[net.rec] Ever reload .41 Magnums?

chris@politik.UUCP (Christopher Seiwald) (01/13/85)

Has anyone out there ever reloaded .41 magnums?  I have, and am getting
tired of the 200 gr JHP's with 14 gr Blue-dot, which is the only recipe
I know.  Are there any other recipes that don't involve casting your own
bullets?   Further, does anyone out there have any postive/negative
experience with carbide dies?  My stainless steel ones have become scored,
and I don't think my cases will last very long at this rate.  (I've used
the same 150 cases since I've had the thing.)

Thanks.
-- 
Christopher Seiwald
dual!ptsfa!politik!chris

scw@cepu.UUCP (Stephen C. Woods) (01/18/85)

In article <68@politik.UUCP> chris@politik.UUCP (Christopher Seiwald) writes:
>Has anyone out there ever reloaded .41 magnums?

Well not .41, but lots of 9mm.

>                                                 I have, and am getting
>tired of the 200 gr JHP's with 14 gr Blue-dot, which is the only recipe
>I know.  Are there any other recipes that don't involve casting your own
>bullets?

Try casting your own, it's really fun, and a whole lot cheaper.
Also spring for one of the (many) reloading cookbooks.  There are usually
8 or 9 different loads for revolver type cartriges.

>           Further, does anyone out there have any postive/negative
>experience with carbide dies?

A big win, they last forever (well almost), but regular dies should last a
long while too (longer than those 150 cases would last anyway).  You have
been lubing you cases haven't you?

>                               My stainless steel ones have become scored,
>and I don't think my cases will last very long at this rate.  (I've used
>the same 150 cases since I've had the thing.)

Perhaps it's time to spring for some new cases. If you start to use cast
bullets you'll want to eventually anyway.
-- 
Stephen C. Woods (VA Wadsworth Med Ctr./UCLA Dept. of Neurology)
uucp:	{ {ihnp4, uiucdcs}!bradley, hao, trwrb}!cepu!scw
ARPA: cepu!scw@ucla-cs location: N 34 3' 9.1" W 118 27' 4.3"

wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (01/21/85)

Hi!

Though I haven't done any reloading myself, I accumulate a lot of the books
on the subject as part of my arms library. Therefore, I can offer some
pointers and some data. Let me first put in the usual "reloading disclaimer":
None of the information that follows can be trusted, and you may well kill
yourself by following the instructions and examples. The author and
publisher assume no liability for anythig whatsoever, and you are on your
own, all alone by the telephone...

(Don't you, too, get tired of those endlessly repeated statements in every
reloading article?)

Anywho, I first recommend that you (and anyone else interested in .41 Mag)
search out and buy a copy of the NINTH edition (1981) of HANDLOADER'S DIGEST.
(The currently-published one is the tenth edition; look at gun shows or
gun book dealers to find the ninth ed.) There are three .41 Mag articles
in that issue:

Pg. 63: 41 MAGNUM SHORTS, by James P. Cowgill; describes how to form 
reduced-load .41 cartridges from .45 ACP brass -- a lot of work involved,
and results work in S&Ws but didn't fit in Rugers.

Pg. 128: THE FORTY-ONE: ALL-AROUND MAGNUM, by Russ Gaertner; see the next.

Pg. 133: HOW GAERTNER LOADS HIS FORTY-ONES; These two articles give a 
lot of info. The second has 25 loads for jacketed 170, 200, 210, & 220 gr
bullets, using H110, 2400, & WW296 powders. (Also 16 cast-bullet loads.)

----------------

Now, for other info, here is what is listed in HANDLOADER'S DIGEST BULLET &
POWDER UPDATE (1980), on pg 97:

Powder Maker Loads:
Dupont		210 gr bullet	12.1 gr SR4756		1400 fps
Winchester	210 gr "	8.8 gr WW231		1220 fps
Hercules	200 gr "	21.0 gr 2400		1560 fps
Hercules	210 gr "	15.0 gr Blue Dot	1525 fps
Hodgdon		220 gr "	18.0 gr H110		1273 fps

Bullet Maker Loads:
Sierra		170 gr HP	21.6 gr 2400		1450 fps
Sierra		210 gr HP	10.3 gr Unique		1250 fps
Speer		200 gr HP	13.2 gr Blue Dot	1272 fps
Speer		220 gr SP	9.0 gr Herco		1118 fps

--------------

Here is the info from METALLIC CARTRIDGE RELOADING, ed by Robert S. L. 
Anderson; load tables by Edward Matumas (1982), pg 308-309:

Loads for 210 gr jacketed bullets (also has a table for 210 gr cast,
not included here):

Powder		Start (gr)	Max (gr)	Max fps
Hi-Skor 700-X	6.9		7.6		1150
PB		8.7		9.7		1250
SR 7625		8.2		9.1		1225
SR 4756		11.6		12.8		1425
IMR 4227	18.5		20.5		1350
Bullseye	7.5		8.3		1250
231		8.0		8.8		1225
Green Dot	8.1		9.0		1275
Unique		9.7		10.8		1375
Herco		9.5		10.5		1350
2400		16.0		17.5		1425

-------------

Whew! Hope there aren't any typos in the above... ("So did I", said the
shooter, as he holds the remains of his revolver with the cylinder
split in two and the topstrap embedded in his forehead... Ah, well,
it's a bit of excitement that makes life worth living, right?)

All the books above are DBI Books; see any gun magazine for their ad
to get their current address.

Regards, Will Martin

USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin     or   ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA