Im my further education into antique firearms i need someone to confirm something for me. A handgun made in 1885 in 41 long colt is a prescibed antique. Correct? I have a friend even newer to this antique scene than i am and he has found a great deal on a Colt thunderer made in 1885 in 41 Long Colt but is unsure of its status. Also, anyone know what kind of brass he could use to reload?
SAA 41 long colt
- Thread starter sportee
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I got a bag of Starline brass less than a year ago in .41 Colt. It's a bit of a bugger to load though as the early ones as in 1885 used heel type bullets. The best solution I found was to use .40(10mm) bullets and turn a reduced section on the lower band of the bullet to fit into the case correctly. It's quite easy to do really, but of course the lathe helps. Colts in .41 Colt and .38/40 used the same barrels. Later ammo in the 1890s went to reduced inside lubed bullet sizes and you have to figure out just what you have. The .388" bullets for the later guns are not accurate in the .401" barrels of the earlier guns.
As mentioned all .41 Colts are antique status if made before 1898.
As mentioned all .41 Colts are antique status if made before 1898.
My personal opion on the 41 caliber Colt is its OK if ya want a 15 Yd defensive weapon.
I sold all my 41 Cailber guns as to me they were not as great as i had hoped.
if ya want a gun or i should say caliber to do ya some good the 41 aint gona do that.
There EX as a defensive weapon out to 15 yds.
I like 455 it reaches out futher and is hard hitting.
Im only saying this so people that are frist time getting into antique handguns dont make the same bad decisions i did.
Lets put it this way theres a reason you can buy 455 Fiochhi ammo today but not 41 colt ammo.
455 was a very sucesfull rd used world wide and is still a knock down rd with respect!
Just think before you rush into a caliber thats a nightmare to load for and maby not what you expected it to be.
I sold all my 41 Cailber guns as to me they were not as great as i had hoped.
if ya want a gun or i should say caliber to do ya some good the 41 aint gona do that.
There EX as a defensive weapon out to 15 yds.
I like 455 it reaches out futher and is hard hitting.
Im only saying this so people that are frist time getting into antique handguns dont make the same bad decisions i did.
Lets put it this way theres a reason you can buy 455 Fiochhi ammo today but not 41 colt ammo.
455 was a very sucesfull rd used world wide and is still a knock down rd with respect!
Just think before you rush into a caliber thats a nightmare to load for and maby not what you expected it to be.
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peckerwood
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You can also make 41 long colt brass from 30-30 Winchester casings. The bottom end would have to be compressed a bit, the case shortened, the new neck widened, and the rim would need to be trimmed.
But other than that you would be good to go
But other than that you would be good to go
.41 long colt
I shoot a lot of .41 Colt.....I'd take on more if I could find them/afford them.......
but....and it's a big but...you have to want to do it......as Dingus says .450/ .455 is much easier.....carbide dies, common bullets, plentiful brass/ammo
still, Thunderers and the SAA have their appeal....heeled bullets and shortened cases are a drag and for me only work well with black powder and pyrodex etc...hard to crimp....
Starline brass is easy to get and Rapine makes a dandy hollow based bullet mould.....Trail Boss or any quick pistol powder will bump it up to fit the bore and it will shoot reasonably well...sometimes excellently.......recovered bullets are bore size... .403...up from .386.....****no one will publicly recommend a smokeless load for a black powder era revolver...yet smokless factory ammo can still be found..loaded with hollow based bullets...
Mike Venturino and David Chicoine have good info in their books and Dave Scoville wrote a short article in the Dec. '98 issue of Handloader....
Steve
I shoot a lot of .41 Colt.....I'd take on more if I could find them/afford them.......
but....and it's a big but...you have to want to do it......as Dingus says .450/ .455 is much easier.....carbide dies, common bullets, plentiful brass/ammo
still, Thunderers and the SAA have their appeal....heeled bullets and shortened cases are a drag and for me only work well with black powder and pyrodex etc...hard to crimp....
Starline brass is easy to get and Rapine makes a dandy hollow based bullet mould.....Trail Boss or any quick pistol powder will bump it up to fit the bore and it will shoot reasonably well...sometimes excellently.......recovered bullets are bore size... .403...up from .386.....****no one will publicly recommend a smokeless load for a black powder era revolver...yet smokless factory ammo can still be found..loaded with hollow based bullets...
Mike Venturino and David Chicoine have good info in their books and Dave Scoville wrote a short article in the Dec. '98 issue of Handloader....
Steve
I must admit that the 1889 and 1892 41 colts that i have had and shot were the lightist and very well balanced guns ive ever shot very well made.
They were the frist colts with the swing out cyliders.
The 41 Thunder was light but would break if ya looked at it funny.
But i like a gun that can reach out at 40 Yds acurately and hit hard.
Thats just me.
I used starline 41 Colt brass.
They were the frist colts with the swing out cyliders.
The 41 Thunder was light but would break if ya looked at it funny.
But i like a gun that can reach out at 40 Yds acurately and hit hard.
Thats just me.
I used starline 41 Colt brass.
I didn't get good accuracy trying to "bump" up the hollow based .388" bullets in my revolver. I tried a few powders but did not use black which might work better. Using the .401" bullets and reducing the rear band to fit in the Starline cases great me far greater accuracy. Excellent accuracy with those in fact. Power was okay, it's basically a .40 S&W load.
I reload my .41LC with cast boolits. I have the three molds made for this cartridge (Well one was really made for the .41 Short Colt).
I make my cases from .38spl brass (better than using .30-30 brass incidently). The case head is about the same. You have to aneal the brass cases first, expand them using your .41LC die sizing die to allow the boolit to seat then fire form the cases. You have to shorten the case as well if you are using the heel base boolit design. The hollow base boolits are cast from almost pure lead while the heel base are cast from wheelweights.
I have heard guys pay $1.00 a loaded round for the 195 gr heel based boolits.
Take Care
Bob
I make my cases from .38spl brass (better than using .30-30 brass incidently). The case head is about the same. You have to aneal the brass cases first, expand them using your .41LC die sizing die to allow the boolit to seat then fire form the cases. You have to shorten the case as well if you are using the heel base boolit design. The hollow base boolits are cast from almost pure lead while the heel base are cast from wheelweights.
I have heard guys pay $1.00 a loaded round for the 195 gr heel based boolits.
Take Care
Bob
