bought a new one in 41mag

[pleadthe2nd]

Just bought a ruger blackhawk 41 mag, with the 6 1/2" barrel, should have it by the end of the week. Won this on a gunbroker auction for a really good price, almost unbelievable. This will be a new caliber for me, yes I do reload, and will do so after trying some factory loads, something for comparison. Any information on this round would be welcome. I currently have 327, 357, 44, and 45colt, revolvers, all Ruger of course.

 

[contender]

Old model or New Model?

I enjoy my OM's.

 

[pleadthe2nd]

It is the new model

 

[BIgMuddy]

Welcome to the "cult". You'll find a lot of fans of the 41 here, me included. Got my first one in 1982 and it was a 6.5" NM like yours. Since then many have passed through my hands. I can say that I have never had one that was not an accurate gun. You will enjoy it I'm sure. It is an easy cartridge to load for and components are much easier to find now than they were when I started down the 41 path.

Here are a few links to give you some reading material.

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/41heavy.htm

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/41magnum.htm

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/41-mag-association.599046/

Dan

 

[Sugar River]

My go to general purpose load is 7.5 Universal under a cast 210-230 gr bullet for about 950-1000 f/s.
Shoots great in all the dozen + 41s I use.

 

[GunnyGene]

I know you said you'll be reloading for it, but here's my favorite factory ammo for mine. I prefer the 210 gr. XTP, but have used others. Been shooting Underwood for several years.

They use a 6 1/2" NMBH to get these numbers.

Muzzle Velocity: 1560 fps
Muzzle Energy: 1135 ft lbs


https://www.underwoodammo.com/collections/handgun-ammo/cartridge_41-remington-magnum

 

[pleadthe2nd]

Thanks gunny, I'll look for the Hornady factory loads to try, I plan on using their xtp bullets in my reloads, along with some hardcast, already ordered some Altamont wood grips for it, just don't think plastic does justice on a single action, gun should be at my ffl on Tuesday, can't wait, by the way I only paid $420 for it nib, I think I did very well on this purchase.

 

[GunnyGene]

Thanks gunny, I'll look for the Hornady factory loads to try, I plan on using their xtp bullets in my reloads, along with some hardcast, already ordered some Altamont wood grips for it, just don't think plastic does justice on a single action, gun should be at my ffl on Tuesday, can't wait, by the way I only paid $420 for it nib, I think I did very well on this purchase.

That's about what I paid for mine in 1999, including Hogue grips. You got a very good deal! Never did like anything but wood on a revolver. You can custom fit wood to your hand, which I like to do. I put a set of Hogues on mine the day I bought it, and spent some time on them with gouges and sandpaper. Factory grips are just to small for me. Still have the factory original rosewoods tho.

PS: I also use the same ammo in the Henry Carbine I bought last fall - full Cowboy now :lol: . It really steps out with the longer barrel and higher pressure - around 1750mv.

 

[badge851]

Got to love the 41 Magnum. I have two New Model Balckhawk®s, 4⅝" and 6½". I have to concur with GunnyGene about Underwood Ammo®; excellent stuff.

 

[badge851]

Blackhawk®s, sorry typo.

 

[pleadthe2nd]

Finally got to shoot the 41 today, weather has been bad lately, and all my reloading components finally arrived, I have to say I'm really impressed with the trigger on this one, very smooth action, and the pull feels right, didn't even open the wolf spring pack, just put it away, it'll be the only revolver I have that remains as is, I did put altamont grips on , they just seem to fill my hand better than the plastic original, I think I have another favorite.

 

[daveg.inkc]

Missouri Bullet Company sells a coated cast 215 gr bullet for this .41. I shoot them in mine. Besides the XTP’s and Sierra jacketed bullets.

 

[Aeroscout9]

Missouri bullet also had a 225 gr coated bullet. Both are great the 225 and the 215 are great from them. I like the 225 coated over some Lil Gun.

 

[Ray Newman]

For various reasons, I gave up on cast bullets in my .41 Rugers. I now load the 210 grain Berry copper plated Flat Point .41 bullets, which are designed for velocities up to 1250 feet per second (FPS). See:
https://www.berrysmfg.com/item/bp-41-210gr-fp

Berry technician gave me the following load data: 8.7 grains Unique. Do not load 2400 with these bullets.

I load 8.7 grains Unique, large pistol primer, taper crimp for about 1030 FPS. Snappy load that I do not find tiring. Very economical shooting. First found these bullets in Cabela's, now order on-line from Berry's. Orders over US$75.00 ship free.

 

[10mm]

Only one??? As many others have posted, great caliber and my favorite!! I own many and added a Henry lever last year. I'm almost totally cast for the revolvers, looking to run plated in the rifle. Don't overlook Trail Boss as a powder, that's what I've switched to for daily plinking loads running right at 840 fps for a 215gr bullet.
Have fun!!!

 

[pleadthe2nd]

Only one for now, I'm really liking this caliber, LGS had Luepold products on sale, $100 off, so I picked up a 2x fixed power, and loving it. Currently loading 210 gr xtp behind 8.5 gr unique, for 1050 fps, nice shooting load going to work up some in 2400 for hunting loads when weather gets better, I really like the xtp bullets, and not a bad price on them from Scheels. Anyone else using unique in this caliber, it seems to work well, maybe I'll try a heavier charge and see how it goes, I would like to scale back my powder choices, and unique seems to work with a lot of the calibers I load. It doesn't seem to have the giant flash of some of the other powders , which I like.

 

[sixshot]

You've latched onto a great caliber with that new model 41 magnum, enjoy it! All of them shoot great with just about any powder/bullet combination you put in them but Unique, Universal, Longshot & 2400 really shine with most bullets. If you really need to go top end loads you'll want AA9 or H110 with a magnum primer. Good luck with your new shooter! I've been shooting one since 1967.

Dick

 

[smbob]

I use the 215gr Missouri Bullets SWC with 15.5gr of 2400 in my 4 5/8" New Model Blackhawk. Never had any leading with this bullet. Accurate too!

 

[41magnum]

Welcome to the 41 club!!!!!!!..note my handle.
Been using them to hunt with since '83.

 

[32magfan]

I have quite a few 41 Magnum revolvers. I once thought that it was a dead cartridge as I never saw that many for sale. Ruger was pretty much the only game in town except for a few Smith & Wesson’s.

Then one day at the shooting range, another guy there and I were discussing guns we would like to find, buy and/or try. He mentioned wanting a model 57 S&W. He had a model 58. Being more familiar with Rugers, I mentioned I might like to try a Blackhawk in 41 if I ever found a decent deal on one. He just happened to know a fellow that had a used one for sale and gave me his number. Marty and I made a deal for that 6.5” New Model that day for $325 if I recall correctly. It was a shooter with some honest wear but the action was like butter and someone had reduced the trigger pull to the lightest I have ever felt on any Single Action revolver. I was actually a little leery of it being so light.

My Dad was NOT enthusiastic about another caliber to reload shells for. Once he shot mine, he liked it so much he went and bought his own Blackhawk 4-5/8”, which was passed down to me when he died in 2014. He went on to load several thousand rounds of 41 and even bought a mold to cast his own bullets. Berry’s plated bullets also work very well for mid-range loads and were very accurate.

I have acquired quite a few 41 Mags over the years, mostly Rugers. I had one of the early RedHawks but traded it away. I also have a Bisley SBH Hunter and a Backpacker RedHawk. Along the way, I also bought two 657 Smiths- a Lew Horton Classic with 6.5” bbl and a standard 6.5”. Last year, I sold the standard barrel to the guy who put me onto my first 41 back so long ago since he never got his 57. Thanks Dennis!!

One thing I have figured out in my 50 years here on Earth is that most things in life are about relationships if we are really honest about it. I have been blessed with some really good friends that I met through my hobby with firearms. I include the group here in that even though the face-to-face encounters have been few.

Enjoy your new 41!!

32Magfan

 

[ga41]

I've had a few 41's and just my thought, but the 41 is a killing machine and for jacketed bullets, I've had good success with Nosler 210 for accuracy and killing power. I use H110/WW296 for the powder for top end loads. Welcome

 

[Don Lovel]

I like the original Winchester 175gr Silvertip Factory loads in the 41. Good deer round. My favorite 41 special velocity load was 15gr of IMR4227 and a 220gr hard linotype base, soft lead top with a small diameter hollowpoint cast bullets that I acquired at a Tulsa gunshow many years ago from an old man who ran a small casting business and he liked 41 Mag guns too. I shot some of them into damp red clay and they mushroomed out pretty good at about 850-900 fps out of a 4 5/8" Bisley conversion I built. I still have some of his 335gr hardcast 45 Colt rounds, but shot up the last of the 41 projectiles and never ran into the old guy ever again, I suppose he is long gone.
I sold off my 41 mag guns, at one time I had an 8 3/8 S&W with silhouette adjustable front sight,a TC Contender with 14" barrel, a 6 1/2 Blackhawk with a 2x Burris scope, and the 4 5/8 I converted to Bisley grip and hammer that was an EDC for a couple of years in a Mernickle holster.
I wish Ruger would make the little Birdshead model in 41. I think with 41 special velocity loads, it would be a real nice gun.
Henry has a Lever in 41 now, I could never afford the Marlin and they were apparently made of unobtanium when I was seriously looking for one.

 

[41magnum]

when not running handloads, I been happy with Georgia Arms ammo, the 200 grainers are HARD on whitetails. 250 gr Keith go thru bears and elk,,,,,,just so ya know.
Like ga41, I drop H110 in cases usually...unless Blue Dot is handy.

 

[pleadthe2nd]

This gun has become my favorite, very accurate, today I hit steel at 80 yrds, I've never done that before, started at 100, I'll get there I'm sure, I've found for a general load 8.5 grains of unique, and a 210 gr xtp to be very accurate, and I believe would be effective on deer as well, I have chronographed this at 1050 fps from this 6.5" blackhawk, same bullet with 18 gr 2400 is running 1286 fps, maybe this will get me to the 100 yrds mark , but the unique load sure hit that steel hard at 80. I'm amazed at the accuracy of this caliber, just ordered 3 more boxes of the xtp's. Now for some better weather and longer range sessions.