factory load reports for Smith 657 41 mag, 7.5" barrel

[ccoker]

 factory load reports for Smith 657 41 mag, 7.5" barrel
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I have gone through numerous factory offerings and thought I would post some feedback to assist anyone else...

Winchester 240g platinum tips:
at 25 yards rested, shots touching
one doe at 46 yards, both shoulders, 1" hole all the way through, sausage time

Federal Castcore 250g:
field tested on cactus, 3 shots at about 30 yards, one nice hole

Winchester Silvertips 175g:
at 25 yards rested, fairly tight group, an inch or so

SpeerGold Dot 210g:
at 25 yards rested, fairly tight group, an inch or so

Federal 210g JHP:
at 25 yards rested, not quite as tight group, about 2"

Georgia Arms 210g JHP deer stopper (not the gold dot version, they were out)
at 25 yards rested, not quite as tight group, about 2-3" (I think if they were perhaps backed off the pressure a bit the group would tighten up


So, for deer, I would definitely opt for the Winchester 240s and wouldn't hesitate on hogs
2nd choice would be the cast cores for deer, and maybe first choice if I was purely hog hunting

I still want to get some Reed Ammo 210 Gold Dots and some georgia arms 210g "cowboy loads" for practice and price

[mick 41]

   ccoker  That is some very good shooting. I have a 657 hunter and reload for it. $30.00+ a box  for a .41 mag can get mighty expensive.
I shoot mostly lead and the best I can do is 1-2in groups @ 30yrds.

 

[ccoker]

the really good groups are from a bench rest of course
resting the front of the barrel and resting my hands

I use my own targets, UPS thermal labels with a 1" black dot
the small target helps focus immensely

I use a rest just to see how the gun/ammo groups
then practice with no rest of course...

I have only shot the one deer with the pistol and "cheated" using a rest and would limit unrested shots to about 30 yards

but, I am confident in the gun's ability to be very accurate
I shoot it single action of course

[mick 41]

  I have a BURRIS 2X scope on my Ruger .41, and want to get a good scope base for the Smith to work up some accurate loads for it. They say the Rugers handle heaver load than the Smiths, but the 657 is more comfortable to shoot and more accurate to boot.

[ccoker]

cool
I am shooting open sights, haven't tried a scope on it
if I really line up and concentrate on the sight picture being perfect, the thing is wicked accurate

[ccoker]

I came across cnc cartridge in a thread on 44 special loads
never heard of them before
http://www.cnccartridge.com/41.htm

the 200g JHP load looks like the same bullet as the Georgia Arms deer stopper load, a remington 200g JHP, even though Georgia Arms lists it as a 210, according to my research, it's a 200g

the 215 SWC would be a nice practice load and will be ordering some to try

[mick 41]

  That is the best price I have ever seen for factory .41 cartridges

[ccoker]

http://www.georgia-arms.com/deer.htm

I tried the G41a, it's actually the remington 200g JHP, 20 a box of 50, a little hotter feeling than standard Speer factory gold dots
but not as accurate, they have been out of the gold dot load, waiting on bullets

they also do a "cowboy" load
http://www.georgia-arms.com/cowboy.htm
41 MAGNUM (New Ammo)        50       100     1000    FPS
G41B 210GR Semi-Wadcutter $16.00  $31.50 $310.00 800

reed ammo in OK does a 50 rd gold dot for 30 a box
https://shop.reedsammo.com/displayProductDocument.hg?productId=366&categoryId=70

I have been emailing reed about some loads, they will do custom loads at reasonable prices
I can get 250g gas checked WFN for about 30 a box of 50, min is 5 boxes
but that's less than half the price of Federal CastCores... which shoot very accurate

I wish Winchester sold the 240g Platinum tip bullets...

right now I am leaning towards some of the cnc cartridge 215g SWC for practice loads (assuming they group well, and their website says they will do custom loads if they need to be tweaked, georgia arms won't) and hunting wth the the platinum tips

[Old Griz]

My 57 has half the barrel your's has, but I got similar results. The 240-gr Platinum Tips shot the tightest groups, and that will be my #1 .41 cartridge. The 175-gr Silvertips came in second. PMC did pretty good too, but I had to pound them out of the cylinder.