Model 41 S&W Slide Stop Failure Rate

First topic message reminder :

I have two model 41's and both have had their slide stop fail with in the last 3 months. I have owned them for about the same length of time and in that time I have fired between 36-37K rounds through them combined. I guess the split on ammo fired is 45 to 55%. Is the failure rate at about 18K rounds an expected, or should I say, not an unexpected event? 

Not a big deal if that is the norm. A $48 part and 15 minutes with a screw driver and repair is made.

Just curious but I thought it wise to have a spare after the first, hence the 15 minute comment and I have already ordered another spare.

My 1968 M41 is a tack driver and has never had a reliability problem. I wouldn't trade it for two new ones.

Pinetree wrote:My 2017 PC M41 went back to Smith & Wesson under warranty for the same issue of the safety flopping around causing a FTF. It wasn't any better when it came back, and KC Crawford was kind enough to tell me the secret, which is to just put a little more bend in the spring steel part that applies pressure on the safety.

Been working great ever since.

What part did you put more bend in.  My safety is causing FTF issues.

This conversation about the Model 41 slide stop is confirmation of everything that I have heard anout new production 41 s. I have a couple that have a couple of hundred thousand rounds each and have never heard of this problem in OLD 41s .I personally would not own a new one if you gave it to me .

When S&W designed the model 41, they obviously had a pre-war Walther (or post-war Hämmerli/Walther) Olympia on hand.  The 41 is a very close copy in most respects.  The changes S&W made have some advantages.  Takedown is a little easier with the 41.  Quick detachment of the barrel on the S&W is nice, too.  Does the rear sight extension offer an advantage over the Olympia whose rear sight mounts on the slide?  Well, brass doesn’t get jammed with the Olympia like it does on the 41!  
But, to my thinking, the worst change S&W made was with the combination slide stop/ejector, a cheesy, crude stamped metal part.
Somebody mentioned the metallurgy of this part.  Do you think that, maybe, the durability of this critical functioning part is perhaps compromised by using an alloy that lends itself to stamped and bending fabriction??  
In contrast, on the Olympia there is a dedicated slide stop and dedicated ejector.  Both were robust machined steel parts.  The ejector is precisely made and fitted.  I’ve never experienced the slightest problem with it.
Too bad S&W decided to go cheap on such an important functioning part!

Oh, one other thing about the 41 vs the Olympia…the quality of metal polishing and bluing is vastly superior with the Olympia.  The “nicest” 41 you’ve ever seen will look like it was buffed on a belt sander when compared to an Olympia!

Anyhow I’m sorry this doesn’t help anyone solve their problem, but maybe, at least, offers an informative insight.

PS: another noteworthy difference between the 41 and the Olympia is that with the latter the muzzle brake actually works and doesn’t foul up like on the 41.   

If you visit the Hammerli museum in Switzerland you will see a pistol in a glass case that you would bet was a Model 41 . That is until you examine it up close up and notice that it has Hammerli stamped all over it . They could not get it to function to their satisfaction .

Evidently you have never put your hands on or ever viewed close up a pre 1960 Model 41 . It has a little finish like no other !
On the slide stop issue I have probably shot 1 - 200000 rounds through my old ( early 60s) 41 and have never had that problem nor have I heard any of my shooting friends having this issue .

QC on these pistols must be erratic. I bought one new in the early 90's and the only prob was the occassional trapping of a spent case. I installed a CMM grip adaptor on it, cut the long barrel to 5.5", but never shot it as well as the Giles HS's I had used. Finally sold it and am using Marvels. I have learned that aging improves wine and whiskey it doesn't help pistol scores!

Ron Habegger