41 Magnum GP100

[Stopsign32v]

Come on Ruger, I'm sure you could do it.

I want a Match Champion 6 shot capacity 41 Magnum GP100 stainless. Let me scratch that itch.

 

[hittman]

They would probably insist on 5 shot

 

[Stopsign32v]

They would probably insist on 5 shot

You never heard a revolver get the nickname "5 shot".

I'm officially not interested in any revolver that has less or more than 6 holes in the cylinder. I'll die on that hill

 

[Ale-8(1)]

They would probably insist on 5 shot

They very well might, but it appears that there should be just room for six of the .41 case rims on the cylinder face. Should be better than the seven-shot .357 that has occasional problems in that regard.

Dunno if they'd be happy with the remaining chamber wall thickness, though. :unsure:

 

[Stopsign32v]

Dunno if they'd be happy with the remaining chamber wall thickness, though. :unsure:

I was thinking with today's metallurgy surely they could get it to work!

 

[Ale-8(1)]

There's also the possibility that the cylinder might be just a tiny bit too short. :unsure: Maybe.

 

[Stopsign32v]

There's also the possibility that the cylinder might be just a tiny bit too short. :unsure: Maybe.

The 41 mag and 357 mag are the same length. 41 mag uses less pressure than 10mm and there is a 6 shot 10mm GP100...

 

[rkrcpa]

The 41 mag and 357 mag are the same length. 41 mag uses less pressure than 10mm and there is a 6 shot 10mm GP100...

The 6 shot 10mm avoids the issue of the cartridge case rim. What is the diameter of a GP100 cylinder?

 

[Ale-8(1)]

SAAMI shows the .357 at 1.405" OAL cartridge length while .41 is shown at 1.540" OAL.

This might be dealt with by selection of blunter bullets, however. There's also the possibility that the cylinder could be a little longer with the reduction in barrel protrusion into the frame window and careful barrel/cylinder gapping.

The 10mm is slightly smaller in diameter and is rimless, true . . . if considerably shorter, which doesn't matter here.

Don't know about the cylinder diameter.

 

[contender]

"Rugged, Reliable Ruger Revolvers!"

Their motto.

Due to the number of potential idiots who max load, or think loading manuals are just guidelines,, I seriously doubt the lawyers would approve. And the engineers who may consider it,, well, they too know how stupid some people can be.

Lastly,, while many of us enjoy a .41 magnum,, Ruger is into SALES. LOTS of sales. Initially, they would sell some. But if they offered it in stainless, many would say; "Not until they make it in blue." Or if offered with a 4" barrel,, many would say; "I want it in a 3" or a 5" or whatever.
Hard to build a model that pleases enough people to where you get a lot of sales!

And as for a 5-shot vs a 6 shot revolver, don't tell the serious custom gun makers who build strong, serious calibers, not to build them in 5 shot.

 

[Sugar River]

From the 'Beating a dead horse' dept.......
Dave Clements did this conversion to 41 Special, and advised that it would handle a 220 gr cast bullet
at 1200 f/s. I haven't pushed it that hard since I find a 220-230 at 1000 f/s solves all the problems I'm
likely to encounter. Haven't had any rim diameter issues using Starline. He wouldn't attempt a 41 Mag due
to cylinder window space and chamber wall thickness concerns.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Wow, neat!

Are the chambers counterbored for the case rims?

Could we get a pic of the cylinder face? :unsure:

 

[Sugar River]

No, that would ruin headspace.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

No, that would ruin headspace.

No, not so long as the whole arrangement was designed to have the rims seat on the face of the cylinder as shown and the headspace was designed to work in that manner . . . which it appears is the case. There's just room for the rims. Looks good to me.

Thanks for the pics.

 

[contender]

"Dave Clements.
He wouldn't attempt a 41 Mag due
to cylinder window space and chamber wall thickness concerns."

^^^^THIS^^^^

Exactly why you won't get a 6 shot GP-100 revolver.

 

[Flat Top]

Saying the revolver hangs together during this initial testing. I would probably make it through about 4 cylinders full or 28 rounds 41 magnum and hang it up as an "emergency use only" firearm due to recoil and my hand and wrist.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

"Dave Clements.
He wouldn't attempt a 41 Mag due
to cylinder window space and chamber wall thickness concerns."

^^^^THIS^^^^

Exactly why you won't get a 6 shot GP-100 revolver.

Yep. When I said "Looks good to me" I was referring to the clearance between rims in the cylinder, not the application of the .41 Mag. I referred to this in post #4. :)

 

[GYJ44]

They could use the same barrel shank arrangement as the 10mm version, which is actually larger than the .44Spl version. I'd wager it would have to be a five shot.

You never heard a revolver get the nickname "5 shot".

I'm officially not interested in any revolver that has less or more than 6 holes in the cylinder. I'll die on that hill

You know how many revolvers were produced before the Colt SAA that had everything but six charge holes? Quite a few, even Colt's. The first Colt revolvers were 8-shot rifles.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Edited to delete incorrect data. See post #28. :oops:

Hamilton Bowen has chambered the GP100 for the .41 Special, same case diameter as the .41 Mag.

Talo has offered the GP100 in 10mm Auto, a 6-shot.

Hmmmm. :unsure:

https://palmettostatearmory.com/rug...weekend&utm_term=06-22-2025&utm_content=52808

 

[GYJ44]

OK, the .41 Mag case/chamber has a smaller diameter than that of the 10mm Auto, and they have comparable pressures.

Hamilton Bowen has chambered the GP100 for the .41 Special, same case diameter as the .41 Mag.

Talo has offered the GP100 in 10mm Auto, a 6-shot.

Hmmmm. :unsure:

https://palmettostatearmory.com/rug...weekend&utm_term=06-22-2025&utm_content=52808

I was thinking the same thing but remembered the issue with rim interference that Ruger had to deal with with the 7-shot .357's and out of spec ammo. Bowen did chamber the GP in .41Spl but it's a wildcat and you can pick & choose your cases. With a factory .41Mag, any and all factory loads would be to be usable. It could go either way but man, that GP cylinder is not very large in diameter.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

We've pretty well checked that out. It appears there'd be room for six .41 Mag rims . . . close, but doable. The "standard" for the .41 Special is the same as the .41 Mag with a 0.492" rim diameter.

If you tried to make cases using something with a much larger rim, you'd likely run into trouble. Max rim would be like 0.500".

I'll bet someome will eventually try it.

 

[bisleyfan41]

Gary Reeder has built 5-shot 41 mag GP100s. I've handled one. Know where one rests in a local shop for sale at $2600.

 

[Chief]

No, that would ruin headspace.

Can you measure the cylinder wall thickness between the chambers and at the outside?

 

[Sugar River]

OK, the .41 Mag case/chamber has a smaller diameter than that of the 10mm Auto, and they have comparable pressures.


Hmmmm. :unsure:

I couldn't let this one go by, it defies logic........

Sure enough, Hornady 8th Edition shows 10mm case dia. @ .423.
While 41mag is listed @ .434.

ANd to satisfy those worried about rim diameter.

 

[Sugar River]

Can you measure the cylinder wall thickness between the chambers and at the outside?

Sorry, I have no way of doing that accurately.

 

[Chief]

Sorry, I have no way of doing that accurately.

That’s fine I didn’t really need exact measurements. The chamber walls of your GP 100 don’t appear thinner than my S&W model 57 and the cylinder stop notches are off set whereas the S&W they are directly over the chamber. Nobody says the Smith is weak. I just wanted to try and get a comparison. Could we get a complete picture of your .41spl?

 

[Sugar River]

Should be in post #11 in this thread, it's the one on the bottom.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I couldn't let this one go by, it defies logic........

Sure enough, Hornady 8th Edition shows 10mm case dia. @ .423.
While 41mag is listed @ .434.

GOOD CATCH! You are essentially correct. I reversed my info. I hate it when that happens. :eek:

SAAMI lists the 10mm case at .425" and the .41 mag at .435"

Makes a difference. How much? Dunno. It would certainly make the chamber walls thinner . . . like .005"

 

[Chief]

Should be in post #11 in this thread, it's the one on the bottom.

I missed it! don't know how but I did.

I was thinking the same thing but remembered the issue with rim interference that Ruger had to deal with with the 7-shot .357's and out of spec ammo. Bowen did chamber the GP in .41Spl but it's a wildcat and you can pick & choose your cases. With a factory .41Mag, any and all factory loads would be to be usable. It could go either way but man, that GP cylinder is not very large in diameter.

The GP cylinder is about 1.55. The cylinder on the Smith Model 57 is 1.56. I'd say it would work .

 

[NikA]

I thought the limitation with .41 Magnum in the GP was the same as the midframe Blackhawk: too short for SAAMI maximum OAL. Think the midframe cylinder might be the same spacing as the GP, know the regular BH/SBH is the same as the Redhawk.