Model 41 with added barrel rib/rail

McGregor · Jun 13, 2024

So I'm at the gun show and I find this Model 41 7" barreled gun with a strange rib/rail.Rib/rail is a nicely made aluminum piece.
Gun is in very good condition, probably not shot much given the wear it shows. The price was right so I bought it. Originally came with the factory grips and an Ultradot Pan AV red dot sight.
Shoots great, have shot several 25 yard 5 shot groups from a rest easily covered with a nickel.
Has anyone seen a rail like this before?
I'm interested in finding out who made them and if they are still in business or history about them.
Thanks for any help or comments.

6string · Jun 14, 2024

I’ve seen lots of Weaver style mounts used on the model 41. I don’t recall seeing one that is machined to fit over the sights. Usually, they are shorter and mount between the sights. However, Bomar did make an iron sight rib that did fit very much like yours.
For serious target use, one problem created by that rib is that it raises the sight line through the scope VERY high over the bore line, which itself is a little high relative to the grip.
All in all, this makes for a real problem in terms of balance and steadiness.
For optics use on the model 41, probably the best available option is the aftermarket Clark barrel with integral low-line scope ring mount. Alternatively, an original S&W barrel can be (extensively!) machined to duplicate the Clark design.
The attached picture shows one of three barrel types offered by Clark. The one shown eliminates the rib extension over the slide. This is a great feature that eliminates the possibility of an empty case getting jammed between the rib and the next live round in the magazine.
Oh, the attached image showing the 50 yd group is from Clark. In my personal experience, this size group for that distance is not an exaggeration. The barrel is truly that good!

PS: what’s up with the strange tapered gap between the rail and barrel rib towards the rear sight? Is the rib touching the rear sight?

M29since14 · Jun 14, 2024

I’ve never seen a rib used on a long barreled Model 41 and haven’t seen that particular style of rib that I recall. I’ve heard lots of good things about the Clark conversions but never saw an actual group. That looks to be about 3/4”, or so. Pretty impressive!

chief38 · Jun 14, 2024

At the end of the day, one can modify, accessorize, cut, add, mutilate or modify ANY gun. The results will only be as good as the person pulling the trigger.

Going back a few decades I ran a sectional 22LR, 50 foot Bullseye match at my indoor gun club. I spent the afternoon watching the best of the best from many miles around shoot their High Standards, M41's, Volquartsens, Hammerli's etc and none had any type of red dot or laser sights. Many of the targets looked like targets from rifles on bench-rests! These guys were so good it was hard to believe a human could shoot so well (one handed) with a handgun. I am not bragging but I am a fairly good shot myself and a few of these guys blew me out of he water! Again, NO optical sights at all.

Today, it's almost impossible to spot a shooter without some sort of add on optical sight. If you go to a match and see a M41 shooter with nothing but a plain old M41 with a Sports/Field barrel, say hello to me.

H Richard · Jun 14, 2024

I've been shooting local area Bullseye for over 40 years. I could probably look through my score log book and find when I started using a Red Dot sight. My scores improves, but not drastically at that time. A few years later as I "age", my scores held up far above what I could shoot with "iron" sights. My scores were always good enough to place ans sometimes win competitions. Without the Red Dot, I would have quit competition probably 10 years sooner that I did.

McGregor · Jun 14, 2024

6string the rear of the rib does not touch the rear sight, but very close.
I have a Clark barrel with the extension over the slide and after doing some measuring find the rib is only 8mm higher than the Clark barrels rib.
Not really a huge amount when you consider the Ultradot sight mounted on the Model 41's bore to sight c.l. is only 2mm higher than the same sight on a Ruger MvIV.
I'm only a casual shooter so I don't see the 8mm height difference as a huge obstacle because if I change the distance I'm shooting say from 25 to 50 yds. I'm probably going to make a sight change.
I'm not sure at this point if I will even keep the rail on the gun.

Model 41 with added barrel rib/rail

McGregor

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6string

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M29since14

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chief38

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H Richard

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McGregor

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