Blackhawk .41 magnum

[grizzly]

After contemplating what new addition to get for a couple of weeks today I was out and found a used blued Ruger Blackhawk .41 magnum with a 4-5/8" barrel in a local gun store. Seeing as how I didn't have a .41 previously and I have a weakness for Ruger Single actions it naturally followed me home. I thought maybe some of you wouldn't mind sharing some of your expiriences with the .41 magnum. I picked up a couple of boxes of Corbon ammo with the hopes of shooting tomorrow or one day this week. Looking forward to your thoughts and opinions.

[Quick Draw McGraw]

I don't have one but I'm super curious. Once you take it to the range, please share your experiences.

[38 WCF]

My first handgun at the age of 15 was a Ruger Blackhawk 41 Magnum with 6 5/8 barrel. A three screw purchased new in 1971. I pretty much wore the gun out and foolishly sold it a couple of years ago. It was quite a gun but it did smack the middle finger knuckle of my shooting hand when fired. I currently have a fluted Bisley in 41 Magnum and I still quite like the cartridge.
I think you will become a fan as most due.

[sixshot]

You've picked a winner, the 4 5/8's makes for a dandy packing gun & will handle anything you want to hunt with it using proper loads. For many years the draw back to the 41 was a lack of good bullets but now there are a lot of good quality cast slugs available to the reloader & you can brew up about anything you want from a good rabbit or grouse load up to deer or elk. The most common bullets for the 41 are 210 gr slugs, many of us like bullets a bit heavier, although the Sierra 170 gr. Jacketed has been a long time favorive of the speed crowd. My favorite has always been a 230 gr. cast slug from an old Saeco mould & I've taken a lot of game with it including elk. For me 17 grs of 2400 has worked since the late 60's. One year I took 8 animals with the revolver, 6 were with the 41 magnum including deer in 3 different states. I also shoot a 250 gr. LBT thats a dandy & will come very close to equaling what a 250 gr. bullet will do in the 44 magnum. I've shot that bullet clear though a large elk.

Slow it down with Unique, 231, Universal, Power Pistol or Longshot to around 850 fps for a mid range load & it makes a great plinker for summer time use.

Dick

[rjm52]

...favorite revolver round... Have had about a half dozen 4 5/8" Rugers in the past but presently only have a 6.5"...but the 4 5/8" is about as handy as it gets...

Here is a little reading material for you...lots of links...

link


Enjoy....Bob

[cmillard]

might want to measure the throats on that new revolver too. love the .41 mag!

[contender]

Gee,,, I only own 8 of the 41 mags by Ruger. I'm not able to help as I'm just learning!

Seriously,,, listen to Dick,,, as he's got more field experience with them than many of us. The 41 mag is a sweetheart of a caliber. Cast slugs are THE way to go.

[callshot]

I enjoy mine. I have two. A Ruger Redhawk that I killed a bull moose with at 62 yards with one shot through the heart, left lung, and penetrated back to the liver a little bit. Never found the slug. My other one is a FA 83. They both shoot almost the same with the 250 gr WFN powder coated lead there is no adjusting of the sights. Let us know about your experience with yours.

Steve

[chutch]

The one on the left is my Acusport Bisley 41 Mag

I added a Bowen Rough Country rear and a David Clement front.

Haven't been lucky enough to down any food with it. Unique and 2400 work great for range loads but taking Brian Pierce's suggestion I have come to love AA#9 powder. 41 Mag is a pleasure to shoot and scary accurate.

[grizzly]

Thanks for all of the reply's! I'm glad to see that the .41 has such a loyal following. I'll more than likely follow Dick's advice and shoot a heavy cast bullet most of the time. I need to find time to get over to my dad's house and load some ammo, I'll have a week off of work in April and I'll probably try to get some various rounds loaded up then. In the mean time I'll try to get out and shoot it either later today or this week. I'll report how it shoots but I'll warn you all that I'm not a very good shot. I don't have a pin gauge set to measure the throats unfortunately.

[chutch]

One of the charms of the 41 Mag. is that it was developed late enough, 1964 I believe, that the specs don't vary much on the guns. Most all 41's are accurate. Forget the pin gauges and just go shoot the thing. I would wager you are going to be pleased with the results. The heaviest I have loaded is an Oregon Trails 265 grn wide nose gas check TruShot. It's a beast but accurate.

[nicholst55]

My first Blackhawk was a 6-1/2" NM .41 Mag purchased for the grand sum of $107 at the Rod & Gun Club at Yongsan, Korea in 1975. Once I got it back to the States and could find some ammo, the ejector rod housing screw stud separated from the barrel on the 3rd shot. I repaired it myself and continued on. Back in those days, .41 Mag reloading components were difficult to find, and the choice of jacketed bullets was very slim. I eventually got tired of not being able to find components in those pre-Internet days, and sold it. I have never revisited the .41 Mag again.

[chutch]

....and after you fall in love with the 41 Mag get a Model 57 Smith to go with ......

[veeman]

My one and only "Super 41".

[sixshot]

Veeman, I like your gun! My very first 41 magnum was a 4" model 57 bought used for $100 in 1967 in Sherman, Texas & I shot a boatload of cast bullets out of it, mostly #410032 because thats the only mould I could find back then. Later I got the Saeco 4 cavity 230 gr. mould. Turtles, bullfrogs, snakes, armadillos, rabbits, possums, alligator gar, racoons & Texas white tails fell to that first 41 maggie.

I would get up in a friends barn & swing open the big doors on the second level & shoot long range, it was an amazing learning experience for a young GI. My friend had big brush piles he would doze up into big piles & then 6 months later set them on fire, you wouldn't believe the number of animals that would come running out of there with smoke coming off their fur. I was waiting with my trusty 41 maggie & I really smoked them. Possums, coons, rabbits, snakes, it was amazing & I was reloading like a wild man trying to shoot everything.

Dick