love my 41 mag !!!! My favorite load for deer and hogs is CCI 350 primer and 21.0 gr 296 or h110 pushing a 210 gr sierra sport master. This works great out of my ruger red hawk with 7.5 inch barrel
I've been using the 41 Mag for years, myself and two Brother in Laws I use the Keith type SWC cast, 215 grs over a dose of Blue Dot and love it. I also load the Barnes 180 gr XPB and it is awesome, also with Blue Dot Ive taken a good many hogs and few deer with it, never a failure
It's been about 3 years, but being a new member and the fact that I love the 41 Magnum this thread needed reviving. I had the Ruger Blackhawk in 6.5", scoped and iron sights and a Redhawk 7.5" scoped.
I never used a factory load for hunting. My 3 handloads used 170gr Sierra JHC, 200gr Speer half-jacket HP, and 210gr Sierra. All over H110. Of all the deer I took none took a second step.
I prefer handgun hunting over any other typr. I took quite a few with my GP100 6" iron sights, 6 with a muzzleloader, one with a shotgun and one with a rifle.
I had good success with the Federal Cast Core 250 gr factory loads and 210 gr cast Keith hand loads. Used them both in a TC Super 14 and a 6” S&W 57 and 657.
Have been a 41 mag fan for years and have quite the herd, most of S&W breed.
My plinking load which has enough punch to hunt with is 215 grain cast over Universal Clays or Unique. Jacketed stuff sits over 2400. Haven't shot it in a while but even a wildcat the 41 GNR #2, a 445 super mag case necked down to 41 caliber, the Contender shown.
I do LOVE my S&W Model 57 - 8 3/8" 41 Rem Mag with a 2-7x20 Vortex scope.
XTP and Fusion 210gr have always worked great. I now have several boxes of Hornady LeverRevolution 190gr, but have not harvested anything with them.
My furthest shot was 79 yards on a young spike who ran about 45 yards to expire.
That's a big gun and a heck of a tool.
One of the things I love about my 41 is that is a 6 and a 1/2" and serves as a great hip gun.
I have several long barrels (rifle cals) for my contender and sometimes carry them both at the same time... Sometimes a rifle and the hip gun, sometimes a rimfire and the hip gun. Sometimes the Contender and a rimfire.
I love versaticity (Ben Rogers Lee).