S&W Model 41 (.22 rimfire) storage settings

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mikemyers

mikemyers

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Suppose you've just thoroughly cleaned and lubricated your S&W 41 (or a different .22 rimfire pistol), and you're going to put it away on the shelf in your safe for a while.

When you finish cleaning, the trigger will be cocked. Releasing the trigger on an empty chamber is bad for a gun like this. So, there seems to be two choices:

a) leave the gun cocked, or

b) Use a snap cap or dummy round so you can fire the gun, and just leave things that way, snap cap in the gun, until you're ready to shoot it again.


It seems to me that it's better to use the snap cap, all things being equal, but that's just a guess. I've had my 41 for many years, and always just left it cocked. Now I've got a High Standard .22, and I've got the same concern with that gun as well.
 
Put an empty piece of brass in it and dry fire if it concerns you. My understanding is the 41 ok to dry fire.
 
Leave the guns cocked. I never dry fired for practice. Weight training would be more useful if shooting Bullseye competition using one hand. I leave my 1970's High Standard & Ruger mk1 cocked. Sold the M41 after the factory could not fix its feed/ejection problems. After cleaning, had to fire to many rounds to get it working right.
 
I'm waiting for rcmodel to chime in, something of a resident expert on this model as a former US Army armorer and former competitor with them.

You out there rc?:confused:
 
I dry-fired a Model 41 thousands of times in practice in Army AMU in the late 60's. -early 70's.

Unless they have changed them lately, or they are broke?

Snapping them before storage wouldn't hurt one in a thousand years.

Barrel face damage from dry-firing a .22 RF is a left-over notion from 100 years ago.

About any modern .22 RF gun is designed to prevent breech face damage from dry firing.

If not, the manufactures would be overwhelmed with damaged guns returned for free warranty service daily.

As an aside.
I snap my Model 41, and four very old Colt woodsman before storage every time I clean them, or shoot them and clean them.
And have been for 50 years.

rc
 
rcmodel said:
........I snap my Model 41, and four very old Colt woodsman before storage every time I clean them, or shoot them and clean them. And have been for 50 years....
Click to expand...


Thanks; that answers my question.


If I can ask you one more question about the gun, how often did/do you clean it? After every use, or only after you had fired several hundred rounds? The gun seems to stay quite clean, making me wonder why I took it apart so often.
 
I clean my guns every time I shoot them.

You don't have to.
But a clean gun is a reliable gun.

rc
 
Fremmer said:
And when the crusty crud builds up over time.....
Click to expand...


I already asked, and got my answer from 'rcmodel', so that's the advice I plan to follow, but crusty crud building up???? I fired about 100 rounds, in two sessions, then cleaned the gun. It cleaned up so fast it was amazing. To me, it looked like only 5 shots worth of cleaning! My other guns get much dirtier, much more quickly. :)
 
i've had my model 41 for many years. i point it in a safe direction and pull the trigger before i put it in the safe.

murf
 
I have a model 41 that I have been shooting for about 47 years and have dried fired it before storage each time and have not had any problems from doing so.
 
Any rimfire firearm with a firing pin stop is designed for an ability to decock by dry-fire. That being said, any firearm design is dependent upon the quality of the materials used in the components to protect the chamber wall, and that all those components are installed and used correctly. I have had hundreds of M-41's in the shop over the years and only one Model 46 had an issue where the firing pin had actually stretched enough in overall length, to the point of barely touching the chamber wall from repeated dry-firing. Re-shaping the firing pin's profile back to original specs of OAL ensured another thirty years of safe operation with normal usage.

I have also seen many examples of Ruger Mark Series pistols with damaged chamber faces from excessive dry-firing due to distorted firing pin stops.

In my personal collection, I leave no firearm in storage (long-term or short) with the hammer cocked - just my personal preference.

R,
Bullseye
 
Check out a dirty gun at a pawn shop (especially a well used .22) and you'll see what I mean by built up crusty crud.
 
Fron S&W

Can I dry fire my S&W handgun?Q:*Can I dry fire my Smith & Wesson?

A:*Yes, except for the .22 caliber pistols which includes models 22A, 22S, 422, 2206, 2214, 2213 and 41.*

.22 caliber revolvers such as models 17, 43, 63, 317 and 617 also should not be dry fired.

Q:*Why can't I dry fire my .22 pistol or revolver?

A:*Dry firing a S&W .22 pistol or revolver will cause damage to the firing pin.
Click to expand...
https://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp...750001_750051_757815_-1_757814_757812_image#2 The factory must be wrong.:uhoh:
 
Not dry fire a K-22? I wish someone had told me that about 50,000 clicks ago.

S&W is erring on the side of caution (lawyers again); rcmodel has the real world scoop on modern RF handguns and rifles.

Jim
 
attachment.php
From op link above . Photos dont lie.:evil:
 
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