Help with my S&W M41

Hi all , I know many of you have or had a 41 I just bought a used on on the net and quite possibly know why it was sold.

After trying various types of ammo I see that this one shoots a 4 inch vertical string... left and right less than 1/4 in. btw off of sandbags (all I have) Any one have experience with this? I feel there is some potential with this one, thanks in advance

I have had problems with M41's and CCI SV ammo. 8" groups at 25 yds, usually vertical spread. In contrast, the same barrel shoots 3/4" groups at 50 yds with Eley Target.

I would have a gunsmith check the crown of the barrel. Otherwise, continue trying more brands of ammo, and not necessarily expensive ammo.

I have a 5.5" heavy barrel at the gunsmith now and it is ready to be picked up. It was shooting horizontally strung somewhat egg shaped groups at 50yds that wouldn't quite hold 10 ring so I took it to the smith when he was working on some other things of mine. We looked at the crown and it was very uneven so he said to try recrowning it. He called the other day to tell me it was done and said the entire muzzle of the barrel was .065" out of square to the length of the barrel and if the factory was orienting the crown off the muzzle that is probably why the crown looked so bad. I saved the target before the crown and will try it out after and see how it turns out. Scott

If I had a model 41, even without obvious problems, I think I would get a 7" barrel, send it off to Alex Hamilton and have him cut the barrel to 6" and re-line it. If necessary, I would have him drill and tap it for a scope mount at the same time.

Not sure how to reply to this thread but will offer my comments. I have always been told to use CCI std velocity ammo for the model 41. I have tried many different brands and most don't hold a candle to CCI std. vel for accuracy or reliability. My model 41 is about a 1980 vintage with the long barrel (7") and I am currently shooting mid-290s with it on a good day, high 280s on a bad day.

I honestly don't believe the problem with shooting a vertical string of shots has anything to do with the gun. If the barrel was bad in any way shape or form, you would be shooting consistently bad in one direction (high left, high right, low left, etc.). I suspect the problem has more to do with how you are shooting it (even with the sand bags). Try shooting it normal (Off hand) for a while and see what develops. Not sure of your classification, but unless you are a Master don't trust what your target shows you, rather, believe the gun is perfect and progress from there.

I have shot some straight line strings from time to time and have learned they are me, not the gun which is the basis for my comments.

Chris D
www.2700-270x.com

Thanks to all who have responded,I have in this order ..taken it to whom I feel is a very competent smith in northern ohio and he has checked the crown and also sent one of super -duper bore scopes down the barrel ( looks more like one of those rigs a doctor would use while you were bent over a table ) anyway he said the crown and bore were perfect also checked the bore diameter, so he said to keep seaching for the right ammo and he also recommended CCI sv however it was one of those that was stringing so I mail ordred 15 different brands from Midway and so far I have foud 2 types that shoot just over 3/4 in at 25 yd not great but better

I have a 41 barrel that keyholed CCI SV at 50 feet. With other ammos it shot better. Eley was least bad in it, but still bad. Alex Hamilton relined it and Roddy tapped it. Now it's perfect.

Another barrel, not a 41, shot all but one ammo tried as expected. Eley was an inch and under, middle rated ammos were 1-1.5". CCI GT was like 4-5", all from the ransom. I repeated the Eley and CCI GT and got the same results.