grips... something the S&W can't claim. Because it's such a big pistol, it's a range gun only; I would have to find a shoulder holster, again, if I wanted to carry it. Even though one of the hallmarks of the Dan Wesson is the interchangeable barrels, it's a moot point with the .41... other barrel sets are, basically, Unobtanium. The very few that I've seen have gone for more than I paid for the entire pistol! I'd love to have a 4" barrel set for it... but that's likely a pipe dream for me at this point.

 

Sadly, I resigned my membership in the .41 Mag Association about two years ago.
I just ran across an HKS 57 speedloader (for S&W M-57/58) and a QuikStrip speed strip, both in .41 Mag, and both loaded with SJHP ammo.
Anyone want to trade for similar stuff, but for .38/.357 in J, K, N frame, or for .45LC in N frame?
If local, I will included ammo; if shipped, I will disassemble the rounds and ship as components.
I am in the north D/FW area
Please email me if interested
rich at rabidjackal dot com
Thank you, Rich

 

After buying a 6" Model 57 more than a year ago, knowing ammo would be hard to find and therefore finding none, then finding some once at about $2.50/shot, I mentioned the issue to my LGS. Clerk gave me a grin and pulled out 5 boxes of Hornady 210gr XTPs. I bought two at $30/box.

 

I would have bought all five

 

The following are my "Pet Loads" for the model 58 in my avatar .
Developed over several years shooting .
All loads are with 220 gr. cast LSWC bullets - 215gr LSWC or 210gr. LSWC may also be used with this data .
4.5 grs. Bullseye - target and plinking load - 750 - 800 fps .

7.0 grs. - HP38 / AA #2 / Ramshot Zip @ 950 - 1000 fps - gen use mid range

7.5 grs. Unique (police load) - from Elmer Keith - 950 - 1000 fps - gen use mid range

16 grs. 2400 - hunting load - 1200 fps .

Note ... Double check with published data my numbers before using this data .
I have been known to hit the wrong key's .
I got the 7.5 gr. Unique from Elmer Keith himself by writing him at Guns & Ammo , I was looking for a load like the "Police Load" and he answered my letter ..." Use between 7.0 and 8.0 grains of Unique and my 220 gr. bullet " Tested 7 , 7.5 and 8 grs. and I settled on 7.5 grs Unique !
Gary

 

I use that same 7.5 gr Unique load with my own 215-220 gr LSWC cast bullets for ~900 fps (4-5/8" bbl'd Ruger BH) or 1000 fps from my 6" M-57 Smith.

And Hornady's 210 gr JHP/XTP is a great bullet at most any velocity. With 8,0 gr of Unique it does nicely in my revolvers (~950), as well as my Marlin 1894S .41. In the Marlin, it runs ~ 1300 fps and is wonderfully accurate.

Best Regards, Rod

 

the bullseye load is interesting. I have a lot of bullseye so might give that a try. And I’ll have to double check the 2400 load but that’s something I may load eventually as well if I get tired of paying $.35 for XTPs

 

Sold the 5 HKS 36 speedloaders with the SP101.

I would trade .38 brass for your .41m ammo.
I am close to Wichita Falls.

 

Actually, I worked into that load backwards. In the Early Days I pushed Unique to the limit (...and over, but we don't talk about that,) but as I started to learn about other powders, and how they work, I started using other powders for the full-house stuff. My standard load of 9grn Unique under any 210-220grn cast bullet, reduced to 8.5grn... and then 8grn... and, now, 7.5grn.

Really, the XTP is such a good bullet, I've not found anything in any chambering it hasn't shot well in... .38, .41, or the .45's.

 

I sent off to S&W Historical Foundation this past week for Letters for my M57 and M58. Both are "S" serial numbers. I pretty much know the history of the M58. I bought it ANIB from the second owner, who was a retired LEO who inherited the revolver from his former partner, who had bought the gun new. It sat in two separate safes for over 50 years. The M57 I know nothing about. I got it at the local gun show that passes through every few months, no box or papers, did not have the original stocks, and had a strange accessory vented rib installed. The gun's finish is 90% or a bit better, that and the S prefix is why I got it. Now I'll at least know if it's always been a local gun or not. I shoot them both fairly often.

I've posted them here before:

 

I exercised the Model 57 today, shooting an Xtreme 210 gr plated RNFP over 7.5 gr Unique in .41 Special cases.

12 yards double action on a B-27. I kept them in the 10, I’m happy with these results. (This was 18 shots.)



This load doesn’t have stout recoil, but you know you have touched off a round with a bit of horsepower.

One thing I did notice was the odd feel of the .500 trigger this gun has after shooting several other S&W’s with .375” triggers before this one. The wide, grooved trigger made DA shooting a lot different, in all honesty if I had ordered this gun I would have had the .375” trigger added instead. (I may swap it out later on.) When fired SA it works great, like my trigger-shoe equipped Colt Officers Model Heavy Barrel .38.

To load these rounds I use standard .41 mag dies. but the seating die doesn’t allow for much of a roll crimp. I checked the 6th round from each string prior to firing it and did not see any sign of bullet jump. I think these will be ok as is, if I was to load the .41 Specials in a tubular magazine I would get a Lee Factory Crimp die. (A .41 mag FCD may require the end being taken down a bit.)

Stay safe.