Good Grief S&W, Strike Three! (new Model 41 7") - see post #92

AreWeNotMen?

AreWeNotMen?

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See Post #14:eek:

After reading most everything I could find on the Model 41 on the internet (and believing some of it ;)) I ordered a new 7" through Sportsman's Warehouse. Supposed to arrive in about 10 days, then over to fill out the paperwork and wait another 10. In anticipation, I have also ordered 2 spare magazines (I didn't know if it comes with one or two), and the varied recoil spring pack from Wolfe. I do have a fair amount and selection of ammunition (Std and HV) to test with it.

I got the long barrel as I have an attraction to them:
  • Springfield 1911 Trophy Match Long Slide
  • Automatic Colt (Model 1902) Calibre 38 Rimless Smokeless
  • Glock 34
  • Glock 35
  • 686 6"
  • 629 6"
  • Ruger Mk II 6"

I'll share my impressions once I've had it to the range.

Regards...
 
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I haven’t seen a new 41 in a couple of years now. They are undoubtedly slow sellers, at least in my neck of the woods. The last few I have seen looked very good.

When I was younger, with a stronger, steadier upper body, and I could actually see iron sights, I always preferred the longer barrel. About the time my eyes started to rebel against pistol shooting, I found I was shooting the 5” barrel better. :rolleyes:

Well, anyway, good luck with your new 41 and I hope you will come back with a shooting report once you’ve had the opportunity to shoot it a little. :)
 
Well, I guess it's good somebody is still buying new S&Ws and classic models to boot. It must be really tough for a company that produced quality firearms that will outlast several generations of owners if treated fairly well. Even tougher when the current production is generally not as well regarded as the old products. My 41 is older than I am and likely to outlast me. When it's running well it's an absolute joy, when it's not... well it comes and goes sometimes. If you enjoy your 41 even half as much as I've enjoyed mine, you won't mind the price or the wait.
 
I have one with both the 5.5" and 7" barrels. The 5.5" wears a red dot, and the 7" I use when I want to shoot iron sights. I must confess that I shoot the 5.5 better simply because I can see the dot better than the sights. (Old geezer syndrome.)

My 41 was shipped in 1997 so I've had it a while. When new, it didn't cycle too well, so I ran a 4-5 boxes of high speed ammo through it and it loosened up. Since then, I use nothing but CCI standard velocity in it. I shoot it until it has about 800 rounds through it, and it starts having a few malfunctions, which is it's way of telling me it needs to be cleaned. So I clean it, shoot it again for a few shots to prime it, and it runs again for another 800 rounds or so.

It is my favorite pistol and goes to range nearly every time I do. Enjoy your 41!

kas
 
I will say that the local Sportsman's Warehouse store has had one of each barrel length new model 41's in inventory and both looked very nice to me.
 
Killing time by ordering stuff for the Model 41

So I'm keeping myself occupied waiting for my Model 41 to arrive by reading more about it, and ordering stuff! Two OEM magazines (surprised to see a "lazy &" in the S&W stamped on the heel plate), and a Wolff "recoil calibration pak" (stock #13171) which also came with 3 extra power firing pin springs. I do think I'll bite the bullet and pay the $12+ for a buffer just to be safe. if anyone has an unneeded spare, I'd buy it from you.

Sorry for the sideways pic...clueless how to fix it.
 

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FINALLY arrived

17 days from order being place to arriving at their local store; went there yesterday to do the paperwork and start the silly 10-day wait. Having never even seen one in person before, it is a very classy looking firearm. It felt well balanced in my hand; the grips are very comfortable and quite pretty.

I'll post a photo once I get it home.
 
One of my favorite 22s! I bought one new in the 80’s and foolishly sold it a few years later. I missed it so much that I recently bought another. This one is a keeper!

Enjoy yours!
 
FINALLY...pick-up day & firing pin spring question

I'll be picking up my new Model 41 later today (yay for me). I'll clean and lube it prior to going to the range tomorrow. Up in post #7 I put a photo of goodies I'd already bought for it, and have since also acquired buffers and an optic base. I will shoot it in stock configuration (except with buffer installed) with various ammo and log my results for fun and education.

As mentioned in post #7, Wolff sent along a 3-pack of extra power firing pin springs. Questions:
  1. Is there any reason to use them if the OEM spring does its job?
  2. Should I change the firing pin spring as a matter of maintenance after x thousand rounds?
  3. Any disadvantage to using the extra power spring?

Thanks folks.
 
gmborkovic said:
Mr. men, go shoot the damn pistol right out of the box.
Dont change a thing. Let us know after 500rds.
Click to expand...

I agree with Mike, don’t change anything until it’s broken in. If there are any problems, then work on fixing any problems. Install the buffer as it can’t hurt and might help.

My M41 works perfectly with, what I believe to be original stock springs, despite being 62 years old!

Hope you love yours as much as I do mine!
 

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less than thrilled

Got my new Model 41 home last night, all was good until it wasn't. My observations:
  • the safety is ridiculously stiff - like "use both thumbs" stiff
  • disengaging the barrel via pulling/pivoting the trigger guard down is "you gotta be kidding me" hard
  • the edges of the trigger guard are sharper than my kitchen knives

But wait, there's more...(see first pic)

How can a factory new barrel be so filthy?

And now the real fun - after cleaning the bore, it still didn't look/feel right, so I used my very cheap but very effective Teslong bore-scope. The first pic is of the $179 Savage Rascal bolt action rimfire rifle bore I got at the same time for the grandkids (second pic). The rest of the pics are the bore of my factory fresh $1400 Model 41 target pistol (most of crown end):eek:

I would like to hear your thoughts since my thoughts use some fancy four-letter words and I don't want to cry on my keyboard this early in the day.

So please comment on any or all of my observations; advice is welcome.

Thanks.

PS - will S&W accept just the barrel for warranty work (I plan to order a Clark for optics use and would like to use the pistol while I'm waiting for S&W).
 

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AreWeNotMen? said:
Got my new Model 41 home last night, all was good until it wasn't. My observations:
  • the safety is ridiculously stiff - like "use both thumbs" stiff
  • disengaging the barrel via pulling/pivoting the trigger guard down is "you gotta be kidding me" hard
  • the edges of the trigger guard are sharper than my kitchen knives

But wait, there's more...(see first pic)

How can a factory new barrel be so filthy?

And now the real fun - after cleaning the bore, it still didn't look/feel right, so I used my very cheap but very effective Teslong bore-scope. The first pic is of the $179 Savage Rascal bolt action rimfire rifle bore I got at the same time for the grandkids (second pic). The rest of the pics are the bore of my factory fresh $1400 Model 41 target pistol (most of crown end):eek:

I would like to hear your thoughts since my thoughts use some fancy four-letter words and I don't want to cry on my keyboard this early in the day.

So please comment on any or all of my observations; advice is welcome.

Thanks.

PS - will S&W accept just the barrel for warranty work (I plan to order a Clark for optics use and would like to use the pistol while I'm waiting for S&W).
Click to expand...

The only word I can think of that won't get me a time-out here is "astonishing"...

How can a new barrel on a production pistol look like that? I'm trying to envision what could have caused those little pockmarks or craters and I can't think of any tool, or any procedure, during the manufacturing process that would have left the bore in that condition. If I didn't know better, i would almost think that somebody deliberately damaged it.

I've been considering buying a Model 41 myself...please keep up posted, and let us know what S&W says.

Good luck to you...
 
C'mon, every manufacturer fires tungsten birdshot down their barrels before they ship :rolleyes: :eek:

I would have listed all the issues and demanded a new gun. It looks like a lemon to me.
 
My Buds 41 is 20+ years old and he shoots bulls eye with it all the time...as in thousands of rounds, he replaces springs every 3K or so rds, runs like a rolex. Me... I shoot combat pistol at short distance, more real world.
 
I would like to know what S&W has to say about this pistol. I thought the wait time on a new 41 was more than 17 days. My new Ruger 10/22 had a dirty bore when I brought it home, I always clean new guns before shooting, but the bore was great looking and shooting after it was cleaned.
 
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