Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns .41 magnum deer bullets

I've owned three .41 magnums for years now (a 6" Dan Wesson, 4 5/8" Blackhawk, and an 1894 Marlin) but have never hunted with them, just because I've chosen to carry something else. I'm considering using the Dan Wesson and/or Marlin this fall for deer. I've searched this site and others, and the 210 grain Hornady XTP seems popular. Does anyone have any experience with it in a carbine? I'm wondering if it will hold together with the extra 300-400(?) fps out of a 20" barrel. I'm also considering the 180 grain Barnes X and the 210 Swift A-Frame, as they should hold together at the higher velocity. I would also consider hardcast, although I'd really prefer some expansion. I'd like to use the same load in both the revolver and carbine. I'm getting old enough where I like to simplify. Thanks in advance.

Hornady 210 XTP with a stout load of H110 works in a S&W 357PD have not tried it in a carbine.

170 Sierra JHC with 26.0 grains of H110....2100 fps from a Carbine....1625 from a 6.5" Blackhawk.

Gary Reeder's favorite deer bullet from .41s and he has killed a lot of deer with that bullet.

The bullet is a a hunting bullet and is a lot tougher than one would think...

Bob

A few years ago I did some penetration tests with my SBH hunter in 41 mag. While it is widely recognized that water is not the ideal test medium, that is what I had available. I was shooting straight down into a 55 gal steel drum full of water.

The 210 gr XTP at 1400 fps lost about 35% of its weight but did not separate on impact. It maintained enough velocity to fully penetrate the water and strike the base of the drum hard enough to show impact marks on the bullet.

The 170 gr Sierra is touted as a great deer bullet. My testing showed it to be less tough than the 210 XTP. At 1500 fps the 170 separated core from jacket. The core was reduced to a small plug about 1/4 inch long and original diameter.

At 1000 fps the Sierra fared much better with the core retaining much more weight, but still separated from the jacket.

The 210 gr plated Berrys bullet at 1400 fps, on the other hand remained fully intact and punched holes through the bottom of the steel drum. I am convinced it would shoot end to end through a mature bull elk or even a moose.

I have recovered a 210 Berry's from a frozen dirt back stop after firing from the Marlin Carbine at over 1700 fps. Except for copper plating stripped from the back half of the bullet, behind a heavy roll crimp, the bullet looked like it could have been loaded and fired again.

The 210 XTP is the most accurate bullet in my SBH and also shoots well in the Marlin. I would be comfortable using it for deer from either weaon. For very large game, I cast a 250 gr bullet which would be ideal.

Bob, one cannot argue with outcomes data.

I’d happily run a 210 RP SP, XTP, or the 170 SHP. A good Keith or similar in 220 or up is proven also.

I recall 180’s being used in 44’s. The Fed load shot 1910 in my old 10” TC,
Slammed the rams hard at 100 yds. Only 10fps deviation.

Dave...that is why I like the 170 at high speed over the 210s...in real deer they expand and deliver a punch.

I have not shot a deer with the 170/.41 yet but have with the 180/.44. Shot a 6 point in the chest that was walking toward me at a slight angle. Bullet hit just right of centerline, turned the heart and lungs to jello and the broke the last two ribs exiting out the other side. Deer could not get to the ground fast enough....unlike a deer I hit right through the lungs with a 215 cast that ran off like it wasn't even hit...

But really, a well placed shot will kill any deer...the only question becomes when is it going to hit the ground...

Bob

Yes, deer are easy to kill.

The only thing I ever killed w/ the 170 Sierra jhc was an 80 lb feral black lab in the pasture with my stock. It was one of my hotter loads fired from the Marlin. The bullet hit the ribs (heart and lungs) at 90 degrees. The dog ran East to the gate, through it and headed west, so apparently the brain was still working okay. It covered about 100 yds before falling over dead.

It has been a few years, but I do not think the bullet made an exit.

Just about the same as every heart shot deer I have ever seen shot with a 22-250 or a 30-06.

I did all those comparisons years ago and found little value in shooting into any medium at point lank range. I used my 41 magnum for killing everything from gophers to deer. Recovering bullets from dirt to deer, I learned that a good hard cast bullet will perform as good as any jacketed bullet on game due to little or no bullet expansion on game at realistic shooting distances...

Bought my first 41 in 1973 and been shooting nothing but cast heavies since..Most deer killed were from tree stands with no second shots required..A good cast bullet is hard to beat if used in the proper velocity window.

245 grs

I always just love these threads on hunting with revolvers. Just tons of experience shared by some of the best out there.

The only bullet I have taken any game with (Pronghorn) has been the CPBC 250 grain WFNGC. Exemplary performance, and never a recovered bullet for whatever that is worth.
Have been playing with a 240 grain "Keith" style bullet from Rimrock though. Over a good load of IMR4227 it is proving to be very accurate, and of course should perform very well on game.

Nice looking bullet Woody.

Good looking bullet. What mould?

The 245 gr FN is Accurate mold # 41-240FR .Alloyed 25:1 It's a very decent bullet, accurate and a good penetrator.

This was my go to heavy for 20 + yrs..Mold is the Lyman 410426 a 240 gr RN heavy originally designed for the Winchester mod 1910 self loading rifle..401 WSL.. Never had issues with its performance as well and still use it today.

Not a 41 mag but my 44 mag carbine with 240 gr XTP's is a deer hammer. I suspect you you find similar results.

Actually, I do not think one could go wrong with any of the choices mentioned here for killing deer at reasonable range.

Shrapnel, a quick look at any ballistic chart makes it paifully obvious there is a huge difference in handgun velocity between the muzzle and 50 yds or 100 yds.

But I am curious, are you saying that jacketed hollow points fail to expand on game down range.

Thank you all for the replies. I currently have on hand...

100 250 grain Cast Core hardcast bullets
100 265 grain Beartooth hardcast bullets
250 210 grain Berry's plated bullets (probably just use for practice, even though apparently they're tough)

...plus I have a box of Barnes 180 grain XPB factory loads.

I will also pick up a box of XTPs and see what shoots best in both guns. It doesn't sound like there's a wrong decision. Thanks again.

I’ve shot deer with the Hornady 210 XTP out of 6” S&W 57/657s and my Marlin 1894s and have had good results - found one of the bullets on an angling shot - under the hide right in front of the hind quarter....after going through the opposite shoulder, lungs, liver, and stomach......it held together nicely. That on was out of a M57 (mv was around 1350 fps), the deer was shot at 40 yards and he weighted 160 pounds field dressed. Any of the bullets mentioned would work fine at the velocities and yardages typically shot with the .41. Good luck......gotta love the .41😊

PennDog

20 grains of H110 with the 250 Cast Core runs 1305 from my Freedom Arms 97 4.25".

Have to check but I'm using 20.0 or 21.0 of H110 with the 265...not sure if I have clocked that one yet or not.

210Berry's plated..8.0 grains of Unique is my Universal target load and runs 950 form a 4" S&W. 9.0 1100 and 10.0 1180. I have run them with 22.0 of H110 and they were about 1300 fps.

Bob

Woody,

Doesn't the flat nose provide more "whop" than the round nose when it hits meat?

m

I'm not Woody put that is my impression as well unless you get under 800 fps at impact where they are both lackluster. My lackluster comments come from using flat nose solids on hogs from a 40 SW as well as round nose solids in the 45 ACP. Both are equally unimpressive.

But when impact velocities are around 1200 fps,flat nose solids have a lot more smack to them IME.

i have written on here about this before, but here goes.
i head shot an elk a few years ago with a 41magnum using a gold dot. it hit her so hard she had smoke coming out of her nose, and it bulged her eyes out. That made a believer out of me.
I don't shoot many jacketed bullets, prefering lead. and i kind of like the heavier ones, like 230 to 250 grain. But that's going to stop most things.