Reduced loads for 41 mag.

GONESHOOTING

Does anybody here have any good reduced loads for the 41 mag . Trail boss?

gunprofit

I hope other folks post some of their favorite loads. Because I would like to see them also. I like to shoot my 41 Smith & Wesson Model 657 a lot, so I use light target loads. My favorite is my 215 grain LSWC bullet with 5.5 grains of WW 231. My medium load is the same 215 grain LSWC with 8.5 grains of Unique. Someday, I'll pay to have a mould built around 175 to 185 grain full wadcutter design.

BHAVIN

For my target loads in .41 mag I use Hodgdon Titegroup. Titegroup is cheaper, and it is not position sensitive which is really nice for the big cases. For my target loads I use a 215g Lead SWC with a Win Large pistol standard primer and 5.5 grains of Titegroup. It runs just over 900 fps and is accurate.

Rocky Raab

Reduced loads in a magnum case will work, but are usually pretty inconsistent. Large velocity spreads and inaccuracy are the usual complaints. Reducing case volume does miraculous things, as any shooter of the 38 or 44 Special can tell you - both are wonderfully accurate rounds.

The answer, obviously, is the 41 Special. My full article is here: http://www.reloadingroom.com/index_files/41 Special.htm

gunprofit

I like it Rocky ! I'm going to give it a try. The reason I wanted to order a custom bullet mould in a full wadcutter design was for the same reasons, to reduce the big case capacity. I figured by seating a wadcutter all the way down, I could reduce that interal capacity. Your way is cheaper.

GONESHOOTING

+1[8D]

Rocky Raab

Before you trim too many cases, try one in your seater die to see if you can crimp. Many 41 Magnum dies are simply too deep to let the Special case reach the crimp shoulder.

I had to have a machine shop turn 1/8" off my seater and re-chamfer the inner edge. The guy did it in his lathe so quick he didn't even charge me! Some other dies don't have that problem, I'm told.

BHAVIN

This is why Titegroup works well. Because it is not position sensitive. I have had good consistency in .41 mag, 44 mag & 45 Colt with it.

Rocky Raab

That's part of it, certainly. But not all. There's a definite effect caused by volume alone. It might be difficult to believe, but many handgun cartridges burn all the powder present before the bullet leaves the case. Some burn it all before the bullet even moves. We know that by observing when the pressure peak occurs, and in many, it happens while the bullet is still in the cartridge case. (Pressure peak signals the end of effective burning.)

Too much volume means less efficient ignition, more variability in the pressure curve, and therefore on total performance. In general, the smaller the charge weight and the larger the cartridge case, the more pronounced the effect.

GONESHOOTING

What about using a lee factory crimp to crimp instead.

Rocky Raab

If it's designed for the 41 Mag, it's probably not going to work on the shorter case. Just get a Hornady die set. I'm told they work on the Special without modification.