1st year model 41

[Bastogne71]

This is ol777gunnerz fault! If he hadn’t posted about his early M41, I wouldn’t have gone an auction site to check early M41details and would not have found out one was for sale in my home town! 20 minutes later, I was at the sellers store checking it out and found it looked better in person than the online photos were showing. Then Roy Jinks confirmed it was shipped in November 1957 making it even better. It’s now home with me!

Original box with serial number handwritten on the bottom and first year instruction sheet. I don’t know if the cleaning rod, mop, & brush are original or not. The two magazines with plastic followers are definitely not 1957.

I know the rules. Here are the required photos.

 

[kidcom]

The fact that the magazines aren't with original metal followers in no way detracts from this excellent find...... Enjoy.

 

[ol777gunnerz]

This is ol777gunnerz fault! If he hadn’t posted about his early M41, I wouldn’t have gone an auction site to check early M41details and would not have found out one was for sale in my home town! 20 minutes later, I was at the sellers store checking it out and found it looked better in person than the online photos were showing. Then Roy Jinks confirmed it was shipped in November 1957 making it even better. It’s now home with me!

Original box with serial number handwritten on the bottom and first year instruction sheet. I don’t know if the cleaning rod, mop, & brush are original or not. The two magazines with plastic followers are definitely not 1957.

I know the rules. Here are the required photos.

Glad to help, I notice you have a very low serial number, as I seen somewhere production started with the number 3000. Does your box have a label on one end?

 

[rolandj]

Bastogne71

Very nice 41.

 

[Bastogne71]

According to Roy Jinks, the first model 41 shipped was number 3193 in September 1957.

I have two pre Bangor Punta boxes for model 41’s and neither of them have a label attached, only the printed information on the boxes. I don’t think that labels were used until 1965 or so when Bangor Punta took over S&W.

The box with the 5” field barrel is probably not original to the pistol since the cutout for the 5 1/2” heavy barrel dates the box to August 1963 (or later) when that barrel was introduced by S&W but my pistol has been lettered to September 1959.

 

[Troystat]

Nice model 41 thanks for showing us.

 

[Bastogne71]

I have seen older references stating that #1401 was the starting number for the model 41 but this has been shown to be incorrect. The correct number is #3001 (Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, Volume 4, page 347). In 1957, all S&W semi-automatic pistols, such as the models 39, 41, & 52 were using the same block of serial numbers so it is logical that the first M41 might not be #3001 but something close. The lowest number I’ve found reference to is #3160 shipped in October 1957.

“the first model 41 production unit was assembled on September 3, 1957” Roy G. Jinks

 

[kwill1911]

I have seen older references stating that #1401 was the starting number for the model 41 but this has been shown to be incorrect. The correct number is #3001 (Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, Volume 4, page 347). In 1957, all S&W semi-automatic pistols, such as the models 39, 41, & 52 were using the same block of serial numbers so it is logical that the first M41 might not be #3001 but something close. The lowest number I’ve found reference to is #3160 shipped in October 1957.

“the first model 41 production unit was assembled on September 3, 1957” Roy G. Jinks

Thanks. I had forgotten this. The lowest I've seen is 3082. S&W did allocate blocks of numbers so the lowest number probably is 3001.

 

[dobk63]

Thanks. I had forgotten this. The lowest I've seen is 3082. S&W did allocate blocks of numbers so the lowest number probably is 3001.

I have serial 3082 from a Montrose auction in 2019. Is that where you saw it?

 

[kwill1911]

No, I think it was in a Rock Island Auction several years ago.

 

[SMK]

Neat it was a few minutes from your house. Great looking gun.