Help me understand how the 41 is designed for S.V. only

[keitht]

I'm having a hard time finding S.V. ammo locally. What is it about the .41 that it is designed to run on standard velocity rather than high velocity. The gun seems to be built like a tank. I would think that H.V. would eject easier than S.V.?

I can't find CCI standard velocity here. I can get CCI Mini-mag 22LR HP.

Educate me please.

 

[another41]

I only use HV bulk. I bought the 41 cause it's in A League Of It's Own.
I chose the 22LR for economics.
If I had to shoot Mini Mags or Standard V only I would not own this pistol.
If I should wear it out(which will not happen)I will buy another41

This is my 2nd Mod 41. I never ran a SV thru either one

 

[H Richard]

The 41 is definitely sturdy enough for HV ammo, but the recoil spring is set for the Std Vel. Constant use with HV may cause battering of the frame & slide. Also, the Std. Vel "Usually" provides better accuracy, to take advantage of the quality of the 41.

If you wish to continually use HV ammo, you may wish to contact S&W about a heavier recoil spring to lessen the frame/slide battering.

 

[oldRoger]

Designed for CCI-SV is I think a misconception. I am not sure that CCI-SV even existed when the M41 was designed.
In days of yore, we used to get .22lr in Standard Velocity from many companies. NRA/CMP used to sell Peters Stan. Vel. for example and I have shot a truckload of it. HV and Super V in solids and Hollow Points were available and considered to be for hunting purposes.
Most high end (expensive) target .22lr from Eley & Lapua is marked 1020-1070fps, that is to say SV.
For many people of whom I am one, CCI-SV is the best compromise between function, accuracy, and cost in the M41.
When you see an accuracy test of .22lr, usually from rifles, CCI-SV can usually be found in the lower half of the top ten for group size, at well below half the cost of the true target ammunition (look at the price for Tenex!).

Your M41 will not suddenly die fed a diet of HV ammunition. If it functions well, be happy. If it does not function well Wolff sells a #8 spring worth trying. When you find CCI-SV which has never been really widely distributed, try it for accuracy and function.

Many target shooters burn loads of CCI-SV in practice, it’s out there. I like it much better than Eley Club and it’s cheaper.

 

[wamalo]

The 41 was designed to be a premier target pistol. Standard velocity ammo is sub sonic. High velocity ammo is typically supersonic. There is a long held belief within the pistol shooting community that the supersonic characteristic of the high velocity ammunition causes it to group poorly in comparison to standard velocity. This is typically not apparent at 50 feet or 25 yards, but is quite apparent at 50 yards.

My own experience with shooting SV versus HV from a number of pistols and revolvers (both off hand and from a machine rest) at the customary target distance for outdoor shooting (50 yards) is that SV ammunition will group quite respectable whereas most HV will group poorly.

Thus if the intended purpose of the pistol was to secure the smallest group size, it would be tuned to standard velocity ammunition.

 

[Racer X]

Wolff Springs makes a number of recoil springs for the 41. They do make an extra power one. It might be a good thing to ask them about. Stock was 7.5 lbs. The extra power is 8 lbs. I suspect that would do the trick.

 

[oldRoger]

Do what works for you!

To reinforce warmalo, all of the CCI target .22lr is sub sonic (1070 fps except the CCI select) as is most other makes of target 22lr. Lapua & Eley both at 1070-80 fps for all, except pistol ammunition which is listed at 950 +/- fps because of the shorter barrel.
Most bullseye target pistol ammunition of all calibers is sub-sonic, as is the bulk of the 22lr rifle target ammunition.
So we have near unanimity of opinion on what is needed to make holes close together.

In target shooting for which the M41 is designed it’s all about small groups. If you shoot your ammunition from a rest and it does not group well it will only get worse offhand.

If your pistol is running well, feeding and reliability wise with what you have to shoot, I would doubt the necessity of changing the recoil spring. It certainly is unlikely to improve your accuracy.

Certainly every barrel is a law unto it’s self, you must pick what works for you, what you can find, and afford (and hit the X ring with).

 

[keitht]

So far, the little standard velocity ammo I have gotten has grouped better than the H.V. in my tests. When I don't have S.V., I have shot the mini-mags HP rounds. I just do not want to do that if the consenses is that it could damage my new .41.

 

[oldRoger]

Avoid hyper-drive stuff

I doubt very much that mini-mags will do more than slightly accelerate the wear, probably need an overhaul in 50-75 years if you shoot a couple thousand rounds a month.
I would stay away from the hyper stuff. But anything 40gr and high vel (1200 fps or so) IMO no worries.
You can check the various manufacturer’s websites for ballistics and just stay away from the super-duper, extra-high, atomic, warp speed stuff.

 

[JSR III]

I shot my 41 in a bullseye league a few years ago and the only ammo that it liked without stovepipes was Green Tag. I tried Eley, Remington and a bunch of others, but had stovepipes and misfires. NEVER had one malfunction with Green Tag.

 

[stevieboy]

The one thing that seems to be consistent with .22s is that no two of them are alike. My wife's 41 is only so-so with CCI Standard Velocity. It's deadly accurate with Federal Game Shok high velocity. My 617 shoots cheap Walmart Federal ammo pretty well, is indifferent to CCI Standard and Minimags, and seems to like the Game Shok.

 

[axon]

My 41 is reliable and accurate with Rem Target at 1150fps. I recently got the Wolf spring kit, so I'll see how it groups with CCI SV.

I've posted this pic before, but here's what the springs look like: my factory spring is next to the ruler.

 

[Engineer1911]

The Saga of the Deadly 41's

In 1982 when I bought my first M-41 (5-1/2" brl) for the skyhigh sum of $318.00 out the door, I found out that Federal "blue box" was more accurate than me. I bought a full case for about $70.

In 1993, I bought a custom built accurized Ruger 10-22 that shot groups 1 bullet wide by 1/2" high (bullet velocity variation) @ 100 yards using CCI Blazer. The M-41 shot it equally as well as the Federals. I am now on my 3rd case of CCI Blazer

About 2003, I found an estate sale M-41 for $500 without the box. Bought a Clark barrel from Brownells and a C-More dot sight so the CCI Blazers work even better. Also bought 2 recoil buffers that stopped the slide banging into the frame with the standard recoil springs.

I don't know what velocity CCI Blazers are, but I have found them very accurate for $1/box cost. I won a brick of "Eley Tenex Ultimate EPS" ammo at the state match. I shot a personal best 22 match with that ammo, but don't plan on buying any at $15/box.

The bottom line: never bought a box of standard velocity ammo and have not had any problems.

 

[oldRoger]

I don’t find CCI Blazer. 22lr listed on the CCI Site.
CCI SV is listed at 1070fps &40gr, same as the rest of the target ammunition except select.
Mini-Mag @1260 & 40gr-solid, 36gr HP
SGB @1236 &40gr
Stinger @ 1640 &32gr
Velocitor @ 1435 &40gr, it is noted “not for match chambers”.
(test barrel length not listed, probably rifle length)
If accuracy is the name of the game and if a gun is more accurate shooting (fill in the blank) that is what I would use, if I could afford it.

IMO both Stingers and Velocitors should be avoided in match type firearms, others may of course do as they please.

I traded my High Standard in for a M46 in about 1960, until recently most of my casual and practice shooting has been with ammunition purchased through NRA/CMP. As far as I know their offering always was SV.