.41 long colt

[jonah hex]

does anyone know of loads and components for the
41 long colt.
any data would be appreciated.
I have an old New service that id like to reload for.

[Hemlock Mike]

I thought I had data for everything --  BUT -- this has me stumped 
None of my books mention it.  I've got another place to look.

Mike

[Laredo Crockett]

Seems to me that I may have an ancient Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook that has such data. Will check tomorrow and post if I can find it.

[Laredo Crockett]

Jonah- finally found it:

196 Grain Bullet
---------------------
Powder      Sug. Grains      velocity         Max. Grains        Velocity
----------      ---------------       ----------        ----------------        -----------
Bullseye       3.0                 700             3.5                   750
Unique        4.0                 690             5.5                    910

200 Grain Bullet
--------------------
Bullseye       3.0                 695             3.5                   745
Unique        4.0                 745             5.0                   885


This data is from the 1964 Issue of the Lyman Reloading Handbook. Whether these powders are still manufactured to the same pressure levels as in 1964 and thus still safe as stated is not known. All precautionary measures should be taken and pressure levels verified with the Powder manufacturer. I did not include data for powders no longer manufactured.

[Laredo Crockett]

Another thing--this old loading manual did not designate what primer was recommended for the loads listed-proceed with appropriate caution.

[Hemlock Mike]

Seems a little light but with an old gun, maybe for BP only, caution is indeed advised.  750 Fps ain't too bad fer CAS shootin' 

Mike

[Laredo Crockett]

Mike-I'm not familiar with this round, though there was an old colt DA around the House when I was growing up. The local Hardware store stocked factory rounds back then. I dunno when the round originated so maybe it was back in the BP days. Seems I recall there were some SAA''s in .41 LC involved in the Tewksberry feud, but I can't recall what time period that occurred.

[St. George]

If it's a Colt's New Service - it's a helluva stout revolver - and was made for smokeless and for "big" calibers.

The thing is - according to my records and references - Colt never made the New Service in .41.

The New Service was introduced in November of 1898 in calibers .476 Eley, .455 Eley, .450 Eley, .45 Colt, .44-40, .44 Russian and .38-40.
By the end of production in 1928 - they'd added .45 Auto, .44 Special, .357 Magnum and .38 Special.

If it's New Model Army - that's different - and that frame was made for the then-new .41 Colt.

Scouts Out!

[tarheel mac]

If I remember correctly, (and who keeps singing "To Dream the Impossible Dream?) the .41 wasn't a true .41, but something like a .39 or .40...some odd size...the old Gun Digest, used to have a caliber rundown and my '68 GD mentions something like that...

[Hemlock Mike]

I got a new service in 38-40 Seems strong enough.   I have an old book showing a remington factory load for 41 Long Colt: 195 gr lead slug at 955 f/s.  Looks pretty close to those smokeless loads shown here. 

I shoot 7.5 gr of Unique in my 45 Colt cases and 6.5 in my 38-40's.  4 grains in that small case sure seems like a good starting point if the revolver is tight.  I can't believe there isn't more info available.

Mike

[Hemlock Mike]

Wow what skimpy info .....  I found two Lyman bullet moulds for 41 Long Colt in an old listing. Both are .386" diameter and says "use as cast".  155 and 190 grain round nose.

Mike

[Delmonico]

The 41 Colt was originally a outside lubricated round and used a heel crimp bullet of 0.400-0.401 , the later rounds were an inside lubed 0.386 inside lubed bullet with a hollow base.   The barrel dimensions are the same as the 38-40.

[StainlessButcher]

I happen to have my grandfather's old .41LC army that he bought new in 1909 and I've been studying everything I can about it. Here are a few sites that might help. I have found several people carrying the Starline Brass and there are a couple of places that sell the bullets already cast. I'm considering looking for a slightly larger bullet mold or pre-cast hollow base bullet and using various lube/sizers to dial in a tighter group.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/41_LC.htm
http://harryo.sixshootercommunity.org/
http://www.ultramaxammunition.com/cowboy.php
http://gadcustomcartridges.com/
http://www.reloadersnest.com/frontpage_handgun.asp?CaliberID=52
http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,444.html
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=280781
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=394906
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=161823
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=687979
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=147364
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=194816

I purchased a box of the ultramax a couple of years ago and I was sorely disappointed with it's lack of accuracy even at short distances. I'm sure that if I work at it I should be able to pull off 2" or less groups at 30 feet. With the ultramax, I'm lucky to hit paper using a shooting vice at 30 feet. No, the barrel isn't shot out. I know the history of this gun as it's been in our family for 100 years. If it has seen 1000 rounds shot through it in that time, I would be very surprised.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

http://www.dnmsport.com/41LC/41%20LONG%20COLT.htm

http://harryo.sixshootercommunity.org/

I am currently finishing a project to convert an old (1896) Frontier Sixshooter to .41 LC.  I got a new cylinder from Coltparts a few years ago.  I acquired the òld west heavy`heeled bullet mould.

[Hoof Hearted]

Good luck with your project!

If anyone looking in here wants to tag onto a group buy, Walt Kirst and I are talking about ordering a Large quantity of brass in order to get the price down to something a bit more reasonable.

Original Colt barrels in 1877 "Thunderers" and some early SAA's have bores at about .406 these are hard to make shoot well. The .401 bores shoot better.

Heel base bullets (soft) shoot the best and Bernie Rowles can outfit you with mould, bullet sizer/luber die, and crimper (the cats meow).

I have started reaming 38 Kirst Konvertor's to accept the 41 Colt and since the "navy" barrel slugs to approx .380 both Remington and Colt clones shoot the 41 Colt just as well as any other caliber. This eliminates the need to line the barrel but, YOU MUST NOT SHOOT HEELED LOADS in them.

HarryO has great info for the starter and 38 brass fireforms and works well.

HH

[John Taylor]

Cartridges of the world shows bullet diameter at .386". 200 grain bullet loaded to 820 FPS with 4.5 grains of unique. Factory load was at 730 FPS. Came out with the 1877 Colt, also loaded in the new army, new navy,army special, SAA and Bisley.
I don't think I would load it that hot for a 77 but the other pistols should be fine.

[litl rooster]

Sir Charles thanks for your link on fire forming. I at one time was told 30-30 could be turned down and into .41 colt, I contemplated how .38 spl could be done or if it could.
I found some .41 colt brass on Gunbroker  several months back for what i thought was a bargin. I am still looking for a bargin on dies. I know I won't be using this pistol for nothing but occassional shooting. I slugged the bore and have located some bullets now. I believe I will stick to fffg for my loads however.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Litl Rooster;  juast finished a great christmas dinner with my Grandaughters & their parents.

For odd calibers like .41 LC try C-H dies.  MUCH cheaper than the green ones.

[litl rooster]

Litl Rooster;  juast finished a great christmas dinner with my Grandaughters & their parents.

For odd calibers like .41 LC try C-H dies.  MUCH cheaper than the green ones.

the reddings seem cheaper and so are the herters....I'll come across a deal, it's like waiting for a trophy buck, it'll come along.

Merry Christmas to ya