Hey Guys,

The Ruger .32 H&R Mag, small frame revolvers are, according to the drift I'm catching, occasionally rebarrelled and rechambered to .41 Special.

Anyone have info on this cartridge? Load data? Ballistics??

Thanks much,

Lobo in West Virginia

El Lobo I hope this helps you out and answers some of your questions.
http://www.reloadingroom.com/page11.html

I too wish that they would hurry up and legitimize this fine cartridge as well.

I'm a fan of the .41 special. I have been playing with it for most of ten years and had good results on paper from the start.
At the time, I thought I had invented it! I am abit of a cheapskate and did not like the idea of not reusing .41 mag brass that developed neck splits.

336A gave a good link that I have not seen before. The load data there looks reasonable to me alltough I have not worked at load development with all of the powders shown. I got my start loads using a calculator and reloading manuals for percentages looking at .38 and .44 special compaired to .357 and .44 magnum. It was a "read between the lines" and chronograph that took me the rest of the way.

I don't care to post data on the web. I have found a load of Blue Dot with a 217 grain cast bullet that hits to the sights of my .41 mag revolver @ 25 yards. Velocity is a modest 835fps.

One other note. I have yet to split a case on a .41 special. When I do, I am not sure about the .41 short or .41 CB cap?
Cheezywan

Gents,

As I was searching the 'Net today for info, I did find that Midway has brass.....

http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/559371

Thanks for the input!!

Lobo in West Virginia

I've seen that too! Keep in mind (if you have a .41 mag,) you will split a case eventually. You must do something with it?
It is a good round. At least as good as the other two"specials". I think a medium sised revolver with a five shot cylinder would be a great gun! Put about a 3.5 inch barrel on mine. Interchangeable front sight and fixed rear is good with me.
Good thread!
Cheezywan

As the author of that article, may I say that I have NEVER found a poor load for the .41 Special? The worst I've tried (of somethng more than 75 combinations now) hit ten shots into 3" at 25 yards. Yeah, ten.

I have a friend who loaned me his Blackhawk .41 Mag at the start of my tests. When I returned it, I gave him a box of Specials. That was years ago, and he tells me he hasn't fired a single round of Magnum ammo through it since - but he's fired thousands of Specials.

I liked it so much I had one made up just for Specials. It started life as a Ruger Flattop 357. David Clements of Clements Custom Guns did his usual magic with it and now it's my most prized revolver.

Good plce to mention this...something i picked up from one of the early handloader's Digest (3rd?).

Using a STEEL .41mag. die (not carbide...the old-style steel die) would vice-press a well lubed .45ACP case into the die right up to the rim (OK...a .45acp has no rim...but it will once you jam it into a .41Mag. die). Knock it out with a steel rod. May need to clean up the base of the body at the rim...may not...most of the excess is swaged down and the extractor goove kind of dissappears.

.41Short.
-------
Carbide die wont ake this kind of abuse...will crack the carbide.

Ribbonstones last is interesting. My mind "sees" a ballon head case.
Might be kinda fun with a round ball or similar :) ? I do not have a steel die to try that with.
I will need to "split" a special case to persue the .41 short!

RockyRabb, You wrote that? Very cool! I will look at it closer as time permits. I love the .410 bore! Why was .429 better?
Cheezywan

Ribbonstones last is interesting. My mind "sees" a ballon head case.
Might be kinda fun with a round ball or similar :) ? I do not have a steel die to try that with.
I will need to "split" a special case to persue the .41 short!

RockyRabb, You wrote that? Very cool! I will look at it closer as time permits. I love the .410 bore! Why was .429 better?
Cheezywan


With a steel die and a vice, can size right up to the rim, including the slid part of the case head....so no balloon.

Still, I'd not push these little fellas that hard. the drastic sizing doesn't do the case head any favors (probably work hardening that end a good bit) and are too short for standard dies to seat/crimp correctly (but if you find a set of .41AE dies cheap....).

With a steel die and a vice, can size right up to the rim, including the slid part of the case head....so no balloon.

Still, I'd not push these little fellas that hard. the drastic sizing doesn't do the case head any favors (probably work hardening that end a good bit) and are too short for standard dies to seat/crimp correctly (but if you find a set of .41AE dies cheap....).

Yup! I undestand the don't push them too hard part. I don't run my .41 specials very hard either. I shoot from a magnum revolver. I will use a magnum load in a magnum case if I need that.
It is kind of fun (for me) playing with low powered stuff. Is kind of contrary to the trend of ultra-super-short-quest for mach V stuff.

That .45 acp to .41 short might be fun with wax bullets(no powder) loads? Would not need a seater for that!
Cheezywan