Model 41 PC Disappointment

First topic message reminder :

After much saving and researching and pestering my friend at the LGS, I finally tracked down a Performance Center 41.

$1,589.99 later, I'm one proud owner.

Install an Ultradot 4, and off to the Ikes I go.


It was very nice for the first hour, but then the problems set in.

Mag button tried to unscrew itself, allowing the magazine to fall out of the gun.

Figured that out and tightened it.

Next day - The safety is so tight, I about need a hammer to disengage it. (Yes, I know, target gun, nobody needs it...)

Drop of oil on the lever and work it a few times.

Fine.

Now, even though it's still tight, it re-engages itself after two or three rounds. The onliest way I can shoot 5 rounds is to lay my thumb on the lever.

And then the stovepipes. The feed ramp looks like a dirt road.

So off it goes back to Smith, free of charge of course.

Now, I'm not a hater, no sir, I have a pile of S&W's, including another Performance Center gun, but this M41 just doesn't seem near up to the standard... and after doing a bit of Googling, it seems that others have experienced nearly the same issues (they all do it).



What's your experience?

My model 41 was not as bad as the  S&W .32 automatic  (Number. 50) i picked up.   Sold both of them years ago.  

The 41's are a funny bunch. Seems like some of them are nothing but trouble and need a trip to someone like KC and others seem to run fine out of the box with not a hiccup. My early 70's version runs almost flawlessly and at first I thought it was because I thoroughly cleaned it every time I shoot it. Now I don't clean it unless I have shot at least 500 rounds through it and it does not seem to make a difference function wise I could probably clean it even less but I don't like a filthy firearm.  The strangest thing is that after cleaning it the first round will stovepipe and then it is back to running fine.  I am convinced that most of the problems with 41's are extractor or recoil spring related.  Hope you get yours working.  And I agree one should not have to do anything too a 1500 dollar pistol to make it run well.

Gun returned from S&W yesterday. New safety and extractor if I'm deciphering the paperwork correctly.

First 30 rounds worked flawlessly, so we shall see how it goes.


It's wonderful that they fixed it and all, but replacing parts on a brand new Performance Center gun makes me just scratch my head and wonder.

I bought an old 5 digit serial # 41 (1958) recently.  No scope, just irons.  It jammed way too often.  Sent it back to S&W after I tried the usual remedies.  They had to replace the bolt, extractor and ejector.  Just got it back $200 later and it performs flawlessly with CCI SV, Wolf and SK.  Norma Match is a problem, but a lighter spring would probably fix that.  Keeping the chamber clean is all important.

I agree that that safety is kinda weird and needs to have the right amount of tension on the screw, but it is fixable with some patience to find the right amount.

I can tell you that the drop of oil on forward point of the brass of the top round of each magazine may not be necessary in all of them, but in some of them definitely need that (like mine).  It is like magic and makes the gun function flawlessly. The ones that need this likely have a chamber that is ever so slightly smaller than the ones that do not.  It is a good thing, but needs the oil to function perfectly. I also put in a 6lb variable spring from Wolff.

I would avoid the federal ammo in this gun. CCI standard velocity is the "gold standard" for model 41s, but I have found that Aquila Rifle Match (1070 fps) to work exceedingly well in mine, so I shoot that as it is good quality and less expensive than the CCI.

I find the trigger on the the Model 41 to be nearly perfect, the overall weight to be a huge help with dampening felt recoil and aiming wobble, and it will shoot as well as you can without any adjust beyond the above.

BTW, you do not need to spend $1500 for one. I found mine used this year on gun broker for $700. It is a UBK serial number, which should be 2003 vintage. It was (and still is) missing the rear sight, but I only shoot it with a matchdot, so I don't miss it.

Well, being the open-minded guy that I am, I tried the CCI standard velocity, and have to say that the gun really likes it.

My first go around with an older 41 required a 7# recoil spring. It had a steady diet of RWS Target for the long line and CCI Standard for sustained fire with minimal stovepiping. This lasted about 5 or six years that way. I sold that gun and the long barrel as it had more collector value than the next one. The next and present one is a newer model and ran the same way until the spring wore out and the back of the breech had to be cleaned up. It is now wearing a Clark Douglas barrel (heavy). After replacing the firing pin spring and retaining pin as well as a 7# spring it likes CCI Standard and with it, it groups about 3/16ths larger than old Eley club which groups about the same as a new FWB AW93 grouping about an inch and a half @ 50yds. (and costing around $2500). So I guess for the price point the 41 is still a pretty good value, not that I wouldn't mind having an FWB

(I realize that this is an old thread.)

So this issue with the safety more or less went away when I started shooting standard velocity ammo, and I just put it out of my mind. But it reared its ugly head during a league shoot the other night.

So I called KC Customs as many of you recommended, fully intending to send the gun in, and he told me over the phone just to put a little bend in the leaf spring that applies pressure to the safety, so I tried it and we'll see how it goes.

Guys like this are what make this hobby great.

AllAces wrote:Send it to KC, period.

+1

I picked up a 2021 vintage 7” earlier this year. Experienced a couple Fail to Fire in the first couple mags. Has run perfect since. Was running Federal HV to insure new gun cycling. After about 300 rounds switched to CCI SV AND a buffer for future HV.
  But this gun shipped with the tightest trigger guard I have seen. Was concerned the guard would snap off. The first time cleaning I stopped with guard stuck halfway. Had to use two hands to squeeze closed. Almost resorted to vise and hammer. 
  Pulled barrel and it was the same without a barrel. Oiled up the pawl and pawl cam. And it became better every trip to the range. Firing seemed to loosen the lockup. After 500 rounds it is normal, hard enough to open or close. 
  It shoots great. Not quite as accurate as a 6” X-Essee but differences are very small. Like the M41 better for steel, seems to float across the rack smoother. 
  Assume the safety issues were addressed at factory. Never had an issue. But shooting left handed might play into this.

gone

That's cool, man.. you're entitled to your opinion.

I'm going to stick with it for now.. since shooting in the (relatively informal) league down at the Ike's is all I use the gun for anyway.