S&W Model 41 Vs. Ruger Mark III

[mav]

I recently picked up a new target pistol, a S&W Model 41. I wanted to give a brief review and comparison of the two models.

What is being compared:

7" S&W Model 41 (no modifications)

7" Ruger Mark III Hunter (modified with a Volquartsen Accurizer and Volquartsen grips)

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Every now and then I get bored with SD-type shooting. I sometimes want to see how accurate I am with any particular firearm. When testing for accuracy, I use a normal range target and put the target at the end of the range (15 yards). I then shoot 100 rounds and see what kind of grouping I can make. A hundred rounds is lot to get really small groupings using iron sights unless you are really good, which I am not. I just try to see how many I can keep in the x-ring.

How they compare:

Feel: There is no comparison between the feel of a Model 41 and a standard Mark III. The Model 41 feels much better in your hands in comparison to a stock Mark III. However, the addition of the Volquartsen grips improves the feel of the Mark III immensely. The downside to the Volquartsen grips is they do not work all that well when doing weak hand (left) shooting. When comparing against a stock Mark III, the Model 41 is much better, but the Model 41 is not as good as the modified Ruger.

Trigger: The Model 41 is without a doubt a better trigger. I think the 41 feels like a very light high-end 1911 trigger. The stock Mark III trigger sucks. The Accurized Mark III while a tremendous improvement over the stock trigger, it is still not as good as the Model 41.

Takedown (field stripping): I really don't have to answer this one. The Model 41 is way less complicated. It can be field stripped in 4 easy steps. The Ruger isn't bad once you learn how to do it. I have detail stripped my Ruger several times, and it is very easy to work on.

Durability: Since I have only had the Model 41 for a little over a week, I can't really comment on the durability. I can, however, share what I have experienced thus far. The Model 41 I got was a used gun. While the gun is fairly old (18 years), overall, it is in fantastic shape. However, I did have quite a few problems with the first hundred rounds I fired through it. I had a bunch of misfires, failures to feed, and failures to eject. This wasn't a big deal, and it was an easy fix. I bought some new magazines, and changed out the recoil spring as well has adding an extra power firing pin spring. Problem solved. I had just one misfire (no primer strike) while shooting it today.

The Ruger is an absolute tank. I have put over 10,000 rounds through it within a year using only one magazine, and I think it is just starting to break in.

Ammo preference: The Model 41 very picky on what ammo it likes. There are some who have a 41, and it eats everything, whereas other have trouble feeding certain brands of ammo. From all of the forums I have read, the Model 41 seems to work best with standard velocity CCI. I have been using cheap Remington standard velocity for the last 200 rounds, and they seem to be okay.

I can't give you first hand experience on whether with Ruger is ammo picky since I have only shot one kind of ammo through it (CCI MiniMags). However, I haven't read or heard anything about the Ruger being ammo picky, so I will give the nod to the Ruger in this category.

Price: The Ruger is quite a bit cheaper than the Model 41. Even my customized Ruger is a little cheaper.

Appearance: This is too subjective. You see the pictures, so you can make up your mind which one you like.

Availablity of after-market parts: Ruger is hands down the winner.

Accuracy:

Here is a target that I did with the Ruger the past Sunday. 100 rounds at 15 yards.

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Here is the target I did with the Model 41 today. Same conditions.

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I did have three fliers with the Model 41 (still getting use to the trigger). Overall, I think the Model 41 is slightly more accurate than the modified Ruger. After I shoot the Model 41 more and get comfortable with it, it may be a lot more accurate than the Ruger. Time will tell on this one. As it currently stands, I think the Model 41 is just slightly better.

Conclusion:

The Model 41 is a fantastic target pistol. When comparing it against a stock Mark III, the Model 41 is the hands down winner. However, the Model 41 costs quite a bit more over the stock Mark III, so that must be taken into consideration as to a person's needs or wants. My Volquartsen modified Mark III is almost as good as the Model 41 and is several hundreds of dollars cheaper. Overall, I would say the modified Ruger is a better value for a range target or plinking gun. Sorry for being so long with the comparison. I tried to keep it short, but I do have a habit of being garrulous.

[Magiccarpetrides]

Great comparo...though I do not see the fundage for a model 41 it is quite a lusty item...nice to see a real world comparison with honest info. Good work!

[Jonnin]

Mav kindly let me try his 41, and that trigger is amazing and it is well balanced with a nice grip and feel. Great review, and ty again for letting us try it out. BTW I dont consider age to matter all that much, about half of my guns are 20-30 and more years old. Gulp... my first pistol is 20 this year. Best not to think about that too much.

[TNWNGR]

I’ve owned a couple of S&W 41’s when I was into Match Shooting as and still own a Browning Medalist, as well as shot High Standard Victor’s. The Model 41 is indeed very nice; I like the Browning more though. The Victor was a first class match pistol that I regret not buying at the time to keep. Now as to the Ruger Model you used for this excellent comparison I would suggest you try a 22/45 in its place. The 22/45 is very natural feeling in my hand and it can easily be modified to fit the individual shooters hand.

[ls3_kid]

Really cool review, I am not much into these guns (mostly due to funds and have other items higher on the list) but I think I will purchase a target gun eventually. As for looks IMO I like the Model 41 better. I might be crazy?!

[Jonnin]

Really cool review, I am not much into these guns (mostly due to funds and have other items higher on the list) but I think I will purchase a target gun eventually. As for looks IMO I like the Model 41 better. I might be crazy?!

You like what you like. My wife has a 7 inch barrel buckmark, though she does not use her wood grips when they are on it looks a LOT like that 41. Hers is a round barrel but there is a slab barrel if you like the overall flat look. Again the big deal on that 41 is really the trigger for competition type shooting or very serious plinking. If you don't mine a cruddy trigger you can buy one of the 3 cheap 22s (buckmark, ruger, and S&W 22a) and have plenty of accuracy and all.

[SonnyCrockett]

i got a Mark3 5" BullBarell last week brand new.......went to the range.......shot 100 bullets or so and the rear sight fell off.....

Most impressive....... :/

[mav]

i got a Mark3 5" BullBarell last week brand new.......went to the range.......shot 100 bullets or so and the rear sight fell off.....

Most impressive....... :/

Sorry to hear about that. I think quality issues can be brought up from time to time with every manufacturer. I can only speak about my Mark III, and it has been fantastic.

[JimmyMac483]

Top notch review. I've been looking at target pistols. Thanks for the info!!!

[R1100R]

Very nice 41. I'm glad you picked it up.lol I was a email behind you. It looks like a fine pistol.

They are fine shooting. I own a few .22 pistols to include Hi Standards and Hammerli's. A fine .22

is a SIG Trailside (Hammerli). They are not carried by SIG anymore but still can be found.

I"m looking at getting a 22/45. Rugers do make a good .22 pistol.

Great Review.

[graycrait]

I do like to shoot .22 pistols and have shot quite a few different ones. I like the 41 and have shot an early 70's version quite a bit. I have owned over 10 Rugers though. One of my old friends has a MKII with over 200,000 rds through it. I also have a friend who sold his Walther GSP, Pardini and Benelli target guns and just enjoys shooting a MKII in his "Golden Years." I have a couple of MKIIIs that I have gutted and converted to MKII innards with the newer Volquartsen externally adjusted pre and over travel triggers. I like them to break about 2.25lbs. The 41's are great guns and there is debate what vintages are the best. The old 422/622/2206 S&Ws and are pretty nice too. But after a lot of years shooting .22 pistols it is hard to beat a tuned MKII or MKIII for informal target shooting, hunting or plinking. My wife shoots around 4-500 rds each outing through her 5.5" 22/45.

[SonnyCrockett]

Sorry to hear about that. I think quality issues can be brought up from time to time with every manufacturer. I can only speak about my Mark III, and it has been fantastic.

the set screw needs locktite,MFGs should do this automatic IMO....its just a little embarrassing

[LngRngShtr]

25 years ago I started shooting Bullseye with an old High Standard HD Military,.. then after breaking a 180 I think ..I was allowed to use either of my Dads M-41s I shot for several seasons with a 7" and the 5" field barrel versions using stock and Herrets grips..17 year olds can't make up their minds LOL.

Then Dad let me run the 41-1 ( .22 short model ) which I shot for a season before scoring my own Bullseye pistol.. A Browning Medalist

I am in no rush to inherit the 41's but I sure do miss being able to use them.... I also recently picked up a Ruger MK1 which is nice

Now at 40 my Medalist and soon the Ruger will be wearing dot scopes both are bolt on mounts so they can be returned to the original condition... no drilling and tapping to these classics...

In the end if I had to choose one my vote would go to the 41 with a 7" barrel ... and if you think the regular 41 is fussy with ammo ,.. the 41-1 is even worse,.guess thats why S&W never pursued the venture ..

John

Nice to see another Medalist owner on the boards

[Guest The Highlander]

A 41 is way up on my list of Grail Guns. Good review. For the money, I don't think you can beat a Ruger MkII or MkIII, and you are correct that it is a little unfair to compare them out of the box with a 41.

I have a MkII Target with well over 125,000 rounds through it in 25 years with only springs replaced, nothing else has ever broken. The only FTF's I've experienced with it were attributable to the ammo (it wouldn't fire in other .22's either). I bought a "spare" for it in 1999 that has still never been fired.

I'll also second looking for a SIG/Hammerli Trailside. Underated pistols.

[graycrait]

Wish I had picked up a Trailside when they were marketed by Sig a few years ago. I think the same gun, the Hammerli Xesse, costs more now than a S&W 41.

[gregintenn]

Great job on the review. I enjoyed reading it.

[Guest Sako]

thanks for the review.... enjoyed it...

[SonnyCrockett]

I added a high viz sight to my Mark3......huge difference......these should all come with a sight you can see !

and I was wondering.......how often do you clean these things ? I have yet too even open it up

[mav]

Got a question for you experienced bullseye shooters. How difficult should it be to accomplish what I am trying to do? One hundred rounds through the x-ring at 15 yards using iron sights. I can get fairly close (~85 - 90% at my best), but still not close enough. It is a fun exercise, but it gets a little frustrating at times.

I added a high viz sight to my Mark3......huge difference......these should all come with a sight you can see !

and I was wondering.......how often do you clean these things ? I have yet too even open it up

I clean mine around every 400 - 500 rounds.

[Jonnin]

I added a high viz sight to my Mark3......huge difference......these should all come with a sight you can see !and I was wondering.......how often do you clean these things ? I have yet too even open it up

I have 2 types of cleaning for this type of gun. The once a year cleaning is a full cleaning, the rest of the time I do the q-tip method. The q-tip method is to clean the barrel, ramp, chamber, breech-face, etc. areas to remove the majority of the gunk. Then I re-lube the slide (bolt?) and its good to go again. Thats probably a 250 round count, or round about once a month for me. It will run fine without cleaning for a very long time but it only takes 5 min to hit the high spots. Keeping the barrel clean for accuracy is the reason I do it so often.