I've heard it said many times that only standard velocity ammo should be used in the Model 41. I recently bought a box of 325 Federal "Target Grade Performance" ammo, which the box states moves a 40 gr solid at 1200 fps. Since the model 41 is an all steel gun, and we are only talking .22 rimfire ammo, I wonder if the recommendation for standard velocity ammo is intended for maximum accuracy, or if higher velocity ammo can actually do some damage. I've used some of this ammo and reliability does not seem to be affected.
Model 41- Ammo
- Thread starter LB001
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The S&W owner's manual doesn't mention anything about standard versus high velocity ammo.....as far as a warning about high velocity ammunition is concerned. Most forum members recommend CCI standard velocity ammo, because of the quality and accuracy of this brand. There are many other brands that may give you performance equal to or better than the CCI ammo.
I have fired several different brands of ammo in my model 41, and have also chosen the CCI SV ammunition for range use. It seems to be a good balance of consistent performance and is less expensive that some of the other "premier" brands designed for target use, like Eley Tenex or Lapua for instance.
https://www.smith-wesson.com/sites/...S&W_Model_41_Pistol_Manual_07-15-2014 (1).pdf
There are many, many threads on this forum that cover this specific question. You can read extensively after using the "search" function to explore your question or topic.
I have fired several different brands of ammo in my model 41, and have also chosen the CCI SV ammunition for range use. It seems to be a good balance of consistent performance and is less expensive that some of the other "premier" brands designed for target use, like Eley Tenex or Lapua for instance.
https://www.smith-wesson.com/sites/...S&W_Model_41_Pistol_Manual_07-15-2014 (1).pdf
There are many, many threads on this forum that cover this specific question. You can read extensively after using the "search" function to explore your question or topic.
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bob finger
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Standard velocity ammo will Chrony between 1040 and about 1080 fps, less out of a pistol barrel. 1200 fps is significantly more than SV.
Eley Match, Tennex Lapua Center X or Midas and R50 are all SV and match grade rifle ammo. Total overkill in a pistol unless you are the 1 in 10,000 that can shoot well enough to see the difference. SK Standard + runs about $5 a box the above run between $15 and $20 a box. CCI SV runs about $5 a box.
In ANY blowback design like the 41 the less you hammer the gun the longer it will survive.
Will you ruin your pistol tomorrow shooting 1200 fps ammo? Not likely. What will 40 or 50 years of constant use do to it? Me, I have no intention of finding that answer in my pistols.
Your Federal will set you back maybe 10 cents a shot, the good SV maybe 11 cents. Is it worth taking a chance? Not for me it isn't. . bob
Eley Match, Tennex Lapua Center X or Midas and R50 are all SV and match grade rifle ammo. Total overkill in a pistol unless you are the 1 in 10,000 that can shoot well enough to see the difference. SK Standard + runs about $5 a box the above run between $15 and $20 a box. CCI SV runs about $5 a box.
In ANY blowback design like the 41 the less you hammer the gun the longer it will survive.
Will you ruin your pistol tomorrow shooting 1200 fps ammo? Not likely. What will 40 or 50 years of constant use do to it? Me, I have no intention of finding that answer in my pistols.
Your Federal will set you back maybe 10 cents a shot, the good SV maybe 11 cents. Is it worth taking a chance? Not for me it isn't. . bob
Very well stated by the three posters ahead of me as to why we do not recommend ever using HV ammo in our 41's. My gun if it had been fired since new with HV probably would not be worth keeping by now. It was born in 1958 so you can imagine the damage that would have occurred if I had done this or the the previous owner before me also. Mine is still as accurate as the day it was made due to only firing CCI-SV ammo all its life so far.
Leon Narozny
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I am only going to concur with the SV CCI gang. You dont need much to make a hole in a B25, so dont beat you or your gun up. My PPC loads
were around 550 FPS (1.8 Green Dot), if you got at just the right angle
you could see the bullet go downrange. I wince watching guys at
the range with the compact 9's and the full house loads.
I hope I never have to shoot my Ruger L9S with those defensive loads,
probably end up on the next corner.
were around 550 FPS (1.8 Green Dot), if you got at just the right angle
you could see the bullet go downrange. I wince watching guys at
the range with the compact 9's and the full house loads.
I hope I never have to shoot my Ruger L9S with those defensive loads,
probably end up on the next corner.
You can fire the HV ammo all day thru your gun but mine will never see any of it. Thats why its still working just great I feel is the lack of abuse by the HV ammo over the last 59 years. I still hit a dime at 75 feet with it all day with the CCI-SV ammo. I figure the HV would have badly damaged this gun by now if it had been fed a steady diet of it.
Based on what?
FifthWheel
US Veteran
Is Federal Automatch considered HV? I know it says 1200fps but what would that = out of a 5.5" barrel.
Yes, it is HV ammo.
Based on this gun been fired with SV ammo only for 59 years. Thats what and with only one set of springs and one extractor being changed out as well. I am not alone with the view if you read deep enough into this topic as its been discussed here many times before. This is something that 100's of us on here have learned over the years as well.
With model 41's it seems like some are finicky and some are not, mine likes anything that I have tried, both HV and SV but I stick to CCI SV as it is priced well and more than accurate enough for my skill level. Try different ammo in yours and see what it likes but given a choice I would stick to standard velocity for target practice.
leinster lad
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Has anyone actually seen or personally had a Model 41 "beaten" by using HV ammo ??
And the difference between SV @ 1080 fps and HV @ 1200 fps is just on 10%, I simply cannot see that and extra 120 fps thru the barrel is going to "beat it up" at all.
What exactly can get "beaten" up ?
( using CCI "stingers" @ 1600fps is a completely different story, although the same principals apply )
The slide moving rearwards from the recoil might be slightly higher using HV ammo, but the shell will also have a tighter grip inside the chamber ( due to the higher pressure ) so the actual difference in energy transferred back into the breec h block and slide would not be much.
A recoil buffer to stop the front of the slide smacking into the front of the trigger guard would definitely help. But it is also needed if using SV ammo.
here is a picture of my slide with a very clear witness mark where it was hitting the front part of the trigger guard. ( I now run a recoil buffer to stop this ). This was caused by using CCI SV.
Besides that, the return energy of the slide is a function of the recoil spring. ( Nothing to do with the energy of the ammo )
Using a recoil buffer reduces the rearward travel of the slide, thus reducing the compression of the recoil spring, thus reducing the return energy of the slide and thus the breech block smacking into the barrel breech face.
So I guess what I am saying is..... where is the proof that HV ammo is detrimental ???
And the difference between SV @ 1080 fps and HV @ 1200 fps is just on 10%, I simply cannot see that and extra 120 fps thru the barrel is going to "beat it up" at all.
What exactly can get "beaten" up ?
( using CCI "stingers" @ 1600fps is a completely different story, although the same principals apply )
The slide moving rearwards from the recoil might be slightly higher using HV ammo, but the shell will also have a tighter grip inside the chamber ( due to the higher pressure ) so the actual difference in energy transferred back into the breec h block and slide would not be much.
A recoil buffer to stop the front of the slide smacking into the front of the trigger guard would definitely help. But it is also needed if using SV ammo.
here is a picture of my slide with a very clear witness mark where it was hitting the front part of the trigger guard. ( I now run a recoil buffer to stop this ). This was caused by using CCI SV.
Besides that, the return energy of the slide is a function of the recoil spring. ( Nothing to do with the energy of the ammo )
Using a recoil buffer reduces the rearward travel of the slide, thus reducing the compression of the recoil spring, thus reducing the return energy of the slide and thus the breech block smacking into the barrel breech face.
So I guess what I am saying is..... where is the proof that HV ammo is detrimental ???
I doubt any shooters here have two Model 41's and have tested HV exclusively in one and SV in the other.
I have a newly purchased 1986 Model 41. I'm gonna stick with SV. There's no upside to me shooting HV esp when good SV is readily available nowadays and $.07-.075 a round.
I would imagine folks here would sum it up by saying 'do what you want, it's your gun.'
I have a newly purchased 1986 Model 41. I'm gonna stick with SV. There's no upside to me shooting HV esp when good SV is readily available nowadays and $.07-.075 a round.
I would imagine folks here would sum it up by saying 'do what you want, it's your gun.'
Ranger98
US Veteran
Recoil buffer is the way to go.
Pretty cheap insurance to be able to shoot any available ammo in your area.
Pretty cheap insurance to be able to shoot any available ammo in your area.
Joe Hohmann
Member
My model 41, bought new in 1995, likes Remington Golden Bullet, which is HV. Anything SV will eject OK, but will fail to cock the trigger now and then. Since I'm 74 years old, I'm not too worried about the "future", and will continue to shoot what works.
