.41 Magnum 170 gr

[Cracker-American]

I am a long time fan of the .41 Magnum. A really nice guy has given me a quantity (haven't counted them yet) of Sierra 170 gr jhc bullets.

I have the loading journals but I am interested in any actual experience with this bullet. Frankly I hate to waste the components if this is going to be a poor performer.

I normally load my heavier .41 bullets with H 110, 2400, and Unique.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sixshot]

I've owned an 41 maggie since 1967 & taken a lot of game with different one's including 2 elk. Mostly I've used the 230 gr. Keith slug & lately a 250 gr. LBT WFN on my last elk, worked great, one shot at I believe 74 yds through both front shoulders & it never took a single step.
Having said that, there is one light weight bullet that has a great reputation for taking big game in the 41 maggie & thats the Sierra 170 gr. jacketed slug you mention. I personally have never used it but know enough experienced hunters who have used it to say its a great game bullet & to use it with confidence. Some have even taken some really big stuff with it.
If you go over onto Gary Reeders Forum & ask you will see many reports of guys using that bullet with great success on a lot of different animals. Many times that bullet is very hard to find because of the great demand & short supply.

Dick

 

[Cracker-American]

Thank you Dick. Not what I expected to hear but I am delighted nonetheless.

 

[snakeeyes4445]

One field report with that slug and a load suggested on Paco Kelley's lever action site that was 15.0 grains of 800x and between 1700 and 1800 fps. Mine was likely loaded to 14.5 gr. to start. Gun was a 6.5 in. OM Blackhawk with a pink Magnaport front blade and the One Ragged hole small rear peep.
Range was eighteen yards. My gun was holstered when a three year old buck appeared as I stood up. He was looking at me as I drew and he let me shoot just as he bolted. It was a high liver hit just behind the diaphram. He bounded twice and did a headfirst forward summerault. He lay for thirty seconds, regained his feet and started quartering down a draw. Two more shots quieted him.
The penetration of the first shot was 4 or five inches and the bullet disintegrated into a thousand pieces which traveled eight or ten inches in all directions.
My advice would be to load that bullet to a slower velocity, slow the expansion and allow it to penetrate, but it is only conjecture saying that theory would work any better. I was lucky to retain the deer, and a lot of meat was rendered inedible.

 

[woodperson]

I loaded some 170 gr trying to get less recoil. With the powder I used (and most of the ones listed) the recoil is exactly the same as the 210 bullets but the load is faster and shoots markedly lower on the target.

 

[BIgMuddy]

I have loaded them for a 6.5" OMBH with H110 and CCI mag primers. Accuracy was very good and improved as charge increased with the best being the max load in the Hodgdon manual.

Dan

 

[hard nose street cop]

When I got my model 57 back in the 1980’s Remington produced a 170 GR JHP load. I copied that load because my model 57 really liked it. As time has move on Remington has dropped the 170 Gr JHP load, but they are still making the 210 Gr JHP load.