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Thread: S&W Model 41 - need some help

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    S&W Model 41 - need some help

    Hello gents,
    Iīm a proud owner of an older one of this beauties.

    In the last time she shows up some issues.
    Sometimes I just canīt shoot, the trigger doesnīt move, it feels like the gun is empty and no magacine is inserted (which is not of course).

    And sometimes I just canīt drop the magazine.
    I press the mag release, but the mag doesnīt come out.

    I think this are two different problems, but donīt know for sure.

    Any ideas?
    Every help or info is welcome.
    "In lead we trust!"

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master

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    The model 41 is a fine solid handgun, is your the 5 1/2" or 7" model? Just curious here is all. I would start out with a full disassembled cleaning and see if that fixes the problems. 22s are notorious for dumping crud into the actions and build up of same. It may be in need of a good cleaning is all. Same with the magazine. put the frame iin a solvent tank and scrup it out good then clean again in fresh solvent and blow out dry good then very lightly lube. Also clean the outsides of the mags and check for dings or sprung spots. Look for rub marks also.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    Thanks country gent,
    itīs not that I would not be able to dissesamble it, re-essambling is what makes me thinking...

    "In lead we trust!"

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master


    stubshaft's Avatar
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    I just pull the grips on mine and give it a good shot of Brakleen to clear all of the crud out.
    Old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway!

    Men who don't understand women fall into two categories: bachelors and husbands!

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I clean the receiver on my K-80 in an ultra sonic unit with mineral spirits. It is very effective. No way, I would ever take it apart.
    Don Verna


  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I owned two of them at one time. My first thought was needing a very good cleaning also.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    Greetings

    Your hard trigger pull could be because your trigger stop is set to close...screw it in a 1/4 turn and try it.

    Your mag release problem could be because its adjusted to hard....to soften it you need to depress the little pin in the center of the mag button..while holding the button in turn the mag button out 1/4 turn ...it may have to go 1/2 turn to get it to lock into the grove...once you have turned the buttone a little let the pin out and continue turning till it locks in.

    hope this helps its been a very long time since iv dealt with a 41.

    John J

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Hey folks,
    thanks for your responses.

    Well, like I said, Iīm not sure if it is a good idea, if I would strip it totally.
    Wouldnīt be the first time, that I make small parts fly away and never be found again.

    Cleaned the pistol field-stripped and oiled it lightly.

    John J, do you say there is a little pin in the middle of the mag release button, did I get that right?
    I tried to push on that little knob there, but nothing happened so far.
    What I just remarked is, that the mag release works great without the grip panels.

    After cleaning, lubing and turning the trigger stop a 1/2 turn in, the trigger runs so far by dry-firing.
    "In lead we trust!"

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    Greetings

    Yes under the mag button is a pin with a spring over it...you depress the pin a little and unscrew the button off to disassemble the catch...so be careful...the underside of the button has a slot across it so it locks in in half turns...you may have to put a drop of bore cleaner on the center pin and let it soak in to loosen up all the grime that has worked its way in there.

    John J

  10. #10
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    The 41 is fairly easy to take apart. As others have said if it has been abused by not being properly
    cleaning gunk build up is like cement and needs to be dissolved before any attempt is made to
    remove any screws. I would take grip off and spray it out with PB Blaster or Kroil and leave it sit
    and soak in. This is for any gun that is been allowed to gunk up. It's easier to do this than rear up
    screw heads and such.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    Also ammo sensitive.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    .

    FWIW, the easiest cleaning for auto-loading pistols that I've found is:

    1) Remove the grips

    2) Remove & empty the magazine

    3) Remove the slide (optional)

    4) Place the magazine, frame & slide (on or off the frame) into a pail of new/clean kerosene for a 2hr soak

    5) Swirl the metal parts in the kero for a few minutes before removing them from the kero

    6) Wipe down the exterior of the metal parts with an oily rag

    7) Re-assemble the pistol

    The removed fouling/crud will be seen dissolved as a black film in the bottom of the kero pail.

    The kero dissolves the crud in those interior/hard-to-get-to places, AND will leave a thin oily film on those same places fater the carrier has evaporated, protecting the metal from corrosion.

    Since the kero can have a strong odor, I do the swim-n-swirl in my shed or garage instead of inside my home.





    .
    Now I lay me down to sleep
    A gun beside me is what I keep
    If I awake, and you're inside
    The coroner's van is your next ride

  13. #13
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    georgerkahn's Avatar
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    I concur 100% with pietro's suggestions! However, I find the smell from kerosene "follows" the gun for way too long, imho. I put a similarly cleaned pistol in my gun box, and a half-hour later when I opened it at range... WOW ! A fellow suggested, of all things, Aladdin Lamp Oil which is odor-free kerosene. I bought a quart at a local hardware store, and found it works every bit as well as the stinky stuff... it does cost a few cents more than kero -- but in my opinion it is an option worth every penny! Good luck. (I, too, own an oldie-but-goodie -- from 1970s -- 41)
    geo

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    I'm using SV ammo and it just seem to quite have enough recoil to get the slide all the way back. I just ordered a 6lb spring to see if a lighter spring will help, maybe get to work with some sub sonic that way too. Mine just doesn't quite get the slide back far enough to cock on all shots. Random stove pipe too.

    Love that idea about using odor free kerosene (lamp oil).

  15. #15
    Boolit Master Forrest r's Avatar
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    The s&w 41's are a fine target pistol, shot them for years with the 7 3/8", 7" & 5.5" bbl's. Kept 3 different spring weights for the different ammo/bbl combo's.

    A link to maintenance for the 41.
    http://guntalk-online.com/Model41maintenance.htm

    The mag release issue your having is more common than most people think. Change grips and the mag release need adjusted more often then not. Had a heck of a time with a set of herrett grips, took a lot of adjusting & filing/sanding on the grips to get the mag release to work 100%. Sounds like you need to adjust the mag release out more if it works without the grips but doesn't with the grips on.

    I've bought a lot of aftermarket parts from EWK for several different firearms over the years. EWK does sell an aftermarket mag release for $14.
    http://www.ewkarms.com/zen8/index.ph...products_id=61

    Good luck with your 41, when you get everything dialed in find 1 brand/type of ammo an stay with it. SK standard plus is your friend.

  16. #16
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    georgerkahn's Avatar
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    As mentions have been added re ammunition, I'm adding my two pennies: Many years of Bullseye shooting did in fact give credence to the Model 41's selective ammunition appetite. For me, I once purchased a brick of CCI Pistol Match .22 which was a dismal failure. With a half-dozen other 41 shooters on the line each week, the ammo of choice for all of us turned out to be CCI .22 Green Tag. Some shooters, too, regularly placed a small drop of oil on the top of the showing round in loaded magazine. If you research and/or ring Clark Custom Guns -- https://clarkcustomguns.com/gun/sw-model-41/ -- where I was given this advice -- they suggest this practice eliminates a myriad of problems, notably failure to feed, stove-piping, etc. You might wish to view their U-tube "tip" video showing this at https://clarkcustomguns.com/gunsmith...r-22-45-sw-41/ . I have two Clark barrels, and had work done on my 41 by them -- imho, worth every penny!
    BEST!
    geo

  17. #17
    Boolit Master Forrest r's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by georgerkahn View Post
    As mentions have been added re ammunition, I'm adding my two pennies: Many years of Bullseye shooting did in fact give credence to the Model 41's selective ammunition appetite. For me, I once purchased a brick of CCI Pistol Match .22 which was a dismal failure. With a half-dozen other 41 shooters on the line each week, the ammo of choice for all of us turned out to be CCI .22 Green Tag. Some shooters, too, regularly placed a small drop of oil on the top of the showing round in loaded magazine. If you research and/or ring Clark Custom Guns -- https://clarkcustomguns.com/gun/sw-model-41/ -- where I was given this advice -- they suggest this practice eliminates a myriad of problems, notably failure to feed, stove-piping, etc. You might wish to view their U-tube "tip" video showing this at https://clarkcustomguns.com/gunsmith...r-22-45-sw-41/ . I have two Clark barrels, and had work done on my 41 by them -- imho, worth every penny!
    BEST!
    geo
    Sk standard + has slimy owl snot on them they call lube. No need to oil anything it's already on every round.

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