For S&W M41 Lovers

Hi all,

Here's some pix of a custom M41 build for a customer.  The 5" heavy barreled M41's are too heavy with optical sights, and the optics often get mounted too far forward.  Also, unless you have large hands the factory grips are too large.  So, I'll take a 7" barreled M41 and cut it to 5" and re-crown the muzzle.  Then reshape the rear sight extension and install a thin Weaver scope base.  To stiffen the sight base extension I'll mount the Weaver base with three #8 screws.  Mounting the scope over the grip minimizes the perceived wobble, and balances the entire pistol very well.  For the grips I re-shape a set of Herrett Trainers so they more closely match the 1911 frame angles.  This pistol started out as a 1980's "A Series" 7 inch gun.  Also attached are some 20 shot test groups fired with cheap Std. Vel. ammo.  All of the work including the pistol and two mags, and the UltraDot and Leupold rings, came to more than $500 less than a Performance Center pistol and scope.  Also, the factory triggers on the M41 are too crisp and so I change them to a slight roll, or smooth creep.

Cheers,
Roddy

THAT IS COOL. I LIKE THE LOOKS OF IT. JP

Roddy,

Nice post on Model 41s.  I appreciate your input on how you set up the Model 41.

I take it from your perspective you are not a fan of the Performance Center Model 41?  They have come down quite a bit and can be had on Gunbroker for less that $1300 now.  I am not sure what S&W is doing right now but they seem to be pumping them out.

Thanks for the post,
Jeff

Nice job on the barrel. I bet it balances well.

I also like the 20 shot groups. I shot my M41 in a Ransom Rest with 30 shot groups and got the same results with CCI SV. I like checking for worst performance.

Love it. Very nice.

Thanks for posting!!!

Outstanding! Great project pistol! You did a fantastic job on it.
Jon

Hi All,

In my email I screwed up with the barrel descriptions.  The cut down barrels that I do on the 7" M41's, end up at 5.5", not 5".  And the factory S&W Heavy Barrel pistols all have a 5.5" barrel.  Sorry for the typo, or otherwise brain freeze.

Cheers,
Roddy

Nice.

I have Random Rest groups from one of my 41s at .75", and broke 890 with it (with iron sights).

I never loved the trigger, and the balance always seemed a little front-heavy and twitchy. And now I'm shooting dots. I also have little teenage-girl hands, so I like the idea of slim grips.

This is relevant to my interests.

Beautiful!!!!    

You're quite the magician!

Looks familiar.  These feel real good in the hand this way.  The 41 here presently has a Nill grip on it.  It is also very good in the hand with a CMM 45 grip

Aren't the hammers and sears case hardened making trigger work difficult? Break thru the hard layer and you're toast?

bruce martindale wrote:Aren't the hammers and sears case hardened making trigger work difficult? Break thru the hard layer and you're toast?

Yes,  you're toast if you don't know what you're doing.  All the trigger work I do on the 41's does not affect the sear and hammer hook contact  areas.

Cheers,
Roddy

Roddy did some work on my 41, a new PC model. His work is flawless, Rick Tornello

Beautiful!

Roddy is a master craftsman and a perfectionist.

He is also a magician, because he routinely manages to act as Match Director, Range Officer, Statistician and shoot the EEGC 2700's too!!! Oh, and do any necessary gunsmithing on competitors weapons during the lunch-break. Amazing!

Very nice build!

Mr Toyota,
  The mount you installed on my Hammerli 208 years ago is still in great shape.  However, the Ultra-Dot
that rode on it konked.  Haven't shot 2700s in a while, but still practice.
  Please name a couple red-dot scopes that you recommend for rimfire & .45.  Cost isn't a limiting factor.
  Just re-joined Bullseye-Net & was happy to see your name...and your great equipment advice.
--Dozo46

Dozo46 wrote:Mr Toyota,
  The mount you installed on my Hammerli 208 years ago is still in great shape.  However, the Ultra-Dot
that rode on it konked.  Haven't shot 2700s in a while, but still practice.
  Please name a couple red-dot scopes that you recommend for rimfire & .45.  Cost isn't a limiting factor.
  Just re-joined Bullseye-Net & was happy to see your name...and your great equipment advice.
--Dozo46

Hi,
Please send me a PM (Private Message) with your name and contact info.  And tell me who you are??  Over the yrs I've worked a thousands of guns and I don't remember anyone named Dozo46.

Cheers,
Roddy

I also had my 7" barrel cut down to 5 1/2 inches by Alex Hamilton at 10-Ring Precision and i really like the weight and balance of the modified pistol much better than the original barrel or the standard 5" heavy barrel  Would you kindly provide more detail on your modification the Herrett trainer grips?  

thanks
archer gravely