a 1968 Mod. 41 and a red dot?

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Hi,
I am seriously considering a blemish free - looks like it was never shot - Model 41 (as in the heading a 1968 year of manufacture.

I was so stunned with how pristeen it looked i for got to look at the top of the pistol and see if mounting a red dot is posssble on this year of manufacture?

For instance is the rear site on a dovetail mount that i can replace with a red dot mounting plate?

I have old eyes and find RD easier to shoot with).

I would not want to drill and tap this beauty. I also forgot to look and see if it was predrilled for a top rail? (I think it is not- but don't know for sure).

I dn't have the pistol here -its still in with the dealer. I'm to arrange shooting it over the coming week or so. But am very smitten with it!

So any help on mounting an optic on it would be gratefully appreciated. (hopefully without drilling and tapping?)
 
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Hi,
Thanks for the reply's and help.

I can shoot iron sights, but prefer the RD (I have astigmatism and am right handed and left eye dominant (my right eye is more affected than the left - hence L Eye dominant...).

Looks like I'm in trouble for the RD on the 41 (if i purchase).. I agree that an additional barrel would be a solution (pre drilled or with a rail) but I'm in Ireland and there are not many options for acquiring said second barrel :-).
I also have a Model 17 that is in reasonable good condition and is a m17-3 version. (not drilled and tapped from the factory) but found a weaver rail assembly that just about works (it is too tall on the top strap). and am tempted to have this drilled and tapped, but it is not in near the same condition as the m41 (but the 17 is pretty good).

Would it not defeat the purpose in having such a fine specimen of a m41 - by putting a barrel on it that might not be as accurate as the original?

The vendor is telling me its a 1968 manufacture, but I'm not able to verify this as i did not take any pictures of it at the time (hence my inquire here.

Thank for the help people!

Liam
 
The model 41 is a straight blow back design so if the 'new' barrel locks up there is no reason it will be less accurate presuming the chamber, bore and crown are to factory specs.
Switching barrels can be an issue that requires fitting by a knowledgeable person. Most are no issue but some can be based on the dimensional stack up of the parts - FWIW.
 
I had the same dilemma. I bought another barrel that is drilled and tapped. Then I bought yet another, shorter drilled and tapped barrel. They took a little fitting, but it's easy if you're at all mechanically inclined. Plus I can go back to the iron sights by simply changing barrels.

Some links to peruse:

smith wesson model 41 dovetail mount - Google Search
 
Hi,
So I got my hands on the aforementioned m41!

Its from 1968, 5 and a half inch barrel (i think - not the 5 inch).

It DOES have a dovetail rear mounted sights - so I could drift out the rear sights and install a Red Dot Mount.

I tried to sight it in, after a few rounds I figured out that there is a a lot of travel (or should i say fine adjustment) on the rear sight. I eventually got it dialled in and, even though I'm poor at Iron Sights, I was able to shoot about a 2inch group at about 15metres (16.5 yards?) pretty good for me on Iron - or even red dot- sights!!

I had a couple of poor ejections (side ways stove pipe?).

So I have a red dot mount on my current pistol (Ruger MK IV) its a dove tail mounted as well (rear sight removed - long story - but it was the only RD Mount i could get at reasonable price at the time).
So what are the chance that the same mount would fit the Model 41 dove tail? pretty slim?
My challenge here is that I'm in Ireland and its very difficult to get stuff like this from the US. :-( as your laws on fire arms is so strict and complicated- most vendors just don't bother - not worth the hassle...)

So has anyone got the dimensions for a model 41 Dovetail mount?
Also the fire arm looks like it was a safe queen - very little rounds through it.
What would you guys recommend to do to it? replace springs (slide recoil? other?)
Cheers from Ireland!
 
To me a 1968 model 41 is a real work of art and NOT to be messed with. Get all of them Ruger MK4s and mount all kinds of lasers on it no problem. I would enjoy the 41 the way it is. Not sure if that year still has that cocking indicator on the rear? It may have that. Best trigger of any gun I ever owned.

Mine runs best with CCI SV and a 7.0 lbs wolf recoil spring instead of the 7.5 factory. There was just a post about cleaning the chamber with a brush and solvent very well. That should be enough to get going. I have 2 old 41s and neither have the problems associated with the modern production 41s.
 
EGW makes a red dot mount that goes in the rear sight dovetail. Works great. You will need to know which red dot you will use, the hole patterns are different. Call EGW if in doubt, their customer service is great.
 
I guess I am truly blessed as far as Red Dot and Laser sights are concerned. I don't like them and don't use them.

I shot competitively for 40+ years in one form or another. The last Pistol Team I was on (up until 2020 - bullseye shooting) I was the only team member that did not use any optical sights. I shot a M41 and a Colt Model 1911 Gold Cup National Match at 50 feet. I had tried other team member's pistols with those style sights and I disliked them immensely. Not bragging, but I could outshoot most who were using optical sights anyway. I was simply used to shooting the old fashioned way I guess and was always bothered by the shaking of the red dots. Now granted, if I had been forced to use one, I'd more than likely adapt but I saw little to no reason to do so.

I know I am the odd one out here - I know I am a Dinosaur and I know I don't like change - I admit that! That said, if I had been stinking up he matches and causing losses, then I might have considered changing sights. Like I said, I am very content using iron sights and never got the itch to convert to the high tech sights. One less thing in my life to deal with - - LOL!!
 
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The one i'm looking at is is great unspoiled condition, but with my tired old eyes...
Having the dovetail on the rear means that I can still mount my RD without modifying the fire arm. easy to put the old rear sights back on.
Thanks for the info.
 
Chief38, you are truly blessed with good eyes. At 74 I was no longer competitive with open sights no matter what glasses I used so red dots were the only answer.
Please don’t lecture us for our shortcomings.
 
Oh I don't think he is lecturing anyone on our shortcomings, he is just stating the facts as he sees them...no pun intended. If you can see iron sights life is great. If you can't you put up with them go to an optic if possible. I started shooting DOT sights a long, long time ago well before I needed them. At first I thought as many do, these things are a fad that will eventually go away, but I was strangely drawn back to using them over and over. I didn't shoot much better, if at all with them, but they were SO much easier to use in all conditions. Before one just tosses the baby out with the bath water regarding optics you have to get used to them and for some people that can take a lot of work while also accepting change which many refuse to do. It's easier to give up. The entire premise of using DOT optics centers on the fact you don't watch the DOT which is what many people do. The DOT becomes secondary to the target bullseye. In other words you overly the DOT on the target. Your interest is primarily on the target not the DOT. When someone says the DOT moves around too much for them they are focused on the DOT, not the target. Of course it's going to move around a lot, it has to and the more you watch the DOT the worse it gets. Once you get to the point where your concentration is directed at the target/bullseye and not the DOT it all comes together and using optics really becomes rewarding and fun. You are no longer trying to focus your eye on three things, front sight, rear sight and target. DOT optics are a real boon to shooters of all ages and eye conditions. They are very fast to use and in the right hands extremely accurate dare I say more accurate than iron sights. You just have to get used to them which is not easy for some people. This is sad because the day may come when they need an optic in order to shoot well and I found it much easier to get used to them before I needed them.

Rick H.
 
Rick H. is spot on! ^^^^^^

My presbyopia-inflicted eyeballs don't focus on the front sight anymore. However, I can do it with my computer glasses. Some folks can use readers if they don't have significant astigmatism as I do.

I use red dots for Bullseye. Sure makes things easier. As Rick said, if you concentrate on the dot it makes things more difficult. If I do so, it makes me crazy! I try to line up that dot with the X and then YANK the trigger. Bad things happen. . . . If I concentrate on the target it's better. I also found a bigger dot helps a lot. Seems counterintuitive, but with a tiny dot I concentrate too hard on precise alignment. A big dot leads me to "area aiming" for want of a better term. I just don't try so hard to achieve precise alignment.
 
Kp321 said:
Chief38, you are truly blessed with good eyes. At 74 I was no longer competitive with open sights no matter what glasses I used so red dots were the only answer.
Please don’t lecture us for our shortcomings.
Click to expand...

After a visit to the ophthalmologist last week, I was pretty amazed that at 69 I still have 20/20! However I do need cheaters (1.5) for reading, but that's it. yes - at least my eyes are great - can't say that about hearing though..... :(
 
I have an older 41 that the original barrel is not drilled for optics so I bought a second barrel that is and it fit with no problem. The older 41's are really nice. If you get a second barrel consider a "field" barrel, they are 5 inches long and lighter than the 5.5 inch heavy barrel. Sometime you can find them on ebay and if they are already drilled they loose there collectability.
 
Troystat said:
I have an older 41 that the original barrel is not drilled for optics so I bought a second barrel that is and it fit with no problem. The older 41's are really nice. If you get a second barrel consider a "field" barrel, they are 5 inches long and lighter than the 5.5 inch heavy barrel. Sometime you can find them on ebay and if they are already drilled they loose there collectability.
Click to expand...


I'd 100% get a second barrel - if i could....I'm in Ireland and the choice and availability of extra anything is just about impossible. :-(
So a second barrel ...no chance I's say LOL.
 
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