Range Report: .41 Magnum Marlin

[ACP230]

It took me a week to get to the range with my new Marlin 1894 in .41 Magnum.

It shot into about an inch and a half at 50 feet with four of the shots touching (two groups of two) and one flyer, using my .41 Magnum pin loads. Those are 210 grain LSWC with enough Unique to move them at about 1,000 fps. My eyes weren't quite up to the open iron sights at 50 and 100 yards so the groups expanded quite a bit there. I see a tang or receiver peep sight in the rifle's future.

I had some 170 grain JHP loads that are supposed to run at 1,700 fps. Those weren't as accurate and I only shot them at 50 feet and 50 yards.

I ran out of time before I could shoot Winchester Silvertips, or the few Federal Cast Core 250 grain bullet loads I have on hand.

The gun felt good, although a bit more awkward off of sandbags than the bolt guns I usually shoot that way. It is a nice-looking gun too. There's some figure in the butt stock and the pistol grip and forend are checkered. Bluing is nice too.

I waited almost 10 years to get one of these and paid the new gun price. I'm convinced that it was worth it.

 

[cratz2]

Thanks for the report. Just outta curosity, what's the recoil like, in your revolver, on those 1,000 fps loads? How do they compare to, say, standard 158 Gr 357 Magnums or 240 Gr 44 Magnums in your experience?

 

[BlkHawk73]

Congrats! I've waited to see one of those myself. There's one on my list but there's a couple other ahead of it. Glad to hear you're happy with yours. hope it gives you years of enjoyment!

 

[ACP230]

My 1,000 fps pin loads are pretty comfortable in my revolvers which mostly have Pachmayr "Decelerator" grips installed. I haven't shot many .44 Magnums, since I am a .41 Magnum fan, but the .41 pin loads are a bit more of a handful than 158 grain .357 Magnums in my Ruger Blackhawk with standard wood grips.

They are controllable enough so both my son and I used them on bowling pins at the old Second Chance Pin Shoot. You need accuracy and speed at that game and the .41 pin loads supplied both.

After a fast string of five or six I could feel the effect of the recoil in the heel of my right hand. During the strings the loads didn't bother me.

 

[cratz2]

Thanks ACP. My wife has expressed an interest in going deer hunting with me this year and we'll be using handguns. I have a 44 Magnum that I'll be using and was thinking that if a decent hunting load would be noticably more comfortable, I might seize the opportunity to 'get her' a 41 Magnum if I came across the right deal.

Thanks again for the reply.