M41 EDC Project

Got the 5” light barrel 41 project done. I bought an old model 41 to use as donar. To make a field carry piece the first thing that had to go were the target stocks. Replaced them with Herret Trainer, 1911 type slabs, and shorten magazine release.
The PIA was the new large safety. I had never fully stripped a 41.
I took it completely apart. I don’t think it had ever been deep cleaned. Anyway cleaned it and proceeded to reassemble. No problem until I got to Hammer/ Safety assembly. I could not get
Cocking indicator, hammer lined up at same time holding sear to clear hammer and insert safety.
Having tunnel vision I was determined I was just holding my tongue wrong. Then a gentleman that I got the big safety from told me to push indicator to rear and clamp it where it protrudes.
After all the cussing had it in instantly. It is aggravating when you know how it’s suppose to go together but you can’t get it done.
It had one more aggravation to throw at me. To depress main spring is easy. Just push up the block and it hooks over roll pin through grip frame. Any normal human could do this easy. I cut my fingers on edges of parts and had to clean blood off gun. With bandaid on thumb couldn’t get it done. Then I noticed little dead end hole on main spring block. I made a little brass punch that fit that hole and easily pushed block up to seat. I think that hole must be for an assembly jig at S&W.
Anyway done, the new safety has big enough thumb pad to operate one handed, like a 1911. I had thought I was going to have to silver solder a bigger thumb pad.
The Cocking Indicator isn’t on new models but it has nothing to do with function of pistol. The biggest difference I can see is in safety
and slides. From my project I think there is as many as 4 different thumb safeties for 41s.

Wow DRM50, an impressive project. It came out great! Love those Herrett grips. Those light field barrels are worth a fortune. Almost as much as a model 41 in some cases! I have an older SW41 with cocking indicator and love it. I also have a multitude of barrels, to include a light field barrel but mine does not have a partridge target front sight like yours but a serrated ramped front that I was thinking of inserting a red "S&W" style epoxy insert. Some barrels did come from the factory that way but are rare from what I was told. Maybe a file, with some red colored epoxy mix is a future project for me. I had bought my 41 off the family of the late chief armorer of the San Diego Police Department in the 90's. A friend of mine was taking care of his estate and firearm collection. I was told he was a firearm aficionado for sure and he loved the 41.

Unfortunately, I don't shoot my 41 too often and it lives in the back of my safe. It shoots like a rifle with my 7" factory comped barrel and a Tasco red dot. One hole all day long at 25yds. Come to think of it, I will take it out and shoot it after Christmas. A great holiday idea.

I like your Bianchi field holster; they are becoming harder and harder to find these days. It is rare to see the 41 used in this type of "field" role as they always were a premium target gun with a very high premium price. You have to pay for performance. However, I can't think of any other 22 pistol outperforming it, accuracy wise.

This Smith 41 project reminds me of an article that was written by one of my favorite gun writers of the 80s and 90s, Phil Engeldrum, a.k.a. Waldo Lydecker. I'll have to look it up in my library. It is here somewhere on the bookshelves...

In his publications, Handgun Tests Spring 1991 Phil writes:

"I knew guys who used to fly into warm areas of the world for a number of bogus airlines and quite a few of them carried this gun (S&W 41) with a few hundred rounds of ammo. They explained that this (pistol) was capable of taking almost any game animal they would find, that they could carry a lot of the lightweight .22 ammo, the noise level was low, the gun is reliable and if need be, they could "pop off" the bad guys" with this pistol. Could you really do this with a 45 or 9mm? Only with an ammo bearer. I would like a ramp front sight to make it easier to carry in a holster. There are some trick holsters made for this gun to allow it to be carried concealed. Many foreign diplomats and their bodyguards like this pistol and they just opened the rear sights for a faster sight picture and change the front sight to a ramp. These guys are under the premise that there is no really good body armor for the eyeballs and face. A cold fact of life in a less than perfect world."

Ole' Phil had a flair for the over-dramatic and loved to spin off into a "CIA" "Air America" "Spy vs Spy" "Jack Ryan" novelesque style but I guess that sold gun articles/magazines. "Foreign diplomats?" You would get a good laugh out of his articles.

I acquired my Smith 41 in the late 90s through a friend who owned a multi-million-dollar weapon/firearm manufacturing operation in downtown San Diego. He personally knew the previous owner of the 41 and he was a master-gunsmith like no one I have ever known. He was a super intelligent individual, who could speak and write fluent Spanish, yet he never went to school for it. We would sometimes converse in Spanish, and he spoke like a nativo! We would hang out in his warehouse/manufacturing facility when I was off and he would teach me the finer things in life, like working on Smith revolvers or chopping/machining a slide to make it more compact or custom fitting a barrel on a 1911. I also learned many other gunsmithing techniques to his credit. He was absolutely a true master 'smith of small arms. An absolutely amazing individual who taught me so much and he too, had a deep love for firearms. In getting to know him and hanging out with him, he would mention some things or say curious things in relation to Government, Latin America, flying, politics etc. A few comments would slip. Of course, he got me curious. I was working for the DOJ at the time and ran his name in a "research" type of database. The search came back with some files from an investigation done by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) in the 80s on him. This guy wasn't kidding, he was the real deal. If there was anyone who knew anything about the subjects; flying into warm countries of the world and small arms, it was this gentleman. And a gentleman he was.

When I got the model 41 pistol from him, we talked about how well made they were and how accurate they are. I remember him saying to me, "If you want, I can knock out the rear sight and make you up a fixed rear for the short barrel, as I've done this a few times before." I asked, "Who did you do this for?"

He replied, "Friends." with a smile.

Sitting here recalling these memories and crazy gun rag articles has made me sit back and chuckle. It only took 20+ years to relate the two. Did Phil Engeldrum and my firearms manufacturer mentor know each other or know of each other? Probably not, but unfortunately, I will never know. Most of my posts here are short and sweet, maybe posting a pic for a few laughs. DRM 50 I truly didn't mean to hijack or digress, but sometimes you have to tell a story...or a piece of a story.

So, do I see a custom fixed sight in your future for your Smith 41? A ramped front with a Trijicon night sight insert? Or how about something even more obscure? A threaded barrel?? Keep modifying and creating DRM50!

Love your project post sir, it jogged some good memories.

MP-5

I love these post from you youngsters that have discovered the M-41.
Im 75 yrs old and had a 5" in a Hunter holster back in 1958, walking the woods around the farm. Thanks for the memories. A pocket of loose ammo and wet boots.

Mine is in amazingly good shape considering what I put it through. The barrel came from Gil Hebbard for the princely sum of $125. I heard they’re worth more than that now. The original barrel is 7 inches. I paid $365 for the gun new in the mid 80s.

My holster looks a lot like that one….Except my holster started out life made for a 7 inch gun. I had a local cobbler cut it off and restitch the bottom.

I shoot only CCIs. Standard velocity for fun. HVHP if I’m hunting. I killed a groundhog at 87 yards with that gun. It’s never going to be for sale in my lifetime.

gmborkovic said:

I love these post from you youngsters that have discovered the M-41.
Im 75 yrs old and had a 5" in a Hunter holster back in 1958, walking the woods around the farm. Thanks for the memories. A pocket of loose ammo and wet boots.

Click to expand...

I’m 73 and had to do with a K22 at 14, you must have thrown a lot of bails of hay on the farm to rake up the coin for a 41 at that age. I didn’t get a 41 until 1972 and never thought about toting one in a holster. In fact in some circles it would be considered uncouth to do so.
When I went on the hunt of a 5” barrel I made it a point to kick out a first generation because of the Patridge front sight. It is probably a little drag on holsters but gives sharp definition. 2nd
generation is ramp, 3rd red ramp. From what others say the 3rd is
most desirable and scarce. I have several S&W revolvers and like the old models with pinned front sights. That way I can replace the red ramps with a Patridge blade.
Far as I’m concerned a plain Patridge is best front site on handgun or rifle.

I’m 70 and am up to 8 M41’s. One is a 5” field barrel in the original box I picked up in Tulsa a few years ago. My shooter is a 5-1/2” hvy with some cosmetic issues. I have a few extra barrels including a red-ramp 5” barrel. It’s a model 46 barrel as the rib is not checkered. Bought my 1st one in the late 70’s. Made its value back in west Texas “turkey shoots”.

Puts me in mind of an article many years back where a fellow made a EDC from a 41 and took it a lot farther than just stocks and a safety, He actually shaved away the back of the frame and slide to make it a visible-hammer gun! Some other mods as well, shaving down the barrel sides a bit. It came out pretty light (for the time) as I recall. I can't imagine doing that to a 41, but I heard he did of a half dozen of them for customers over the years.

Nice idea for a Field carry model. My Field gun when Pheasant hunting has always been a M63. Took a fair amount of squirrels with it over the years.

The only gun I believe I have never fully disassembled (yet) is my M41. Not necessarily because of the difficulty factor, but mainly because I've never had the need to. After tens and tens of thousands of rounds it's still humming along like it always has.

I've watched a few video's on full disassembly and while it is a bit complicated there is nothing that really scares me off if I ever have to do it. Just never needed too.

Nice work on your carry 41. I’ve been competing in 2gun with my 1997 M41 since primers got stupid. Other than removing the mag safety, shortening the release and experimenting with grips I love it. Carry it in a thigh holster. Found it at a neighbor’s moving sale for 650.00 i think. Use a dedicated AR .22 for the rifle. I often carry my 2nd series MT 4.5 Woodsman when I’m on the homestead. Hope to get my 30x42 Quonset hut built there in 2024.

Not mine. I just thought it was the ultimate carry .22.

KWill1911 I love the concept!

I don't know where to start!

teletech said:

Puts me in mind of an article many years back where a fellow made a EDC from a 41 and took it a lot farther than just stocks and a safety, He actually shaved away the back of the frame and slide to make it a visible-hammer gun! Some other mods as well, shaving down the barrel sides a bit. It came out pretty light (for the time) as I recall. I can't imagine doing that to a 41, but I heard he did of a half dozen of them for customers over the years.

Click to expand...

The exposed hammer gun is likely one of Bob Loveless' masterpieces. When he wasn't making knives, he loved to work on M41s for his idea of the perfect field gun.

No M41 here but do have a M46. But for EDC, I'll go 2214.

Wow, love the concept and finished product. This is what the 46 should have been. I miss the old Colt Woodsman, Brownings and High Standards. The 41/46 series guns always impressed me but I thought they were too chunky to take to the field with. You proved me wrong! Thank you for posting this.