Mod41 Trigger Guard Tension

[another41]

Mine seems to be a little too tight. The Pawl that secures the barrel broke while I was firing. S&W repaired this and stated the barrel was fit to the pistol. The tension is still very tight. Is yours under a lot of strain. Does the trigger guard go into locking position without a lot of hand pressure?

 

[oldRoger]

I have two old 41s circa 1967. When I close the t. guards the last ¼” is like closing a vice grip, it snaps home. It’s the same regardless of which barrel. I am not sure what excessive pressure would be but if they were going to break you would think it would have happened long ago.
Opening it is easier, but it does fit tight.
Roger.

 

[another41]

The Clark barrel is real tight. The factory barrel is not much less. My first 41 had a nice snap to it but not overwhelming. Clark instructed me how to adjust the fit. I might try to fit the Clark barrel. I think I can do it. My gut tells me to wait....ship everything to Clark and let them do it.

 

[oldRoger]

It is of course a major PITA to ship the gun. If all it takes is a stroke or two of a file, I would do it myself. I have purchased files against exactly this sort of eventuality. It looks to me as though there is only one small area which might need to be addressed.
Call Brownells or Clark; I think that you need a Swiss pattern -standard pillar file, the finest cut they stock, 4” or 6” but either on of those people can tell you.

 

[another41]

I fired it today with the stock barrel w/ an UltraDot L/T. It's been several weeks. In between time I bought a Kimber Conversion for my 1911DK. After firing the 41 my comment is MAN did I miss this pistol. No other 22 compares to it. What a great pleasure to shoot.

Anyway the factory barrel is tight...the Clark is tight. I'm having one of the employees at my range have a look. He said a tight fit is not unusual. He said leave everything alone. I'm going to get his opinion and go with that.

The pic is from Clarks. They said to start with 2 long strokes on the Upper side of the "V"

 

[oldRoger]

I looked at my oldest barrel, it has been in and out countless times in the 40 years I have had it. On that barrel only (tight by the way) I see a tiny wear mark opposite the place they told you to file. The rest of the barrels seem unmarked, most have been in and out nearly as many times.

Obviously Clark knows exactly what they are doing. On the one hand if it’s bothering you a couple of file strokes will not ruin anything. On the other hand if it is not broken why mess with it?

Before I did anything else I would take some moly gun grease and apply a little to that “V” where you were directed to file.
That may help. Plus you may see some pattern in the grease after mounting and dismounting the barrel. A tiny high spot for example.

I think that I read a thread here sometime ago in which a guy complained that his barrels were loose a more difficult problem I think..

 

[mikengracie]

M41 tight barrel

I have a 5.5" factory. I bought a S&W 7" for iron sights and put a Ultradot on the 5.5. I had to smooth up the 7" because the initial install the trigger guard would not close. So I evaluated the 5.5 and modified the 7" to match. Used wet dry 220 to 600 lubed with gun oil to smooth up the barrel lock up until the 7" fit like the 5.5" All is good and both work perfectly.

 

[oldRoger]

Mike;
Question, how tight are they? Do you get a short final snap as they go into place?
I have two old M41s and several barrels, two non S&W, all fit about the same, are, and always have been interchangable. No one would call them loose though.
Roger

 

[another41]

On the other hand if it is not broken why mess with it?

I'm concerned it'll break again. The piece that holds the barrel snapped. I think it was from the tension. I can leave everything alone for now. And mostly likely I will. If it breaks again then it's a confirmed problem. Thanks for the replies.

 

[armabill2]

Check that area where Clark said to file for any burrs or raised areas.

I wouldn't just file it unless it's really necessary.

 

[another41]

Check that area where Clark said to file for any burrs or raised areas.
I wouldn't just file it unless it's really necessary.

The area is clean cut on both barrels. Other possibility is that the piece that broke was a Bad Defective part and it won't happen again.
My plan is to leave things alone and use both barrels alternately as per my shooting mood. If it breaks it breaks. At that point I'll get the pistol repaired, have some custom work done and the 41 refinished with Metalife, Brushed chrome or a high polished Blue. I might even get a Bully barrel.
I bought it to enjoy and do not mind sinking a few $$$ into it.

 

[oldRoger]

Ford is around the corner from me and I have often thought that if the blue on my oldest goes just a bit more down hill, I would have them brush hard chrome it. I probably wouldn't do the slide. I have seen some of their hard-chrome work it's great IMO.
With the Bully barrel on it it's already two-tone.
I tried my own suggestion and put moly in the lock portion of the Clark Barrel, it does seem to reduce the force required compared to oil.

 

[another41]

Ford? Could you post some more info please...website?

What is Moly?

 

[oldRoger]

Ford’s is Ford’s Custom Gun Refinishing in Crystal River, Fl. Ford's Custom Gun Refinishing - Ford's Desert Eagle Sights
I have never had a gun refinished. It is my understanding that Ford does first class work. Certainly the work of theirs that I have seen is very good.
Their name is mentioned on this and other forums, always highly regarded.
If you are thinking of having something done, you could post a “Who recommends Ford?” question in the lounge.
My old M41 is showing the normal loss of blue wherever it contacts my hand. Since it wears a SS barrel, I thought a hard chrome finish would look good and last forever.

“Moly” or Moly Dee is molybdenum disulfide sometimes used alone, but usually as a component of petroleum grease, a good high pressure lube. It’s black and hard to get off. Many gun greases use it as a component. Actually I suppose any high pressure grease would do, not oil I think.

Roger

 

[another41]

Ford’s is Ford’s Custom Gun Refinishing in Crystal River, Fl. Ford's Custom Gun Refinishing - Ford's Desert Eagle Sights

“Moly” or Moly Dee is molybdenum disulfide sometimes used alone, but usually as a component of petroleum grease, a good high pressure lube. It’s black and hard to get off. Many gun greases use it as a component. Actually I suppose any high pressure grease would do, not oil I think.

Roger

Would GunSlick work instead of Moly...or is that a totally different item.
Ford's Black Nickel is a good looking finish.

 

[oldRoger]

I haven't any GunSlick in my lube box so I don't know what’s in it. I know that GUNSLICK GRAPHITE LUBE obviously contains graphite, and that is probably OK. I think you need grease there because anything lighter is unlikely to stay put. Moly D. is very hard to get off. It is good rail lube except it gets all over everything.
Ford; I have not seen the Black Nic except in photos, I did see a Black Chrome Job it was great, but very shiny, I expect it was hard to get right.

 

[Jimmymac46]

It seems that any lube at that point would be beneficial. When dry, it is metal to metal, not a good thing for any mechanical device. Try the Gun Slick, it was made for that purpose, see if you notice any difference. If not, go with the moly, it will remain in place longer than the Gun Slick.

I don't change my barrels (5.5 bull and 7 inch tapered) that often to have ever noticed any problem. But, thanks to this thread, I will now. You have the correct philosophy, however. Shoot it and don't let any worry affect the pleasure of owning and shooting one of Smith masterpieces.

 

[keitht]

I recently obtained a new .41. When I went to disassemble it for the first time, I thought I must be doing it wrong. I kept studying the instructions and couldn't see any other way that pulling down on the trigger guard harder. I pretty much had to pull with most of my strength and it came loose. I put in a Clark barrel and it was just as tight.

As hard as I pulled, I was sure that something would break on my new gun, but I guess that they are just that tight.

I just figured that accurate guns need tight tolerances and tightly made guns are more difficult to assemble. I'm going to leave mine alone.

 

[oldRoger]

I wouldn’t think that loose would be good, but it doesn’t need to be over tight (what ever that might be) either.

I would refer to the photo above and put a little gun grease in the notch below the breach, right where Clark shows the file. The contact is on both sides so coat the whole notch. As I mentioned I like Moly D, but graphite is OK, as is any other HP grease, Lithium is often used I think that’s what Lubriplate (sp?) uses.
It would be surprising if the barrels didn’t go in and out more easily after a few switches.