Guys,
I'd like to hear everyone's opinion on what I consider to be the 280 of handgun cartridges......the wonderful .41 magnum. Overlooked, but still hanging in there,barely.

I have an old Dan Wesson Pistol Pack in 41 mag. It has the 4, 6 and eight inch barrels. I have taken several Mule deer with it as has my brothers son. And of course I am a fan of the 280 Rem as well.

No argument here. The 41Mag. is IMHO, probably the best balanced, most useful of the
magnum handgun cartridges. Too bad it didn't come out ahead of the 44mag., which
is/was a lie to begin with as bullet diameter is .429" - not 44.
I also like the 45Colt

Let me tell you about my "Unscientific" method of chooseing a big bore handgun. Keep in mind that this was in the 70's and the only real choises were 41 or 44 mag.

At that time i ran the city owned dump that was quite a ways outside of a town in Alaska, and i use to spend a lot of time shooting there. Anyway, my friend and i was trying to decide what was better, a 41 mag. or a 44 mag.., There's always been that story that a 44 mag. would go through a motor block on a car, and in those days there were cars every place at the dump!!!!

Before we settled on seeing what one (if either) would go through a motor block, i happen to shoot a windshield at a glanceing blow with a 41 mag. 210 factory load. It cracked and broke the glass, BUT the bullet didn't enter the car. I tried it a few more times at the same sharp angles with the same results!! My friend and i looked that over, and i pulled out a 44 mag. with 240 grain jacketed factory loads and took a shot at the same sharp angle, WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! It smashed through the glass no problem!!! The bullet entered the car!

Well, we forgot all about motor blocks and shot out about 20 windshields that evening!!! In EVERY case the 44 out performed the 41 and i never looked back!!!

Keep in mind i lived in Alaska and wanted the "baddest" S&W handgun i could get my hands on!!!!

That was 30 years ago, and today i still have two S&W 44 mags., and they have earned there keep putting meat in my freezer!! Also i have had a boat load of fun winning more than my share of silhouette matches with my 8-3/8's model!!

Well, i said it was "Unscientific" !! :&gt))

Drilling Man

I think it is a fine performer. I believe the reason it never caught fire was because it was more designed for the law enforcement "wheel gun" market, and that market took a turn to semi autos. Altho I have a 44 RSBH, I would not feel terribly under-equipped with a 41. I would definitely choose it over a 357 if game was the issue.

JAMESB,
I am a huge 280 fan. I don't run into too many folks that have one, but everyone I ask says it's a shame what Remington marketing did to that cartridge. I also hear what a fine cartridge it is. With all that being said, other than on this forum, I don't know a single person who owns a 280. It's a real shame. You get the weight of a 7mm with the velocity of a 270. What's not to like?

I have to agree that the .41 mag is the .280 of handgun cartridges! It may even be the .264 magnum of handgun cartridges!
The .41 is a great gun, there just isn't much marketing room between the .357 and .44, for the .41 to make it. But it has survived!
As for the .280, I have a 7MM RM and I love it, but if I had it to do over again, I'd have the .280!

Opinion? Well, too me not useful as a self defense gun, most are too heavy to be carried concealed, Little on the small side for hunting, much prefer a 44mag. It just doesn't fit any nitch for me.