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Common uses: Hunting, Self-Defense
| Type | pistol (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 210gr Hornady Custom XTP |
| Muzzle velocity | 1545 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 1113 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.182 |
| Case length | 32.6 mm |
| Overall length | 40.5 mm |
| SAAMI max pressure | 36000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:18.75" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1545 | 1113 | -1.5 |
| 50 | 1380 | 888 | 0.5 |
| 100 | 1239 | 716 | -2.1 |
| 150 | 1128 | 594 | -10.4 |
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own firearm.
The .41 Magnum is regarded as a capable handgun-hunting and outdoor cartridge that delivers flatter trajectory and more energy than the .357 Magnum while producing less recoil and muzzle blast than the .44 Magnum from comparable revolvers. Its most common factory offering drives a 210-grain bullet, and heavier or harder-cast loads make it well suited to deer, hogs, and defense against animals at woods ranges. The law-enforcement role it was originally aimed at never materialized broadly, since agencies found the recoil and gun size excessive, and its limited factory ammunition and revolver selection have kept it a niche choice. Among handloaders and dedicated revolver shooters, however, it retains a reputation as one of the more balanced and effective magnum cartridges. It is chambered primarily in large-frame revolvers, with some lever-action carbine availability.
Introduced by Remington in 1964, the .41 Remington Magnum grew out of a campaign led by Elmer Keith and Bill Jordan (with help from Skeeter Skelton), who wanted a revolver cartridge slotting between the .357 Magnum and the .44 Magnum. It debuted alongside Smith & Wesson's N-frame revolvers, the Model 57 for sportsmen and the fixed-sight Model 58 pitched to law enforcement. The original plan called for a mild police load and a hotter hunting load, but the cartridge arrived loaded closer to full magnum performance, which made the intended service round heavier-recoiling than many departments wanted. It never displaced the .357 and .44 Magnums in popularity, yet it earned a durable following among revolver enthusiasts.
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