Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Super Blackhawk and 41 mag questions

Thanks for the answers on the last question guys. Now I was wondering if any of you have shot the Super Black Hawk. For what I am wanting I really don't need a double action. I checked one out at the gun store the other day ($390) and I liked the way that it handled. It was a 44 mag and I like that caliber. The choice is 44 or 41. For those of you who shoot the 41 where do you get your ammo or components, and aprox. what is the cost? The last question is how hard is it to scope a blackhawk. I know the redhawk comes with rings but I didn't see the same type of setup on the blackhawk and it wasn't drilled and tapped. Thanks for the help guys, yall make it alot easier on me, and it is nice to hear other peoples oppinions on the subjects so I don't walk into it blind. Thanks, Ryan

Your lucky day. I just happen to have a New Model Blackhawk in 41 Mag. 4 5/8" barrel for sale. NIB, $320.00.
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<br>I have used the 41 mag since 1976 when I bought my first ruger Blackhawk in that caliber. I buy cast bullets from either
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<br>www.beartoothbullets.com or www.castperformance.com
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<br>Both of these companies make a 250 and 265 grain GC hard cast bullet for the 41 mag. I have put the 265 grain completely through a Musk Ox at 80 yards.
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<br>21 grains of H110 will push either of these bullets from my 6.5" barrel at 1350 FPS.

Allen
<br>I hunt with a Ruger Blackhawk in 41 mag. I really like this round. Please tell me more about the 265 grain bullets you use. Penetration ? Barrel leading ? Accuracy ? Any issues handloading ?
<br>Thanks
<br>Charlie Sisk

Charlie, the Beartooth Bullets WLN GC 265 is the one I have used along with the 250 WIN. As tated above, complete penetration on a musk ox at 80 with a starting velocity of 1350. Musk Ox will go from 450 to 750 pounds for a big bull. No leading, Marshall makes his bullets right about 20-21 BHN. Have driven his rifle bullets up to about 2500 FPS from a 358 Winchester without leading. Accuracy with these bullets is very good. 1.5" or less in rifle loads. 5" or less at 100 yards with revolver loads. I have used Beartooth or Cast Performance bullets in several handgun and rifle cartridges. These bullets were designed by Veral Smith of LBT fame. Marshal at Beartooth also has a 416 bullet that he helped a friend and I design for a little 416/350 Wildcat that I built in 1991. Ken Waters calls it his 416 Express which he suddenly created after I had written him about my 416/350 Mag.
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<br>Can't go wrong with these bullets from either company. But since Marshal has been so helpful while trying to make that little wildcat, I give him as much business as possible.
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<br>www.beartoothbullets.com

Allen
<br>Thanks for the info. I am looking to make a deer\hog gun out of my 41 and this should make a good bullet. I dont have a lot of experience with handgun bullets as I mainly deal with rifles. I also have a 44 mag Ruger Redhawk, 5 1\2 inch barrel. Got a good heavy bullet load for that ? I was thinking of a 300 grain or maybe a little heavier. I am not crazy about high speed , I want something to hit like a sledge hammer. About 50 yards is as far as I shoot with a pistol. Have you tried any of Randy Garrett's 44 loads ? I think he uses a 325 grain hard cast bullet.
<br>Charlie Sisk

Thanks for the replies fellas. Allen, I was hoping for something with a little longer barrel. More around the 6.5 like you have. Thanks for the offer though and I will keep it in mind. Also, do either of you know where a good place to loaded ammo is. I need to start up a stock of brass before I can reload unless I buy it new. Either way I need a source. The only place here is Wallyworld and you know they don't sell it. Thanks for the info, and other help will be appreciated. Ryan

Should be able to get component brass at
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<br>www.lockstock.com
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<br>www.grafs.com
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<br>www.cabelas.com
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<br>www.huntingtons.com
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<br>you should also be able to get some Federal 41 Mag ammo at Cabela's. They sell the 250 grain Cast Performance bullet in the CastCore ammo.

I have owned both a .41 Mag (Ruger Bisley 71/2") and my current Stainless Super Blackhawk 5.5" barrel. Both are very good rounds. Scoping either is as easy as sending the gun to E. A. Brown www.eabco.com A friend sent his Super to them and they did a very good job for $50 +S&H and that included the mount. You could also order a Super Blackhawk Hunter. This is a very nice gun that comes w/rings. Sean

I have two Ruger .41s'. I have a Gary Reeder Custom Guns SBH duel cylinder 5 shooter in .41RemMag and .41GNR. I also have a plain jane BH in .41RemMag and a Taurus 425 SS Tracker that I carry %95 of the time.. I have been a diehaard fan of the .41RemMag since I got my first hunting handgun back in 1989. Killed my first handgun deer in Dec 1991 with that round (2400/19.5/Sierra 210JHC). That load was my hunting load up until 1996 when a 318lbs feral sow changed my mind, she died but I would have been badly used if I'd have been out side. That sent me on the quest for somthing "better". First like the other posters here I found CPBT and BearTooth and their excellent .41caliber bullets. Started load development for the .41RemMag in a 14 inch Contender when a poster on another forum posted about Reeder Custom Guns and Contender barrels. WOW was I in .41 heaven. I didn't at that time have a .41 wheel gun all I had was two scoped 14 inch Contenders. Gary built me a 14 inch Contender in .41GNR#2 (remember the sow?). Got a wild hair for a .41RemMag wheel gun so I had Gary build me the gun he calls "The Green Machine". I now have four Contender barrles in .41caliber and three wheel guns.To say that I like all there is about the.41 would be an under statement. The .41RemMag is a real doll to shoot, will preform at the 1100-1350fps level with the bigger bores with less bite to the hand and ear but with more than enough umph to handle what you choose to put in front of it.

You might want to try Starline for the .41 Magnum brass
<br>www.starlinebrass.com
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<br>They have great prices, you can order direct, and shipping costs are included!
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<br>You can get the bulk Remington bullets from Midway--fairly reasonable.
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<br>www.midwayusa.com
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<br>Remington makes a 210gr JHP and also a 210gr JSP. As far as cast bullets Midway sells D&J cast bullets (ok for plinking around use).
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<br>Factory loads are very few... and expensive, relative to other more common pistol calibers.
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<br>How I now about all of this is that a good friend of mine has a Ruger 4 5/8" bbl .41Mag New Model Blackhawk and it's THE MOST ACCURATE revolver I've ever shot. Recoil is brutal with full power loads though. I watched it shoot 3" groups at 100yds... open sights... no kidding! It is one awesome caliber! If factory loads were more plentiful and reasonably priced, I'd probably buy a .41Mag myself--as handloading pistol calibers is not my favourite pastime.

Rather than start a new thread for my question,I'll just elbow up to this side of the fire. I've got a BH and a tracker in 41 and I like 'em both. I've got a load I like with the 210 gr Nosler and Hodgon " lilgun".
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<br>I bought several cast bullets at a gun show last winter to load for plinking in both guns. I've never loaded cast bullets before in anything. These are all from the same mold and marked 210 swc.That's all the info I have on 'em. I cant find data for the lilgun with cast bullets.I've been told they should be loaded fairly stout to keep from leading.
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<br>I only gave 7 or 8 bucks for all he had which looks to be around 400 or so.I could throw them away and not lose any sleep since the Rem. jacketed bullets wont break me.
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<br>What do Y'all think? BTW,I gave away all my other pistol powders when I fell in love with the lilgun and I'm not buying more just to shoot these cast bullets. If it helps,I have access to a Rockwell hardness tester but I dont know what the proper hardness should be to avoid leading.
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<br>Much obliged,gene.

This is Hodgdon's suggested MAXIMUM charge for at 220 gr jacketed bullet:
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<br>220 GR. SPR JSP
<br>COL: 1.580"
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<br>LIL'GUN 20.5gr 1626fps 29,900 CUP
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<br>Having shot a lot of cast bullets over the years, for which there is usually precious little data, I have found that I can safely use data for the same or heavier weight jacketed bullets as a starting point. Drop back about 10% from Hodgdon's max charge and have at it.
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<br>I am currently using this load with a 210 gr plain base cast bullet in my S&W 657.
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Thanks for the quick reply. Should I expect cast bullets to shoot at about the same velocity as same weight jacketed bullets with same powder charge? I suppose bullet design might affect that but I dont know it for a fact. 20 gr of lilgun is what I shoot inthe tracker with 210 Nosler. I probably have velocities recorded for 18 gr when I was working up to my present load so it sounds like that would be a good start point . If I understand you right,I should get something less in the way of velocity with the cast bullets.

Gene, cast bullets will probably go a little faster because of the lubricity of lead as opposed to copper with equal powder chargers. Lead will also allow larger powder charges because of the lack of copper, therefore shorter bullets. Hunting cast bullets for high velocity non-leading should be about 18-21 on the BHN scale.

In most cases, the cast bullet will go as fast or even faster than the same weight jacketed. Although, as you mentioned, bullet design will play a role to some degree.

Allen, Stush; I appreciate both of y'all.I think I know enough now to get started.I'm going to get some of the heavy bullets from Allen's friend to use for bayed-up hogs. The 41 is not a full fledged fight stopper with the 210 gr. bullets.At least that's my opinion and it's my dogs that are at stake.
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<br>Allen,I really do like the Rigby.I wish I could take the BH you have for sale.

Was big pigs that made me go looking for something more for my .41s'. My hunting load of Sierra 210/19.5/2400 killed them but sometimes it took awhile for them to know it. Had a dance with a 318lb sow at 18yards that really brought that fact home. She when from hit to me quick as a flash hit the door of the shooting house so hard that the frame was sprung. Only thing that kept her out was that the door opened out. I now use heavy cast from CPBT or BearTooth for everything I kill. Careful of those big hard bullets. At 1200fps they will shoot through just about any hog your come up against. My boys have used them to kill 5 hogs over 300lbs and we haven't recovered a bullet yet.