41 mag swc recipes

[triggerpull]

Got 500 Oregon trail 215 gr SWC's on the way--any especially good recipes out of a 6.5" blackhawk??

 

[rkrcpa]

And what are you looking for, mild or wild?

 

[triggerpull]

both very good questions.

OK--I have h110,w296,800x,4227, lil'gun and #9 (of the 41 socially acceptable powders)
Most of these look like there's not a very big range between mild and wild going by manufacturer's recommendations--so I really would like to start "mild" and if at all possible keep to the same powder that can be jazzed up enough to drop a whitetail out to 75 (probably no more than 50 since it will likely be a while before I get proficient to that distance). I'm also not sure how hard these bullets are so I don't want to push them too fast if they might cause problems going too hot. That said--I'm not timid about full power loads (and then some). thanx in advance!

 

[K. Funk]

I have been playing with .41 mag for a while. I am partial to 2400. I have a decent supply of it and use it for the .41 exclusively at the moment. 18.0 Gr is the load I use with 210-215gr SWC's. I will eventually need to work something up with H110. When the current lot of 2400 is gone, I may switch to H110.

krf

 

[triggerpull]

I have been playing with .41 mag for a while. I am partial to 2400. I have a decent supply of it and use it for the .41 exclusively at the moment. 18.0 Gr is the load I use with 210-215gr SWC's. I will eventually need to work something up with H110. When the current lot of 2400 is gone, I may switch to H110.

krf

2400 is another one I'd like to try but can't find anywhere. H110 and w296 (very similar in performance--some think it's essentially the same powder) is fantastic in 44 mag loads but I've yet to find the sweet spot in 41.

I spent the evening loading up some 210 xtp's AND 180 xpb's powered by #9--I'm just a little hesitant about going out in 20 degree/25 mph winds to test them--but my impatience will get the best of me in the next day or two I'm sure. LOL.

 

[triggerpull]

If the current American made version is as good as the former Czech made #9, could be just what the doctor ordered. It will give you all the velocity you need for hunting loads, and if not, look at Western's data for Enforcer/4100 if you'd rather not use H110. I've also heard good things about Alliant 300-MP but have not tried it myself. Nothing against 2400, I just don't use flake powders anymore. #9, Enforcer/4100 are pretty close in burn rate, meter better and are cleaner burning. :wink:

Roger the difficulty of metering the flake stuff--800 x is like that too. What should I be looking for to compare the new #9 to the old one?

Tomorrow's weather looks like we're in for a heat wave--should hit freezing : ) --though winds are going to gust to almost 30 mph. I think I'll give it a go but I suspect the results might not be as good as they could be.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

For plinking with a .41mag consider HP-38/W-231. Easy to meter, ecconomical, as well as accurate in less than Max. loads.

 

[triggerpull]

Well I went out and it was not a good day for me. Temperatures never made it out of the 20's and winds were gusty to almost 30 mph--wind chill was probably not much above zero. My technique is not all that great even under ideal circumstances--so today was tough for me. Because of the small trigger-guard had to shoot bare-handed so I probably was a bit clumsier than usual.

I had made up 2 batches of loads driven by 11.1 gr of 800x and tried out new powder and bullet combos--180 xpb driven by 15.8 and 16.2 grs of #9 and 210 xtp's driven by 15.3 and 16 grs of #9. These were all sorta lower end start loads.

I also decided to move out a bit to 30 yds instead of 25. After the first cylinder of rounds, which were pretty scattered, I felt that I simply wasn't shooting well enough given the circumstances and felt that I would be wasting my handloads by shooting them all--so I decided to cut back to just 3 rounds of each load batch and try another day. I know that's wimping out--but usually I would just plow ahead and waste everything. I know 3 shots may not be "proof" of accuracy--but it at least offered a glimmer of hope--the xpb's at 15.8 did produce a .9" 3 shot group--so the day was not a total waste, though far from conclusive. One thing I noticed about the #9 is that I was sending pretty big flames out the muzzle--though I suspect that might have something to do with the large pistol primers I used rather than large pistol magnum primers.

 

[OldePhart]

Not wimping out at all, @triggerpull - with high gusty winds and handgun BCs and velocities groups at 30 yards are going to be kind of a crap shoot anyway! Much better to wait for a better day and get meaningful results...IMHO, anyway.

 

[Chuckbuster II]

"Sweet Spot" with H110 is in the upper range of Hodgdon's published data in my experience. 0.5-1.0 grain under their listed max.

Unique or Universal does well for me for "Mid-Range" loads. I got a deal on a batch of Trail Boss a couple years ago. Seems to do well for LIGHT loads if I need some.

Kevin

 

[triggerpull]

Not wimping out at all, @triggerpull - with high gusty winds and handgun BCs and velocities groups at 30 yards are going to be kind of a crap shoot anyway! Much better to wait for a better day and get meaningful results...IMHO, anyway.

Yeah--I still had a good time and I still have some data to work with. The reason I moved out to 30 is that is the distance I shoot my compound bow at and I already know what I can do with it and I want to get at least as consistent with my handgun at that distance before I think about hunting with it.

 

[triggerpull]

For plinking with a .41mag consider HP-38/W-231. Easy to meter, ecconomical, as well as accurate in less than Max. loads.

I'll look for that thanx.

 

[Justice B. Swift]

My 6 1/2" NM likes the Sierra 210 JHP backed with 21.0 gr. of H110. Very accurate. I've also loaded the Laser-Cast 215 with 19.5 gr. of H110 with good results, but have not tried higher charges. Also, I have a good supply of the VV N-110 which has worked well, but I don't recall the exact charge without going to the shop and checking my notes (happens when you get old). My 4 5/8" 3 screw is happier with a max charge of 2400, but it bellows fire and speaks loudly. With the 215 cast I use 9.0 gr. Unique for just over 1100 fps from the short tube.
-Just B.S.-

 

[triggerpull]

My 6 1/2" NM likes the Sierra 210 JHP backed with 21.0 gr. of H110. Very accurate. I've also loaded the Laser-Cast 215 with 19.5 gr. of H110 with good results, but have not tried higher charges. Also, I have a good supply of the VV N-110 which has worked well, but I don't recall the exact charge without going to the shop and checking my notes (happens when you get old). My 4 5/8" 3 screw is happier with a max charge of 2400, but it bellows fire and speaks loudly. With the 215 cast I use 9.0 gr. Unique for just over 1100 fps from the short tube.
-Just B.S.-

thanks for that--I have plenty of h110 and w 296 for my 44's--I may revisit them after a while--I really wish I could find some 2400 or Unique someplace.

 

[superblackhawkhunter]

Unique and Red Dot work Great for the Plinking End of Things, H110 and 296 are the Old Standard For Hot Loads, But I have been playing with the new stuff, Power Pro 300MP, and LIL GUN !! 300MP Doe not Require Magnum Primers , and Outperforms both H110 and 296 !!!

 

[sixshot]

Triggerpull, many times in the winter when I want to do some testing & the weather is bad I shoot from my truck. If you have a place where you can turn your car/truck so the wind is behind you it will work. Get a heavy stick, I use my walking stick & run it out the window & across the steering wheel, now you can lay your wrists across the stick & brace your left arm against the side of the window frame & get real solid, plus you can also stay warm!
Take your binoc's so you can look at your target without getting out of the truck & you can do quite a bit of testing in cold weather.
I've used a 41 maggie since 1964 & taken a lot of game with several of them, mostly using an old 230 gr. Keith SWC & 17 grs of 2400, but I've also shot a lot of Unique. My last elk was with a 250 gr LBT slug & 9.2 grs. of Unique running about 1150 fps, broke both front shoulders & exited.
The very top end loads, if you must go there will come from #AA9. A very good jacketed bullet thats fast & holds together very well is the Sierra 170 gr. slug although I seldom use jacketed.

Dick

 

[triggerpull]

Triggerpull, many times in the winter when I want to do some testing & the weather is bad I shoot from my truck. If you have a place where you can turn your car/truck so the wind is behind you it will work. Get a heavy stick, I use my walking stick & run it out the window & across the steering wheel, now you can lay your wrists across the stick & brace your left arm against the side of the window frame & get real solid, plus you can also stay warm!
Take your binoc's so you can look at your target without getting out of the truck & you can do quite a bit of testing in cold weather.
I've used a 41 maggie since 1964 & taken a lot of game with several of them, mostly using an old 230 gr. Keith SWC & 17 grs of 2400, but I've also shot a lot of Unique. My last elk was with a 250 gr LBT slug & 9.2 grs. of Unique running about 1150 fps, broke both front shoulders & exited.
The very top end loads, if you must go there will come from #AA9. A very good jacketed bullet thats fast & holds together very well is the Sierra 170 gr. slug although I seldom use jacketed.

Dick

Thanks for that! I'm actually doing most of my hunting with a rossi 44 mag carbine lever gun lately--but I still practice with my 41 mag.

 

[abolt311]

My 6 1/2" NM likes the Sierra 210 JHP backed with 21.0 gr. of H110. Very accurate. I've also loaded the Laser-Cast 215 with 19.5 gr. of H110 with good results, but have not tried higher charges. Also, I have a good supply of the VV N-110 which has worked well, but I don't recall the exact charge without going to the shop and checking my notes (happens when you get old). My 4 5/8" 3 screw is happier with a max charge of 2400, but it bellows fire and speaks loudly. With the 215 cast I use 9.0 gr. Unique for just over 1100 fps from the short tube.
-Just B.S.-

As Justice wrote above, I second for 215 gr cast Trooper SWC the 9.0 gr Unique out of my 6.5 inch and getting a little over 1100 fps.