Something better than S&W 41?

[esldude]

Not starting an argument by any means. Just wondering.

I have and love a model 41. Only through hearing its praise from others did I seek one out. Seems almost beyond reproach for a rimfire pistol.

So, anyone had a 41, and know of something better?

[Dwight Pilkilton]

I will chime in here. I am sure there are better guns than a 41, that being said it is difficult to define "Better" in the real world. I have a 41 that is my favorite semi-auto 22. I also have two vintage High Standards and a Ruger MKI Target model. I know that the 41 will beat the MKI in the accuracy department, I'm not sure about the High Standards. I have a Good friend who has a Walther GSP and I don't think the GSP has anything over the 41. Now back to what I said earlier about defining "Better" in the real world. Numbers might show that the GSP is more accurate than the 41, it could be the other way around using these same two guns as examples...as we all know all rim-fires are a bit different and who ever bought a gun of any kind that you didn't have to experiment to find what makes it sing. But I digress back to the defining "Better" with an analogy. If you compare a Ferrari to a Lamborghini it might come out as better...btu here is the real crux of what I am trying to say. One car may go 220 Mph and the other be defined as better because it went 223Mph...is it better Yes in verse statistics but can we tell the diference..I say "No"

I love my 41 because it is more versatile than any of the other guns I have listed, I can go from a Optical Clark barrel to a Heavy open sighted target barrel in 10 seconds, and then to something else if I like. Mine works but likes to be clean and oiled. The Ruger will operate under just about all conditions, the High Standards are great guns, great triggers ...but Magazines are all but impossible to find unless you are willing to pay 60 to 80 bucks a piece for them...the 41 mags can be had for 20 bucks and work. The 41 is a different gun though, I find if I shoot it a lot it is difficult to go back to the High Standards or the Ruger...cant say exactly why...but it is. Now If I had to pick just 1 semi-auto to keep...no question the 41.

I hope this helps
Dwight

[rimfire kid]

I wish that I still had my 41 (seller's remorse --boo hoo). It had the best trigger that I have ever felt or pulled. I knew that it was a quality pistol. I just did not know the true extent of it. I got rid of it, before I even knew about RFC. If i still had it now, I would not even think about getting rid of it.

[sheffieldshootr]

I started shooting the local rimfire match (see Dwight's report in the OnLine matches today) with a Ruger Mk I target model. It was a nice autoloader but I was stuck at the 14 yard class until I acquired a nice old High Standard Military. Wow, I classed up to 24 yards and little chickens in two matches.

After a pitiful year trying to compete with a revolver (Ruger Super Single Six with a 2X Leupold on board), I decided to try the S & W 41. As Dwight mentioned, it has a very different feel from the Hi Std. Took me a couple of months to get comfortable with it. But, that was about two years ago. It will be hard to go back. That 41 holds like a brick and groups like a rifle.

[grandparem]

I thought the older Brownings were pretty good.... Nomads, Challengers, etc. I have a couple of High Standards, a 107 Citation and an older HD Military. I think the military frame Citation, Trophy and Victor models from Hamden and very early E. Hartford were great pistols, but the later models weren't as nice and the really newer Mitchells and Houstons suck. I had a Nomad that I bought new in '68 that one of my daughters has now that I may get back. She doesn't want it anymore and I have first refusal. It was a very accurate pistol in the hands of someone that can shoot handguns (that ain't me). The Citation, off a bench, will shoot as good as any rifle I have with regular open sights.... I just can't hit anything offhand with it.

[Ziplok]

Hi Standard! Mine's a Supermatic Citation = got both 5" & 7.25" barrels[glow=red,2,300][/glow] ;D

Works fer ME!

[Tusker]

I don't know if 'BETTER' , is the right word, but this one will outshoot a 41 for sure, and, I guess a 3rd MDL Colt Match Target I have will shoot at least on par with a 41. Again, I would not use the word 'BETTER', but here it is anyway.