Sidearms & Scatterguns .41 Mag/Hunters?

[SFree]

Having shot both the .41 mag and a .44 mag, the .41 seems to do anything that it's asked and with less argument than a .44 mag. Though, having never owned a .41 mag, who here hunts with one and/or shoots one regularly?
They don't seem to "get no satisfaction"...
Maker and models that are preferred?

 

[cav has been]

Model 57 Smith. Been bangin away with it for thirty years. Still have an old single action Ruger that preceded the Smith but haven't used it much in years.

 

[FN in MT]

I've had about every make barrel length of S&W revolver in .41 mag from 3" to 8 3/8" a few Ruger SA's as well as some trigger time with a few Freedom Arms M-83's in .41 mag. As well as owning/shooting a 10" and a 14" TC Contender though that was MANY moons ago.

I've always done well with the .41 mag. Shot a great antelope buck here in MT back in 1986 at about 80 yds with a 6" M-57 Smith. And took a whitetail buck too ,but at recurve bow range.

The .41 mag uses a .410" to .411" slug whereas the .44 mag is really a FORTY THREE. Shooting a .429"/.430" bullet. Both can handle fairly heavy cast slugs, the .41 up to about 260 grs , though there may be heavier ones out there? I cast and load 210's and 245's in forty one but have shot up to 260 gr LBT's for hunting.

Back in the old days Elmer Keith felt the forty one mag shot flatter than his beloved forty four's but I have really never seen any difference enough to note given similar bullets.

I carried a 4" M-58 for years in bear country with 245 gr Keith slugs at 1200 fps. Something larger would have been smarter, but all I had back then that was convenient.

Currently I have a S&W Performance Center Lt Wt Hunter a 6 shot N frame with a 6" ported barrel that is a tack driver. Nearly Freedom Arms accurate. 2" at 50 yds if I can do my part. Thats with Iron sights. All the other Smith and even the two Ruger Blackhawks I had in forty one were ALL accurate enough. Certainly no less accurate than any other forty four.

THE absolute tack driver was a 10" FA M-83 I shot many yrs back in metallic silhouette. That thing was amazing. With 210 gr JHP's over a hefty load of 296 it really toppled the steel out to 200 yds.

The .41's are probably best when the owner also RELOADS. As factory ammo can be tough to find and it is limited, especially for cast offerings. I shoot probably near 100% CAST out of my revolvers, very few jacketed slugs. I have found the .41 mag no harder to load for than any other revolver ctg with cast. I use a 210 gr slug with 7.0 of UNIQUE at 970 fps for a field load most of the time. Accurate, easy on the shooter and for other than hunting all a guy needs for a field load.

Many years back when I still had good eyes...... after quarterly quals a few of us would do a little match to see who bought pie and coffee after the Range. We would stick a vehicle fuel log sheet (a bright yellow 8.5 x 11 inch cardboard) up on the 100 yd target stand and with 5 or 6 shots...two handed, standing.....whoever hit it the most was hosted for pie and coffee. IIRC I once hit a sheet 5 times and the group was about 6". So the 6" Smith .41 mag revolver DOES hold a warm spot in my heart. So I may be a bit prejudiced towards the forty one. LOL.

Great cartridge but You should be a reloader to really get all it has out of it. Good Luck.

FN in MT

 

[SFree]

FN,
Wonderful history! The .41's that I've shot were so pleasant to hold and my assumptions are confirmed with your explanations/descriptions.
Cav,
Thank you, as well!
Seems there could be a few "closet shooters" of this sweet cartridge and makes me wonder why it's very rarely discussed...

Game performance interests me a great deal while knowing of it's accuracy potential with little effort.

 

[FN in MT]

SFree,

The .41 is a lot like the .44's. For hunting use a hard cast Keith type SWC or a reliable HP that will expand even at 800 or 900 fps. Push them to magnum speeds and shoot for the heart/lung area.
The Keith type SWC's are somewhat surprising as they kill deer, antelope and even elk quite handily without a lot of expansion. The flat face disrupts tissue while driving through straight as an arrow.

Old Elmer knew his stuff when he designed his SWC molds for Lyman. I have done well with the various LBT designs but one MUST push them FAST to get the best accuracy. The Keith slugs seem a LOT more forgiving in that area. Always accurate even at low speeds.

FN in MT

 

[6mech]

I am a big fan of hunting with the .41. I have a S&W 657 that I absolutely love. I bought it brand new and it is one of my favorite guns. I have taken wild Texas hogs, Javelina and jacks in AZ. I took it on a cow elk hunt but couldn't get close enough and had to close the deal with my '06. I am confident that it is plenty of gun for elk within reasonable distances. I mainly shoot 210gr XTP's while hunting, and 215gr hard cast for practice. It pretty much has the punch of a .44 with less recoil and shoots flatter.