Model 41 suppressor information

[Ruzneb]

I own an early mod 41 with the factory suppressor. The gun is perfect in all respects except that when my daughter last shot it she noticed a build up of fouling in the suppressor ribs. After spending about two hours with a dental pick, I removed a pile of lead fouling- about the equivalent of an exposed 22 cal bullet. Since I've only shot the gun about 200 times since I purchased it, I suspect the fouling has been building up for years.

In addition, although the gun is very accurate, the rear sight is adjusted way off to the right. I believe that suppressor fouling might be the cause of this.

I really don't see the need for the suppressor and would like to remove it permanently. Can the pistol be shot without the suppressor? I read that on pistols not equipped with the suppressor S&W installed a plate at the muzzle but have never seen any photos and it does not appear in any schematic. Thanks for any info.

 

[BruceB]

Yes, there is a false muzzle plate that can be installed, but it's only effect is esthetics, and it is perfectly safe to shoot without it..

And BTW, it's not a suppressor, it's called a muzzle brake.

 

[eljaydubya]

The Model 41 muzzle break replacement is called a false muzzle. It's an egg shape part made of black aluminun about 3/8" thick with the muzzle nub hole on top and the screw hole underneath the top hole. They pop up on ebay now and then for $40 or $50. You would be able to shoot your 41 if you take off the break with just the muzzle nub showing, but be careful not to bump or dent it. If you do a search of cleaning the muzzle break here, there probably will be seveal suggestions of how too's. It's quite a chore to get all the lead and gook off without damaging the break fins finish.

 

[Barrie]

I did find the muzzle brake did cause my 41 to shoot slightly left and high while in place. I now have the false nose for it and it shoots fine with it. I agree for safety sake of any damage there should be one or the other on there.

 

[Lost Lake]

And I always thought it was a compensator.

I cannot see how it would cause a gun to fire off target, the reason they are on there is to reduce recoil and increase accuracy.

As for cleaning, can't they just be soaked in a lead solvent? I've never bother to clean mine any more than a brush down with solvent.

 

[smithfan4152]

False cap

Hello,
if you need a false cap, drop me an e-mail, I have a few spares.
[email protected]

 

[grif684]

It is very easy to build up enough lead in a muzzle break to affect accuracy. I have two 1911s equipped with compensators, and have always used lead handloads (both bowling pin guns), it does not take many lead rounds to cause such a build up that bullets passing through the compensator actually make contact with the lead build up.....I soak my comps in Shooters Choice for several days, then go at them with dental picks, there really is no easy way to do it.....

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

FWIW, Jim Clark told me that there was a slight loss of accuracy from using the muzzle brake. I took his word for it, and removed mine.

 

[civil1977]

Gil Hebard studied this years ago and determined that the muzzle brake did hurt accuracy in both the Model 41 and the High Standards he tested. The article is in his Pistol Shooters Treasury book.

 

[Lost Lake]

After rethinking this through, I suppose the lead is being sprayed on the brake and could be an issue. I learn something every day.

So soak it and then go at it with a pick and brush?

 

[824tsv]

I have found that the finish on the brake is very delicate. It looks to me like it is anodized. There really is no easy way to clean it. Can anyone recommend a solvent that the brake can be soaked with that won't harm the finish?

 

[11e40]

soak it in good 'ole hoppes #9 overnight. hth

 

[Barrie]

I read a while back that the US shooting team used the M41 years ago as their gun of choice and also removed the muzzle brake for the same problems. The fouling kept throwing the bullet off target slightly. It was high and to the left somewhat slightly which is not what we want ever.

 

[civil1977]

soak it in good 'ole hoppes #9 overnight. hth

I've used Hoppes #9 and I've used Kroil. I soak them for a week or two if they are really bad. Then I go to work scraping them out with the plastic Tipton pics.

 

[Cyrano]

When did they offer the false muzzle? I bought my 41 in 1960 (SN 9XXX) and it didn't come with one. I shot mine with the muzzle brake and couldn't detect any difference in accuracy, but decided to go with what I'd read and took it off. The one time I fired the International Slow Fire match with it, I took off the brake, but left it on the two times I fired the International Rapid Fire match. I think the brake degraded acuracy whether or not the interior was leaded. Back then there was an aftermarket gadget for removing the leading: it looked like a drill bit, just the size of the hole in the brake, and got the leading out quite easily. I'm sure the company that made them has been gone lo' these many years. That's it in the little white box below my 41.

 

[BruceB]

My late 60's 41 came new with both the muzzle brake and false plate.

I removed the muzzle brake early on, and eventually lost it.

 

[smitholdtimer]

Lewis Lead Remover?

Can only suggest since I have no early M-41 experience but the Lewis Lead Remover company made lead removing tools for the revolvers and we had to use them often when shooting wad cutters. Could this company be associated to Cryano's picture of the lead remover he has? Hoping someone who knows will provide more information. Didn't mean to hijack your thread Ruzneb.