41 vs 44

[triggerpull]

Well, here are the fruits of my latest projects. Both the 44 SBH and 41 NMB have undergone trigger jobs and Hogue presentation grips. As you can see, the grips don't exactly fit to a "T" but they get the desired job done improving my hold and reducing felt recoil.

The 44 has a simmons 2x riding on top and the 41 has a bushnell trophy 1x red-dot. I zeroed both at the range yesterday at 50 yds. I'm happy to say both guns felt and fired vastly better--dare I say it--they were both almost a pleasure to shoot though I only went to 210 grs with the 41 and 240 grs with the 44, mid-range loads. Felt recoil on both seemed less than my 45 acp, and the 41 was IMO noticeably smoother than the 44.

At 50 yds even at 2x with the simmons I could not clearly see the target bull or rings--with the red-dot on my 41 all I could do is try to get the dot in the middle of the paper. I realize the only way to compensate for old eyes is to sink a bunch of bucks into a really good scope, but I just can't swing it right now.

Despite the lack of magnification, the 41 seemed to consistently shoot better than my 44, I eventually managed a 6 shot group of about 3"--at which point the weaver 301 mount shook itself loose and it was game over.

Despite some misgivings I have about the 41's construction and finish, it is one very sweet shooting gun and also fairly easy to balance free-hand--something that for me I cannot say is equally true with the SBH.

 

[gramps]

Whatever floats your boat. Maybe glasses would help? It sounds like you are enjoying the guns. That is what it is about!
gramps

 

[triggerpull]

It is fun--the 41 has given me the first hope that I can develop my shooting so that I can hunt with it next fall. Shooting my rifles is easy--but shooting well with a 6 shooter is a whole different ball game. My 44 (and me) is still a work in progress. : )

 

[gramps]

Work on your outdoor skills also. Get close like a bow hunter, and with your increased shooting skills, I'd say you will get a deer this year.
gramps

 

[GunnyGene]

Looks like you've got things going your way. I've got the wood Hogues on my .41, and have done a little carving on them around the thumb and finger areas to get a more natural fit to my hand. They're usually pretty close, but they are a generic shape/size so some improvement was possible.

Looks like you've got the rubber ones, so don't know if you could custom fit to you if you felt the need.

 

[triggerpull]

Yup--they are the rubber ones but pretty much the only things I could find (short of custom grips that need to be made to order). They do fine for what I need them for even if the fit is not perfect.

In the meantime--practice practice practice...: )

 

[Rodfac]

GunnyGene, how 'bout posting some pics of those Hogue grips and any modifications you've done? I don't like rubber grips but will readily admit that on my .44's and a pair of .41's, Pachmeyer grips are the most comfortable.

Trigger, the .41 is a great hunting caliber, every bit as good as the .44 Magnum. While it's getting more difficult to find good ammunition for the .41, if you're a handloader, it's no problem to put up superb loads suitable for deer out to 75 yds or so. For your practice sessions, I'd concentrate on trigger control and a CONSISTENT grip. I can move my groups 3" at 25 yds, by varying my grip strength....with my bifocals on, and from a deer stand rest (back supported, forearms over the gun rail etc.), I can rely on 3-4" gps at 50 yds. I shoot iron sights exclusively. The secret with them is to focus on the front sight alone....the rear sight and target are a blur. I hold on the front shoulder of deer and kill them cleanly out to 75 yds with this method.

If you can read a printed page, you can shoot open sights...just focus on the front sight, crystal clear. Once I begin the trigger pull, I pull straight through and allow the gun to fire, trusting in my wobble area to account for any differences...a CONSISTENT grip is essential.

HTH's Rod

 

[Varminterror]

Not sure how big your hands might be (or might not be), but if you want a bit more protection from the open-backed Hogue, check out Limbsaver Bow Insulators. They're just the right width and length for the backstrap on Rugers, and they offer some padding. I also feel like it locks the backstrap into my palm, making the recoil even more comfortable. But I have pretty big hands.

Also, are you shooting from shooting sticks/monopod? Or improvised rests in the field?

This is my SBH .44mag, about 15yrs old, Simmons 2-6x32mm on a Weaver mount, been running the Leverevolution 225grn FTX's, both factory and handrolled, and shoot from a Primos Trigger Stik Monopod. Trigger job, spring job, free spin pawl, and you can see the limbsaver Bow Insulator stuck on the backstrap. Love this revolver, she's the one that started it all for me with Ruger wheelguns!

 

[triggerpull]

Unfortunately, my eyes are bad enough I can't read a printed page without reading glasses--so even the front iron is out of focus--except way out on the end of a shotgun. Right now all I'm doing is resting the barrel on a block of wood--because I figure realistically I will probably be shooting off my stand bar or a stick of some sort in the field.

I do roll my own ammo and am still laying in the supplies and will get to it as soon as I resolve the jacketed vs all lead/wad-cutter wars! : ) I have a pretty good supply of both, but I'm REALLY intrigued by Penn's thunderhead and SSK cast bullets. : )

I like my 44 mag a lot--but that 41 is just so sweet--if you own a 44 and you haven't fired a 41--seek out someone who has one and try it out, you'll be glad you did. : )