Date an Early S&W Model 41 for me?

[krs]

I don't much care where it was first shipped but do wonder what year it was made.

I've just bought Model 41 serial # 16427.

It has the 7 3/8" barrel and came with two magazines, and three screw in weights, one aluminum and two steel, that screw into a hole under the barrel behind the compensator. The pistol has the cocking indicator and is in very nice condition.

I have the Supica/Nahas catalog, 3rd Ed. and it's notation about the pre-"A" serial numbers is vague.

Anyone have one of these with a nearby number who knows when it was made?

 

[rcmodel]

All S&W autos in all calibers used the same serial number block, so an exact data is impossible.

Serial # 1001 begin in 1954 with the first Model 39 9mm, and ran to 115,000 in 1970. After 1970 the serial number had an A prefix.

I have the same exact gun, serial #72,xxx, which was made in the mid 1960's.

rc

 

[krs]

Thanks rc. It looked like a kind of guessing game from what's in the book.

So if yours is mid sixties this ought to be very early sixties. Too bad there's no "T" prefix, looks like.

 

[Gordon]

I'll bet 1959

 

[krs]

I'll take 1959 - it's clear to me that it was built when Smith & Wesson cared about the success of their new target pistol.

Those are the seller's photos and they really don't do the pistol justice. The blueing is amongst the finest I've ever seen and I guess he had troubles with the reflectivity of it. I have a later Model 41, and "A" prefix gun, with the short barrel that I thought was good looking but this one puts it's younger brother to shame.

The first two shots I fired with this were less than 1/4" apart. I fired it bullseye style, one handed and unsupported. The remainder of the mag better reflected the erosion of my skills over the years but those first shots answered any question as to the accuracy of the pistol.

Need I say that I am impressed?

Very happy to have paid $850. for this pistol.