Posted: 3/22/2003 7:08:23 PM EDT
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I bought a Model 41 yesterday after many years of lusting. Does anyone who's owned one tell me about any idiosyncrasies of this gun? Thanks in advance. |
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I too lusted for many years, shooting my brothers M41, which he wouldn't sell to me no matter what. Finally broke down and bought a new 5 1/2" one last year. Bought a new S&W 7" barrel and mounted a UltraDot on it and plan to have the barrel cut down to 5" - apparently, that's the way to go for perfect weight balance. The M41's are apparently picky about ammo, but I haven't had enough time to figure what's best yet. I shoot mostly target ammo - Federal Gold and so far, very impressive. Check out the S&W forum as they often discuss the M41. 
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Looks like I'll be staying with the one barrel, 5-1/2". A good .22 ammo I use is Federal Gold Medal 711, about $2 a box. Strangely enough, my Buckmark shoots the UMC fodder better than the Fed GM stuff. I'm really excited about this gun! I may try to get into a bit of competition if I practice a bit. Maybe the "Ray Charles Invitational"? >gg< |
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here is more than you ever wanted to know about Model 41s, by a life long 41 shooter. ----------------------------------------------- Smith & Wesson Model 41 Pistols by P.B. Hannis S&W MODEL 41's STARTED PRODUCTION IN 1957 1ST VARIATION -- 1957 -- NO SCALLOPS BY REAR OF TRIGGER GUARD. INTERNAL CUTS OF GRIPS ARE DIFFERENT FROM SUBSEQUENT MODELS. S/N ? -->18,000 2ND VARIATION -- 1960s -- SCALLOPS ARE CUT IN REAR OF TRIGGER GUARD FOR SHORT FINGERED FOLKS. GRIPS ARE CUT DIFFERENT INTERNALLY. S/N 18,000 -->A550,00 (DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY STARTED THE PREFIX) NOTE - THE FIRST 2 VARIATIONS HAD HIGH LUSTER BLUE AND A LAY DOWN "&" SIGN BETWEEN THE S&W. OLD GUNS " " , NEW GUNS "&" 3RD VARIATION -- MID80's -- THEY DROPPED THE HAMMER COCKED INDICATOR AND WENT TO A LOWER LUSTER DULLER BLUEING ALSO DROPPED THE 7 3/8" MUZZLE BREAK BARREL FOR A 7" BBL AND STARTED USING PREFIXES SUCH AS "TAC" IN FRONT OF THE S/N's. THE 3-LETTER PREFIX S/N START AT 550,001 AND GO UP, SOME "A" PREFIX GUNS WERE STAMPED WITH THE SAME S/N, SO ONE OF THE PAIR GOT "A" SUFFIX ALSO, I CALL THEM "DOUBLE A" GUNS. 4TH VARIATION -- 90's -- CNC PRODUCED GUN WITH LASER ENGRAVED DATA ON THE BBLS/ SLIDES/ FRAMES. NO HAMMER COCKED INDICATOR, NO HIGH LUSTER BLUE AND HAVE A MORE GRITTY FEELING WHEN OPERATING THE SLIDE -- STILL ACCURATE -- ALSO GRIP CHANGED S&W ALSO MADE THE DULL FINISH MODEL 46 WITH NO HAMMER COCKED INDICATOR AND PLASTIC GRIPS. ADDITIONALLY THERE WAS THE MODEL 41-1. WHICH SHOT SHORTS, LIGHT RECOIL SPRING, LONGER EJECTOR PLUS A SPACER IN THE MAGAZINE FOR SHORTS. OBVIOUSLY THIS BARREL HAD A CHAMBER CUT FOR SHORTS AND SHORT RIMFIRE RIFLING 1:20 NOT 1:16. FOR SHORTS YOU COULD ALSO BUY A KIT : INCLUDED - BBL, MUZZLE BREAK, MAGAZINE, EJECTOR, SLIDE AND RECOIL SPRING. THE .22 SHORT SLIDES ARE ALUMINUM. NOTE - MODEL 41-1 AND MODEL 46 -- SLIDES AND BARRELS ARE DIFFERENT IN THE BEARING SURFACES WILL NOT INTERCHANGE A 22lr EJECTOR WILL WORK WITH SHORTS, THE SHORT KIT WAS A 7 3/8 MUZZLE BREAK BBL. MODEL 41-1's ARE THE MOST PLAGIARIZED GUN OF THE BUNCH. IDIOTS FLOP ON A CONVERSION KIT AND STAMP " -1 " BEHIND THE MODEL 41. THEY NEVER GET IT RIGHT, AND WANT $1200 FOR THEIR EFFORT. THE "1" THEY STAMP IS TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL OR NOT LINED UP PROPERLY. EARLY GUNS HAVE BACK STRAP CHECKERING LATER GUNS HAVE A SMOOTHER BACK STRAP. DON'T KNOW WHEN IT CHANGED, CNC GUNS HAVE A SMOOTHER FATTER GRIP. BARREL TYPES 1) 7 3/8" SLENDER BBL WITH MUZZLE BREAK 2) 5 ½ " HEAVY BBL 3) 5" SLENDER BBL, CUT DOWN FROM 7 3/8 BBL, 2ND MOST RARE BBL $200- 300 (FIELD BBL) 4) 5 ½" HEAVY BBL WITH GROOVE ON TOP, EXTENDIBLE FRONT SIGHT $300-500 (MOST RARE) IN THE DOZENS OF M41's IVE MESSED WITH A FEW (3) DID NOT SWAP ON ALL THE GUNS. THESE WERE THE 3RD VARIATION BBLS, WHEN S&W WAS CHANGING OWNERSHIP. JUST A LITTLE JUDICIOUS FILING GAVE AN EASY CURE. IN THIS SAME GROUP OF BBLS, ONLY ONE WOULD NOT GROUP 3 MATCH BULLETS INTO 1/4" @ 25 YARDS. IT SHAVED LEAD (JUST A HAIR) AT THE REAR OF THE CHAMBER. A LITTLE FILING TO ROUND THE END OF THE CHAMBER SOLVED THE PROBLEM. TO TEST THE GUNS FULL ACCURACY WE NEEDED TO SCOPE THE BBLS. ON SOME 7" & 7 3/8" BBLS WE MILLED GROOVES NEXT TO THE FLAT TOP CHECKERING, GRIND AND MOUNTED THE SCOPE RINGS DIRECTLY TO THE BBL. I ALSO HAVE 2 SOLID CLAMP ON MOUNTS FOR 7" AND 5 1/2" BBLS. WE GENERALLY COULD ONLY SHOOT DOWN TO 1/2" GROUPS @ 25 YARDS WITH IRON SIGHTS. BUT GOT 1/4" WITH THE SCOPES. AGAIN -- ONLY ONE BBL WOULD NOT GET 1/4" GROUPS. ACCURACY!!! WE USED FED. MATCH AND CCI GREEN TAG AMMO I DON'T RECOMMEND THE 7 3/8 MUZZLE BREAK BBL BE USED WITH A SCOPE AS ITS UPWARD. EJECTED CAN GET ON THE SCOPES OBJECTIVE LENS. BUMMER ON SOME EARLY CNC BBLS THE RIFLING WAS OFFSET. i.e.. THE GROOVES WERE DEEPER ON ONE SIDE THAN THE OTHER. IT WOULD EASILY BE SEEN WITH A MAGNIFIER @ THE MUZZLE. THEY STILL SHOT ¼" GROUPS. DON'T SCREW UP YOUR MATCH BBL. WITH CLEANING ROD DAMAGE. MY 1ST. MOD.41, 75,000 ROUNDS, ONLY GOT A FLUFFED UP "Q-TIP" WITH OIL TO GET OUT BIG PIECES OF CRUD. ELEY DOESN'T CLEAN THE BBLS THEY USE TO TEST FACTORY AMMO. |
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AMMO ALL THE GUNS IVE SHOT, PROBABLY TWO DOZEN -- SHOT ALL AMMO -- ONLY JAMMED WHEN THE BREECH FACE FILLED WITH CRUD. GOT LIGHT FIRING PIN STRIKES. AROUND 300-400 ROUNDS, DEPENDING ON THE BULLET LUBE. FOR ACCURACY WE TRIED ELEY, FED GOLD MEDAL, CCI GREEN TAG AND FEDERAL LIGHTNING ELEY COSTS TOO MUCH WITH NO ADVANTAGE UNLESS YOUR AT THE OLYMPICS FED AND CCI GROUPS WERE AT BEST ONLY 1/16" APART @ 25 YARDS. SO IF YOU ARE LITERALLY GOING FOR THE GOLD USE GOLD MEDAL. OTHER WISE USE CCI GREEN TAG. GOLD MEDAL IS PURPOSE MADE, CCI GREEN TAG IS SELECTED BY TESTING 'LOTS'. THUS, ONCE IN ABOUT 12 YRS I GOT SOME GREEN TAG THAT WASNT UP TO SNUFF. CCI STANDARD VELOCITY AMMO IS THE SAME AS GREEN TAG EXCEPT ITS DISPERSION IS TOO GREAT TO BE CALLED 'MATCH'. BUT IT SHOOTS TO THE SAME ZERO. SO, ZERO THE GUNS WITH CCI GREEN TAG AND FOR PLINKING USE CCI STANDARD VELOCITY. THE CENTER OF THE GROUP WONT CHANGE. I LUCKED OUT AND GOT 2 CASES (10,000 ROUNDS) OF FED LIGHTNING THAT GAVE 1/4" GROUPS MAGAZINES 1ST VARIATION -- S/N: 0 - 550,000, STEEL FOLLOWER WITH STEEL LOADING BUTTON, 10 SHOT 2ND VARIATION -- S/N: 550,000-?, PLASTIC FOLLOWER (BLACK) WITH PLASTIC LOADING BUTTON, 10 SHOT 3RD VARIATION -- S/N? =1990, PLASTIC FOLLOWER (ORANGE) WITH STEEL LOADING BUTTON, KILLED BY BRADY LAW, 12 SHOTS 4TH VARIATION -- S/N? =1994, BLACK FOLLOWER, PLASTIC WITH STEEL LOADING BUTTON, 10 SHOT MAG PROBLEMS THE PLASTIC LOADING BUTTON ON VARIATION 2 IS ALSO USED TO ACTIVATE THE SLIDE LOCK. IT CAN GET POUNDED DOWN ON TOP ESPECIALLY IF YOU LET IT SNAP UP WHEN THE MAG IS NOT LOADED. THIS ONLY PARTIALLY PUSHES THE SLIDE LOCK UP. IT BATTERS THE LOWER LEFT PART OF THE SLIDE RESULTING IN A SLIDE THAT EVENTUALLY WONT STAY BACK. MY FIX WAS TO THREAD TWO SMALL WASHERS, PUT ONE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FOLLOWER, USED A SMALL BOLT AND GOOP GLUE TO MAKE A SOLID STEEL BUTTON. S&W NEVER ADMITTED A PROBLEM. JUST REPLACED THE SLIDES UNDER WARRANTY, PLUS QUIETLY CHANGED THE MAGS. S&W 41 PROBLEMS IN GENERAL AND MISC. NOTES 1) ONE USED GUN I BOUGHT -- SOME NERD HAD THE WRONG SLIDE SPRING SO IT WOULDNT GO INTO BATTERY. CHEAP FIX, GOT A NEW SPRING 2) THE ABOVE MENTIONED BBL SWAP PROBLEM PLUS ONE SHAVED LEAD, THE FIX WAS ROUNDING THE EDGES OF THE CHAMBER WITH A SMALL FILE. 3) IF YOU PUT ON 45/1911 TYPE HERRETT GRIPS YOU SHOULD GET A REPLACEMENT MAG CATCH OR WHEN YOU LAY THE GUN DOWN ITS LEFT SIDE IT WILL EJECT THE MAG. YOU CAN CUT DOWN THE MAG CATCH EASILY SO THIS DOESNT HAPPEN. 4) ON ALL VARIATIONS OF THE M41, THE SLIDE RELEASE IF PUSHED IN TOWARDS THE SLIDE WHILE PUSHING DOWN -- MAY LEAVE A BIG SCRATCH ON THE SLIDE. ESPECIALLY ON THE ALUMINUM SHORT SHOOTER. TAKE IT OFF, FILE DOWN THE INSIDE, PROBLEM GONE. 5) DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF SO MANY SO CALLED EXPERT WRITERS AND USE "PISTOL MATCH" AMMO. MOST OF IT IS MADE FOR "RAPID FIRE" EVENTS. LOW RECOIL AND IS NOT MADE FOR ACCURACY. MY FRIENDS AND I GET 1/4" GROUPS @25 YARDS WITH SCOPED BBLS AND MATCH AMMO. SOME WRITERS TEST THE GUN AND GET 3/4" GROUPS =300% ERROR. ONE GROUP OF IDIOTS GOT 1 1/2" GROUPS A WHOPPING 600% ERROR. USE CCI GREEN TAG OR FED MATCH. SOME OF THE EUROPEAN AMMO WORKS GOOD, BUT COSTS A LOT. NEVER USE REMINGTON. 6) THE MUZZLE BREAK ON GUNS SO EQUIPPED CAN REALLY LOAD UP WITH LEAD, IF YOU DON'T CLEAN THEM. S&W DOESNT PROVIDE A TOOL FOR THIS, AS DOES HIGH STANDARD. THEY REALLY CAN PLUG UP. I GROUND THE TOP OFF A DRILL BIT (FLATHEAD) AND IT WORKS GOOD OR I USE CHEMICALS 7) I SHOT ABOUT 75,000 ROUNDS THROUGH MY FIRST MODEL 41 WITH NO PROBLEMS EXCEPT FOR CLEANING. I BOUGHT IT IN N.Y. CITY @ ABERCROMBIE & FITCH IN THE EARLY 60'S. 8) IVE ALSO GOT A BUNCH OF OLD/NEW SWITCH BBL HIGH STANDARDS WHICH GET 1/4" GROUPS AS DO MOST BROWNING BUCK MARKS. THE BUCK MARK BBLS DON'T SWAP AS EASY, BUT, JUST AS ACCURATE AFTER A LITTLE TRIGGER WORK. 9) IF YOU HAVE A SHORT SHOOTER TRY CCI .22 SHORT TARGET ON PAGE 6 OF CHICK BLOODS ARTICLE IN AMERICAN GUN SMITH THERE APPEARS TO BE A TYPO ERROR RIGHT UNDER THE DETAILED DISASSEMBLY INSTRUCTION. ALSO I KNOW OF NO AFTER MARKET MODEL 41 BBLS EXCEPT ONE TYPE IN BROWNELLS CATALOG WHICH IS JUST A S&W BBL WITH SLIDE GROOVES CUT IN IT. BROWNELLS USED TO SELL A "STONING" JIG FOR MODEL 41S, BUT I CANT SEE WHY. LASTLY THE GUN HAS A RINKY DINK SAFETY, THEY OUGHT TO CHANGE IT. THERE IS A TRIGGER PULL ADJ. LEVER JUST ABOVE THE TRIGGER. ITS GOT ABOUT 5 NOTCHES. MOVING THE TRIGGER SPRING FORWARD OR BACKWARD ONE NOTCH WITH CHANGE THE PULL ABOUT ¼ #. ONE WAY TO INCREASE PULL. THE OTHER WAY TO DECREASE IT. NORMALLY THEY COME WITH A 2# PULL. ABOUT 1 IN 10 1 HAD WILL COME WITH 1 ¾ # OR 2 ¼ # -------------------------------------------- muzzle breaks are also available for this gun, but they are RARE and Pricey |
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Great buy! After my nightmare with a Browning Buckmark Bullseye, a friend of mine talked me into trading it in on a Model 41. We went to a local gunshow to look for one and it seemed a little pricy at first, but from the moment I cycled the slide I was sold. Now about 2 years later, I'm still amazed by how great this gun is. The ammo issue is easily overcome when you find a brand it likes to operate with. Mine likes CCI Minimags and functions great with it. A friend of mine uses cheap ammo with success after he modified a spare slide spring. I also found the safety troublesome as my right thumb once bumped it to safe in a tournament. Since then though, I make it part of my sight up routine to make sure it is down with my left thumb prior to the buzzer. 2 pound trigger from factory kicks A$$. |
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Well, I popped its cherry last Sunday. As it was cold as shit & I didn't dress for it, all I did was sight in the red dot scope, about 20rds. This gun does NOT like Rem UMC ammo! I had several failures to chamber. While I did take Fed Gold along I didn't get a chance to use any. Safety is a MF to flick on & off!!!!!!!!! Stiffer than a 15 year old on his first date. Trigger is no where near as nice as my 52. Maybe it'll get better as it gets broken in? |