At least 25 years ago I purchased a 7 1/2 Model 41 barrel from Gil Hebbard in Illinois. This barrel did not have the muzzle break, however, it still had the groove for the barrel weights.

When I received the barrel, I noticed that there was a tool mark in the rifling about 1 inch from the muzzle. I called Gil Hebbard and they told me they would exchange it for another barrel. The second barrel they sent me also had a tool mark in the rifling about 1 inch from the muzzle. Gil Hebbard is very reliable and I had no doubt that they sent me a different barrel.

I decided to call Smith & Wesson since I felt that this batch of barrels had these tool marks, and Smith & Wesson told me to send the barrel back to them and they would send me another one.

A few weeks after I sent the barrel back to Smith & Wesson I was called by customer service. They told me that they looked through their entire stock of 7 1/2 Model 41 barrels and that they all had the tool mark I described. They told me that when the barrels were being rifled, the cutter was probably worn which is what caused the tool mark, and that it shouldn't have affected the accuracy. They did however find a barrel from an older production run that did not have the tool mark, which is what they sent me.

A few months after this incident, Model 41 5 inch field barrels started to appear. It was obvious that they were 7 inch barrels that were cut back to 5 inches since they still had part of the groove that was originally intended for the barrel weights. The front sight was also a red ramp and was a separate piece and was not an integral part of the barrel. The original Model 41 field barrels did not have the groove for the barrel weights and the front sight was an integral part of the barrel.

I can't be sure, however, I think I may be responsible for these field barrels being made. This happened at about 25 years ago.