I attempted to use the search function without any luck.
I'm trying to disassemble a Model 41 magazine, with a metal follower, and for the life of me I can't figure it out.
I can push in the small pin that's part of the spring plunger but the base plate acts like it's welded to the mag body.
Can anyone enlighten me how to get it apart?

Posted same reply on over on RFC......

Keep in mind that the base plate is actually a triangular shape (see photo below) and it slides off at an angle. I typically hold a brass punch in my hand to depress the pin and then use gentle thumb pressure on the rounded front edge of the mag to slide the base plate off. The punch keeps the pin depressed and helps you remove the base plate.

Here's a photo of two disassembled mags.....a Model 41 mag on top and Model 41-1 .22 short mag on the bottom.

I was trying to slide the base plate straight off.
I knew there had to be some way to get them apart, thanks.

This photo helped me a lot. I dissasembled my mag but the spring sprung out. I thought I might have lost some parts but according to your photo I have not

Just a question. If I want to make this 10-shot magazine a 12-shot magazine. Is this possible at all? Where on the photo should I cut shorter the follower? And by how much?

You are better off buying a 12 round mag. I believe they have the orange plastic followers.

Before I read your post I decided to go ahead and give it a go. I cut the follower so much that I can still use the pin(for easier reloading)
But I could only get 11 rounds in the pistol. Then I thought it's still worth it, but my mind changed at the range. For some reason the first round struggles to chamber. When loading just 10 rounds, the mag still works like clockwork. So it is not worth it unless you know what you are doing

I know this is an old thread but fortunately it came up on Google search and this thread helped me immensely. I've been having problems with my Model 41 FTE/jamming and I've already changed out the springs and cleaned out the chamber immaculately. A couple magazines worked flawlessly but after that I still had FTE/jamming. The magazines were not cleaned since I've bought them about eight years ago. Now they are spotless. I hope all goes well next time out at the range.

What an old but useful thread! I've owned my first generation 41 for 46 years, but learned something new here, in the course of trying to take two of my four mags apart to move the follower button to the left side for easier loading, until my new loading widget arrives.

Two of my mags, purchased directly from S&W in about 1970, had base plates drilled all the way through, for easy disassembly the usual way, pushing the spring's base pin upward and sliding the base plate off. Two were the earlier style, which came with the gun before I bought it, probably around 1969?. They were not drilled through the bottom part of the plate, just through the inner part into which the spring base pin seats.

The solution? Just take 'em apart and drill the hole the rest of the way through, as S&W should have done in the first piace. But do it right, to avoid boogering something up.

As others have explained, use something to hook the low end of the spring and move/hold it upward, lifting the pin out of its detent hole. Then slide the base plate forward and off.

Find the number drill which most closely matches the ID of the hole in the inner part of the folded base plate. Working through this hole, from the inside, center punch the inside of the base plate so your drill doesn't wander. Firmly clamp the base plate in your drill press vise so it is horizontal. Center the drill and drill it. I used a small bit first and then a larger one. The metal was not too difficult to drill.

Clean up the bottom outside of the plate if necessary, and maybe hit it with a touch of cold blue if there is a bright edge. That's it. No more messing with dental picks and hooks, and you can clean or adjust the mag anytime.

For all the obsessive collectors who moan about how you ruined a priceless S&W manufacturing error, just smile.

It was interesting to note S&W's forward march of design progress. The early followers are good quality steel. The later ones are cheap plastic...and of course more expensive to purchase. But the good part is that what is, in my opinion, the best semiautomatic target .22 pistol ever manufactured in quantity can still be purchased new in 2017.

Actually, the earlier mags were all drilled thru. Only the newer mags (about early 90's on) were not.

Jim