.41 mag hunting load

This year I finally decided that I needed to work up a good load for my Smith 58. So far I have only tried some 210 gr. Noslers loaded with 2400. With open sights, it's a little tough to get a very tight group, but they patterned decently at 50 yards.....certainly good enough for a deer. Anyone have a pet hunting load for their .41?

I'm using H110 with that same bullet for deer hunting, as a bear defense load and for silhouette to 200m rams. Very accurate, lots of muzzle blast and recoil though. About as much snort as is feasible with my Blackhawk and 6 1/2" barrel. Does good work on heavy whitetails. Follow the usual tips for H110. Heavy crimp, near max data only. I'm using Hodgedon's online data.

H110 meters extremely well, good enough to not use the scale once you get your measure dialed in. I've become a fan of spherical powders in HG cartridges. In the same .41, I'm using Hodgedon titegroup for a short range practice load and HS-6 for mid range silhouette, both with a Missouri 215gr cast.

Using H110 also with 210 grain XTP's and velocity is quite fast just under 1650 fps. with a 6 inch barrel out of my Smith and Wessons Model 657 Classic Hunter. I use a crimp as well. Drops hogs fast. Muzzle blast is quite loud and throws a huge fireball especially with the 170 grain bullet.

I didn't get anywhere near max with the 2400 but the fireball was pretty impressive. The recoil was stout but not unmanageable. Years ago I had a few of the original Remington hot loads that they say helped seal the fate of the .41 with law enforcement. Those things were monsters. 8 inches of fire out of the barrel and after a few felt like they had split the skin between my thumb and pointer finger. But man oh man did they get attention.

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Ran some 210 XTP loads last year to test thru a Model 57, they were kickish but accurate, upper end W296 loads, if I recall. There's good info on the S&W forum, too. Several 57's and 657's liked those bullets. The old Rem 210's were good bullets but not to be found now.

A S&W M58 for hunting.....very cool. Hoping it's nickel, too!

Ya know, I used to prefer a beautiful blued gun, but I recently saw a 57 in nickel and fell in love with it. My 58 is blued, though. Dad bought it when he got back from Vietnam. It spent most of its life in a box under his bed. The fixed sights aren't ideal, but I did find a pretty good load with 2400 and Nosler sporting pistol bullets. It shoots about 3 inches low at 50 yards with the 210 gr. bullets, but holding at the top of a 6 inch circle I got a deer killing group. Still haven't decided if I am going to take the 58 exclusively or just pack it in case one wonders in close. I have a couple of spots where I could easily get them within 50 yards of me, but I am not sure I will set up in these spots.

Another one here using 210jhp’s and a decent shot of h110.

Haven’t shot anything with it yet, however.

Anyone shoot the 170's or any of the lighter bullets in their 41? Seems like most shoot 210's.

This was a classic. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/34555 ... box-of-100

chrispbrown27":38nyao9x said:

My 58 is blued, though. Dad bought it when he got back from Vietnam.

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I bought mine used from a Texas LEO. Still 90%+. I love it as much as my M13 3" RB (FBI Gun).