.41 mag deer load?

[gspn]

I bought a Ruger Blackhawk in .41 Mag for deer hunting this year. I've loaded and shot some 210 and 215 grain loads...nothing too hot...1100 to 1200 FPS.

This week or next I need to start developing a load to use on deer. Up til now I've just been plinking at the range and getting to know the gun.

If you hunt deer what do you use? Also what types of ranges do you feel are most effective for this caliber and what bullet design to you use at that range?

If it will help with the equation I'll be using a fixed power scope of some sort, shooting from a solid rest, and I'm a good shot.

Thanks.

 

[RKRCPA]

220gr true Keith SWC @ 1400fps. Accurate and deadly, I'm good to about 75yds.

 

[dakotasin]

i run 210 hornady xtp's at 1350 f/s w/ h-110 in my 6.5" blackhawk.

i would like to try cast loads, but i'd like to know how much of an issue leading is, and what brands are reccomended since i don't cast myself. in my 480 ruger cast loads are very effective on deer.

 

[JimKirk]

Hornady 210 grain XTP with 19.8-22 grains of either H110 or W296
For a velocity of 1631 fps

Hodgdon Web site data.

 

[Quoheleth]

Dakotasin,

Leading is usually not as big of a problem as most people make it out to be. That's not to say it CAN'T be a problem, but if you match pressure with hardness of bullet and an appropriately-sized bullet, you will experience little-to-no leading.

I had a .41 Blackhawk for a few months and shot Missouri Bullet's .41 Trooper (215gr SWC) out of it with no - ZERO - leading at varying velocities up to 1200fps (per the manual). The "trick" is to make sure the bullet slugs pretty doggone close to the bore and then match your load data pressure with the hardness ofo he bullet. I sold the Ruger earlier this spring and don't remember what was working well for me, other than I was tinkering with Unique, 2400 and AA#9.

I run cast lead in all of my guns, 9mms, .45ACP, .38 Spcl and .357 Magnum, and as long as I do my part at the bench, I rarely have severe leading, so as to ruin accuracy. Don't fear cast lead; try it and I suspect you will like it.

Q

 

[Oceans]

You have made a wise purchase with that .41 Blackhawk, you will be very pleased with it's accuracy and handling. I traded mine off like a fool years ago, lesson learned, never trade off a good, accurate, powerful revolver that never did you wrong. I shot mostly 210 SWCs out of mine, and they grouped under two inches open sight at 25 yards consistently. For White Tails, I think as previously stated your best bet would be a fast expanding bullet for lung shots. The XTP sounds about right, they are tough bullets, but you need to drive them fast for best expansion. Good luck on that revolver, you should have a real winner to give you years of enjoyment, I hope one day I get another .41 Mag Blackhawk.

 

[Steve C]

You don't need a high velocity load to kill a deer. Any of the .41 mag loads that should run 1,200 fps or more are quite adequate. One of the fastest loads I've chrono'd from my 6" S&W 57 was a 215gr XTP on top of 17.5grs of 2400 in a Win case with WLP primer. This load ran 1,413 fps.

20.2 gr of H110 behind a Rem 210gr JSP ran 1,286 fps. Hodgdon says you can go to 22.0grs w/ H110 so it would probably be about the same at max load.

I've never found an inaccurate load out of the .41 mag so there seems to be no worry about accuracy.

 

[gspn]

Thanks guys. I'll try some of these loads and see what it likes the best.

 

[gutterman]

All the loads above are pretty standard Hornady loads, and work well in the .41. I had a .41 Blackhawk years ago, and I too traded it off(DAMN!)-the gun was perfect for deer out to 75yrds.

 

[rcmodel]

what types of ranges do you feel are most effective for this caliber

A .41 Mag will cleanly kill a deer much further then you can consistently hit it in the kill zone every time.

Your max effective range for deer is as far as you can keep all your shoots inside an 8" paper plate.
That fairly represents the kill zone of a deer.

rc