Model 41 Dry Fire

[72AV8R]

In 1963 I got a new Model 41 to shoot bullseye that came with a "dry Fire" target about the size of a 3x5 card. As I recall it was supposed to simulate the STD 50' NRA target at 15'. Because I didn't know better I put hundreds of dry fire rounds at that target with no apparent problems. My current 1968 vintage 41 does not get dry fired intentionally. Does anyone remember seeing that target included in a new early model 41?

 

[gmborkovic]

OH Yea, still have one in the box. Never dry fired any of mine on an empty chamber. Never seen a 22LR that advised it. Now my National Match Colt
got dry fired all the time.

 

[Vanderbilt]

Last year I decided to purchase a model 41, having never owned one. I found an excellent looking older model, with supposedly low round count, however upon inspection I noticed the breech face had been hit by the firing pin. The damage was several mm deep, which turned me right off that pistol.

Since then I have purchased a new model 41 which exhibits the odd failure to load with CCI Standard ammo. Because I'm not aware of the FTL, this results in an odd dry fire. So far my pistol shows no signs of the firing pin contacting the breech face. Next time I clean it, I intend to push the firing pin forward and check where it protrudes and if it's possible to contact the breech, which I doubt.

My take on this is, my model 41 can handle dry firing but if I want to do a lot of it, cushion the firing pin with something like snap caps. That way I am covering all bases, just in case.

 

[gmborkovic]

Where in the m-41 owners manual/parts list does it mention the correct
procedure for dry firing?

 

[jkingrph]

Dry firing a S&W M41 (or any rimfire pistol) is not a good idea because of the metal on metal hit. Done enough times malformations will occur and will eventually screw up your pistol.

A single accidental dry fire event should not cause any issues as long as it is a rare occurrence. I doubt there is any owner of a M41 that somewhere along the line has not inadvertently dry fired their M41. Just do not make a habit of it and you should be fine.

I make it a habit to insert a "snap-cap" (actually a #4-#6 yellow drywall plug) as soon as I am finished shooting my M41 and then again when finished cleaning it and ready to store. I like to store the gun without spring tension and so I pull the trigger with a snap-cap inserted.

Probably not a good idea without a snap cap, then with a semi auto like the M41 with an internal hammer it would be inconvenient, as the snap cap would have to be inserted each time. Even if the firing pin does not travel far enough to contact the chamber, there will be more hardened metal of the firing pin striking somewhere inside the slide, and what happens there, no one knows.