S&W mod.41

[Gebirg]

Hello!
I have this fine pistol, a mod. 41
With serial A214948
What year is this made, and is it made at the performance center?

Thank you!
Regards
Asle K. Bo
Norway

 

[BigBoy99]

My S&W Book is packed away, getting ready for a move. However, my S&W 41 with Serial No. A135109 was made before yours in 1971. I can't say anything about the Performance Center.

 

[Gebirg]

Found this topic:
S&W Model 41 serial number search

If the serial on this one is A214948 it puts it in to a early 1973 production?

 

[Frenchie Gilles]

Hello !

Is there a cocking indicator on the rear of the frame, below the slide, in the form of a small protruding pin ?

If there is, this gun was made before 1978, if not, it was made between 1978 and 1984.

Anyway, I think it was not made by Performance Center.

 

[Engineer1911]

The Standard Catalog S&W 4th Edition has A714948 as 1981 production or A214948 as 1973. An AZxxxxx serial number does not exist.

 

[Sevens]

Hello to our new Norwegian friend, from a S&W guy in Columbus where Espen Knutsen plied his trade, if you are familiar with that noteworthy countryman of yours!

and is it made at the performance center?

The Performance Center is somewhat shrouded in mystery... at it's finest, it was a separate building with a free amount of reign to create some daring and amazing models and it was filled with true craftsmen like gun building of days gone by. From roughly 1991 to as late as what, 2011 or thereabouts, the Performance Center did work on some folks' guns sent in, but it was known more for the models they created.

Much is left unknown or not shared. Roy Jinks has said at least once in a factory letter that one of the first tasks undertaken by the then-new Performance Center was to fit and finish and prepare the last examples of the Model 52-2 pistol, and Jinks has also said that they used that 52 experience to develop the Model 952 pistol.

In the days following the eventual closing of the real Performance Center... S&W "branded" the PC name and logo on to production guns with added features or looks. With a sincere attempt not to derail my post with anger and emotion, I'll simply state that the "PC" term added to recent S&W products is a sad eventuality for the legendary name and beautiful PC logo.

Regardless of what S&W offers today, the real "Performance Center" does not exist. It also most certainly did not exist when your (likely early 1970's) Model 41 was built. However, the models 41 and 52 are the closest matches from the 1960's/70's/80's to the fit, feel and potential of guns from the Performance Center.

 

[kidcom]

Well stated Sevens.....

 

[Gebirg]

Hello !

Is there a cocking indicator on the rear of the frame, below the slide, in the form of a small protruding pin ?

If there is, this gun was made before 1978, if not, it was made between 1978 and 1984.

Yes my 41 has a cocking indicator!
thanks

 

[Gebirg]

I love to shoot this pistol - where can i buy a quality leather holster for this pistol?
No dealer in Norway has one...

 

[Jim Watson]

The Model 41 is a target pistol, normally going from carrying case to bench and back. I do not know of a holster made specifically for it.

I did find that the Safariland Custom Fit #568-53, marked for the Government Model can be adjusted to accept the 5.5" barrel M41.

If you have a 7" or 7 3/8" barrel, I don't know of any holster.

 

[donk52]

When I began fitting the Model 52-2, about 1979, there were six of us trained to take an unfinished "white" frame and slide and fit them to the tightest tolerances possible and turn out a gun when machine rest tested at 50 yards to insure that the pistol would shoot five-shot groups having maximum spread of two inches. (maybe we were the PC before the PC) The model 41's
were assembled along with the Model 39's and 59's at higher production numbers. They required a little more fitting than the 9mm's due to stamped parts and adjusting for trigger pull etc. And nothing compared to the attention to detail required to fit the Model 52.

 

[Sevens]

I've long made the point that Model 52 pistols are the Performance Center guns before the Performance Center existed.

Don, have you ever had the chance to handle or shoot the 5 or 6-inch PC Limited target pistols such as the 952, 845, PPC-9 or the 3566 Limited? As a guy who is very familiar with how the Model 52 is fitted and how it feels, I'm certain that you would be pleased and impressed with the fit, feel, and build quality of these target guns.

I still think they are sleepers and many folks have no idea how amazing they are.

 

[donk52]

No I haven't had the pleasure. I'm confident that those guns are made with the same exacting standards as the 52, if not better. The 52 is an old model with certain tight tolerance features that i'm sure were utilized and improved upon.

 

[FifthWheel]

Nice find. Some leather holsters for Ruger Mark series fit the 41 very good but you should try before you buy or ask the seller if buying online.

 

[Barrie]

Welcome to our new member from Norway as well from Canada. No your gun was not made by the performance center but is still a very fine target pistol which you will enjoy for many years to come and probably your Grandkids well after you as well.

 

[Jim Watson]

Don, have you ever had the chance to handle or shoot the 5 or 6-inch PC Limited target pistols such as the 952, 845, PPC-9 or the 3566 Limited?

A friend is a Master-Governor's 20 PPC shooter. He wanted something better for the automatic competition there in addition to his M52 Open gun. He shot a PPC-9 and a 952 side by side. The 952 was good, but the PPC9 was noticeably better. We could not figure out why they put it on a double column action for a match fired in six shot strings, seems a Super 952 would have been the way to go. But the PPC9 is accurate, and no fooling. The Aristocrat sights are an advantage, too.

 

[Sevens]

I have both a couple 952's and a 5-inch PPC-9. As far as I can tell, there is honestly zero difference in the top half of the 952-2 and the PPC-9 except for the rear sight (and a matching, taller front sight.)

That's to say that the barrel, bushing, guide rod, recoil spring and every part that handles the accuracy and lock-up... these parts are the same.

As with any two different guns (even of the same model), results will vary.

In theory, you might be able to swap barrels and the Briley spherical bushing that is sized to each barrel, and maybe you would find the OTHER gun performs better!

 

[Sevens]

Haha, with that said... if I want to outshoot my 952 or 52-2... I grab my Smith & Wesson 845!

 

[noshow]

The Model 41 is a target pistol, normally going from carrying case to bench and back. I do not know of a holster made specifically for it.

I did find that the Safariland Custom Fit #568-53, marked for the Government Model can be adjusted to accept the 5.5" barrel M41.

If you have a 7" or 7 3/8" barrel, I don't know of any holster.

I have a Safariland Model 41 Lined Holster, the only one I have ever seen, take a look:

 

[MaHaRaJaH]

Good-Evening; I have a question, was there ever a 10in. barrel / model 41 made ?

 

[Barrie]

MattaRaJah Welcome to the Forum, S&W never made any M41's with a Barrel that long. The longest Barrel were the 1st edition at 7 and 3/8th inchs long. If some one has a m41 with a 10" barrel its definitely a aftermarket made Barrel. I doubt any of us have ever seen one as well but would like to. Pics are always welcome on here.

 

[graydog]

MattaRaJah Welcome to the Forum, S&W never made any M41's with a Barrel that long. The longest Barrel were the 1st edition at 7 and 3/8th inchs long. If some one has a m41 with a 10" barrel its definitely a aftermarket made Barrel. I doubt any of us have ever seen one as well but would like to. Pics are always welcome on here.

I have learned to never say never.
Graydog