CrankyThunder
Member
Dear Jim:
We are going to get your model 41 working properly. Dont worry about it going to get it done.
I shoot bullseye, run a bullseye team, and own two 41's that are competition ready and they have thousands of rounds through them. Fixed them many times and have fixed other shooters model 41's. Have been sucessful every time.
First off, you say that you cleaned it. Good! Make sure it is operating room clean everywhere. Step 1 done.
Next, you said that you have replaced the extractor and spring. I assume you have cleaned out the firing pin etc and everything looks good there? Step 2 done.
Moving on, you have replaced the main recoil spring with a new one. When these weaken they will deliver jams and also fail to push the slide fully forward into battery but you got that covered. Awesome!
Now here is some new stuff for you to take a look at. Remove the barrel and drop a live round in the chamber. It should slide right in and drop out when you turn it upside down. If it doesnt, look in the barrel at a bright light and see if there is a carbon ring. Use a Q tip to see if there are any burrs and take care of them. Polish the chamber using valve lapping compound and a brass brush with a patch on it. Get it so that the live round drops in and falls out easy as pie. This is important.
Ok with the barrel removed, take a close look at the ejector/slide stop. S&W calls this the slide stop but most people call it the ejector but it performs both functions. While this is not positively attached to the frame, there should be no movement sideways from the frame. If there is movement side to side, the ejector is unable to get a good bite on the empty casing and you will have jams. Replace if necessary, about 50 or sixty bucks.
You say that this is only happening on the first couple rounds in a magazine. I assume it doesnt matter what magazine it is but check to make sure it is not magazine specific. If it is specific to one magazine or a couple magazines, it could be that a burr has developed on the magazine catch and the magazine could be riding higher then it should, dragging on the slide. Check the magazine catch on the pistol and see if it is deformed. replace if necessary. take a look at the magazine catch slot in the magazine. As a test, pull the mag follower down and file at the top of the slot that catches the magazine catch, allowing the mag to ride lower in the frame and get the pistol to operate correctly.
Personally, from reading through this thread, I suspect that it is the slide stop/ejector that needs replacing but I have given you a systematic approach to get the pistol operating correctly. Feel free to send me a pm if you have any more questions.
Sincerely,
Cranky
We are going to get your model 41 working properly. Dont worry about it going to get it done.
I shoot bullseye, run a bullseye team, and own two 41's that are competition ready and they have thousands of rounds through them. Fixed them many times and have fixed other shooters model 41's. Have been sucessful every time.
First off, you say that you cleaned it. Good! Make sure it is operating room clean everywhere. Step 1 done.
Next, you said that you have replaced the extractor and spring. I assume you have cleaned out the firing pin etc and everything looks good there? Step 2 done.
Moving on, you have replaced the main recoil spring with a new one. When these weaken they will deliver jams and also fail to push the slide fully forward into battery but you got that covered. Awesome!
Now here is some new stuff for you to take a look at. Remove the barrel and drop a live round in the chamber. It should slide right in and drop out when you turn it upside down. If it doesnt, look in the barrel at a bright light and see if there is a carbon ring. Use a Q tip to see if there are any burrs and take care of them. Polish the chamber using valve lapping compound and a brass brush with a patch on it. Get it so that the live round drops in and falls out easy as pie. This is important.
Ok with the barrel removed, take a close look at the ejector/slide stop. S&W calls this the slide stop but most people call it the ejector but it performs both functions. While this is not positively attached to the frame, there should be no movement sideways from the frame. If there is movement side to side, the ejector is unable to get a good bite on the empty casing and you will have jams. Replace if necessary, about 50 or sixty bucks.
You say that this is only happening on the first couple rounds in a magazine. I assume it doesnt matter what magazine it is but check to make sure it is not magazine specific. If it is specific to one magazine or a couple magazines, it could be that a burr has developed on the magazine catch and the magazine could be riding higher then it should, dragging on the slide. Check the magazine catch on the pistol and see if it is deformed. replace if necessary. take a look at the magazine catch slot in the magazine. As a test, pull the mag follower down and file at the top of the slot that catches the magazine catch, allowing the mag to ride lower in the frame and get the pistol to operate correctly.
Personally, from reading through this thread, I suspect that it is the slide stop/ejector that needs replacing but I have given you a systematic approach to get the pistol operating correctly. Feel free to send me a pm if you have any more questions.
Sincerely,
Cranky
