High velocity ammo and the Model 41

[mauiblue]

I've got some Winchester SuperX High Velocity (40gr) and Winchester Super Speed HP (37gr hollowpoint/1330 FPS). Would this stuff be too hot for the Model 41?

 

[mauiblue]

I've got some Winchester SuperX High Velocity (40gr) and Winchester Super Speed HP (37gr hollowpoint/1330 FPS). Would this stuff be too hot for the Model 41?

 

[Nygma]

I've been shooting the Winchester silver box X22LR in my 7" barrel for years with no ill effects. It's the most accurate high speed load I've found for this barrel, and also shoots very well in my other barrels.

 

[flat top]

I just purchased a Model 18-3 and I was wondering the same thing. I do want to use high vel (for hunting purposes), and I would like to hear of all the high vel ammo that Smith shooters have had success with....Wouldnt mind hearing about those that didnt work well... as well!

 

[mauiblue]

I've read from other forums that the Model 41 is tuned for standard velocity ammo. I've talked to one Model 41 owner that have installed a recoil buffer and extra power Wolff springs just to be on the safe side but but has never shot HV ammo only standard velocity ammo. He's not experienced any issues. I would like to hear from members and their experiences or opinions about HV ammo and their Model 41 or other semi-auto .22lr pistols.

 

[johngalt]

years ago I shot a lot of Winchester super-X HV in my 41. I eventually had to send it in to S&W for repair. They replaced the bolt face because of excessive wear, they said from shooting HV. I only shoot SV now.

SV is more accurate, you should not need to use HV for the 41 to function reliably. Yes, SV is more expensive than HV for some stupid reason. The 41 is an expensive gun, it deserves to be fed good stuff.

 

[mauiblue]

Thank you John for your reply. Looks like I'll not not use HV stuff though my new Model 41

. But it was good to find out now before shooting it and then later pay the consequences.

 

[mauiblue]

Aloha to all. I was able to shoot my new Model 41 on Sunday and all is well. I can understand why this pistol is one of the best .22lr target pistols around. It is a beautiful shooter and accurate right out of the box. I needed only a few clicks of windage adjustment to get it on target. WOW! I am so happy with this pistol!

 

[moosedog]

It's designed to be a target pistol that shoots target ammo.
If you choose to shoot a steady diet of high velocity ammo in it then I would go with a heavy spring and the buffer.

 

[mauiblue]

Aloha moosedog. I am considering getting the heavy recoil spring from Wolff and the recoil buffer. I do have about 5K of HV ammo some of which I would want to use in the Model 41 *IF* the heavy recoil spring and buffer will help alleviate any issues that may arise in using the HV ammo. But if there are members that have done this mod and still have experienced problems I really hope to hear from them in this thread.

 

[niemi24s]

While a heavier recoil spring would slow the slide's coming aft a bit when shooting HV ammunition, don't forget that springs work in both directions. This means the heavier recoil spring will subject the slide and barrel to greater impacts upon returning to battery.

Saving $1 a box on ammunition to shoot in a $1,000 gun seems a bit foolish to me.

Just my 2¢.

Regards

 

[Hovnnes]

When I first bought my second hand M41 I shot a few boxes of Super X and Federal High Velocity because that is what I had on hand and I didn't know that the M41 was designed for SV loads. The results were disappointing and after I "got wise" to the SV requirement I've become very enthusiastic with what I can do with my M41! It has taken awhile to adjust to accepting the M41 for what it is---a target pistol in it's purest form. It isn't a hunting gun (unless you can humanely take you quarry with SV ammo) and it's not a defense gun (although it's better than using your fists) any more than a Ferrarri is a school bus or a pick up truck.
The one thing I've found my M41 to excel at besides target shooting is as a low cost alternative to practice with a 1911! The grip angle is the same as on ol' slab sides and while others have invested in .22 conversions I find my M41 a perfectly acceptable substitute and good quality SV (CCI) ammo is a pittence compared to .45ACP (even reloads!)

 

[retired2006]

I shoot HV ammo thru my model 41, it seems to prefer Super X 40gr.
So far, all I have replaced in the pistol is the recoil spring, I try to replace it once a year, I use the std spring. My pistol is more reliable with the HV, with the exception of the Remington bulk pak ammo. I do not use any "hyper velocity" ammo, such as Yellow jacket, stringers, or velocitier.
I have not experienced any of the "problems" reported by other users, but then again maybe I haven't shot mine as much as they shot theirs.
I have shot 2000 to 5000 rds per year, almost all HV, since 1979, when I purchased it new for 325.00, which was a lot of money back then.

 

[Hovnnes]

I shoot HV ammo thru my model 41, it seems to prefer Super X 40gr.
So far, all I have replaced in the pistol is the recoil spring, I try to replace it once a year, I use the std spring. My pistol is more reliable with the HV, with the exception of the Remington bulk pak ammo. I do not use any "hyper velocity" ammo, such as Yellow jacket, stringers, or velocitier.
I have not experienced any of the "problems" reported by other users, but then again maybe I haven't shot mine as much as they shot theirs.
I have shot 2000 to 5000 rds per year, almost all HV, since 1979, when I purchased it new for 325.00, which was a lot of money back then.

I'm very fond of Super X, but I ran two boxes through and every one of 'em did the stove pipe in my M-41(this was when they came in a white box and were Winchester-Westerns.)
Of course .22s are individuals and I'm happy for you that yours likes Super X. Mine is a consumer of CCI-SV.

 

[Frank237]

I run several hundred to maybe a thousand hi-vel HP's through my old M-41 each GOPHER season with zero issues. I have replaced the recoil spring ONCE in the past several years. Not due to any issues. simply saw the wolff springs so bought one.

 

[Larry from Bend]

Three of us have had 41s since the middle 70s and have shot many 1000s of high speed WW, CCI and Federals thru them (especially me). Never a problem -- My 41 NEVER experienced a failure of any kind --- as long as the ammo was HS and of good quality. If I got ahold of a batch of cheap bulk ammo that was loaded below specs, it might fail to eject.

 

[ZX John]

We're shooting Federal 1240 f/s through ours, have never had a problem. Big reason is it's almost impossible (and REAL expensive) to find SV or target .22 around here.

- With one exception. I bought 3 50's of WW SV recently in the local 'Everything' store (not Wal-mart, surprisingly), regular price ($3.45 a box) - CHEAP! Loved it!!! - until we took it to the range and shot it off, that is. Had 3 misfires in the first box - more than I've had in the rest of my life, put-together - and in talking to the rest of the guys in the club, nobody uses WW ammo anymore; same problem, there's a reason it's so cheap.

Too bad, I like the silver boxes...

 

[chief38]

I bought my M41 in 1979 and originally shot SV stuff, but quickly found out a year later that it functioned better and more accurately with HV stuff. I have now shot the HV ammo for 33 years with no issues - and I have shot this gun a lot!!!

I would NOT shoot stingers, Velocitors, or any other hyper velocity ammo from a M41.

From a M18 or M17 you can shoot anything that will properly chamber!