.41 magnum cast bullet load

[bernie]

I have a .41 Magnum Blackhawk that I am wanting to get a 237 grain Keith bullet mold for. The problem is I have not been able to find any load data for it. Do any of you guys have a load for it?

 

[Charlie98]

I've got some 240grn GC cast on the way to me, too. It looks like it will be a good bullet.

Question: How fast do you want to push these? Plinking/standard velocity, or do you want max velocity?

Hodgdon has data for H110 and gas checked 250grn cast, that would be a good starting point if you are looking for full-house loads. I also have some data from Cast Performance for a 250grn gas checked bullet using H4227, H110, and Lil'Gun, if you are interested.

Personally, I'll be starting with Unique, likely working up from a start of 8grn, and then IMR4227, starting around 18grns, but out of a 20" Marlin barrel.

 

[WrongHanded]

I load with 220gr WFN-GC (actual weight approx 230gr), and 220gr LFN-GC (actually weight approx 225gr). Data wasn't easily available. So I worked up loads with 2400 very cautiously. Mine probably aren't quite at max pressure, but they sure seem accurate.

The good news is that the .41 mag Blackhawk is a strong gun for the cartridge. So if you chose to work up a load, you should have a healthy safety margin.

 

[Charlie98]

Data wasn't easily available.

I have a compiled data list of .41MAG loads I got off leverguns, I believe. It has a bunch of book data, plus some load workups, with notes and references. I will email it to anyone, just PM me if you are interested.

 

[mrawesome22-250]

Hodgdon has data for a 245gr cast swc using 7 different powders from mild to wild.

 

[bernie]

I will not be getting a gas checked bullet mold so it does not need to be on the "wild" side. When I am shooting the hot stuff, I will be using jacketed bullets.

 

[Riomouse911]

I was just loading .41, a 210 gr JSP over 20.8 gr of Ramshot Enforcer, Starline brass and a Federal 155 mag primer. This should be a tad under their max, but a good deal warmer than my usual plinking load of a 215 gr coated LSWC over 9.8 gr Unique.

MAN! First time using Enforcer, that powder is as fine as dust! It literally looks to be about 2/3 the size per individual grain of powder as H110... which is awfully fine as well.

It metered well, within 20.7 to 20.8 in each weighed charge. When I get a chance to shoot them I’ll let you know how it goes.


Stay safe.

 

[bernie]

Thanks for the lead on Hodgdon. Somehow I missed that. I love the .41 but it can be challenging finding stuff for it, sometimes.

 

[luzyfuerza]

The only resource I have that includes data close to what you're looking for is from M. L. McPherson's Metallic Cartridge Reloading, 3rd Edition.

The data for Accurate No 9 caught my eye! That powder really throws a 240 grain bullet downrange fast!

 

[RKRCPA]

The classic Keith bullet in 41 mag comes in around 220 grains. Load data can be found in older Lyman manuals and Handloader magazine has done several articles over the years. Here's what Elmer recommended.

 

[Charlie98]

Just be careful about the cartridge OAL. I had a stash of those 220grn Keith bullets, which have a longer loaded OAL than most .41 bullets. They worked well enough in my Dan Wesson, but they were a hair too long for my Marlin 1894... I had to muzzle-up and give the lever a little love jiggle to get the cartridge back far enough on the carrier to cycle it into the chamber. It was a true Keith design, most commercially available bullets are shorter OAL when loaded.

There is actually quite a bit of data and components available, you just have to know where to look, and as shown there is always the frothing at the mouth rabid .41 guys like us.

 

[Charlie98]

MAN! First time using Enforcer, that powder is as fine as dust! It literally looks to be about 2/3 the size per individual grain of powder as H110... which is awfully fine as well.

I'll be curious how that turns out. I've seen lots of recommendations for AA#9, but not Enforcer. Was it a problem in your powder drop, or did you hand weigh them?

 

[Charlie98]

Thanks for the lead on Hodgdon.

There is also online data available from Alliant (in a terrible format, however...) and likely most other powder manufacturers; some, like Western (Accurate and Ramshot) have downloadable manuals. There is also data available from bullet makers like Speer and Nosler.

 

[Riomouse911]

I'll be curious how that turns out. I've seen lots of recommendations for AA#9, but not Enforcer. Was it a problem in your powder drop, or did you hand weigh them?

It wasn’t a problem in the Lee powder measure, in fact Enforcer measured more consistently than Unique does drop-to-drop. I just wanted to see how it metered so I weighed them all after throwing them.

I will say that the the fine grains of Enforcer powder did squeeze out of the drum between the moving parts a lot more than with larger flake or stick powders. This excess was visible on the base of the stand that I use to hold the measure.

It’s kind of a neat chemistry principle about the composition of powders affecting burn rate rather than the size of the grain being the factor. The Enforcer grains are teeny compared to the Unique flakes, but Enforcer burns slower (and H110 even slower still).

Stay safe.