Hi guys, looking for some advice. I’ve been collecting enough parts and prices and am wanting to start to reload for a SAA 41 colt. I’m going to be using black powder with hollow based non lubricated 200 gr bullets. I’ve bought some black powered gold lube. Managed to find some new star line brass, dies are on there way. I need a Lee number 1 she’ll holder I believe?.. and a press. Any tips would be greatly appreciated as I have never reloaded before. Thanks, jordan.
41 Colt reloading newbie
- Thread starter jord21
- Start date
Think you could pick a tougher caliber to load for, LoL?
Bullets have to be pure lead...PL is the acronym.
I used Unique...4.5 grains is a lively load...but mine was a '89... about 30% lighter IMO
Slug your bore... lots of 41LC had a .385 bore... makes everything easier as HB isn't really required. Bottom of your bbl should be marked... what's the stamping?
Bullets have to be pure lead...PL is the acronym.
I used Unique...4.5 grains is a lively load...but mine was a '89... about 30% lighter IMO
Slug your bore... lots of 41LC had a .385 bore... makes everything easier as HB isn't really required. Bottom of your bbl should be marked... what's the stamping?
Hi Tokguy, thanks for responding!! Ya I don’t think I realized what I was getting into but I love a challenge. Finding the brass, dies and bullets was almost more fun then finding the gun.The bullets I have on the way are from jet bullets in Alberta. 0.386 hollow base. Are you saying there should be a stamp with bbl diameter on the under side of the bbl? Or do I need to remove the cylinder to look? I can send you pics if you want but I can’t see anything under the barrel. Is unique a smokeless bp substitute? I was doing some research and thought I read something about 20 or 21 grains of black powder I think triple f. How does a guy go about lubricating the bullets? Just a little on the outside so they seat nicely?Please correct me if I’m wrong. Thanks again, for reaching out. Merry Christmas.
Outside, right where the bbl exits the frame...very bottom.
Read of Colt using 41 bbl's on 38-40 Chambered unit's. In my journey, guys have told me of .385 Diameter bores on 73's. Be a good thing if you had one... wouldn't need HB bullets.
Read of Colt using 41 bbl's on 38-40 Chambered unit's. In my journey, guys have told me of .385 Diameter bores on 73's. Be a good thing if you had one... wouldn't need HB bullets.
So it’s a .41, not sure if you can see it on the pic, it’s there but faint. I’ve gone so far down the rabbit hole reading and it’s even more confusing haha. From what I’ve read they used the 41 barrel from the 41 colts with the 38-40 cylinders because the 38-40 is actually 40 cal. I think they did reduce the bore diameter of the 41 colt to .385 like your saying but not sure when. Possibly when they went to smokeless and have Verified Proof stamped by the trigger guard but that didn’t happen until the 1900’s (maybe ‘01)..? Mine is a BP frame made in ‘93 but even the “smokeless frames” starting in 96-97 I believe still shot black powder. I guess I will be having to use the HB bullets. Any idea on lubing them? Does all this info sound correct to you?
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vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- High River, Alberta
The Lyman Gold lube should work fine.
Not sure what the lube grooves on the hollow base bullet looks like. Pan lubing might be a mess with the hollow base but may still work. Unless you are going to do big volumes just rubbing it into the grooves by hand might be the simple way to go. Messy but requires no equipment.
Good luck getting everything figured out. The more unusual and challenging the cartridge the more satisfying the end result will be when you get there.
Not sure what the lube grooves on the hollow base bullet looks like. Pan lubing might be a mess with the hollow base but may still work. Unless you are going to do big volumes just rubbing it into the grooves by hand might be the simple way to go. Messy but requires no equipment.
Good luck getting everything figured out. The more unusual and challenging the cartridge the more satisfying the end result will be when you get there.
Powder coat them.
Easy as pie, nice and clean and helps fill the bore a bit til it bumps up.
Never greasy... easy as pie to do if you want to try it.
Princess Auto for a 5 $ container of powder.
I made an ad hoc stove with an old Edward's coffee tin and a licence plate.
Coat them set them on the plate and slide it into the can. Hit it with a butate torch...done.
Way better ways to do it, but do you want to invest in a bunch of gear to find you don't use it?
Can try it easy this way.
I have loaded 41 long colt. Hollow base is best otherwise heeled bullets require a tool to crimp. The bullets need to be pure lead. You can just tumble them in allox to lube. I used 41 long colt brass and fireformed 38 special. There are published loads using bullseye powder.
Thanks guys, I’ll try both ways and see which one I like doing more I guess. I’m still looking for powder as I would like to stick with BP. At this point it may not happen and I’ll try unique or bullseye. I was reading about shockey’s Yukon gold as well..? Reloading equipment is on the mail so I’m kinda stuck now anyways. I will post any progress. Thanks again!
vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- High River, Alberta
Powder coating and alox is great for smokeless but the alox will make it smoke a bit anyway.
For black powder you have to use a bp lube to soften the fouling or it builds up until it can fill the rifling and chew up the lead. Alox also gets like tar and a bugger to remove.
For black powder you have to use a bp lube to soften the fouling or it builds up until it can fill the rifling and chew up the lead. Alox also gets like tar and a bugger to remove.
I've never run BP through mine...the Horror! 4.3 grains of Unique does just fine for plinking...4.5 if you want a little 'Sting' to it
vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- High River, Alberta
Was a time when I didn't think it was worth the risk of running smokeless in antiques. After some miserable cleaning sessions trying to get the bp fouling out of pitted barrels and more research on pressure curves and burn rates I now use quite a bit of unique.
Unique is a dirty powder in itself... but it sure does work good. If I recall correctly it's supposed to be a very adequate substitute for black powder
vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- High River, Alberta
Never had a chance to try Swiss either but should be pretty similar to Goex FFg. I've read it doesn't need as much compression as Goex but I don't worry as much about that in handgun cartridgs.
Where the heck did you find some 41LC Starline brass? I've been loading Bertram cases from Australia with the 200grn HB bullets from Jet Bullets and ffg Goex, but I'm not thrilled with the cases. I wish I could find some Starline, so if you have a lead, please let me know!
