I have a .41 Magnum Ruger Blackhawk with 6.5" barrel. It is GREAT! I've had mine since 1987, used it to take hawgs and deer. Accurate, plenty powerful, even for black bear. It is my #1 choice to carry for SD when I go camping and hiking. Oh, yeah, camping for me is to throw a li'l tent in the back of my wagon along with a propane camp stove, some water and milk in a cooler. I don't call driving a motor home to the KOA campground camping.

The Blackhawk has saved my bacon a couple of times when people wanted my money and I didn't want to share. It has thousands of rounds thru it and is as good as new. .41 mag was first produced in 1964 and intended for use by police. However, the 4" barrelled S&W Model 58 that it was implemented in kicked so hard the cops didn't like it, and stuck with their .357's. So the .41 mag became a really useful hunting cartridge because it has a flatter trajectory than a .44 magnum due to less drag, and has been available in Ruger Blackhawks and Redhawks, S&W Model 57's and 657's, Dan Wesson 41VH and 741VH, Taurus Trackers, and even in Desert Eagles. The main drawback now is availability and price of ammo. But if you load your own ammo, it can be a most worthy caliber.