[Mowgli Terry]

First up, my house has long hallways, I was partial to automatics due to size and capacity. That changed with the addition of a 4.62" Blackhawk in 41 Magnum. Also, a Vaquero in 45 Colt with the same length barrel. I find that in the past several years I have been shooting the revolvers much more that the self-loaders.

I have great faith in heavy relatively high velocity for caliber reloaded cartridges. One of our old time gunsmiths would say,"...throw bigger rocks." That means heavy bullets rule. As to flash in the dark problems there not that much concern.

My primary go to firearm is a Remington 870 with slug barrel loaded with #4 buck. None of my home defense guns is modified in any way. If I really get carried away the 4" Model 29 comes out with basic Skeeter Loads. I have several choices in handguns that can be used on the way to that shotgun.

Added: It's been my experience reflexively shooting game that there is no sense of noise or recoil.

 

[Terry_P]

Have you shot any 41 Special loads out of the 41?

I have a 4" Redhawk in 44 Mag and the 44 Sp Skeeter loads smell the bullseye at 25 yards and head for it.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

I have a 4" Redhawk in 44 Mag and the 44 Sp Skeeter loads smell the bullseye at 25 yards and head for it.

You know where I'm coming from. My 44 Magnums do very well as 44 Specials. As a carry gun the pick here is the old 4" Model 29. It's the poster child for what you described. I also have a custom made 44 hollow point mold.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Have you shot any 41 Special loads out of the 41?

Blackhawk 41 Magnum: That gun has not been back from Ruger that long. I have less than a hundred rounds through the gun as a shakedown. I don't know anything about the 41 Special. I did good finding a hundred rounds of Starline 41 Magnum brass. I gonna wait until this bogus famine is over to undertake any projects requiring new brass. I had not forgotten about the 41 Special. Thanks for bringing that up. Maybe somebody can add some data.

 

[Terry_P]

My manuals are all at home and I think the Hornaday (the newest) may have loads for 41 Sp. I'll check when we get back to NH. Next week.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

My manuals are all at home and I think the Hornady (the newest) may have loads for 41 Sp. I'll check when we get back to NH. Next week.

I have the last edition of the Hornady book on my Kendal. I run the Hornady book and Load Data at the same time on the computer. I'll check the 41 Special out also, I better stick with the metallic s right now. More Later. Thanks again for your comments.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

41 Special...First Impressions: Brass is offered by Starline. Most of the loading data I could find was for a 220 gr. bullet. Having to make your brass cutting 1/8" off a 41 Magnum case is a chore. I'd go for the Starline brass. The 41 Magnum dies are supposed to work for the Special. Up front, I'd like to have more conformation on the dies. The die issue could be the devil in the details.

The loading data has the 41 Special comes across as a mid-range loads for the 41 Magnum. There were some real maxi-blaster loads loads at 1300 fps for top loads in the 41 Special using a 220 gr. bullet. Going there I'd rather go ahead and load in regular magnum brass. The heaviest bullet I could find in my brief study was 265gr. cast WFN at 1000fps. Powders that showed up were Accurate #7 and #9. Alliant 2400 appeared to give top results. Now that information is from a brief study.

A 41 Special had been around as a true wildcat by Elmer Kieth. Kieth was making cases using 401 Winchester brass. I know of one person who was forming 401 Winchester from 35 Remington brass. I didn't see any loading data for the Kieth wildcat..

My very first impression was to stick with the magnum brass. I could see loading the regular brass getting Special level of performance without jumping through hoops. I'm speaking about shooting the Special loads in single action Ruger's. I'm too poor for a Model 57 Smith. I have not seen one of those guns up forsale lately. Remember these comments are impression. I could be factually missing the mark. However, my comments here have to do with my decision to load the 41 Special. The question remains of what's the point.

 

[SmittyJ]

Like having a torch in your hand that's loud. With the 38 SPL I expect the flash will be lower. With the laser it should help aiming one handed if I need to use it. Never had a problem in the 34 years we have been there but I still like to be prepared.

True! In classes some teach, don't have too much flashlight because of the reflection from walls, one of the advantages of hand held control as well as not pointing the weapon.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Let's say I went into the house armed with a shotgun. I'm on the ready. In an instant there is a light source. No doubt I'd be in trouble. However. I take a reflex shot with my pump shotgun. Fire directly at the light source, How would this drama end? Who would be at more risk?

 

[bearcatter]

Cops are, or should be, trained to hold the light in their off hand, with that arm straight out to the side. That reduces the odds of getting hit, or at least hit in a more vital spot. Weapon mounted lights never made sense to me.
Me, I'm not using a light. I leave my kitchen light on at night, that illuminates most of the house enough to see someone. Small nightlight behind the nightstand gives me enough light to grab the gun on top. There's a light next to it I could take, turned off.
Some lights have a strobe setting, mine does. That is very disorienting in bad guy's face. Maybe good after the bang?

 

[Sightngrl]

I do have a pressure switch/pad on a rifle & a rail mounted light on a pistol. They both have moments of usefulness in my opinion. You don't have to activate them, but I think its better to have than not have. I don't want to juggle a flashlight in a home defense situation. I still need a flashlight for my shotgun.

Whatever your setup is, practice now before a situation happens. 😉

 

[bearcatter]

Shotgun's a little rough on walls, and a real mess to clean up.
After my attempted mugging, I had my SP and a light leaving the house, job rules be damned. Scanned the hiding places before I moved. I'm glad I'm not up at 4 AM anymore.

 

[Terry_P]

I have a weapon mounted light on my Sig P250. They won't have a long time to aim at the light before the 230 gr's start heading in their direction. It is quite bright so that can temporarily blind the BG's plus they aren't a bad aiming device either.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Years ago local police uses lights dismounted from the firearms as a flash light. I want the aggressor on my turf. I know my house with long hallways. He/she does not.

I shoot enough to not care about lights or lasers. For every up side there is a down side. This option of lights and lasers is strictly a personal choice. I chose to do without the light show.

I have factory night sights on two of my household Glock's. Night sights are more to my liking. More than likely in the future I'll appear with a heavy revolver or the 870. I kinda feel a good gun is enough with out options.

 

[Terry_P]

My Sigs all have the Sig night sights. Truthfully from the top of the stairs to the bottom not sure how much aiming I will do. Maybe put the front sight on target and let fly. Truthfully hope I never find out.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

My Sigs all have the Sig night sights. Truthfully from the top of the stairs to the bottom not sure how much aiming I will do. Maybe put the front sight on target and let fly. Truthfully hope I never find out.

Right, One benefit of night sights is the gun is easier to find in the dark. I like some passive way of aiming the gun in a very low light situation. A real benefit is that the local cop shop will sell and install factory Glock factory night sights for $60.00 to walk-in customers. I'm not interested in finding out about all that either. I've lived in this house most of my life and have a tactical advantage here.

First choice is the shotgun. I not going to play John Wick in that deadly situation. Handgun would be second choice. A 44 Skeeter or 45ACP type handgun would do. Home invader has. by his actions, shown a willingness to do bodily harm. Any choice would be forced upon me.

 

[bearcatter]

I've wondered how John Wick carried all those magazines with a suit jacket.
Dropping them all over the place would get expensive too. Maybe he went back later and picked them up.

 

[Terry_P]

He's in the movies he can do anything.

 

[SmittyJ]

Like having a torch in your hand that's loud. With the 38 SPL I expect the flash will be lower. With the laser it should help aiming one handed if I need to use it. Never had a problem in the 34 years we have been there but I still like to be prepared.

True, that is why we opted for night sights on our night guard guns, don't want to telegraph how shaky I might be to the bad guys. lol

 

[Mowgli Terry]

I'm a bad guy with a shotgun. OK good guy in the dark turns on his light. Me, the bad guy has a target. I know my territory in my house. I want to keep the bad guy looking. The dark does not necessarily put me at risk. At the very minimum it will be night sights. I also have an unmounted Streamlight.

I am no where as steady as a few years ago. Maybe, it would be better to see if there a shooting stick made for indoor use.