Finally got a M41

[65Whelen]

Went to the local gun show this last weekend with hopes of finding a M41. After a couple passes through and talking to people a guy approaches me. He has this M41 for sale because he needs the money for a long range rifle he's hot to get. A deal was quickly cut and I am very happy.

Also, picked up this M29, it was a very good weekend.

 

[Camster]

The right time at the right place.Congrats!

 

[kidcom]

Good for you and a nice acquisition. Feed only CCI SV and the 41 will serve you well for a very very long time.

 

[ameridaddy]

...it was a very good weekend.

Boy, I'll say! How old is the 41? I ask, because so many of the 41's I see here have beautiful wood like yours in the grips. Mine from about 1978 looks like molded wet cardboard.

 

[FifthWheel]

Both nice. I have a 41 from 1980, shoots great. This month I bought 2 Browning Hi Powers, one is NIB.

 

[65Whelen]

Boy, I'll say! How old is the 41? I ask, because so many of the 41's I see here have beautiful wood like yours in the grips. Mine from about 1978 looks like molded wet cardboard.

Well it was test fired on 4/3/2013. I was hoping for a newer one like this because it's already drilled and tapped. Thinking a nice small red dot on here would be sweet.

 

[wproct]

Congratulations! Oh man, there is nothing that compares to bringing a model 41 home, and that one looks so nice.

 

[Barrie]

Looks definitely like a new one for sure. Even the case is newer let alone the grips. Looks like its hardly ever been fired as well. Good for you in picking a Great one which will last you a lifetime with the right love and care and CCI-SV ammo thru it. The 29 looks great also. Yes a good red dot will really make that gun shine on the firing line and your ability will improve a lot also.

 

[heinzjuergen]

my M41s

They live forever. My two M41 are both from the seventies and I keep winning competitions.

 

[Barrie]

I do not shoot Bullseye at my club but can stay up with most of the Bullseye shooters and their Paridini's with my 60 year old M41. I believe our guns are just as accurate and equal in quality as well.

 

[Tom S.]

I used to believe that everyone should own a Browning Challenger (forerunner to the Challenger II, III and Buckmark line). Then I bought a Model 41. Then another. Then a third. Now I believe everyone should own a Model 41. Amazingly accurate and fun to shoot. If you old eyes like me, throw a Leupold 2.5 - 8 variable power pistol scope on it, crank the power up to 8 and shoot pennies at 25 yards all day long.

 

[Camster]

Boy, I'll say! How old is the 41? I ask, because so many of the 41's I see here have beautiful wood like yours in the grips. Mine from about 1978 looks like molded wet cardboard.

These later guns have laminated grips.Those are the plies of wood revealed, not grain.

A 41 was my first handgun.I've owned dozens of handguns since,but I'm now down to just one handgun....It's that first 41.

 

[ggibson511960]

Laminated?

Boy, I'll say! How old is the 41? I ask, because so many of the 41's I see here have beautiful wood like yours in the grips. Mine from about 1978 looks like molded wet cardboard.

The grip shape on M-41's is prone to chipping its sharp edges around the mag well. That leaves you with the choice of finding a pristine old M-41 with no dings or chips (good luck) or buying a new one with good looking laminated grips. The grips on the OP's new piece look pretty good. S&W must have lately sourced some better, finer grade laminates. When I was shopping about 10 years ago for a M-41, all the new ones in LGS's had laminated grips that imitated plywood. Laminated grip wood is the biggest gripe I have about the modern S&W classic lines, more so than MIM parts or frame locks. Prices on decent or NOS grips, my preference, continue to climb. I am a Luddite. My second worst gripe is dog leg cylinder stops.

 

[Barrie]

You can always change the grips over to either a Rosewood or Walnut pair for your m41. Altmont has some very nice ones for the m41. I have a set of Rosewood on my M46 and they look really good on it. I do believe these two materials are much stronger then the plywood ones as Mine never get chipped If you wish to do that send me a PM.

 

[Tom S.]

One advantage to the Model 41's longevity is the number of grips/stocks available. Currently, S&W uses stocks made by Altamont. They are inexpensive and look good (IMHO). They are laminated, but in lamination's defense, it has been proven to be more stable under damp conditions, and using it does keep costs down. Hogue also makes stocks for the Model 41, but they are more pricey. If you want a serious set of stocks for it, look up Rink. They are custom made in Germany out of solid wood and are made to fit your hand by sending a scan of your hand or measurements. They aren't cheap, running around $270 with the current exchange rate, but they fit like a glove.