41 mag question

[glockky]

I have been thinking of getting another revolver for hunting purposes. I had a 629 smith before and I just couldn't keep from flinching with the full house 240 XTP loads with 296.

Is the 41 magnums recoil pretty close to the 44. I personally have never shot a 41 but I really like the ballistics, and I haven't found anyone who has one that I could shoot.

 

[osteodoc08]

When loaded all out max, yes, the two are comparable. That being said, you can down load regular weighted lead with trail boss or similar to a mouse fart level load. Easy to shoot with minimal recoil.

Be warned. 41 Mag is virtually a hand load only proposition to get the most out of the caliber.

Edit. BTW I have 2 lever actions in 41 mag and 7 wheel guns in 41 Mag. No, I'm not biased at all!

 

[420Stainless]

For me, the .41 Mag feels proportional between the .357 Mag and the .44 Mag. In other words, a 210grn bullet out of a .41 Mag recoil feels about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way between 158grn out of .357 Mag and 240grn out of .44 Mag if they are all loaded with H110 or W296. But its been quite some time since I shot a .44 Mag. I've been shooting .41 Mag for 3 years now and for a good portion of that time I've only been able to shoot moderate lead bullet loads due to the lack of available jacketed bullets. Lately I've been loading some heavy jacketed bullets with W296. Unless you have a lot of disposable income, the .41 Mag is only good for handloaders.

 

[KingMedicine]

.41 mag feels more like a heavy .357 then a .44 mag, but it's not a weak round by any means.

 

[DM~]

I've owned several 41 mags... With full power loads, it has a LOT more recoil than a 357 mag., not much less felt recoil than a 44 mag...

Yes you can light load the 41, but you can light load a 44 too! On top of that, you can buy 44spl's for the 44 and then you have "factory" light loads...

DM

 

[Walkalong]

With full power loads, it has a LOT more recoil than a 357 mag., not much less felt recoil than a 44 mag...

This is my take on it as well. It's pretty close to .44 Mag recoil.

 

[22-rimfire]

For typical factory loads of each, 41 mag is said to be about 30% less recoil than the 44 mag. I would assume this judgement was made with a M57 and M29.

Recoil is still pretty stout with a 41 mag. You definitely know you're shooting a magnum/big bore. It just depends on what you're used to. I find that I shoot a 41 mag a lot better than a 44 mag. So, it's a no brainer for me especially when you want to use it to hunt with.

Recoil of a normal factory 158 gr 357 mag is also fairly stout. I never shot a 357 mag very well until I learned to shoot the 41 mag and then the 357 mag was easy. It is a matter of getting used to the recoil.

 

[rcmodel]

My thought is the recoil is noticeably less, and definitely not as hard.

But the shock & Awe of the muzzle blast that makes you flinch isn't any different at all.

And that's what makes you flinch.

If the recoil was what hurt and made you flinch?
Nobody would shoot .44 Mags.

rc

 

[huntershooter]

I shoot a lot of .41/.44 and +p .45 Colt in my hunting revolvers.
All three calibers shoot a 250+- gr. lead bullet @ around 1100 fps.
The .41 has less perceived recoil than either the .45 Colt or the .44 mag.
Not a lot less, but noticeable.

 

[Hanshi]

Basically, if you can't handle a .44mag then you can't handle a .41mag.

 

[Ironman615]

In shorter barrels, say 4" or 4 5/8", I don't feel much difference between the 41 mag and the 44 mag. They're both harsh! I'm shooting quite a bit with a 7 1/2" Ruger Bisley in 41 mag now, and it's very manageable. Likewise, the longer barrel 44 mags are less punishing. All of my .357's are more light-weight and so are not good for comparison.

 

[BYJO4]

With full power loads, there is not much difference in recoil. The 41 Mag is a great caliber and very accurate. To make the most out of it, you need to reload in my opinion.

 

[Drail]

Agreed, it is a handloader's cartridge but only because the factory offerings are pretty thin. A handload using a 215 gr. bullet at 900 fps. gives you .45 ACP ballistics with very pleasant recoil. In a Bisley recoil is very light even with full power loads. Full power loads are completely unnecessary unless your target is about to eat you for dinner or at hunting distances.

 

[22-rimfire]

Full power loads are completely unnecessary unless your target is about to eat you for dinner or at hunting distances.

So, why aren't reduced power loads commonly available? Because there is little demand and the people who shoot the reduced power loades are generally reloaders. You could say exactly the same thing about the 44 mag as "completely un-necessary".

Added: The fact is that the 41 magnum at normal factory loaded magnum levels fits neatly between the 357 mag and the 44 mag. It is not for everyone. One can argue that you can load the 44 mag to 41 mag levels and you would be right. But you're generally using larger gr bullets and probably more powder to accomphish what? I prefer to own calibers that fill certain niches in terms of use and don't really try to make a 41 mag or 44 mag a 38spl, a 357 mag, a 454 Casull or larger bore caliber. I take them for what they are. But one needs to keep things in perspective because shooting is a sport as well as an activity used for hunting and self defense.