Looking to start Reloading the 41 mag and need advice.

[rdenisj]

I a big fan of the 41 Rem. Magnum, and to save costs, I want to start to reload it. I have never reloaded before and do not have any friends that reload either. I recently received the Cabela's Catalog and was looking at everything available and was overwhelmed. I want a simple setup to reload for and only for the 41 magnum and need advice on what to buy? Please remember, I want to keep it simple.

[Erich]

Well, a Lee Loader would be the simplest solution. Everything you need in one small box (well, you need a rubber mallet, too). Slow to use, though - but that's what got me started in college.

http://www.shootnhunt.com/catalog/JM...s/0812636.html
(Not recommending this vendor one way or the other - I've never used them - it was just a quickly found link.)

But I'd recommend a Lee starter kit with .41 mag carbide dies with either a nutcracker or simple one-stage press. Get the Lee volumetric powder measure dippers instead of the scale (cheaper and simpler, tho not as versatile), some reliable load data from the powder company websites and some Unique or Blue Dot (the two powders I like best for .41 - Unique for the light ones and Blue Dot to move out the high-powered heavy bullets) and you're good to go.

A site that may be of some interest: http://www.geocities.com/leereloading/

[Mike Irwin]

I'm finding that Accurate Arms powders are very good performers in the .41 Mag.

This past weekend I loaded up some with 13.5 grains of AA 7 and 210-gr. LSWC bullets. Not a light load, but shot well out of my 4" Model 58.

Winchester's 231 is a good powder for lighter loads in .41, as well.

[caz223]

How much .41 do you shoot in a week?
What .41s do you have?
How much time do you want to spend reloading?
You really don't want to load ANY other calibers?

[Leftoverdj]

Any press will do you, even the little Lee Reloader they throw in with a loading manual for about $20 total.

Personally, I would suggest the four hole Lee Turret Press with the Pro Auto Disk Measure. Run you about $125 for loading blocks, press, dies, AutoPrime II and measure from Midway or Midsouth. Reason I suggest that is that you only have to set up once. If you are settled on a load, you will never have to adjust anything again. With that setup, you size and deprime your cases, click to the next station and prime your cases, click to the third station to flare and charge your cases, and go to the fourth station to seat and crimp the bullets.

That ain't the cheapest solution, but it is the simplest to use to get any kind of reasonable production rate. If you are shooting two boxes a week, it'll pay for itself in about a month.

[Ben Shepherd]

For starters(and I have burned A LOT of powder in this caliber) blue dot is the best powder IMO. Especially if accuracy is your goal. Most powders that work well in either 357 or 44 mag work well in 41, but blue dot is the best multi-purpose powder for this caliber in my opinion.

The dillon square deal B would be ideal. This press is SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED for high-volume single caliber production. But I'm not sure they make it for 41 mag(Sorry my dillon catalog is home, and I'm not or I would check for you).

Send me a PM for specifics if you want.

[Mike Irwin]

My biggest problems with Blue Dot is that it tends to be dirty and often gives a flash large enough to roast a chicken.

And yep, you can order a SDB in .41 Mag. I saw it in one of their recent Blue Presses just a few days ago.

[Smokey Joe]

Rdenisj--First of all, welcome to The Magnificent Obsession! I mean reloading.

I don't blame you for your bewilderment as to what you need/want/should have/don't need/etc. There is a welter of stuff out there. So before you try buying anything, before you can start cranking out those lovely rounds, you need to STUDY UP. Yeah, I know. BO-ring!

But we are dealing with some nasty hot gases here, and some fiendish pressures, and the thing you never want to do is end up proving that the lab geeks who wrote the loading manuals were right after all. Doing that generally ruins your Old Betsy for starters, if not you too.

THE BEST primer, IMHO, for newbies--and old hands too--is
The ABC's of Reloading which is newly out in a 7th edition. Get it from your local gun shop, a gun show, on the I'net, or from the publisher, www.krause.com It will explain what to do, what not to do, and what stuff you actually need to get started. Finding a friend who reloads is a great help--reloaders are almost always pleased to indoctrinate beginners, and forums like this are an excellent place to get questions answered.

But there is nothing so comforting as having directions right there in front of you in black and white when you're trying to get started. Having digested the ABC's, you also want a loading manual. This is a book of recipies for various loads. Most of the bigger manuals contain a how-to, but they're nowhere near as thorough as the ABC's. Since you will be concentrating on .41 Rem Mag ONLY, there may be a loadbook of recipies just for that, The Complete Reloading Manual for (fill in cartridge) put out by www.loadbooks.com but I'm not sure they have one for that cartridge. If so, it is ONLY recipies, no how-to at all.

The Lee Loader has been mentioned as a way to go. www.leeprecision.com
If you do that, just follow the directions that come with it and you will not go far wrong. And they're inexpensive. I would still reccommend reading up in The ABC's before sizing my first piece of brass, were I you.

Anyhow, once again, welcome. When you get it all sorted out it's an essentially simple operation we do. It's the sorting out that gets tough. May you enjoy reloading .41 Rem Mags for many years.

[Ben Shepherd]

Mr. Irwin: I've found it's all bout bullet pull with blue dot in this caliber. Good brass and a good crimp, and blue dot is easily twice as clean as 2400, though still not as clean as 296/h110 or vit N110, IME.

Low bullet pull, light crimp, yep really dirty.

As for the flash: with the accuracy and velocity I'm getting- I'll live with it.

[Mike Irwin]

"Good brass and a good crimp, and blue dot is easily twice as clean as 2400, though still not as clean as 296/h110 or vit N110, IME."

I'll stick with 296 and AA 7. Nice and clean and very little flash comparatively speaking.

Oh, did I mention excellent accuracy, too?


"As for the flash: with the accuracy and velocity I'm getting- I'll live with it."

Can I get a side of mashed potatos with my roasted chicken? Hey, what the hell is this, a bullet?

[rdenisj]

Thank you for all the great advice, it is all appreciated. What do you guys (or Gals) suggest for cleaning used brass?

[Brian Williams]

Get a Dillon Square Deal B like Mike Irwin says and get a scale, and the Reload book for 41 mag. a SDB can be C clamped to a kitchen table. I use mine for 357 and it is great.

[Smokey Joe]

For cleaning used brass you want a vibratory tumbler--Any one is much like any other, so no advantage to spending a nickel more than you have to on it. Midway www.midwayusa.com sells a nice one I think they call Frankford Arsenal. But check yr local prices, too. For a polishing medium you want ground corncob or ground walnut shell, either of which you get at a pet store under the name of pet bedding, for much cheaper than getting it @ a gun store under the name of case polishing medium.

I do NOT like adding polish or anything else to my case cleaning medium--it gets inside the cases, too, and what does it do with the powder when that is ignited? But that's a personal preference; many people add a little polish and are very happy with the results.

BTW, this question on your part is a good example of why I said get The ABC's of Reloading and study up--The ABC's will answer stuff like this for you, and much quicker than one question at a time on the I'net.

[WESHOOT2]

My 'experiments' suggest my Redhawk prefers AA9 for the best balance of zip and accuracy.
Jacketed, natch.
Most zoom = H110.
Most zoom with accurcy = W296.
Most zoom, accuracy, and great smell = N110.
Most danger = oh you don't wanna know.......(sssh, Blue Dot).

With lead I just use Universal Clays.



'skyentist', 'cause that's where I'll blow myself to

[Ben Shepherd]

Mike Irwin: NICE!! But I can't argue it!!!!

Honestly though, can anyone, for the money think of a better multi-purpose powder for the 41 mag. Sure some go faster(safely, anyway) and some give slightly better accuracy, but can any powder do both across this calibers' projectile weight range? If there is one that will, I want some!!!

Endnote:

WESHOOT2--Now I've gotta play with your AA9 theory in my redhawks. 'Sides it meters easier than blue dot in my dillon anyway.

[Mike Irwin]

"Honestly though, can anyone, for the money think of a better multi-purpose powder for the 41 mag."

Uh, I've already mentioned mine...

AA 7.

I use it in .41 and 10mm regularly, and am going to start using it in .44 Special and .357 Magnum, where it should be a good "tweener" powder between 231 and 296.

Cleaner burning, less flash, and more accurate metering.

Sorry, I'm just not a fan of Blue Dot.

I have, however, used a LOT of Red Dot over the years. Just not in handgun loads, where I found it to be FRIGHTFULLY dirty.

[Leftoverdj]

The recent lots of WC 820 seem identical to AA 9. I got mine from www.gibrass.com at about half the price of AA 9. The powder being sold as WC 820(f) matches HS-7 in burning rate and has been doing well for me in the sort of uses for which Blue Dot is suitable.

[Ben Shepherd]

Mike Irwin- So as not to sidetrack this thread any further, please check your pm's.

[mag41vance]

this being my first post on this forum, i'd have to say any advice from leftoverdj would be good.
the only thing i might say to someone just getting into reloding the .41mag;
when choosing a powder, a safe bet is a powder that approach's full case volume, IE...( w296, h110, h4227, aa1680) that way, doing a double charge is not likely without the reloaders knowledge. also in my experience, the .41 has proven to like the slower pistol powders better in my redhawk, as well as my marlin lever-gun.
good luck

btw; the .41 has been a difficult cartridge to get a great load. the wc820 i've used has had good results with the 210gr xtp's.

[pearson1662]

I need to buy some 41 mag brass and only have StarLine, Remington and Winchester to choose from. Is there any difference? Thanks.

[Smokey Joe]

Pearson 1662--Differences in brass?? You Betcha!!

Rem and Win are both good and will work for you. For BEST uniformity case-to-case you can't beat Starline. It is the generally acknowledged Best-Vot-Giffs when it comes to pistol brass.

IMHO *line is worth the extra.

Oh, and Mag41Vance--Welcome to TFL!! Glad to have you aboard!

[Mike Irwin]

Pearson,

If you're precision target shooting, Starline does seem to be the best.

I have all three makes of brass for my .41, plus a bunch of PMC and Federal, as well, and I've not been able to detect the least bit of difference among them.

[ClarkEMyers]

I use a lot of 296 with 210 grain Sierra for everything. Superb accuracy in a couple of N-frames but enough muzzle blast to give me some room on both sides when shooting at an indoor range with booths squeezed together.

I have not been nearly so well pleased with Blue Dot especially in very cold weather though I did burn a lot of Blue Dot behind 90 grain Sierra in an effort to hotrod the 9mm mostly for ground squirrels at eyeballed unmeasured ranges.

[Paul Fitz Jones]

Thanks for the beautiful bullets you cast and sent me from the Calif-Saeco 4 cavity mold I sold you. I used pictures of them on e-bay to sell the last 6 of my .41 Mag caliber molds. I helped make 50 of them from 1975-1979 and the owners used the bullets based on tire weights and some with some lino or solder added for deer, boar, feral animals, bear and Moose in Alaska and one Alaskan said he would not step out of his cabin to get some firewood without his .41 on his hip and that he used his .41 for his winter meat supply of bear and moose. I carried a Smith model 58 as an officer.

The .41 is a good all around caliber and I am glad my molds went to appreciative homes.

Paul Fitz Jones Calif-Saeco Distributor-Bullet Designer
Retired and loving it.