Loads for .41 Mag New Model Blackhawk???

[Rafsob]

What loads are you using for your .41 mag New Model Blackhawk? I have started with some 215 gr. SWC from Laser Cast. I had them at the range yesterday and they shot very well. I used Unique and WC820 powders. These were test loads for both powders.

They Unique loads were very mild and shot very accurately. The WC820 was much more stout and were in the 1300 to 1500 fps range. My Chrony died while I was shooting the Unique loads, so no numbers there.

I have some Hornaday XTP and Sierra soft point bullets that I will be loading next. I will be using the same powders for them also.

 

[rkrcpa]

I'm partial to 220 gr. Keith bullets and 2400. It's been my favorite for 20+ years.

 

[surveyor47]

My 41 loads fall into 3 catagories:

215 grain cast SWC with a starting load of Unique for about 900 fps. This is a very accurate and light target load.

215 grain cast SWC with IMR4227 for a mid range load for about 1100 fps. This is an extremely accurate combination in my long barrel guns 5.5 to 7.5 inches. It does not do as well in my 4 inch barrel gun. This load is 100 yard accurate. Recoil is mild.

210 grain Remington JSP with H110 for a hunting load @ about 1300 fps. Accurate, but recoil and blast tend to be much heavier than the mid range loads.

I intend to try 2400 with both the cast SWC and Remington bullet before long.

The Laser Cast bullet is unnecessarily expensive. I would try Meister Bullets. I have found their case SWC to be excellent. You may also want to try Missouri Bullet Co.

www.meisterbullets.com
www.missouribullet.com

 

[sebtool]

My last batch of hunting loads were a 210 gr Hornady XTP being pushed by 2400, a very accurate load, at least in my Blackhawk.

Don't have a chronograph, but iirc, it was supposed to be perkin' along around 1400 fps. I've taken a couple of does with that load, and they didn't get too far. :wink: Tasted great, better than chicken!

Has a little bite to it, but shoots nice!

 

[jengel]

I use 9gr Unique with a 215gr cast. Real nice load.

 

[Stumps13]

Recently I have shooting 5.5 gr of Trail Boss with a 215gr LSWC and having a blast. I am getting around 800+ fps but I am not beating myself up

 

[Rafsob]

Thanks for thhe responses guys. I think I will try the IMR4227. I have used it in the past and like it.

So far I really like the Unique load the best for plinkin'. It is a mild load the is very comfortable to shoot. I still want to work up a good hunting load. This is the fun part of shooting.

 

[Lee Martin]

I've been shooting a lot of 230 grain Keiths over 7.0 of Green Dot. Mild, but very accurate.

 

[SAJohn]

My bear load in .41 Magnum uses the Oregon Trails Silver Alloy 265 grain WNFP with 20.5 grains of H-110. I get right at 1300 fps\1,000 ft-lbs in a 4 5/8" Blackhawk.

 

[sebtool]

I just got done reading the article John Linebaugh wrote about loading the 45 Colt. Another fellow posted the link in the thread about the difference between 44 mag and 45 Colt loads.

Had to read it about 3x, but there's a boatload of info in the article! He states that he used 2400, H-110 and W296. 2400 was considered the top powder for heavy loads.

To quote-
"For years Hercules 2400 was considered to be the finest magnum handgun powder available. Pressure data has shown that this is not true and the finest sixgun powders available today for heavy handloads are Hodgdons H-110 and Winchesters WW-296. These powders are basically the same and can be fully interchanged as to charge weights. I've probably shot over 50 lbs of WW-296 in all my testing and twice that much H-110. I feel H-110 is kinder to lead bullets than W296 but H-110 does vary from lot to lot more than W296. I have never seen a "hot" or fast can of H-110 but have used some that was a grain or 2 slower than normal. The only way you can tell this is with Pressure equipment or a chronograph."

http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/d ... e_myth.htm

There's a ton of good info in the article relating to loading the 45 Colt. I'm sure that the same parallels can be drawn to the .41.
Once my 2400 is gone, mebbe before, I'll be picking up some 110 and 296 to try out in my Blackhawk and Redhawk, both .41 mags.

And before I do that, I'll be reading quite a bit more on Mr. Linebaugh's site. He's done the research, knows his stuff. Can't do anything but learn from it!

 

[surveyor47]

Thanks for thhe responses guys. I think I will try the IMR4227. I have used it in the past and like it.

So far I really like the Unique load the best for plinkin'. It is a mild load the is very comfortable to shoot. I still want to work up a good hunting load. This is the fun part of shooting.

IMR4227 works very nicely for both jacketed and lead in the 1000 to 1150 fps range. I prefer more for a deer hunting load. The H-110 and Remington 210 grain JSP can run into the 1300 fps catagory with really excellent accuracy.

I have had such excellent results with 2400 in 44 Magnum with Remington jacketed bullets that I cannot help thinking that it should do equally well in the 41 Magnum. I also keep thinking in terms of a heavier bullet, perhaps the Speer 220 grain bullet, which was a semi jacketed HP SWC design. Dont know if they still make it.

 

[surveyor47]

For plinking:

Cast 210 SWC
7.8 grs. of Unique
WW Primer
950 FPS

Ive been shooting 8.0 grains of Unique and a 215 grain lead SWC. Really accurate load that doesnt beat you up.

 

[Rafsob]

A friend of mine told me that he remembers reading an article about some 265 gr. gas check bullets. I am not familiar with them. I didn't know that any bullets in this weight came in .41 caliber.

Anyone know more on these bullets?

 

[rkrcpa]

A friend of mine told me that he remembers reading an article about some 265 gr. gas check bullets. I am not familiar with them. I didn't know that any bullets in this weight came in .41 caliber.

Anyone know more on these bullets?

The bullets you refer to are probably the LBT WLNGC.

http://www.castperformance.com/Detail.bok?no=11

 

[Snobal]

My favorite powder for heavy hunting loads with cast bullets in the .41 Mag is 4227 (either "H-" or IMR).

You will not need a gas check with 4227 powder in a revolver. If you shoot when there is snow on the ground, you will see a lot of unburned powder --- like pepper on the snow in front of you. If you recover cast bullets shot with 4227 you will find dents in the bullet base from the unburned powder.

If you have a chronograph, you will notice that when loaded to the same velocities, 4227 gives noticeably less "felt recoil" than H-110, 296, and 2400.

JMHO

 

[Rodfac]

Rafsob....just an add'l suggestion. I shot the gps shown below this afternoon with a NM Blackhawk with a 6-1/2" bbl. It's a .41 like yours and as accurate, based on today's tests, as my .44 specials.

I worked up this load based on a commercial bullet: Valley Bullet's 215 gr BBSWC, cast bullet, with a measured dia. of .411". I've been experimenting with HP-38 as a substitute for my long time favorite mid level load powder; Winchester 231.

Valley 215 gr BBSWC, HP-38 5.7 gr's, W-W Brass, Win Lg Primers, moderate crimp. Chrono'd in a S&W M-57 with a 6" bbl velocity was 850 fps.

I also tried a heavier load, of HP-38=6.5 grs., for similar results and an add'l 50-75 fps.

Upping the load to 7.0 gr of HP-38 opened groups to 2.5 to 3.5" with vertical stringing, but no alarming pressure signs.

As always, these are my loads, developed for safe shooting in my guns; yours may and probably will differ. Work up, and watch for the usual pressure signs.

In the pic below, the left gp was shot with the 5.7 gr load. The two on the right were shot with 6.5 grs. The top two gps have six shots in them, the lowest, 5..

Regards, Rodfac

 

[45Colt_Man]

Had to go my ammo cabinet and read the labels. I mostly shoot .45Colt so couldn't remember the .41mag loads.

Plinker 215gr Meister SWC with 8.5 of Universal Clays, Winchester WLP Primer.
Heavy 250gr Cast Performance WFNGC 18.0 H110, CCI-350 primer.

Dana

 

[surveyor47]

Had to go my ammo cabinet and read the labels. I mostly shoot .45Colt so couldn't remember the .41mag loads.

Plinker 215gr Meister SWC with 8.5 of Universal Clays, Winchester WLP Primer.
Heavy 250gr Cast Performance WFNGC 18.0 H110, CCI-350 primer.

Dana

Could you tell us more that 250 grain Cast Performance & H110 load? That is a bullet that I have been considering. What sort of accuracy do you get? Leading? Excessive blast? Have you tried other powders like Accurate #9 or 2400? Thanks!

 

[45Colt_Man]

Surveyor47

I have never had trouble leading with Cast Performance Bullets and H110. I bought the 250gr quite a while back as they were in stock locally. Kelly the owner of Cast Performance at the time said the 255gr WFNGC is a better performing bullet. If you compare the two bullets on the Cast Performance website you can see the difference. Nothing wrong with the 250 but puts more bullet in the case than the 255.

Iv'e never used anything but Hodgdons in the .41 loads. Easy to get locally.

Iv'e got some Montana Bullet Works 240gr that I will be loading next. They look identical in design to the CPB 255. They are $21.80 per 100 versus CPB at $32.95 per 100.

My eye sight is bad enough I'm lucky to hit my targets, but the .41 shoots great for me. My .32 H&R mag is the most accurate followed by the .41

Hope this helps.

Dana

 

[Lee Martin]

My heavyweight favorite is 18.5 of H110 under a 295 grain SSK. Hits hard and is surprisingly accurate in my 41s.