New Davidson's Model 41

Mountaineer · #1 07-10-2011, 01:12 PM

Got the new Davidson's Model 41 to the range today! Put 5 CCI SV's in the mag and released the slide. The nose of the first bullet hit the lower end of the feed ramp and jammed! I cleared the jam, locked the slide back, reinserted the mag and released the slide and the same thing happened. And, a third time. So far, three rounds and three jams!

Upon close examination and analysis, I realized that the forward lips of the mag were too close together to allow the brass of the ammo to rise out of the mag! (Wonder how they fired the test bullet! Probably didn't use the mag that came with the gun.) Fortunately, I had with me my High Standard magazine adjustment tool. I bent the forward lips open and, SHAZAM! the gun started to feed the ammo smoothly!

However, that just exposed the next problem - upon firing, the slide did not go back far enough to eject the empty shell nor, after the last round, did the slide lock back.

I decided that a bigger bang was needed so I loaded up 5 CCI Mini-Mags high velocity. All five fired without a malfunction and the slide locked back! 30 more Mini-Mags went through without a hitch!

I then switched back to CCI SV and, two hundred rounds later, there had not been one malfunction! Conclusion - once the mag feed problem was solved, it just needed its butt kicked a few times!

The sights were, from the beginning, dead on left to right but shooting about 3 inches low. It took around 15 clicks up to get to the center. Once there, it was lovingly accurate!

I like this gun! This is premature but, later alternating between it and my High Standard 106 Trophy, I believe that I was shooting the Mod 41 better.

BE Mike · #2 07-10-2011, 01:15 PM

That's one cool ride!

tgwillard · #3 07-10-2011, 10:39 PM

Glad you found the magazine problem and got it broken in so that it functions normally. Nice looking gun.

Mountaineer · #4 11-06-2011, 05:01 PM

I love this gun! I don't know why since I have continued to experience a lot of FTE's, stovepipes, or whatever you want to call it when the empty casing stays under the ramp. I don't get through many 20 shot targets without some. But, I do like the feel of it!

Some facts:
- It has NEVER had a fault with high velocity ammo (CCI Mini-Mag, Remington Thunderbolt, etc.) Apparently, CCI SV does not have enough kick to overcome whatever resistance it is presenting. Lighter loads such as Eley Club and Match are worse.
- It was beginning to smooth out when I accidentally kinked the recoil spring during reassembly. After replacing that, it was like starting all over again.

I am taking a different tack - there will be no more fired shells hung up under the ramp because the Clark barrel I have mounted has no ramp! And, I have installed a lighter 7lb. Wolff variable recoil spring. Let's see what happens on the range Monday.

Here's what the gun looks like today:

Mountaineer · #5 11-07-2011, 07:00 PM

Well, I have a perfect gun - my S&W Model 41 Performance Center Davidson's Exclusive with a Clark barrel and a Wolff variable 7lb spring. I violated lab test rules and changed two variables at once so, I don't know if the spring change did it or the Clark barrel or a combination of the two.

At the range today, I fired a total of 220 rounds - 185 CCI SV, 25 Eley Club, and (right at the end, wax covering and all!) I fired 10 Eley Match (black.) There was NEVER ONE FTE. At one point, while aligning the red dot sight I had transferred from the stock barrel, I had 3 or 4 bad feed jams - lead shaved off, ammo distorted, etc. In a stroke of luck, I quickly diagnosed that the carpeted block on which I was resting the butt of the gun was pushing the magazine up into the well. Those were the only flaws of the day and they were in the first 12 rounds fired. After that, the gun ran like a fine sewing machine! I was particularly pleased with the flawless handling of the other Eley ammo.

gunnerbern · #6 12-27-2011, 10:15 PM

How does the accuracy of the Clark barrel compare with the original?

Sprefix · #7 12-27-2011, 10:35 PM

Nice rig, but I like my plain-jane that hasn't had an issue. I'm not sure I like the looks of the rail and tall front sight. I like High Standards, but I like my 41 better. This 41 seems too reminiscent of a High Standard for my tastes, as if it mattered. Thanks for the ammo evaluation and reports! Shoot safely and in good health.

Mountaineer · #8 12-27-2011, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunnerbern

How does the accuracy of the Clark barrel compare with the original?

I can't really tell any difference. They both seem quite accurate.

People keep remarking on the front sight of the original barrel and most of them don't realize that the front sight is removable - with the push of a thumb - and as easily reinstalled. It's really great for optics mounting.

I got the Clark barrel for two reasons:
1. To be without the rear sight and ramp which traps ejects, and;
2. To leave my red dot sight on the Clark barrel and move it to my older Mod 41.

Sprefix · #9 12-27-2011, 11:27 PM

People keep remarking on the front sight of the original barrel and most of them don't realize that the front sight is removable - with the push of a thumb - and as easily reinstalled. It's really great for optics mounting.

Very cool!! Thanks for that info.