Increasingly Finicky Model 41 - Ideas?

[InTheWoods]

My 41 has always run best on CCI Standard, but has recently been experiencing numerous jams with this ammo. It seems like it is running on underpowed stuff, giving me stovepipes and failures to strip new cartridges from the magazine. This happens with several different lots of the same ammo. Although I don't run high velocity stuff through it often, I tried some yesterday and the gun ran fine. Any ideas?

 

[RidgwayCO]

How old is the recoil spring? Has it had a lot of rounds put through it? Might be time for a new 7.5 lb spring (factory weight). Or maybe just a good cleaning followed by a little quality lubricant on the rails.

(Warning... I'm not an expert on the M41, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.)

 

[jps1935]

theres a really good link out there at guntalk-online/model41maintenance. i was having the same trouble and ended up replaceing the extractor spring. hope this helps.

 

[Old Navy]

One of the most common feeding problems of rim-fires is lips of magazines get bent out of shape or worn and causing what you describe.

I have a Ruger Mk II I bought for a song that with new magazine ran like a Swiss watch. The lips on the original magazine were worn real bad and would not hold up to much use after I would adjust the lips and I finally broke down and got two new magazines. Yes the two original magazines were just worn out.

Buy a new magazine and give it a try, make sure it's a factory S&W magazine not some cheap wantabe.

 

[RGPM1A]

Try taking the magazines apart and clean them. You wouldn't believe the amount of crud that collects in them.

 

[fyimo]

I had a similiar problem last year with mine and a mew recoil spring fixed it right up.

 

[Old Navy]

I had a similiar problem last year with mine and a mew recoil spring fixed it right up.

recoil spring is probably number 2 cause unless you got a weak one to start or gun left with plastic slide block for long periods or open to full open with slide stop.

Buying a S&W that has been on shelf with that plastic slide stop installed for a year or more can cause early problem. I have bought two like that in last three years, both were NIB old stock in storage safe at gun shops one was minium 7 years old and other was at least 35 years old and had to have recoil & hammer spring replaced.

 

[InTheWoods]

Thanks, folks. I will try some new springs. It really, though, seems like the recoil spring is too strong rather than too weak. The slide may not be coming fully to the rear with each shot, hence the failures to eject or strip a new round from the magazine. The extractor seems to have a good purchase on the case. In many failures, the case is withdrawn from the chamber and then almost forced straight back in. The extreme edge of the case mouth prevents this from happening, but it almost looks like it is trying to rechamber.

This is an A series gun that I bought used many years ago. It was (and is) in almost new condition. It has run pretty good on CCI standard until recently, but I wonder if the former owner put a stronger recoil spring in it (to shoot HV stuff) and I was just lucky to have it work ok with the standard stuff until now.

 

[DHENRY]

A new 7.5 lb spring is in order here.
If you want to use CCI 'Mini Mag', switch to an 8 lb.
Brownells carries both.
Time will cause the original recoil spring to weaken.
Don