SMITH & WESSON MODEL 41

NEED SOME FEED BACK. I WANT TO PURCHASE A SMITH & WESSON MODEL 41 FOR BULLEYS SHOOTING. SHOULD I BY A USED ONE OR NEW ONE, AND BARREL LENGHT, 5:5 OR 7 INCH BARREL, NEED HELP, THANKS.

Based on my past experiences with them,I would buy a Marvel,Nelson,or a Feinwerkbau.

The 41's take a bit of tweaking to get them at 100%. Accuracy is hit and miss on them,too.

Like I stated, that's MY experience with them.

Really get one to shoot for a while people either like them or hate them. You might want to buy a used one and if you do not like it you can resell it and not loose much money. Barrels are easily swapped out usually other shooters will let you try out the longer or shorter barrel on your gun so that the only difference would be the barrel and not the grip or trigger.

I know you are asking about a 41 but have you given any thought on a different gun. I own a 41, HS and Ruger. I just picked up a used Walther GSP and if you look around you can pick them up much cheaper then a 41 and it is more accurate and less finicky when it come to ammo. IMO

Miguel,
Search through some of the posts regarding the model 41.  There are some threads regarding the problems found on both old and new models and how do get those problems rectified.  You are going to want to read through those to help you decide whether used or new is right for you.

The main advantage of new is warranty and the fact that there's something nice about a new S&W.

The advantage of used is that often there is a track record of its reliability and accuracy.  The newer models are drilled for optic mounts.  The older ones were probably fitted just a tad better.  

As others have stated, you need to try them.

miguel.medina.98478672 wrote:NEED SOME FEED BACK. I WANT TO PURCHASE A SMITH & WESSON MODEL 41 FOR BULLEYS SHOOTING. SHOULD I BY A USED ONE OR NEW ONE, AND BARREL LENGHT, 5:5 OR 7 INCH BARREL, NEED HELP, THANKS.

Staying with the question
If you are going with open sights, get the 7" for the long sight radius

If optic sight, and you are strong, get the 5.5

If optic and you want lighter get the 7" and have it shortened to 5.5

If your hand is thick like mine, watch out for slide bite. 

To me the 41 is the hardest to fit with a comfortable grip.

But I like the overall ergonomics otherwise.

Compared to 1911 and conversions, the 41 is rather complex inside.

Hello miguel.medina.98478672,

My short answers....

   Get an used one.
   I like the 5.5" barrels; my personal preference....try both.

There are lots of M41 haters out there (LOL)....if you like the ergonomics, once set up correctly and with the proper ammunition, not winning matches will not be the pistol's fault.

If I were going the model 41 route, I'd get a used one, have the 7" barrel shortened to 6" and have the barrel relined and a trigger job. Alex Hamilton in San Antonio does very good work.

I have seriously shot only the 41, a HS Supermatic bull barrel (original angle grip), and for only a few sessions, a 1980s Browning Buckmark.

I like the 41 grip the best. I shoot a tiny bit better with it than the Hi Standard. The Buckmark, I didn't spend enough time to really tell, except that I could make it work but found the grip a tiny, only a tiny, bit less "good" than the perfectly fine HS grip.

All standard grips on these.

Based on the reports I see here, I would recommend you either borrow a 41 for a FULL month and start by really, truly testing your desired ammo at 50 yards. IF it shoots 2-1/2 inches or tighter, then put at least six boxes through it, keeping track of your scores. 

Don't make any conclusions if your ammo is junk. Don't make any firm conclusions if your wobble area is all around the edges of the black and never improves, UNLESS you have a smaller wobble area with a different pistol, AND the scores to match those better calls.

If it progresses to purchase, I would then recommend buying used with a plan to re-line the barrel only if it just won't shoot tighter than 2 inches at 50 yards with at least three different ammos *better* than CCI SV. 

The one I run does fine so long as the temperatures are above 40-45°F with regular ammo. CCI Mini-Mags do fine in the cold and group about 2-1/2 inches at 50, not great but good enough for practice and WILL clean the target at 25 if I would just hold harder.

And if you're lucky, you won't have to re-line the barrel. Or maybe, if you're lucky a different way, you WILL need to re-line and will then have a nice pistol shooting 1-inch or better at 50 yards...

I own a early (A series) model 41 7 3/8-in barrel that is very accurate and ran for years with few issues until I shot the firing pin out of it. I've replaced the firing pin, extractor, and spring, and had it drilled and tapped to mount a micro dot sight. It shoots the high velocity ammo, e.g., CCI min mag, just fine but it was just inconsistent enough with the standard velocity ammo to be a pain. Even one alibi per match is one too many.

The problem with model 41s is brass sometimes gets trapped under the rear flange of the barrel that supports the rear sight. One solution is to mount a red dot on the front part of the barrel and cut of the rear flush with the breech face (I can't imaging taking a hack saw to my 41 barrel though).

Clark Custom Guns sells a Bullseye Optic barrel for the 41 that has Pickatinny rails (http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/41swcnmn.htm) and comes with or without the rear portion of the barrel. An older shooter at our club has one and it is a sweet gun.

Another option is the Hammerli Xesse soled by Larry's Guns. You might consider his aftermarket trigger, trigger guard, and trigger job. A fellow shooter has one and compares it to his 208s; see (http://www.larrysguns.com/Departments/New-Guns/FONT-SIZE3-COLORBLACKB--HammerliBFont.aspx).

Or check out used European sports pistols (mostly Walther GSPs). If you shop around, you can pick up a used GSP 22 for about $600 to $700 in decent condition. These are accurate, have adjustable triggers, and digest all ammo. They are kind of big and clunky and could be used as a small club. I'd shun the 32 S&W barrels; pain to load and inaccurate at 50 yards.

I'd recommend going with the Hammerli and spending the bucks for trigger job and later for a custom grip. Hammerli's have adjustable triggers (as do model 41s). Or go the pure 1911 route and buy a 1911 22 conversion like Nelson or Marvel. With a used gun, you can get a great buy or a great pain in the pistola; at least with a new gun you both are starting even.

Whatever you do, take your time and try as many guns as possible. Welcome to the addiction (you can't ever own enough guns...), dipnet

I love my Model 41s and 46s. Still, if were to recommend a pistol today for bullseye it would be a Nelson 1911 conversion or a Hammerli 208/208S.

Speaking from my own experience with a serial number UDC... (which I think means circa 1999)

I bought it with a 7" barrel which had been drilled for a rail and an Ultradot added.  It is a fantastic first bullseye gun.  They have been around for a long time so you can get parts and people to work on it.  Mine was very happy with a variety of ammo. You should get some Wolff recoil springs.  You can experiment with 6lb-7.5lb springs to get things tuned to your ammo.  My particular gun is very happy with CCI SV and a 7lb spring.  With iron sights, you will still get an occasional alibi from a stovepipe.  The barrel extension that holds the rear sight confines the ejection space and occasionally things bounce just so... I bought a Clark Custom STC 5.5" barrel which has a built in rail and no rear sight. No more stovepipes.  I put the optics on that barrel.  With these I can switch from red-dot on the 5.5" barrel to iron-sights on the 7" barrel without tools.  It's so easy it only takes seconds.

If you want to play with grips, almost all grip makers offer grips for the M41.  I tried factory and two aftermarket grips to discover what I like and what works for me.

I had two problems with the gun.  When I put on my first aftermarket grip, I torqued the grip screws tight.  Wrong!  I must have put some tension on the frame and things just didn't quite work.  With the screws snug instead of tight, all was well again.  I also had a slidestop/ejector break.  A replacement was $50 and now I keep a spare.

As you probably know, you shouldn't dry-fire a .22 unless you protect the firing pin and the surface it will otherwise strike.  People have found ways to do so but I haven't seen anything I would call elegant. 

Can you buy a more accurate gun?  Maybe but I'm not so sure.  Can you buy a "better" gun?  Yes.  I myself have upgraded to something at twice(+) the price to get the best possible trigger.  I'm still fond of the M41 but it doesn't see much work at matches any more.