The .41 Mag-Not Enough Gun..

[Onty]

...As to the .41 magnum, I have recently decided to go back to shooting one after many years of .44 magnums. The .41 was actually my first large bore handgun other than a .357 magnum or .45ACP, and I was ALWAYS pleased with them. I had two S&W 57s and a Ruger. Always thought the N-frame was a perfect vehicle for the .41 too.

Somewhere along the way I started shooting .44 mags and sort of never looked back at the .41, good as it is. Never gave it much thought, just made a change and closed my mind about it.

Now I have started having trouble with arthritis and some nerve damage in my hands and find that while full house .41s are quite acceptable, hot .44s or full tilt .45 Ruger loads just flat out cause my hands to ache after a day at the range. Not so with a .41, and for me, anything I might be tempted to hunt with a handgun could easily be taken with a .41 maggie. I sold all my .45 Colts and .44 mags, and am now muddling through life with a few .44 Specials, one Ruger .41, and one 1911. And life couldn't be better.

Except that I wish my dad was here to play with 'em too.......

I did not have a problem of any kind shooting quite stiff "Ruger" loads from 45 Bisley, but after few dozen rounds it wasn't fun any more. Since I like to shoot and would like to have my hands in good another 30 years, I paid attention to what others are saying about 41 magnum, found 41 Bisley and never regretted my decision. It's shooter's caliber; enough for anything that should be hunted with handgun, yet it wouldn't beat your hands even if you fire few hundreds rounds in a single day, especially from Bisley. Now, I have to find 41 Bisley stainless and S&W 657 with endurance package but no MIM internals, and my search for a perfect revolvers will be over.

And I also wish my dad is around, I miss him so much…

 

[jn 41]

great buck with a great revolver and cartridge. CONGRATS

 

[Chuckbuster]

Thanx to everyone for the comments.
I have been fortunate I know to be able to build the memories with Dad that I have. They go WAAAYYY back to sitting watching him reload .243 Win. ammo when I was 3-4 years old ( I won't say how much ORIGINAL H4831 he could get under a 100 NOSLER )
My GOAL each week when I was 5 was to be a "good boy" on Thursdays as that was rifle club day, "good boy" meant I got to go along.
Then there was my VERY OWN subscription to "Field and Stream" when I was about 8.

Fast forward across about 30 years and you find us in British Columbia on our first "Hunt" together. "Hunt" meaning out of town/state etc. for more than a weekend. A 53 inch moose for me and a bear for him. Both with rifles we built and handloaded ammo. Idaho and Wyoming followed over the next few years. The Idaho trip, a spring bear hunt, finished with unused licenses and for many reasons was our BEST of any and all...

Due to age and other limiting factors at this time deer hunting around home is all we are doing together. Doesn't lessen the memories or importance of our days together, just changes the focus. Sitting at the dinner table the night before is just as exciting, sleep comes just as hard. Breakfast just as special and yes the "sundowner" well that goes without saying....

Enough waxing poetic, maybe I should write a book

Thanx again
Kevin

 

[nn]

Nice deer, good shooting; Dad looks spry.