S&W Model 41 Discussion
- Thread starter Sharpi
- Start date
Model 41's are picky for certain ammunition, check out various brands. Mine does well with CCI standard velocity. And, use only standard velocity ammunition! But, once you find the recipe, they are very accurate and reliable.
- Location
- West Quebec
Never sell it if it's in good working order.. congrats
- Location
- West Quebec
Only use CCI Standard don't beat it up with high velocity ammo..check with S&W forums as well
Thanks guys. Just bought a few thousand rounds of CCI MiniMag 40gr. 1235 fps. Oh well. will shoot them through the S&W 617 exclusively. I kind of heard mixed opinions regarding the Mini mags and the 41, but with the majority siding with the opinion of ideally not running them, and sticking to under 1100fps velocity. Wonder if there's a difference between the older and newer ones, in that regard. in the end, I'm happy to buy the CCI SV's. at 1070fps.
First things first, congrats on an awesome pistol! Use SV ammo and that gun will outlast you.
I run CCI SV or Eley Sport/Target/Club. My pistols both seem to marginally prefer Eley, but availability and pricing mean 90% of my shooting is with CCI. Federal was notably worse for me, but the other guy at my range with a 41 swears by the stuff.
Buy it all, try it all, such is rimfire life!
I run CCI SV or Eley Sport/Target/Club. My pistols both seem to marginally prefer Eley, but availability and pricing mean 90% of my shooting is with CCI. Federal was notably worse for me, but the other guy at my range with a 41 swears by the stuff.
Buy it all, try it all, such is rimfire life!
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If your 41 is 'picky' with ammunition, I can certainly fix it. I have built my own extractor, power piston, and some extractor bore work (polishing) that will make them eat anything reliably.
The only other thing to add is to shoot ammo less than 1200fps if you have the square cut slide, and purchase a new recoil spring when you have time.
The only other thing to add is to shoot ammo less than 1200fps if you have the square cut slide, and purchase a new recoil spring when you have time.
I have an early 70's model 41. Although the pistol may not shoot one brand as well as the next it has never been picky with regards to functioning, with one exception - Federal Premium Gold Metal Target. There just isn't enough jam to cycle the slide even a little. They ARE accurate! I should mention though that my 41 has a 7 1/4" barrel. Lapua ammo is the most accurate but too expensive to shoot on a regular basis. The second best is the Aguila ammo. It's more costly then the generic junk one typically buys off the shelf but not prohibitively so. It shoots very very well in my pistol and my go to ammo. Enjoy your new toy!
New recoil spring? Are they prone to failing?
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They do not fail, but they do get weak. Some 41's across my bench have had some pretty nasty battering of the breechface from the punishment.
Which is why SV ammo is preferred. When you get a 41 that is 'new to you' I suggest replacing. then you are starting fresh. Part #68 can be a good indication of the ammunition being used.
Congratulations on your purchase. The 41 is one of the finest most accurate 22LR out there. What some people say about ammunition is true. Only use CCI standard velocity ammo and the 41 will last forever. Personally I own several 41s and 46s as part of a collection. One thing that I learned was to completely disassembling and reassembling the 41/46. A thoroughly clean 41/46 will function without any issues. Over time a lot of powder residue will build up on the internal parts which basically can gum up the works causing functioning problems. So it's a good idea to take the grips off and check the inards once in a while and clean if necessary. Also, you may want to check into purchasing a Wolff spring kit for the 41. It will provide you with different recoil spring weights which can improve the performance of your 41.
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Wolff Springpack is a great idea as mentioned.
Spare extractor is a good idea.
There really is not much else that fails on a 41/46
Spare extractor is a good idea.
There really is not much else that fails on a 41/46
Appreciate all the info, guys. I will definitely report back, once I get to try it. Is there an ideal way to practice dry firing, without damaging the pistol? I know not to dry fire it, without a snap cap of some type. I use dry wall anchors in my 617, but I doubt that they will cycle through the model 41. I'm assuming that the trigger is good, to the point that practice will not be necessary, other than when actually firing it
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Use 1x fired .22 casings for dryfire, or drywall anchors. make sure to rotate them every 3rd firing or they will stick, or they will start peening the firing pin.
I bought a brand new 41 about a year ago. It shoots fantastic is one of my favorite guns. Certainly one of my most accurate. I use CCI standard velocity and SK standard plus with great success. As others have said, stick with standard velocity ammo. Also, no need to over clean it. I disassemble and fully clean mine about every 500 rounds. If I go to the range and just shoot a couple hundred rounds with it, I just pass a oily patch with a patch worm trough the bore and of course wipe the exterior with an oily rag before storing in my dehumidified safe.
Gilbert
Gilbert
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