The .41 Great Lakes is a highly efficient, straight-walled cartridge developed by River Raisin Ballistics in Michigan to meet modern hunting regulations while outperforming the .450 Bushmaster. Created by trimming a .30-06 Springfield case to 1.70 inches and opening it to accept .41 caliber projectiles, it delivers immense stopping power on medium to large game while maintaining exceptionally mild recoil.
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41 Great Lakes Ballistics Chart
Note: All data in this table is sourced directly from manufacturer-published specifications. Missing manufacturer data is strictly marked as “Not Published.”
| Manufacturer | Ammunition / Product | Bullet (gr & Type) | Zero Distance | Muzzle (Vel / Eng) | 100 Yards | 200 Yards | 300 Yards | 400 Yards | 500 Yards |
| Teufel Hunden | Bear Creek HV | 175 gr Copper | Not Pub. | Vel: 2629 fps Eng: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. |
| Teufel Hunden | Fury Custom | 180 gr Original | Not Pub. | Vel: 2564 fps Eng: 2627 ft-lbs | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. |
| Teufel Hunden | Bear Creek HV | 200 gr Copper | Not Pub. | Vel: 2525 fps Eng: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. |
| Teufel Hunden | Hammer Bullets | 200 gr Jack Hammer | Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. |
| Teufel Hunden | Fury Custom | 210 gr Workhorse | Not Pub. | Vel: 2457 fps Eng: 2814 ft-lbs | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. |
| Teufel Hunden | Fury Custom | 225 gr Big Brother | Not Pub. | Vel: 2350 fps Eng: 2759 ft-lbs | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. | Vel: Not Pub. Eng: Not Pub. Drop: Not Pub. |
Explaining the Ballistics Data
The table above illustrates the unique capabilities of the .41 Great Lakes cartridge as a premier straight-walled hunting round. Currently loaded by boutique manufacturers like Teufel Hunden Ammo Manufacturing (THAM) utilizing Fury, Bear Creek, and Hammer bullets, the cartridge maximizes the 1.70-inch case capacity. Lightweight options, such as the 175-grain Bear Creek HV, exit the muzzle at an impressive 2,629 fps, offering incredibly flat trajectories for a straight-walled design. Because this is a newer wildcat-turned-commercial round, long-range trajectory and drop figures are rarely published by the boutique loaders.
As bullet weights increase to the 210-grain and 225-grain Fury Custom selections, muzzle velocities drop to between 2,350 and 2,450 fps, but kinetic energy increases dramatically. The 210-grain load generates over 2,800 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle, a figure practically unheard of in traditional straight-walled carbine cartridges. This massive energy transfer, combined with a highly manageable felt recoil (approximately 7 ft-lbs, compared to the .450 Bushmaster’s 22 ft-lbs), makes the .41 Great Lakes devastatingly effective on Midwestern whitetails and even African plains game.
1. What is the .41 Great Lakes cartridge?
It is a wildcat-turned-commercial straight-walled rifle cartridge developed by River Raisin Ballistics. It is made by cutting a .30-06 case to 1.70 inches and straightening the walls to accept a .41 caliber bullet.
2. Why was the .41 Great Lakes created?
It was designed to comply with hunting regulations in states (like Michigan) that restrict centerfire rifle hunting to straight-walled cartridges, while offering superior ballistics to standard options.
3. How much recoil does the .41 Great Lakes have?
The cartridge is known for exceptionally mild recoil. It produces roughly 7 foot-pounds of felt recoil, which is similar to the .350 Legend (8.5 ft-lbs) and significantly less than the 22 foot-pounds generated by the .450 Bushmaster.
4. What is the effective range of the .41 Great Lakes?
While straight-walled cartridges are traditionally short-range options, the velocity and high-BC bullet designs allow the .41 Great Lakes to ethically harvest deer-sized game effectively out to 300 yards.
5. What bullet weights are available for the .41 Great Lakes?
Boutique ammunition manufacturers like Teufel Hunden Ammo typically load premium bullets ranging from 175 grains up to 225 grains.
6. Is the .41 Great Lakes legal for deer hunting in restricted states?
Yes. Because it has a maximum case length of 1.70 inches and fires a straight-walled projectile, it is fully legal in states that mandate straight-walled cartridges for deer hunting, such as the southern half of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
7. Who makes ammunition for the .41 Great Lakes?
Currently, it is primarily supported by specialty manufacturers. Teufel Hunden Ammo Manufacturing (THAM) hand-loads precision ammunition using projectiles from Fury Custom Bullets, Bear Creek Ballistics, and Hammer Bullets.
8. Can the .41 Great Lakes be used in an AR-15 platform?
Yes, the cartridge can be chambered in AR platforms as well as custom bolt-action rifles and single-shot rifles, making it a highly versatile option for modern hunters.
9. How does the .41 Great Lakes compare to the .350 Legend?
The .41 Great Lakes fires a larger, heavier bullet and generates significantly more muzzle energy (often exceeding 2,600 to 2,800 ft-lbs compared to the Legend’s ~1,800 ft-lbs), all while maintaining similarly mild felt recoil.
10. What kind of accuracy can be expected from the .41 Great Lakes?
When using premium, hand-loaded ammunition like THAM’s offerings, shooters frequently report sub-MOA accuracy. Tests from a 20-inch barrel have produced verified groups as tight as 0.62 to 0.78 inches at 100 yards.