My only “largeish” bore handgun is a Ruger Blackhawk .41 Magnum. I want an N frame S&W. I would buy an M24 or M25 if the price is right, but at an equal price would prefer a .41 or .44 magnum. Which to go with? I reload, but not as much as I used to. I have a .41 and love it but frequently curse the lack of availability and cost of .41 mag ammo. The M29 will kick a bit more, but ammo is more available and cheaper. I’ve read that the .41 mag is the perfect fit for the S&W N frame, but I doubt I will test the durability of an M29 in my lifetime.

Thanks in advance,
Expat

i have two specific revolvers sitting in the safe next to each other. one is a 657 lew horton 3inch 41magnum, the other is a 629lew horton 3inch in .44magnum. they look like twins. the difference is .410, to .429. that ain't much.
i reload and don't buy much if any factory ammo, and i favor 41 magnum.
but looking at the siblings, there isn't that much difference.

Specials through my 629 Classic made it a whole lot more tolerable. The lady who sold it only tried the full bore magnums through it and it hit the used shelf after only a few shots through it. $400. at the pawn shop out the door. Just for the ammo availability, I'd sure go with the 29 in your case.

M-57, hands down.

But if you really just gotta have the big hole in the end of the barrel, find a 5" with a full length lug & thank me later.

MM

Personally I’d go with the 29 (.44). There is not a big difference in performance, but as you stated, many more components available! memtb

Well, I have both the M29 and the M57. Love them both, I enjoy reloading for both, so ammo availability isn't a problem, and I enjoy shooting them both. All that said, there is nothing that I would tackle with the 44 mag that I would not go after with the 41 mag.
My recommendation to you is to find a way to get both! If in the process you happen to run across the M24 and M25, buy them too! (Maybe that is just the looney in me talking).

Great response! I like how you think!

I agree M-57 hands down. I have both and I like the M-29, I love the M-57

I long regret selling the best M-57 that I had, a no-dash version.

Still got dies & ammo so I need another one.

But honestly, the 5" full lug M-27 is a really nice gun to & you can always download it for everyday use.

Actually, a friend has a M-69 & it's a nice shooting gun too.............can't say how it would hold up to a constant & frequent diet of full house loads, but for milder loads routinely & occasional heavy loads,
it's a nice gun................L-frames fit my hand well.

MM

Not sure I have ever seen an inaccurate .41 Magnum.

M29!

My vote is for the 57. I have killed everything from gophers to deer and antelope with one. The next best thing is the 25-5, it will shoot a 250 grain bullet with the best of them...









S&W 25-5

Model 29.

Not a lot of difference performance wise. Ammo is much easier to get in .44 mag. I have both, prefer the .41 Mag but I reload. My carry pistol when hunting backup/close shot is a 357PD. A not often seen S&W Scandium 4" in .41 mag, much more pleasant than it's big brother the 329PD.

I figured the 41 would deliver all the recoil I ever wanted to deal with. And it does with a 250 gr cast bullet over a case full of H110. Alternately it can be loaded with a 170 gr at 700 fps for a very pleasant shooting load for youth and ladies.

But one can not find those pleasant shooting "special equivalent" loads downtown. So if a guy wishes to avoid the loading bench, the 29/629 is the answer.

A handloader will not find a nickel's worth of difference between the 41 and the 44 mag.

i have heard that statement many times. From the number of 41's i have acquired, i would say it's a true statement.

41 Magnums haven't been molested over the years as far as nominal throat and barrel groove dimensions are concerned.

Manufacturers have "gotten" the .410-.411 part down. Of course it helped being the one and only factory .41 caliber handgun cartridge, not based on any other previous design and having no true forerunner.

It sounds like you've already thought through a lot of it. One more thing as an addendum to the versatility aspect...The Model 29 will have much heavier bullets available. If you like shooting 300 grain bullets and such, then the Model 29 is the way. It sounds like you're more into old school type stuff since you say you might buy a 24 or 25 under the right circumstances, so it sounds like you might want to try the model 57.

I've owned a ton of model 29's but only one 57. I wish I had the 57 back. Of course I've already got a 629 so...

I started out with .44 Magnums back in the 1970s, went to .44 Special in the 1980s but always had one .41 4" S&W around....starting in the early 1990s all the .44s left and only three .41s remained...a Ruger BH 4 5/8" and two 57s, a 4" and 6"....those three slowly grew to 30+... .41 is an addiction not a caliber...

I've also had several .44s during that time, three Mountain Guns, a 5" 629 Classic and a 1959 Blackhawk.....none of them stayed and I am currently FourtyFourless....

So some questions Mr OK....

Is this just going to be a range shooter or something you could carry and hunt with?

Any particular barrel length you would like?

What and where are you buying the ammo for your Ruger?

...and most importantly...why don't you reload?

There is now more variety and manufacturers of .41 ammo than ever before. And now fewer manufacturers of .41 handguns than ever before... If it wasn't for Ruger, Freedom Arms and Henry there would be no .41s... S&W still has one 6" blue but for not much more money one can find excellent used ones that will hold their value much better than ones with The Lock....



You can't really go wrong with either...I just find the .41s I've had shot more accurately and easier on the hand...

Bob

Agreed that in a S&W N frame the gun is maxed out with a .41 Remington Magnum. My experience is that multiple loads will shot close to the same point and all will be accurate.

Agreed the .44 Magnum is available with more factory loads and with notably heavier factory loads. However in my not at all humble opinion such loads are excessive in an N frame. I have found the very heavy full diameter far forward bullets to be too long for best function in a couple of .44 Magnum pistols when seated to normal depths. I also have a nagging suspicion that the .41 Magnum is close enough to the .44 magnum that for a step up the larger meplat possible with a .45 is necessary for any step up in performance over the .41

So in an N frame I would buy, as I have multiple times, the .41 Magnum. I would be happy to have a .44 Magnum in a different pistol.

I have too many N frames, about the same number in each hole size. For no particular reason, I tend to prefer the .41’s. Then again, I really like 16 gauge shotguns and the 10 mm is my favorite auto pistol cartridge.

as my enabler stated, 41 is an addiction, which is the reason in the collection is even a taurus in 41. and multiple examples of the same models in other ones. Some of which i have never fired.
i can go from 170 grain to 300grain in 41, and soft shooting to real firewall type loads.
the only thing missing is a long barreled 57. if i ever see one personally, i will probably be donating money to the cause.

Shoot 250 gr bullets in each & there's very little difference, at least I've never seen it in many years of using both. If you go heavier or you don't handload stick with the 44.

Dick

Much more accoutrement out there for the .44 bore; of course I've never owned or fired a .41 mag, but Dad did have a Colt DA in .41lc which is actually a true .38....

Unless you are just die-hard S&W guy, the Ruger SRH Toklat in .454 Casull is an all-around superior firearm versus an N frame (of which I own couple of each). Just too lazy to unload all the Smiths.

Actually the .480 Ruger trumps them all if you cast your own bullets.
I found I can shoot the 7-1/2" Casull more accurately than the N frames on double-action. Pretty easy to do a spring job on a Ruger...
Integral scope mount is also a plus. Toklat is just a bit easier to carry if you're under 6' and don't want a chest holster.

The .460 S&W is a great choice too, but pretty heavy and awkward looking. The Super Redhawks are very fine out of the box.
Very versatile. The Casull has the velocity, the .480 offers more bullet weight and diameter. Both trump velocity in my book.

Hey, my Ti Tracker has hurt feelers now.

There is plenty of 41 mag Ammo available, the internet is your friend and there is plenty to be had.

There's nothing in either post that I can disagree with.
I am down to one 44 mag. a S&W M 329PD 4".
In 41's there's two, a Freedom Arms M-97 4 1/4"
and a S&W M 657 no dash 6".
I would trade plus boot, my 329 for a 357PD 4", but they're scarce as hen's teeth and as expensive as all get out.

Tough call. I have and reload for both calibers. I have a Model 58, Model 29, and just bought a 629 Classic.

If I didn't have either, I believe I would go with the 44 Magnum. It's just more versatile and the available ammo and bullet options is much better than the 41.

The 41 is a sweet shooter too though, I just find I tend to go for my 357 when I want something "less" than the Model 29.

Win-Win really.