just picked up a model 59 SmithWesson
and wonder how many of you folks reload
for this and what's your loads tend to
run and any ideas for components.

There's a deal on Stairline unprimed brass
now has anyone used it and have comments, it's
a bit icheaper butis it worth it

Replies appreciated......... Greg

It'is a model 57 in 41 rem mag, not model
29 which is 44mag

Sorry for typo......eyes getting old

I don't reload for the .41 Magnum, but I do use a lot of Starline brass in various other calibers, and have always found it to be good to go. There haven't been enough revolver threads on here lately...we need some pics of that new Smith!!!!

I am a BIG fan of the 41 Magnum



That group photo is about 10 years old and is missing many of the more recent additions.

I accidentally bought my first 41 Magnum in 1980. It is the 6" Nickel Model 57 on the bottom left of the image above

I do hand load for this and almost all cartridges that I shoot.

Starline brass is of exceptional quality and is used by many of the smaller ammunition manufacturers

The two loads I have shot the most over the last 35+ years are my practice load, a 215 LSWC over 7 grains of Unique. As I run out of the LSWCs I will replace them with the plated version of the same projectile.

Then there is my favorite jacketed load which consists of the now discontinued Remington 170 grain SJHP over 25.5 grains of H110. I still have a little over 1000 of these projectiles sitting in the work room.

You have bought a fantastic revolver, chambered for a very accurate cartridge, I hope you enjoy yours as much as I have enjoyed mine

The only .41 Magnum I currently have is a Desert Eagle.

Hope your 59 gives you as much fun as I have had with mine.

Try Hodgdon:
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol

Number of loads there, lead and jacketed. I owned two .41 Mags in the 1970's. Wonderful cartridge. Nearly the same as a .44 Mag with about 20% less recoil.

Used to hunt woodchucks with the M57 6" back then, when I had hair and eyes. Nailed a lot of them with 50-60 yard shots.

Starline brass is good. My standard load is a cast swc and 7.0 of Unique. It is a fine plinker and still potent. You can use more Unique if you like or can use 2400 if you want full magnums.

I've a 57 and a 657... load for them, wouldn't even think of buying factory ammo. Ouch.

No load suggestions, but I buy mostly Starline brass for many calibers.

I have a neighbor who has a S&W 41 Mag Mountain Gun. He can’t shoot it any more due to arthritis. I guess I should buy it.

I love .41.

I'm looking for a lever gun in .41.

I grew up using cast lead slugs in revolvers, it owrked 50 years ago, still works today. Have a few Keith style SWC molds and thats all I load in my .41's.

210 gr lead over 7.0 of Unique, always accurate.

Back when I hunted, same Keith slug but over a load of 2400 for 1300 fps or so.

One of THE best antelope bucks I ever shot was with a 6" M-57 my 2400 hunting load and a 220 gr Keith slug. Ninety yds as he stood at a water hole. Maybe iit was LUCK, maybe skill. But I'll take it.

Y’all will have to enlighten me on the 41 magnum. I am familiar with it in theory and know that it supposed to be the “be all end all” police load when it came out but I have never shot one. I have 357 mags and 44 mags. Do I need another cartridge?

quote:

Originally posted by ruger357:
Y’all will have to enlighten me on the 41 magnum. I am familiar with it in theory and know that it supposed to be the “be all end all” police load when it came out but I have never shot one. I have 357 mags and 44 mags. Do I need another cartridge?

This is America, what does "NEED" have to do with anything?

The .410" handgun projectiles sit in a aerodynamic sweet spot.

Hypothetically, if you take a 44 Mag and a 41 Mag with the same weight projectile, lets say a 170 or 180 grain moving at the same speed. Obviously you have the same muzzle energy, but the 41 Magnum has greater sectional density due to the slightly smaller diameter. The 41 Magnum will have more retained energy at 100 yards that the 44 magnum due to it's superior aerodynamics

What does that mean?
Well for self defense absolutely nothing.
Fur hunting it means our hypothetical 41 Magnum will have greater penetration and at range greater energy to dump into it's target.

On top of that, I find ALL of my 41 Magnums to be noticeably more accurate than their 357 Magnum and 44 Magnum brothers. I partly attribute that to the superior aerodynamics of the 41 Magnums length to diameter dimensions

And before the accuracy nit pickers jump in, Yes I do own a Ransom Rest

.41, like .45 Colt, can be loaded thick or thin, light or heavy, depending on your taste, and it can roll like .44 special, or bark like .44 magnum.

Think of .41 magnum as starting where upper level 10mm leaves off, and going up from there.

colt_saa I have added you to my bucket list

#7: visit Colt_saa in Ft. lauderdale w/ 600 rounds of ammo,

quote:

Originally posted by ruger357:
Y’all will have to enlighten me on the 41 magnum. I am familiar with it in theory and know that it supposed to be the “be all end all” police load when it came out but I have never shot one. I have 357 mags and 44 mags. Do I need another cartridge?

As Colt-saa said, what's need got to do with it?

I don't own one, and never felt the need or desire, as you owning both a .357 and a .44. I did have an itch once, but scratched it with a Blackhawk in .45 Colt instead.

The .41 was intended to be the ideal LE revolver, and was created by Smith and Wesson and Remington, largely at the nudging of Elmer Keith and with I think some support from Bill Jordan. I think their vision though, was a smaller gun (on the order of the L frame which did not exist at the time) and a lighter load on the order of 950-1000 fps with a hard cast semi-wadcutter. Smith produced it on the existing N frame, and Remington loaded it ballisticaly similar to the .44, and so it was really just another hunting gun really. They did offer a medium load at some point, but it was still in the big gun.

As Colt-saa said, it can be loaded to superior ballistics to the .44, but not everyone knows that, so it became more of a cult cartridge. In factory published ballistics, the .44 usually appears better. The .44 is really a .429, so I don't think the dear will notice the .019 larger diameter or 30 more grains of lead.

I wish I had a Smith 58-the "M and P" fixed sight version of the 57.

Is the recoil between that of a 357 and 44? What's a good revolver to get in the caliber. I prefer rugers.

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
colt_saa I have added you to my bucket list

#7: visit Colt_saa in Ft. lauderdale w/ 600 rounds of ammo,

600 rounds of which caliber?

Over the years I have hosted many SIGForum members for afternoon at the range.

I am always happy to participate in the shooting sports with fellow enthusiasts from both far and near, even if it is just target shooting

I have a robust assortment of firearms that are not often seen

quote:

Originally posted by ruger357:
Is the recoil between that of a 357 and 44? What's a good revolver to get in the caliber. I prefer rugers.

Thanks!

Ruger makes (or has made) at least the Blackhawk and Redhawk in 41 Magnum

I am more of a S&W fan myself and have never owned either of those Ruger models.

On the Smith and Wesson side of things, the 6" Model 57 or 657 are a great way to go. The 8 3/8" are awesome for hunting with or without the scope



If you can fined one of the Dan Wesson Model 41 or 741s you would be doing pretty good as well



The 41 Magnum Mountain Guns in blue or stainless are great for hiking



If you are carrying for personal defense, it is hard to beat the SCANDIUM alloy framed model 357s. The SCANDIUM alloy drops their weight down to below what a K-frame would weigh. Lots of power in a light package There is the 4" 357PD or the 2 1/2" 357Night Guard.





Then there are the lever guns. My group photo above shows a 20" (?) Marlin Custom Cowboy limited, but there was also a very small run (251 pieces) of the stainless 1984 carbine



Henry has also been shipping 41 Magnum Lever guns recently

quote:

Originally posted by ruger357:
Is the recoil between that of a 357 and 44? What's a good revolver to get in the caliber. I prefer rugers.

Thanks!

With full house loads? Not really in-between. More like a well-mannered .44 Mag than a .357.

With proper technique, the full .44 Mag is manageable. If you handload, you can load them all equal. To whit.

Several years ago, my late wife and I were at the outdoor pistol range at our LGC. While she didn't do holster work, she was a very good accuracy shot with great fundamentals. She was 5' 1" and weighed 105 pounds. Two very nice gentlemen were shooting a .44 Desert Eagle and a M29 6" using full power ammo. They asked if we (thinking just me) were interested in firing a few rounds. We BOTH said yes. I could tell by the look on their faces they thought this was going to be interesting.

I shot the Desert Eagle and given the weight and semi-auto, it was a pussycat. The M29 wasn't a lot different than my own M57. I thanked them.

Then my wife shot the Desert Eagle. Nice fist sized group at 10 yards. Then it was the M29. You could see them anticipating what was going to happen. Ooops, she fired one slightly off center. Had a disgusted look on her face. Then proceeded to fire a nicely centered 3-4" group on the next five. She thanked them and we went to shooting our own guns.