Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Thinking about a 41 magnum

Pro's are a great caliber and great gun. The price is usually right on a Blackhawk too. The cons of the specific gun is usually needing some smoothing up. This can be done by a gunsmith or just with normal practice over time. The gunsmith will be quicker and a little better, maximizing your shooting pleasure and skills. The con of the caliber has already been stated, availability.

I've never owned a .41 Mag. Wouldn't be afraid of one or one in a Blackhawk, in the least. Let her get it for you and never look back, would be my advice. You want a 45 Colt or a 44 Mag. down the road, get that too.

The 45 Colt is better overall. Specifics as to why have already been given. Either will do you fine. 41 sounds intriguing.

How better?

I have owned both..................

MM

I'm in the camp that feels the .45 Colt should not be loaded over 20,000 psi. That means that the .41 will easily out perform it. BTW, trying to find hot ammo for the .45 Colt is tougher than finding factory ammo for the .41 in my neighborhood.
It produces about 15% less recoil than the .44 Mag and just as loud.
Every bit as much fun to shoot at the longer distances as the .44 with less recoil.
Now, if you want some real killing power w/o the ear splitting blast of the .41 or the .44 Magnums, then I'd say the .45 Colt.
I see the .41 Magnum as a good choice instead of the .44 Magnum in the same weight of the lighter guns.
I suspect I'd be happier with the lighter Ruger Blackhawk in the .41 than I would be with a .44 Magnum. E

I agree in old Colt SAA, but not in a modern Ruger

The 45 Colt is bigger, both in frontal area and case capacity. In modern steeled, heavy platforms that will withstand high pressures, it can be loaded to velocities which are in the neighborhood of the .44 Mag. Heavy 45 Colt bullets weigh more than the .41 Mag's, etc. Plus the 45 Colt is easier to obtain.

I think both are great cartridges. I'm not experienced with the 41 Mag. but I'm not experienced with the 41 Colt either, yet I can tell you with some assurance that the 45 Colt exceeds both. The reason I didn't was because I've gave my rundown on the 45 Colt here multiple times and didn't figure most wanted to hear it again. Combine that with other posters having already detailed this stuff before I did on this thread (IIRC without reading the whole thing over) and I didn't see the need.

If you want to compare an SAA made in 1895 to a new Blackhawk and you're using it for hunting medium game, then the 41 Mag. should get the nod. Blackhawk vs. Blackhawk, the 45 Colt holds a decided edge. Dude should get what he wants, like I said in the other post.

Cole is correct on the 45 Colt in a Ruger Blackhawk, it will easily over power both the 41 & 44 magnums & as you move into the heavyweight bullets its even more evident.
One of the Hodgdon manuals shows loads in the 32,000 psi range that are totally safe in modern Ruger sixguns. A 44 magnum works in the 40,000 psi range but still can't keep up with the heavy slugs.
Getting back to the 41 maggie: If you load it with 250 gr slugs & do the same with the 44 there's pretty much zero difference in performance. That plus the 41 just might do it with less recoil, the reason is a 41 blackhawk & a 44 blackhawk don't weigh the same, the 41 is heavier if the barrel length is the same. Smaller holes in the cylinder & barrel is the reason.
What we're doing here is spliting hairs because no animal can live on what little difference there is between a max loaded 41 maggie with 250's & a max loaded 44 with 250's, there is a slight edge to the 44 but its not much.
In the end you have to ask yourself, do I want max power along with heavier recoil or do I shoot for pleasure & still have ample power for game up to elk size.

Dick

I say let her buy a 41. Reloading won't let the ammo availability hurt you at all. Components are available.I bought a 41 blackhawk last fall.I also have a 44 mag super blackhawk and a 45 colt blackhawk already so for me its not a 41 vs 44 vs 45 thing. The bad part is that I had to buy my own.
Enjoy whatever you choose.

Well...since I have twentysomething .41s, two .44s and no .45 Colts you probably can tell where my sentiments lie.....

All are great rounds in great guns but the reason I ended up with .41s over the others was perceived recoil... Especially with the short barreled gun, SA or DA, with full loads the .41 is just more fun to shoot...

Some Ruger .41s...

Top is a limited edition Flat Top

Center is a 80s vintage Blackhawk with a Super Blackhawk gripframe

Bottom is a 1976 Centenial with stag grips...











Flat Top with new bonded ivory grips..the checked narrow black plastic is not fun with heavy loads..



80s vintage 6.5" with Weaver base system and Leupold scope...a tack driver at 50 yards..

[img]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/RJM52/Single%20Action/RugerBH-SSS-Marlin-FA020.jpg[/img]

Just a great round....

Bob

I think I am going to go the 41 route, to me it will be something that not everyone has and will say "what the hell is a 41 mag?" There is always time to get other calibers right? I think I will take my 3 month old daughter with to help me pick it out, and later on she can have it. I appreciate the feedback from everyone and will let you know how I like it when I get it.

Sounds good bubba. Let us know.

I'd take a look at the new 41 mag Ruger Blackhawk Flattop that is a limited edition. 45/8 barrel would be sweet.

I was on Rugers site I didnt see anything where would I find info in this?
Hank

You mean like this one?


http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=218465154

or

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=218479742

I also would like to see it in a 4 5/8 inch. I suppose a guy could have the barrel shortened while it was in the shop getting the trigger done.

I own one handgun. My first and so far only revolver is a Ruger SBH hunter in 41 mag.

I load and shoot a lot of 210 gr bullets at about 800 fps. With these loads the gun feels about like a 38 special. On the top end I load the 210 gr Hornady XTP to 1400 fps. This is is shamed very little by a 44 magnum.

I have never purchased factory ammo in 41 caliber, so can not speak as to scarcity of factory ammo. But I can testify that 41 caliber bullets can be hard to come by, even at Cabela's and Sportsman's Warehouse.

In my gunsafe can be found a 30-06AI, a 260 Rem, a 264 Win mag, a 22-243AI, a 7mm STW, and a Marlin 1894 in 41 mag. The SBH 41 mag fits well with my arcane collection.

No, I would not trade it for a 44. Not even if .429 bullets were given away for free.

Very nice. I have only seriously considered two .41 Mags in my whole shooting career. One was years ago when I spotted a beat up 57 at a local gunstore. It was about the same price you'd expect to pay for one in pretty good condition...$275 I think. If it had been $100 less, I'd of bought it. It was scratched up pretty bad and $275 really was the going price on a decent one.

Then just last week, I looked at that same gun in Gander's Mountain. It was one of the few guns there that looked to be decently priced. Really tripped my trigger for some reason. That's the one I'd get if I were looking at .41's.

Or, just find one like this Ruger Blackhawk in .41RM with a 4 5/8" barrel..



I picked up that little beauty a few years ago.. Handy little backwoods carry gun in a decent belt holster...

Maybe single actions are your bag but like Cole said 57's are awesome if you can find a good one.This one has taken several deer over the years and is super accurate!!BTW I like single actions too..

IIRC, they made the Abilene in 41 Mag...

Yep I could have picked up one right after I bought my 44,still kickin my azz for that dumb move!!

I am a .41mag fan. My Ruger .41 is a 4 5/8" Blackhawk, not SBH, that I bought new in the 80's. I replaced the rear sight blade with a white outline. I replaced the hammer with a Bisley hammer. If you get a Blackhawk, the first thing that I would do, is send to MidwayUSA for a Wolff spring kit and Hogue Rubber Mono Fingergroove grips. About $25 for both. The hammer spring is a simple changeout while you are changing the grips. The rubber Hogues are not as pretty as the wood, but try them, you'll like them. Reeds at OK City sells .41 Special ammo now. Good luck.

The only handgun I have is a Taurus Tracker in 41 mag. I bought it mainly to carry with me while archery hunting, and the Taurus was light enough that it wouldn't get left in the truck. I don't shoot it very often, but have never had any difficulty finding ammo for it. I have not reloaded for the 41 yet, probably because I'd be hard pressed to go through 50 rounds a year. The only drawback, if you can call it one, is the limited choices when it comes to different factory loads available. I have no regrets and would buy the same gun again. That's my opinion, but bear in mind that I am pretty much a newbie when it comes to handguns.