.41 Mag Vaquero?

[RJM52]

It would be easy enough to have a stainless Flat Top made...just buy one in .357 Magnum, send it to Jack Huntington and in a few months it comes back.... I had the same done with a Uberti Cattleman...

Since I have a 4.25" and 5.5" Freedom Arms 97 that are smaller than a FT it doesn't make much sense ...

 

[RJM52]

Oh and the 6000 came from Chet's RENE book. I believe Ruger made a regular production run after the Williams run. I'll double check tomorrow.

I "heard" there was a small second run but never confirmed it... They were never a standard cataloged item ....

 

[Kevin]

Wow! This request is still alive and kicking. I don't remember if I've commented on this thread before or not.

BUT… sign me up!

It would be nice to see more offerings in the 41 magnum caliber.

 

[Hondo44]

I "heard" there was a small second run but never confirmed it... They were never a standard cataloged item ....

I stand corrected; it was about 1400, not 6000. They are on the large frame with the old model XR3 size grip frame which is not real knuckel friendly for shooting magnums.

 

[Hondo44]

It would be easy enough to have a stainless Flat Top made...just buy one in .357 Magnum, send it to Jack Huntington and in a few months it comes back.... I had the same done with a Uberti Cattleman...

Since I have a 4.25" and 5.5" Freedom Arms 97 that are smaller than a FT it doesn't make much sense ...

For 41 mag the cylinder should be a 5 shot for safety sake.

 

[rkrcpa]

For 41 mag the cylinder should be a 5 shot for safety sake.

My understanding is the mid frame in a 41 has the same cylinder wall thickness as a large frame 44 mag.

In any event, I wouldn't give up mine for anything.

 

[Hondo44]

My understanding is the mid frame in a 41 has the same cylinder wall thickness as a large frame 44 mag.

In any event, I wouldn't give up mine for anything.

Well in that case that's great news, a mid frame 41 would be my preference!

 

[RJM52]

Several of the posters over on the Single Action Forums have original 3-screw Flat Tops and OMs in .41 Magnum and no one has reported any problems.

Brian Pearce had USFA make him two SAAs each with a .41 Special and .41 Magnum cylinders...(see HANDLOADER Magazine #304 and #305) In speaking with some people at USFAs, they said that their guns would take .41 Magnum but .44 Magnum beat them up too badly. They were about to start making the Shooting Master in what they called .41 Short Mag. (.41 Special). I asked to order one but was told until they had the barrel stock in hand they didn't want to take any orders. Shortly thereafter the owner dropped the SAs for the ZIP Gun and the rest is history...

I got hold of a .357 Shooting Master and had David Clements transform it into a .41 Special...he told me I could have .41 Magnum or Special as the gun would take it... I made it a Special just to make it special...

 

[RJM52]

I stand corrected; it was about 1400, not 6000. They are on the large frame with the old model XR3 size grip frame which is not real knuckel friendly for shooting magnums.

...I'd like to know where he got that number from... I got mine directly from the distributor who has the exclusive... If there was a second run, I doubt they made 1100 of them...there were only 300 in the first batch...

...and the XR3 gripframe is one of the reasons I sold mine... It had the black cheese grader grips that made shooting that much more unpleasant. I did replace the grips with a nice set of bonded ivory but still wasn't happy with it.

 

[RJM52]

Clements Custom .41 Special...

 

[RJM52]

 

[RJM52]

Uberti Cattleman converted to .41 Special...

 

[Hondo44]

Several of the posters over on the Single Action Forums have original 3-screw Flat Tops and OMs in .41 Magnum and no one has reported any problems.

I presume you mean the 3 screw .357 mid frame flat top since the .44 large frame flat top is a
no-brainer.

I converted a 3 screw 357 FT to 44 Special long ago. It has handled anything I could load in it for years.

 

[Hondo44]

...I'd like to know where he got that number from... I got mine directly from the distributor who has the exclusive... If there was a second run, I doubt they made 1100 of them...there were only 300 in the first batch...

Chet's a member here, see what he says.

 

[RJM52]

Emailed William's the other day but the CS rep who wrote back didn't know the numbers and suggested I contact Ruger...

I need to see if I can find the exact model numbers before I do as it will make their search easier...

 

[Kevin]

View attachment 14999

View attachment 15000View attachment 15001View attachment 15002

Uberti Cattleman converted to .41 Special...

Who did the conversion? It's very nice.

 

[RJM52]

Jack Huntington...JRH Precision Gunsmithing

 

[Hondo44]

Emailed William's the other day but the CS rep who wrote back didn't know the numbers and suggested I contact Ruger...

I need to see if I can find the exact model numbers before I do as it will make their search easier...

The Williams special distributor model # is S458N-41. It's a blue large frame Flat top BH with 4 5/8" barrel in .41 Mag. And now I don't find the approximate 1400 production # in the book as I had recalled. So likely got that # from a forum post.

 

[Sacramento Johnson]

I'm late to this party, but who is currently able to take first gen (larger frame) stainless steel Ruger Vaqueros in 357 and rechamber them to 41 magnum?

 

[RJM52]

Jack Huntington
JRH Precision Gunsmithing

Tyler Gunworks

Alan Harton...Single Action Services

You probably have the easiest and least expensive conversion going.
I would suggest having the front sight replaced with a dovetailed sight so windage and elevation adjustments can be made. That is what I had Jack Huntington do on the Cattleman Conversion and it gives a MUCH clearer sight picture.