The .41 Rimfire Cartridge was first introduced by the National Arms Company

National Arms Company

The National Arms Company was a Brooklyn, New York-based manufacturer of firearms that flourished for a decade in the mid-19th century, around the time of the American Civil War....

 in 1863 and was also known as the .41 Short and the .41-100. In most designations like this, the second number refers to the black powder load, though in this case, it is clearly impossible to fit 100 grains (6.5 g) of black powder into the case, by any means. According to "Cartridges of the World," the .41 Rimfire consisted of a 130 grain (8.4 g) lead bullet propelled by 13 grains (0.8 g) of black powder in its original load. The round produced a muzzle velocity of 425 feet per second (129.5 m/s) and a muzzle energy of 52 ft.lbf. In contrast, modern low-powered smokeless cartridges produce considerably more energy: .380 ACP

.380 ACP

The .380 ACP pistol cartridge is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case. It was introduced in 1908 by Colt, and has been a popular self-defense cartridge ever since...

 (200 ft·lbf), .22 LR (100 ft·lbf).

Performance

Cartridges of the World states that when fired at a hard object, such as a tree, from a distance of 15 yards (13.7 m) or more, the bullet often bounces off. Reportedly, when shot at a target more than 20 yards away, the shooter hears two distinct reports; First the gun being fired; and second, the lead bullet striking the target. The .41 Short was created with the intention that it be used in a small, single-shot derringer

Derringer

The term derringer is a genericized misspelling of the last name of Henry Deringer, a famous 19th-century maker of small pocket pistols. Many copies of the original Philadelphia Deringer pistol were made by other gun makers worldwide, and the name was often misspelled; this misspelling soon became...

, which likely is the reason for the very low ballistics (most derringers were and are chambered for cartridges that were not originally intended to be used in such a small weapon). Remington Arms

Remington Arms

Remington Arms Company, Inc. was founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington in Ilion, New York, as E. Remington and Sons. It is the oldest company in the United States which still makes its original product, and is the oldest continuously operating manufacturer in North America. It is the only U.S....

 began producing their famous Remington Model 95

Remington Model 95

The Remington Model 95 is a double-barrel pocket pistol commonly recognized as a derringer. The design was little changed during a production run of nearly 70 years through several financial reorganizations of the manufacturer causing repeating serial number sequences...

 over/under double barrel derringer chambered for the .41 Rimfire cartridge in 1866.

Uses

A National Arms .41 Rimfire derringer was recovered from the battlefield of the Battle of Little Bighorn. Estate records reveal that it belonged to Brevet Major General George Armstrong Custer

George Armstrong Custer

George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...

, the commander of the soldiers slain in the battle.