S&W Model 41 Reliability Upgrades?

[lash]

I realize this is not long range stuff, but does anyone own a Model 41 and has done or had done upgrades to make it smoother and better feeding? Barrel? Trigger? Magazine mods?

I’ve owned one for a while and would use it more if it wasn’t such a picky bitch when it comes to ammo and feeding.

It may be that I just haven’t tried to feed it the right ammo. Likely even. What works well in yours, both accuracy and smooth consistent feeding?

I love the feel of this pistol but think that it currently lacks something for say competition use.

 

[Xcount]

Don't shoot the messenger here. I've shot bullseye pistol on/off for over 20 years and of the dozens of Model 41 pistols i've seen at matches only two guys had reliability. The good thing is there is a commonality, the pistols were shot by former members of the USMC pistol team and the pistols were worked on by team armorers. The only guy I know and highly recommend is K.C. Crawford in N.C.
Changing ammo might help but will never fix a Model 41. They are notoriously flakey.

KC's Kustom Creations.LLC - KCs Kustom Creations - KCsKustomCreations.com

KC’s Kustom Creations. LLC 816 Main Street Maysville, NC 28555 843-267-3773 [email protected] https://www.facebook.com/kcskustom https://www.instagram.com/kcs_kustom/ I have been building pistols for most of my adult life. I started in 1984 in a on the job training program at Weapons Training...

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[lash]

I’m not surprised and have heard similar before. My brother shoots Bullseye in Michigan, but I actually don’t know if there’s similar comps here in central Florida. It’s just such a nice looking and handling pistol that I was wondering if there was a reasonable path to reliability/redemption.

 

[Amanda4461]

My most reliable 41 is a pre-A model, using new S&W magazines, new recoil springs every 3,000 rounds and SK+ ammo. Much more reliable than any of my various Hamden High Standards. It can’t compete with my Pardini SP-22, but it is beautifully polished, accurate enough and typically only one magazine is the bad actor causing FTF.
It wouldn’t work with CCI SV, unless you call FTF working. I tried every SV ammo I could find, to get to where the SK+ was the best in both accuracy and reliability.
Keep trying, and it helps to keep the gun oiled like you would a 1911.

 

[lash]

Good info. I’ll see how it goes.

My most reliable 41 is a pre-A model, using new S&W magazines, new recoil springs every 3,000 rounds and SK+ ammo. Much more reliable than any of my various Hamden High Standards. It can’t compete with my Pardini SP-22, but it is beautifully polished, accurate enough and typically only one magazine is the bad actor causing FTF.
It wouldn’t work with CCI SV, unless you call FTF working. I tried every SV ammo I could find, to get to where the SK+ was the best in both accuracy and reliability.
Keep trying, and it helps to keep the gun oiled like you would a 1911.

Good info. Where do you buy you replacement magazine springs?

I’m currently using SK+ for my PRS22 rifle. I’ll try it out.

 

[Halfnutz]

Havent done much Bullseye in a while but when I did reliability was great with decent ammo. FGMM, CCI SV, Wolf Match Traget, and even Aguila match have done well. Some White box Winchester Match was amazingly accurate. I wish I had more.
I put one small drop of oil on the first round of the magazine if the ammo isn't lubed.
I "tuned" with Wolff recoil springs and have a buffer in it IIRC.
I lube the slide rails with EEZOX and it seems to minimize crud forming like oil does. The outside is wiped with oil.
Clark Custom has /had a reliability service, but I never thought I needed it. They also have/had barrels. Ran by his boys not Sr. so I don't know how it is now. A friend has one but I haven't shot it much.

My serial number starts with UBV9###. Bought from Gil Hebard in 2009 for $938.

 

[lash]

Thanks for that. Good info.

I’ll admit that I need to do more searching, but I’ll start with all of the above recommendations.

 

[Scottso]

Mine loves everything, CCI sv,. Eley Target, Wolf Super Match are more accurate
It is an older ‘68 model, haven’t changed spring since I got it 8 years ago lol

 

[Pav67]

I also have one from early 2000’s and it functions with anything.I have been using a Clark custom barrel since I got it and haven’t messed with any springs.Volquartsen and Clark custom are both good resources if your having troubles.

 

[lash]

I also have one from early 2000’s and it functions with anything.I have been using a Clark custom barrel since I got it and haven’t messed with any springs.Volquartsen and Clark custom are both good resources if your having troubles.

I need to spend more time with it, so thanks for your input,

 

[Halfnutz]

Still.kicking myself in the ass for not getting the longer barrel.

 

[fdkay]

My Dad had a model 41, I don't recall it being particularly sensitive or unreliable. I remember shooting it in the mid 70's and I don't think he bought it new.

 

[lash]

I don’t doubt it, but model 41 issues are fairly well documented which, along with my personal experience, led to this thread. If it wasn’t a problem, I wouldn’t have bothered posting.

 

[fdkay]

I don’t doubt it, but model 41 issues are fairly well documented which, along with my personal experience, led to this thread. If it wasn’t a problem, I wouldn’t have bothered posting.

He may have made modifications, or bought it already modified. I know it was a spendy pistol when he bought it.
If memory serves he bought it and a model 39 at the same time as a package deal. He was, many years ago, a competitive bullseye shooter.

 

[obx22]

Remember, the 41 isn’t a loose tolerance field pistol. Keep it clean, lube with the best products, and feed it decent mid grade or better ammo.
My ‘59 era model was very picky when purchased, but very accurate with what would run. My best bud gave me a bolt buffer when he purchased one for his own gun, it immediately cured all feed issues. Still running all original parts.

 

[lash]

Remember, the 41 isn’t a loose tolerance field pistol. Keep it clean, lube with the best products, and feed it decent mid grade or better ammo.
My ‘59 era model was very picky when purchased, but very accurate with what would run. My best bud gave me a bolt buffer when he purchased one for his own gun, it immediately cured all feed issues. Still running all original parts.

Good info. I’ll check a bolt buffer.

 

[Scottso]

Still.kicking myself in the ass for not getting the longer barrel.

Barrel swaps in seconds , I shoot better with the 5” myself

 

[Halfnutz]

Barrel swaps in seconds , I shoot better with the 5” myself

I wanted the 7" in addition to the 5" for open sights and because I didn't have one.

 

[Scottso]

I wanted the 7" in addition to the 5" for open sights and because I didn't have one.

I did the same thing, found a ‘50’s era 7” with weights, to go on my ‘68 with the 5”, went less expensive route lol, barrels

 

[MajorD]

I have seen lots of stories of model 41 reliability issues, and they are not wrong. They can be very finicky but when they run they are a joy, something like a temperamental Italian sports car.
I had one that used to be my dad’s and I had issues too. I found an almost microscopic rough spot on one of the frame rails, and with some trepidation took a small needle file to it. About 6 passes of the file removed that burr, and it ran fine after. Agree good quality standard velocity ammo is critical, and it used to be CCI standard was most people’s choice, but quality even on CCI has dropped in recent years. Light weight oil, clean magazines all make a difference too

 

[farwest]

I owned several Model 41 S&W's and sold them. My favorite target 22 is a Colt Match Target 3rd edition purchased in 1972. I also owned several Model 52's. They just did not shoot like my Colt Gold Cup NM made in 1957, but everyone has their own preference. I love my S&W Model 17.

 

[gr8guns]

Don't shoot the messenger here. I've shot bullseye pistol on/off for over 20 years and of the dozens of Model 41 pistols i've seen at matches only two guys had reliability. The good thing is there is a commonality, the pistols were shot by former members of the USMC pistol team and the pistols were worked on by team armorers. The only guy I know and highly recommend is K.C. Crawford in N.C.
Changing ammo might help but will never fix a Model 41. They are notoriously flakey.

KC's Kustom Creations.LLC - KCs Kustom Creations - KCsKustomCreations.com

KC’s Kustom Creations. LLC 816 Main Street Maysville, NC 28555 843-267-3773 [email protected] https://www.facebook.com/kcskustom https://www.instagram.com/kcs_kustom/ I have been building pistols for most of my adult life. I started in 1984 in a on the job training program at Weapons Training...

kcskustomcreations.com

I have three I have managed to get to run fairly well after ordering a model 41 calibration
pack of springs for each. If you get a new one, get some hotter than standard velocity
ammo , and run about 500 rounds of that through it. That will help with the break in some.
Of course, that does not mean stingers…..I could not tell you which springs are running
in the three I worked on……..(that tells you I am no gun smith ).

 

[gr8guns]

Still.kicking myself in the ass for not getting the longer barrel.

The barrels Smith and Wesson is putting on the model 41 ‘s today are an abomination.
my oldest 41 has smooth, clean serrations cut into the top of the barrel to cut down glare.
I’m still not happy with the last one I purchased new, on the net, sight unseen. I sent it back
for repair twice. The top of the barrel looks like it was cut with a blunt tool, there are chunks of metal
pulled out of the serrations, rough cutter, indeed. I don’t know why its only on the model 41,
the revolvers I have are all just fine with the cut on the barrels. Something is wrong with the model 41
process when they cut the lines into the top of the slide.

 

[lash]

I only have the one, probably an ‘80s model and the workmanship and finish is very nice.

 

[Wildfire1550]

Both mine shoot CCI well

 

[Franko]

The barrels Smith and Wesson is putting on the model 41 ‘s today are an abomination.
my oldest 41 has smooth, clean serrations cut into the top of the barrel to cut down glare.
I’m still not happy with the last one I purchased new, on the net, sight unseen. I sent it back
for repair twice. The top of the slide looks like it was cut with a blunt tool, there are chunks of metal
pulled out of the serrations, rough cutter, indeed. I don’t know why its only on the model 41,
the revolvers I have are all just fine with the cut on the barrels. Something is wrong with the model 41
process when they cut the lines into the top of the slide.

Father bought me a model 41 from the custom shop about 2 years ago as a gift. Had a machining burr on the slide that was so bad it seized up the slide and took more than a bit of force to get off. Had to use a Needle file to "fix" that one. Six months later the disassembly mechanism broke so badly that it needed to be sent to a gunsmith.

Calling the gun a disappointment isn't enough; I'd say its a shitpile being put out by soulless accountants coasting on whatever goodwill the S&W name still has. It's a gift so I can't sell it but I won't be buying anything from S&W for a very long time.

Edit:
Forgot to add that the spring tuning kit seemed to help with reliability when shooting CCI SV. I still occasionally get a FTF, maybe 1 every 100 rounds or so. Might be spring tension might be that CCI SV is just "ok" ammo.

 

[mrmarklin]

I shot a box stock Model 41 for over 15 years in Bullseye with absolutely no problems. I have ten magazines for the gun, with nary a problem. I shot and still do shoot CCI SV. The gun was purchased new by Me in the ninety’s. It has a 5.5” barrel.

 

[Hambone8]

I realize that this thread is a little dated, but I'm a new member and this is one that I can actually chime in about.
I shot bullseye for a couple of winters, and really enjoyed it. I started with what I already owned, just to see if I liked it- a Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite with the VQ trigger. It was very reliable, but not good for Bullseye. So, I upgraded to a Performance Center Model 41 in 2021. I bought it brand new, mostly because of it's feel and craftsmanship.
I had reliability issues from day 1. It was mostly FTE's. I tried switching magazines (I have 8 of them). I got mixed results- as soon as I thought that I figured out which magazines functioned, I'd have issues. I put one drop of Hoppe's on the top round of every loaded magazine, tried using a buffer... and I only shot the ammo that was recommended by S&W- CCI Standard.
One of the old-timers in the Bullseye league watched me struggle for weeks on end, and finally winked and said "Just keep shooting it, it'll break in".
At that point it had around 1,000 rounds through it.
Suddenly, at around the 2,000 round mark, it stopped malfunctioning. Almost like a lightswitch was flipped.
I was able to stop using the oil on the top round of every mag, and my malfunctions became a thing of the past.
It does like to be run "wet" and it was taken apart and cleaned and oiled every week. (not the bore)
I admit, I was ready to get rid of it on numerous occasions. I'm glad I out-stubborned it!
It is my favorite rimfire pistol out of the 6 I own!
Best of luck!

 

[lash]

I realize that this thread is a little dated, but I'm a new member and this is one that I can actually chime in about.
I shot bullseye for a couple of winters, and really enjoyed it. I started with what I already owned, just to see if I liked it- a Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite with the VQ trigger. It was very reliable, but not good for Bullseye. So, I upgraded to a Performance Center Model 41 in 2021. I bought it brand new, mostly because of it's feel and craftsmanship.
I had reliability issues from day 1. It was mostly FTE's. I tried switching magazines (I have 8 of them). I got mixed results- as soon as I thought that I figured out which magazines functioned, I'd have issues. I put one drop of Hoppe's on the top round of every loaded magazine, tried using a buffer... and I only shot the ammo that was recommended by S&W- CCI Standard.
One of the old-timers in the Bullseye league watched me struggle for weeks on end, and finally winked and said "Just keep shooting it, it'll break in".
At that point it had around 1,000 rounds through it.
Suddenly, at around the 2,000 round mark, it stopped malfunctioning. Almost like a lightswitch was flipped.
I was able to stop using the oil on the top round of every mag, and my malfunctions became a thing of the past.
It does like to be run "wet" and it was taken apart and cleaned and oiled every week. (not the bore)
I admit, I was ready to get rid of it on numerous occasions. I'm glad I out-stubborned it!
It is my favorite rimfire pistol out of the 6 I own!
Best of luck!

Good info! I especially appreciate hearing from those that really have been there and done that.

 

[gr8guns]

I only have the one, probably an ‘80s model and the workmanship and finish is very nice.

I have one from 93, the fit and finish is good. The serrations on top of the barrel are cur smoothly as they should be. I see I called a barrel a slide in a previous post. I swear, I really don’t drink, it was a mind flatulence problem.