Smith & Wesson Forum - View Single Post

model3sw · 07-15-2017, 11:55 AM

S&W Model 41 / 46 are very sensitive to ammo. Any good quality standard velocity .22LR should function fine.

Model 41 / 46s are straight forward. No rocket science in service and cleaning here. These S&Ws are of the finest target pistols ever made by S&W along with the Model 52 Master and others. You will rarely find an "accurized" model 41/46 or 52 because they were so finely crafted, there's really nothing much a good gunsmith to do to improve them.

I cannot comment on anything newer than 1990 because I feel the finer made 41s were the earlier ones. I've read horror stories on the newer models and, surprisingly, the Performance Center 41s.

As barrels and slides are interchangeable, make sure you have a correctly matched set. The cuts and angles of the frame, barrels and slides varied over time. Somewhere in this forum is a thread topic about this very subject. Square cut, rounded cut, etc. Check Barrel to frame fit Check the slide to barrel fit. While it would be very unusual, make sure you don't have a lightweight slide on a .22LR barrel (the lightweight slide would be for the very scarce .22 short barrel).

CCI Standard Velocity or Match ammo is excellent but rather pricey. I have recently used Federal Auto match which is quite reasonably priced and functions flawlessly.

As .22LR ammo is dirty, a good cleaning of the Model 41 after a FULL disassembly would be the first thing you should do especially if the gun is new to you, give it a good "once over".

Personally, don't believe anyone who tells you NOT to clean a .22 LR pistol, revolver or rifle. Yes, I know I am setting myself up for some harsh criticism here but this is "my" advice and opinion from 40+ years of knowledge.

To test the "don't clean" theory I had intentionally shot over 100 rounds through a Model 41. These were lead projectile CCI standard velocity. I did this in succession, 5 rounds per magazine, 10 magazines in line. Not super speed just normal aim / shoot. Stop to reload and repeat. After about 100 rounds I notices the bullet hits on the target were getting longer as if the bullet was tumbling (because the bullets had been tumbling). At 125 rounds I stopped to dismantle and clean.

I removed (and saved for awhile) a lead "tube" that I pushed from the barrel with a wooden dowel and a light hammer. It came out in one long length with an exact impression / mold of the barrel rifling. The hole in the center was so narrow it was amazing the bullet was exiting at all. Was it that the lead was soft and the gun hot ? most likely !

After that test / experience ... with an .22 LR pistol, revolver or rifle, I will go 50 rounds (brass jacketed or lead even though less likely to occur with a brass jacketed) then brass brush the barrel with either CRC / Corrosion-x / Rem-Oil or similar, followed by a patch wrapped around the brass brush ... repeating until the patch comes out clean. The patch wrapped around the brass brush is a winner. It gets into the lands & groves better than the patch "bit". That's my technique and it works.

Springs ? I've never needed to change one in any of the 41 / 46 models but I'd recommend only standard OEM S&W spring or similar from a good manufacturer.

Completely disassemble the pistol. Remove firing pin too, inspect and clean well. Check and clean the extractor mechanism to make sure the "hook" is sharp and not rounded and sufficient tension on the extractor spring. DO NOT LUBE the firing pin when reassembling as it will just attract and hold the burnt powder residue. I found teflon paste / lube (sort of looks like petroleum jelly but it is NOT anything like PJ) on semi-auto slides and / or slide rails works well, but just enough to lightly coat, don't pile it on. Just a light coat with a q-tip does wonders to reduce friction. Oil and other lubricants left in these areas will attract the burnt powder residue like a magnet.

Check the bullet seat face in the barrel(s) to determine if you have dry-fire strikes.
Visually check the face for overly impression-ed damage from many year of use may leave an impression. Over the years of use the face of the barrel, if impression starts to get deep, will need to be resurfaced by a good gunsmith.

Light impressions likely will have no effect on the function however deeper impressions can likely cause you all sorts of issues. If you do have a deeper impression, you should send it to a good Gunsmith to remedy. On some of the older, well used, model 41s you will notice a rather deep impression from the slide strikes on the barrel breach face.

Always leave a fired .22LR brass case or a snap cap (the plastic / disposable type are cheap but sometimes get stuck in the barrel) to protect firing pin and barrel from dry strikes which could cause all sorts of issues. Always use a wood or solid plastic dowel or brass cleaning rod to make sure the barrel is clear before loading / firing. Sometimes the spent .22 LR brass won't extract ... especially after it had been dry fired (on the same, spend .22LR brass case) so you will need the dowel or brass cleaning rod to extract it. DO NOT USE A POCKET KNIFE to try to pluck out the spent .22LR brass case or plastic snap cap from the breach face side . Use a wooden dowel or a brass cleaning rod (with no tip on it) from the muzzle end.