Smith & Wesson Model 41

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chemarl

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Good morning Gentlemen.

I just ordered to my local Beretta retailer the Beretta 87 Target in 5.9" barrel, I feel confident that it will work flawless, since many of you gave me some good background on this pistol, I was told on this forum tha reliablity on this pistol is superb.

Yesterday a frined came looking for me to offer me a S & W model 41 5.5" barrel, I spent all night reading the S & W forum, every thing I read was that models 41 are very picky, particular or ammo sensitive, and those coments don´t give me the confidence to buy it, as the comments that I got when I was thinking about buying the Beretta 87 Target ( I was told that this one eats all kinds and brands of .22 ammo).

Is the model 41 is unreliable as it has been posted on several threads on the S & W forum????????
should I goa ahead and buy it???? my Buddy is asking me for $850 USD and is at 95% the pistol conditions.

Thanks to all of you in advance
 
In my experience w 2 41s and having seen perhaps 2 dozen in the local league, they're fine with CCI SV, which is also the factory recommended loading. Some MAY be OK w other cartridges - Aguila SV or Pistol Match & Federal Match or 711B come to mind.

One of mine has been fine forever as long as it doesn't get fed Win or Remington. The other one required a light bevel on the chamber mouth (a pointed Dremel stone, twisted by hand) to be 100%.

Very accurate, fun gun - no HV ammo and absolutely minimal cleaning required, as with most 22s. $850 is about a typical price for a used, good condition model these days...you might do a little better (750 - 800) if you looked around a bit.
/Bryan
 
The only problems I had with feeding were with shells that had a lot of wax or lube on them. Otherwise, my 41s fed everything fine. High velocity, std. velocity, various manufacturers.
 
So, does it still more reliable , lets say a Beretta 87 Target, a Ruger Mark III or a buckmark than the 41???
Just talking about functionality not accuracy, I know that the 41 accuracy is excelent.
 
I have a Beretta 89(don't know what an 87 is like). Very reliable with federal gold(about $4 a box), but for practice federal bulk HV HP is quite good. Has a very different feeling with aluminum frame, but I gave up on s&w 41(quit nra 900 because of unreliability). If you buy and have problems with 41, check recoil spring under barrel(it shortens), burrs on breech face affect headspace, and dull firing pin may give misfires. good luck
 
I can only speak for the early ones, like the one I own. (Muzzle brake & cocking indicator pin)

It will run 100% with anything that will fit in the magazines.

I was charged with keeping about 25 of them running when I gunsmithed for 5th. Army AMU. They were far more reliable then our High-Standard Olympic's, Citations, or Rugers Targets at the time.

rcmodel
 
The S&W 41 is a highly refined target grade rimfire. The ones I've examined were very well fitted( they were older models, not sure about quality on the new guns). I would expect that if few a diet of quality target loads it would be very reliable with proper maintenance.
 
I look at it the same way I see accuracy in .22LR. When or if I find ammo that the particular firearm doesn't like I just don't feed it anymore of that.
 
I have the Beretta Model 87 Target. It has fed everything I have tried. I get the best accuacy from the Federal Match.
 
A Smith 41 is perhaps the best .22 pistol ever manufactured. Mine will shoot any high velocity copper wash round, not so good with Winchester Wildcat or similar. Still, since all I ever shoot is CCI MiniMags in any of my semi autos, it's no problem. $850 seems a bit high. Around here at the gun stores, used ones routinely go for $650-$700. To buy per private sale, you should pay more than wholesale (what the gun store will give him for it) but less than retail (what you would have to pay the gun store to get it).
 
I was an active bullseye competitor many years ago. I had a model of almost everthing available that could qualify as a credible match gun. Nothing could touch the M41. I chose the M41 precisely because it did not jam (and had a great trigger). I used standard velocity target ammo back then. Today, I use whatever ammo I have on hand. I don't buy Win. Wildcat. That ammo creates problems in most of my .22's. But my forty years of experience with the M41 is that it is extremely reliable and jam free.
 
My 87t will feed and fire anything. Even range scrounges that others have dropped it will fire. No complaints there.

My 41 is much more picky. It is an early one. 64 I think, and it does not like bulk ammo which is kind of irritating. If you feed it decent ammo, it will fire and feed routinely.

The problem I see with the 41 is when it jams the extractor is not big enough to pull it out, so out comes the leatherman to pull the round out. Do that 10 times in one mag and you will learn quickly to get better ammo.
 
High velocity ammunition works just fine in the Model 41.
Quite a few hollowpoints may cause problems with individual guns because they are designed as target shooting pistols, not general purpose blasters.

I have had excellent luck with Winchester Dynapoint hollowpoints in my Model 41, they feed and function fine and accuracy is excellent.

As the factory recommends, my Model 41 shoots CCI standard velocity and CCI Pistol Match exceptionally well.
Some brands of ammo do even better, Lapua for one, but I don't shoot this stuff unless I am heading for a match, too expensive for fun shooting.
 
The S & W Model 41 is the defacto standard for all target/competition handguns made and shot in the USA.

I have two newer models and they feed everything I've used in them.

I cannot think of anything close to the Model 41, in terms of reliability and accuracy that is currently manufactured in the U.S.
 
I have a 41 and it may be the finest pistol I own.

Scary accurate, great sights and a spectacular factory trigger.

I agree that it may be the finest .22 ever made.

Mine is a little finicky too. Does not like the white box Winchester. Anything "good" it eats fine.

Buy it or you will regret it
 
I too have an older one I used in Bullseye and I never had a problem with it feeding anything. In fact I got a stern talking to when a spring failed and a gunsmith asked me what I shot in it. Sheepishly I said "CCI Blazer" and he said "Why would you shoot that crap out of such a nice gun?"

We also used to shoot some Russian stuff that was real dirty but accurate. And cheap.

My scores shot up 10 points when I switched from a Ruger Mark II to the 41 - the trigger is that good.
 
My Model 41 was the finest 22 auto I have ever owned. It feed everything I tried, but then again I only feed it "good stuff".
With a target pistol of this caliber you pick the best for it. If you want to shoot cheap, buy a Ruger.(well, you should have a MKII anyway:evil:)
That, along with a couple of 1911's are the only pistols I ever regret selling / trading.:banghead:
I will own another one...

Oh yes, get the S&W model 41
 
"...the model 41 is unreliable as it..." It's not in the least bit unreliable. It's just particular about what ammo it'll both shoot well and cycle the action using. Nearly every .22 semi-auto target pistol is the same way. As a matter of fact, no .22 will shoot all ammo well. It's just the nature of .22's.
A Beretta 87 Target won't shoot every brand of ammo well either. You won't likely be able find target grips(with a palm rest) for it either. The plastic factory grips aren't target grips.
 
I've fired more than 2000 rounds of CCI SV through my NIB Model 41 and have not had one misfeed or failure.

It's been 100% for me.

th_AnnaShort2.jpg
 
I currently own (2) Model 41s. A 1980 vintage 7" and a 1978 highly customized 5.5". I have owned half a dozen more over the years. I have never had a problem with any of them in 20+ years of owning and shooting them.

Like most high-end target pistols, they were designed for standard velocity ammo and this is all I've ever shot in them.
 
For chuckles and grins here is mine.
I have both a 7" standard barrel and a 5.5" heavy barrel.

I use the 5.5" for handgun hunting squirrels with high velocity cartridges and have used some five different types of optics on it.
One of these days I am going to break down and buy one of those wonderful Doctor Optics dot sights.
I actually shoot the gun most with the 7" barrel and Lapua cartridges and CCI standard velocity.
This set up has won me some money from time to time.
standard.gif
 
Guillermo wrote:
I have a 41 and it may be the finest pistol I own.

Scary accurate, great sights and a spectacular factory trigger.

I agree that it may be the finest .22 ever made.

Mine is a little finicky too. Does not like the white box Winchester. Anything "good" it eats fine.

Buy it or you will regret it
Click to expand...


Absolutely!!!!!!!

I have a mdl 41 w/5-1/2" bull barrel. Incredibly accurate.
The ONLY problem that I have ever had was keeping the magazine full.

I bought mine used.
A friend's wife wanted to buy her husband a PPK/s for concealed carry, and she needed some 'extra' cash to finish paying for the PPK/s.
She asked if I wanted the mdl 41.

"Do I?? How much?"

"$200.00."

"You sure?"

"Yup."

"SOLD!"

Only 'stipulation' is that IF I ever sell this wonderful pistol, she get's first 'dibs'.


(Unfortunately, she doesn't have to worry about that. This mdl 41 will NEVER be sold!):D
 
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