Smith and Wesson 41 PC

Fabarm12345

I bought this new 4 weeks ago and have nothing but issues, stove pipes,failure to feed ,failure to extract, magazines dropping out while shooting. I used it in competition and lost all confidence in it, I used various types of ammo in it even high velocity rounds and have put 500 rounds through it to run it in

i think this is going back to smith and Wesson as the price does not reflect the quality of the pistol I am so disappointed in it

Louedel

Sorry to hear about this. Little know secret about the Model 41, they are very ammo sensetive. I need to put a small drop of oil on the first cartridge in each magazine for it to run (recommended by old time users in the US). Faluire to this will result in FTF and FTE irrespective of the ammo used. This is after I've put in wolf springs and the recoil buffer. Try it and see. The magazine piece I can't help you with.

Fabarm12345

I tried the ago old drop of oil and it feeds well for about 10 shots and then back to issues I sent it back today to where I bought it, so hopefully all will be resolved not holding my breath might try the spring and buffer to resolve issues if not back to smith and Wesson these are 2,720 euro pistols pc

Wadi14

Send it back

dc99

Hi, Regarding the Mag dropping out when shooting (or indeed failing out when moving the slide into battery...)

I too purchased a lovely m41 and it came with 2 magazines - both worked flawlessly.

However, I also purchased 4 new magazines (new meaning they came in a S&W card and blister pack - the current ones on offer).

I was gutted when I first inserted them and they failed to lock in or stay in when even just moving the slide forward- not to mind dropping out when shooting.

I got my digital callipers and measured everything possible to compare them to the two working mags.

I finally got the tools out (files and plier) intent on doing stuff to one of the new mags with the knowledge that I might just be sacrificing one mag to maybe get the other three working...

I had one final look and noticed something. I thought that it might also be the the small magazine catch inside the grip that might be worn - but I was sceptical as the two mags worked and i couldn't measure it....and why would 2 work and 4 not (mags).

But i did notice (with the grips removed) that there was a little play in the thickness of the new magazines so i tested it with a tiny square of electrical insulation tape - IT WORKED!!!

That's all it needed - a little thickening up of the magazine. Now I could go and take a chance and try to widen the magazine - and that could damage the mag - so I decided that electrical insulation tape was cheap - if it got wore off i just reapply....so check the accompanying picture for what fixed my magazine drops... I do have one magazine that will not eject the same as the others - that i have to pull it from the mag well....but i can live with this.

You didn't say if the m41 you purchased is brand new (as in your the first owner) or second hand?

IF yours is a second hand model - maybe the previous owner tried to "tune" the recoil by replacing the standard 7.5 lb recoil spring with a Wolff tuning spring (Wolff spring tuning kit available as a set of 6, 6.5 and 7 lb springs). I believe this spring set is to tune the recoil to specific ammo.

I use the standard velocity CCI in mine and all the postings on the US boards all say the same - CCI std. velocity is the one that works.

Also check where you place your non-dominant hand (I mean Fingers really). Have you a finger on the side of the slide (the left fore finger, if your pulling the trigger with the right fore finger). I usually put my left fore finger on the front of the trigger guard, but when a pal of mine shot my m41 - i saw that he put his left fore finger on the side of the slide. The gun had a stove pipe and failure to feed immediately.

He was slowing down the action - and interfered with extraction and feed of next round (you may very well not be doing this - but its worth asking).

Apparently, a way of checking if the extractor is working correctly - is to remove the barrel and slide.

Take the slide and place a round in the slide - held by the extractor and hold the slide with the round pointing downward and shake! A weak extractor or worn extractor will not retain the round....obviously use your judgement on how much shaking as a violent shake will dislodge anything .. but a stern shake should do. Use your judgement on the amount of shake.

Just my couple of cent and maybe these will help you get the m41 firing - it is unreal how accurate it is - i can't miss with mine and i would not be the best shooter in the club.....

let me know if any of this helps to sort out the issues?

Fabarm12345

Thanks for your very detailed assessment of the s@w 41 pc, my pistol is brand new and I sent it back to where I bought it, they fired it with few issues but used mini mag 1235 fps these worked better but my gun really likes cci standard but it has FTF and FTE and stove pipes with cci standard, also one magazine was defective they replaced it with a new one, approximately 600 rounds through it, hopefully it will get better with more rounds down the barrel