Old Smith and Wesson model 41

[Jack Gilbert]

Last year I found a model 41 with the 7 3/8 barrel with the muzzle brake. The gun is 85-90% with most blueing wear on the forward part of the slide, none on the front grip area. The gun has no "A" prefix, serial number 11XXX, some scratches on the brake, no radius behind the trigger guard, and the cocking indicator. The gun is clean, no dinged screws, sights perfect, very clean and well maintained. The accuracy is what would be expected from a model 41.

I paid $615 for this pistol. Did I do all right?  Some tire kickers were angling for $550 but I figured these older models are not real common.

I'd like some input on this.   It doesn't like "loss leader" ammo, Blazer etc. won't even begin to cycle the action. Winchester Super X and CCI Mini-mag work great.

Thanks for your answers.

Jack

[Graybeard]

I've not kept up with pricing on the M41 recently but around here they were going that that and more several years back so I'd say you got a very good deal on it based on the way they sell here. I've owned two or three of them over the years but am without one at this time. Along with the old High Standard pistols they are about the best target 22s money can buy.

[rockbilly]

I have to agree with GB, the model 41 is the cream of the crop for a .22 target pistol.  I havwe two from days of competion, one is a Jim Clark re-work the other is a out of the box tack driver. 

I have seen them from one extream to another, but it sounds like you got a good deal on this one.  Just for the record, I wouldn't take a thousand bucks for either one of mine.

[Jack Gilbert]

The clincher was that I looked at a brand new competitor's target pistol with the scope mount--real nice, at $440. However, to quote Mr. Hemingway, the trigger was like the last turn of the key on a sardine can, which dates that description since most sardine cans have pull tabs now.

Given that I had the money in my pocket from selling a Winchester model 70 Classic Sporter for a good price, and that a trigger job would cost quite a bit just to approximate the trigger on the Smith, I decided that the model 41 was the way to go. The previous owner must have seen the sights like I did because the pistol was dead on at 25 yards. I have a Hoppes spinner target and it is a blast to shoot with this gun. I pulled the first shot because of the wonderful trigger on it. I think the gun is a second or third year manufacture and probably has a lot of handwork in it--it sure fits up like it.

Thanks for the comments.