Ruger Bisley SS 41 magnum

Member yogiboobooranger likes 41 magnums, maybe you could PM him and see what he has to say about them. There are several others who use them but I can't recall who just at this moment. Chris

...in the convenient little search window top right, there are several on-going threads on the subject!
And congrats on the new revolver! Wish I had enough money to buy a new gun (and all the reloading paraphernalia for a new caliber!)

My format must be different because I don't see a search window anywhere? Tell me where to look for something like that, remember I'm a computer illiterate... Chris

Guess I didn't have it turned on for mere mortals. Should be directly above "Who's Online" now.
Al

It's there! Dang aren't these computers wonderful!

The original .41 was of course, the .41 Colt, originally with a .41 cal. heeled bullet-later with an inside lubed bullet of .39 cal., generally referred to as the "41 Long Colt". Actually, the oal of the cartridge remained the same, but the brass was taller after the redesign. It employed a 200gr hollowbase that when hit with the explosive force of black powder, would obdurate and fill the bore.
Never a target round, the 41 Colt was trusted as a man stopper, commonly chambered in the SAA, and was especially popular in various double action offerings.  With the advent of smokeless, the round lost popularity, although it continued on for several decades before being overshadowed by the much more popular .38 Special.
The 41 Magnum arrived as the answer to a question no one asked. Mr. Keith and others wanted a 40 cal police round, and what they got was something not quite up to the 44 Magnum. Now that we have the 40 S&W, that 40 cal police round finally arrived, for the plastic pistol crowd.  No doubt the 41 has its fanatical following, yet the bald truth is that the 41 is hampered by limited bullet weight, excessive gun weight, and a trajectory that is not significantly different from the 44 Magnum. Of course it will work just fine in any reasonable situation, but with a muzzle blast and recoil mirroring the big 44, but without its mustard, the choice of the 41 has more to do with intangibles.
I recall a few guns in the 41 Mag, perhaps the last being a Redhawk with a 5.5" barrel. The cartridge is accurate, and no doubt it is true that its more powerful than the .357, yet it certainly has not replaced the 357, nor has it ever become anything besides a niche cartridge. I think part of the fascination equates to its rarity.

Anyhow, there has been an effort of late to demand more horsepower from the 41 mag by adding to its bullet weight. I think this is less than a great policy, because a heavy 41 bullet will not chamber in many guns, nor stabilize in many others. The 41 does quite well with a 210-220gr. bullet. Velocity will be up there, and it won't be trying to be something it isn't. Keep in mind, a heavy 41 bullet is 260 grs, and this is a mid range bullet weight for the big brothers-44 & 45, so don't try to slay Tyrannosaurs. Probably the best all around load is the 210gr. SWC, clipping along a buck and a half above 1,000 fps give or take. Its manageable, accurate, and of sufficient power for most uses.

Good luck with your new gun, and good shooting.

I tried 357 early on and found that it hurt my ears worse than it hurt what I was shooting at.
Then I found 45 Colt, later 44 Special. I did suffer through a friend buying a 41 Mag Blackhawk, though. It made a nasty crack when fired just like the 357, but I couldn't see that it was any more powerful in a useful way than the 44 Special.
When I lived in Amarillo, the State Gestapo adopted the 41 mag, but gave it up after a relatively short time. Lots of cheap brass was available at the shooting range, but it seemed nobody wanted it.
I have a Super Blackhawk for nostalgic purposes, but for my money, the 44 Special and 45 Colt fill the bill completely for single actions and souble actions while the 45 ACP is all I need for my autos.
Thanks for agreeing with me, MAK