High Masters and S&W 41

Does anyone know of present or past HM's that shoot/shot M41's?

A lot of the AMU champions in the 60s and 70s shot 41s.  If you’re asking if you need a “Euro-gun” to make high master, no you don’t.  It MIGHT make it easier, maybe, but you still need to develop the skill.

Mario Lozoya won Perry in 1992 using 41.
Jon

And, no doubt, Mr. Mario Lozoya, was a highly talented shooter.  I have to admit that I had never heard that name before, but if JE speaks, I listen!

I have never owned a 41 - I am "an observer from afar". No doubt that there are dozens, if not hundreds of very accurate and reliable 41's out there, any one of which, in the right hands, could be capable of winning just about anything.

Jon Eulette wrote:Mario Lozoya won Perry in 1992 using 41.
Jon

Jim Lenardson also used an S&W41 to win the 1988, 1990 and 1995 Championships.  I suspect there have been several others over the years which, I believe, include Don Hamilton in 1969.

Mike

There's a high master in Southern Illinois that used a model 41 until he switched to pardini

For quite some time a 41 was one if  the go to top 22 options. I would be willing to bet most masters/high masters have spent at least some time behind a 41.

A 7" 41 with an Ultra Dot got me close and if I had stuck with it I have no doubt I could have made it, but at the time I thought I needed a Euro to do it and it didn't help since I had to learn to shoot a different style pistol grip. I should have kept the 41.
I still shoot a 208 but old age and cataracts have hampered my journey.

Dan Webb wrote:Does anyone know of present or past HM's that shoot/shot M41's?

Larry Carter, who at the time was shooting a Hammerli 215 with 2 stage trigger, told me that a S&W model 41 which had a re-lined barrel and reliability job would be an excellent choice. The Hammerli autos came ready to shoot great right out-of-the-box and their 2 stage triggers were greatly touted. It seems that Larry thought the S&W needed some help. That being said, not all model 41's are equal. There are especially a lot of complaints about the recent "Performance Center" ones, if you believe the many internet comments.

Don Hamilton, Kingston, MA

Larry Ragni 2655 shooter, and Danny Fung, 2630 shooter, both from the 1980’s, used 5 1/2” 41’s.

Cliff White, and with iron sights too….

Still shooting it and putting up great scores.

chiz1180 wrote:For quite some time a 41 was one if  the go to top 22 options. I would be willing to bet most masters/high masters have spent at least some time behind a 41.

When I started on the Army team in 1966 I was first given a HS for .22.  When I didn't like it I was given a 41 and loved it.

Mike

Hello Dan Webb,

I know of one....Mr. Oliver (Ollie) A. Smith....High Master and member of the 2650 Club (1999).  I shot with him weekly up to his passing a few years ago.  He used a M41 exclusively.

Also, I've heard that Gunny Zins used a M41 for several years.

Jim

I borrowed a 41 with 7" barrel at Ft. Benning one time to shoot 2700. I was there for int. free and air matches and didn't have my guns. Broke 2600 first time with irons and shot the tightest 100-10X I've ever shot. All 10 shots ragged little hole. 
But I didn't care for the 41 grips and never shot one again. Too bad CMM 1911 grip adapters weren't around back then.
Jon

A seven inch barrel balanced out great and wasn't muzzle heavy.
Yeah the grips were a bit of a hold back. I made my own out of a piece of walnut I had laying around for knife handles that I made.

mbmshooter wrote:

chiz1180 wrote:For quite some time a 41 was one if  the go to top 22 options. I would be willing to bet most masters/high masters have spent at least some time behind a 41.

When I started on the Army team in 1966 I was first given a HS for .22.  When I didn't like it I was given a 41 and loved it.

Mike

Slightly off topic, do you recall what variant high standard? 

Back to the 41. In the context of the era it was designed, the design has some appeal that others may not have, even to this day. The 5.5” vs 7” barrel, completely changes the balance of the gun. In modern context, you can easily swap from a barrel with an optic to barrel with metallic sights with no tools, I can not do that with my 208 or 1911 conversions.

I started with a 80’s vintage M41, still have it, and shoot it on par with anything else I have. Used it to go D22.

My 41 has irons on the 7" and optic on the 5.5", and it is a quick and easy swap.

That said there is also an easy sight-swap option for 208, courtesy of Kevin Wilkins in Deutschland.  Posted here before, he makes a rear sight assembly / Docter plate optics mount that replaces the iron rear sight and is fastened by a single hex bolt.*  I have a Vortex Venom optic mounted this way, and it takes about 20 seconds to remove it and install the iron sight.

https://wilkins-knives.com/red-dot-mounts/

*The Docter plate works with reflex-type optics, but not tube / pic-rail optics

I got to shoot next to Hershel Anderson who shot a spiffy S&W M41 5.5 inch barrel with forward slide serrations like a Hammerli 208. Likely Travis Strahan worked it over for him.

Not sure even though I shot with her at my home club but I Think Ruby Fox shot a 41.

Rodger Barthlow wrote:Not sure even though I shot with her at my home club but I Think Ruby Fox shot a 41.

Ruby shot Hammerli 208 primarily.  Before that a Bob Chow HS.
Jon

Thanks for the clarification Jon. She would visit my club with another member when she was passing threw so she may have been using a borrowed pistol.

Dan Webb wrote:Does anyone know of present or past HM's that shoot/shot M41's?

In the beginning there was Harry Reeve who broke 2600 with revolvers six years before anyone else .
Then the first auto was a Colt  Woodsman that had its fault ,  the rear sight was mounted on floating the slide .
Then High Standare entered the sport but it had the same problem as Colt until they mounted a bridge sight  ( designed and first used by the USAMU Ft Benning ) .
Then along came  the Model 41 and it was the 22 of choice by most high masters until...
Along came the 208 and FWB.
I shot my personal best (893)  with a Model 41 serial A 500XXX with a 7 3/8" barrel that would shoot a 30 shot group ( in my Ransom Rest ) under 1" with  good ammo.. 
It is the highest serial number of the 16 that I have . Most are under 24XXX as I like the old ones .
Cheers and shoot a clean target .

Thanks for all of the replies. I worded "high masters" intentionally. Not past champions, top shooters, or record holders for a reason. HM in bullseye came about in 94ish as far as I can figure. I started two years later. Not trying to buy points or classification upgrades. It been almost 30 years and I've never seen a HM shooting a M41. High Standards, 208's, and 1911 conversions. Why? Trigger? Reliability? Grip? Feel? Why are today's top shooters using something else? Thanks!