Choice for 41 Special

[mhblaw]

I am considering having a custom 41 Special built. Question is whether to have done on an OMBH 357 frame or a NMBH FT 357 frame. Any preferences, comments, suggestions, pros/cons? Already have the NMBH and would have to acquire the OMBH, but lets forget that part of the equation.

 

[Doxadude]

I think you will be hard pressed to find anybody that would suggest a new model given the choice between the two.

 

[Lee Martin]

OM 357, New Vaquero, or 50th Anniversary Flattop. If you do it on a New Model, you might as well chamber the Mag.

 

[Lee Martin]

BTW, an OM 357 frame will safely house 41 Magnum.

 

[Aggie01]

Here's a NM .357 conversion with a .41 mag cylinder AND a .41 special second cylinder.

 

[mhblaw]

This is helpful, but I already have three 41 Magnum revolvers...thats why I want one only in 41 Special. Like we have 44 Magnums and want 44 Specials. AggieO1, who did that conversion?

 

[COR]

OM .357...Smaller Frame. That's why.

You want "Special"..Get a 41 Spl OM Single Six. Now that is a cool custom and a great platform for the 41spl. It's on my list....

 

[CraigC]

Definitely the Old Model. The .41Spl can be loaded up to 1200fps if necessary so the .41Mag on the mid-frame would not interest me in the least.

 

[princeout]

I vote with COR - .41 Special on an OM Single Six frame. I'm still trying to work up the nerve to ask how much it might cost....

Boxhead has some pictures on here or at the Single Action forum of one Alan Harton put together. Very nice.

Tim

 

[Aggie01]

Jack Huntington did that conversion.

I wanted to be able to push the pressures up.
Cast bullet selection (240+) is limited with the magnum brass in this conversion due to cylinder length.

I agree with the folks above, if you want truly special only, go for the OM .41 Special Single Six.
It has to be done on an old model, as opening up the loading gate enough for the .41 special rim will allow you a cutaway view of the transfer bar passage on a NM.
Expect it to cost the same as a full size 5 shot conversion. I know Alan Harton and John Gallagher have both been induced to build at least one.
I'm having a 5 shot OM single six built myself, but I'm going for .38 special at .357 pressures.

 

[Robb Barnes]

This 41 Special was done on an OM 357. I sent the grips, bisley hammer and the S&W ribbed barrel and Andy Horvath did the work for between $1700-$1800. That included lineboring the cylinder, fitting the ribbed barrel and removing the underlug, round butting the grip frame and polishing it and fitting the stags. I couldn't be happier with his work or lead times.

 

[Boge Quinn]

I traded with Lloyd Smale for my Gallagher .41 Special, built on an Old Model Single-Six. This is one of the first three Gallagher built - Taffin has one and Al Anderson has the other.

Boxhead had Harton make one up for him, it's even nicer.
http://gallery.mac.com/aharton#100047&bgcolor=black&view=grid

 

[mhblaw]

OK, OMBH wins. Thanks for your input.

 

[dougader]

This 41 Special was done on an OM 357. I sent the grips, bisley hammer and the S&W ribbed barrel and Andy Horvath did the work for between $1700-$1800. That included lineboring the cylinder, fitting the ribbed barrel and removing the underlug, round butting the grip frame and polishing it and fitting the stags. I couldn't be happier with his work or lead times.

I NEVER get tired of looking at this gorgeous 41 Special. Wow...

 

[dougader]

For you guys that have the 41 Special done up as a 5 shooter on the OM Single Six: Do they handle the "nornal" ranges of the Special without worry for frame stretching etc?

Or do you need to really baby this conversion?

By "normal" I mean a 215 grain SWC to 900 fps.

Aggie, so does the 5 shot 38 Special handle 36k psi with ease, or is it more like an older S&W 19 where you need to limit full house mag loads and shoot primarily 38 Special and 38 +P?

 

[Aggie01]

What I actually told Alan was that I wanted a 5 shot single six that could handle anything you might stick in a 38/44.
Specific goals of 180 grain bullets at 1300 fps or more were discussed and completely reasonable.
Magnum pressures should be sustainable nearly forever in this piece once it's done. I would expect to be able to run it hotter if need be, but I can't imagine "need be" coming up.
If I want more gun, I'll get more gun, not hotrod this one. I have a OM 357 with a spare cylinder just pining away for a .356 GNR or equivalent rechamber...

Shooting loose won't be an issue. A single six has the same frame strength and cylinder bearing surface sizes (essentially) as a full size Ruger. Frame stretch will not be an issue with either. Cylinder strength is the key player. the .41 special in the OM single six is limited by the relatively thin cylinder walls. You will have to get somebody who has one to tell you how hot they can run.
I kinda think I saw one post where someone's standard load in theirs was a 200 grainer at 900, but I can't be certain.

 

[Boge Quinn]

I got mine from Lloyd Smale, and if you don't know Lloyd. lemme tell you: he don't baby NOTHIN'. He shoots the hell of of 'em, a lot, and with hot loads, and that .41 is still tight as a tick.

 

[dougader]

Thanks, guys. Good to know.

 

[Boxhead]

I load my 41 Special Single Six to 800 fps with the 215 gr SWC.

 

[Axehandle]

I was told that attempts to make the 41 Special Single Six a magnum will quickly kill the little gun... My Clements five shot 38 Special will never see anything more than 38 Special loads... Haven't had a Single Six 41Special built yet.. Maybe next year.

Better grab some of that Starline 41 Special brass a forum member is advertising while it is available...

 

[CraigC]

I appreciate the enthusiasm for the custom Single Six but I don't think that's what the OP is looking for. Let us not forget that the .41 Single Six will cost at least two or three times what the Blackhawk conversion will and it won't handle the same loads.

 

[Denny]

I would stay with with a small frame since a large frame you might as well use the magnum

 

[dougader]

I see where you're coming from, Craig, but he also said he already had something like 3 .41 magnums.

When I ask questions like this, I appreciate all the different perspectives because, inevitibly, someone gives information that I had never considered.

Its all good.

 

[mhblaw]

All these comments are greatly appreciated, and interesting, but as I see it, if we have 44 magnums and still want 44 specials, whats the difference in wanting 41 specials when we have 41 magnums? I have two 44 magnums, three 44 specials and a Bowen conversion of a 357 OMBH to 44 special on the way. Ain't life fun!

 

[CraigC]

...as I see it, if we have 44 magnums and still want 44 specials, whats the difference in wanting 41 specials when we have 41 magnums?

Exactly! :wink:

 

[Boge Quinn]

That's also why folks get the .44 Specials on the OM .357 frame - if you're going to have a Magnum-sized sixgun, it might as well be a Magnum.

Same deal for the .41s, just another step down in size. Some of us prefer the .41 Special in the smaller sixgun, rather than have the larger sixgun chambered in .41 Special. Some might want a .41 Special in a Super Blackhawk sized sixgun, and that's perfectly fine - that's why they're called CUSTOM gunsmiths.

Get what YOU want, doesn't matter what the rest of us gun nuts think.

 

[dougader]

I agree with all of that. I just figure the mid-size frame (OM 357, 357 NM flat top anni and New Vaquero) is about as perfect as can be with a 44 Special or a 41 magnum, then I'd go for an even smaller frame for a dedicated 41 Special... like a S&W 686, or a GP 100, or even that Single Six with a 5 shot 41 special cylinder fitted to it.

Dixie has a gorgeous little 686 he had converted to a 6-shot 41 special; super cool.

But they're all great guns. I mean just look at Robb's 41 Special, wow! Or Aggie's 41 mag/41 special convertible on the mid-size frame. You really can't argue about results like that!

 

[CraigC]

There's a lot of gray area here. For one thing, the custom Single Six cannot be pushed to 1200fps like a Colt SAA or OM .357 can. So a .41 Single Six is not the equal of a .41Spl mid-frame. Secondly, who wants to shoot a full-bore 37oz .41Mag? I surely don't. The .41Spl would be plenty and 1200fps would be used sparingly. If I go over 1200fps, I need a Bisley grip frame and at that point, you're kinda defeating the purpose of the lightweight Old Model mid-frame with the heavy Bisley conversion so I have no idea why anybody would even want a compact 37oz .41Mag with the standard grip frame.

 

[Sugar River]

How about a 37 1/4 oz 41 Mag?

 

[CraigC]

Wouldn't wanna launch a 210@1500fps or a 265gr@1300fps outta that little thang either!