Smith & Wesson 41 Instructions Manual

							11
AMMUNITION
GENERAL PRINCIPLES•A firearm and ammunition are a system and must work 
together. Their performance is closely related. There are 
different types of ammunition for different types of firearms.
Your firearm has been designed for ammunition of a 
specific type and a specific caliber. It is important to select 
the proper ammunition for your firearm.
Different combinations of bullet velocity, bullet weight and firearm
weight can have major impact on felt recoil.
For example:
• Gun Weight: lower gun weight increases felt recoil.
• Bullet Weight: higher bullet weight increases felt recoil.
• Bullet Velocity: higher bullet velocity increases felt recoil.
To acclimate yourself to higher levels of felt recoil, consider the
following:
• Use a firm twohand hold on the grip when firing.
•Always start your shooting experience with the lowest bullet 
velocity and lowest bullet weight available for your firearm.
Some examples are as follows:
 Use .38 S&W Special in place of .357 Magnum
®loads.
Use .44 Special in place of .44 Magnum®loads.
 Use “midrange” or “target” loads rather than loads 
designated “high power”.
• Ask your firearm dealer to suggest the lowest power,
lowest velocity, lightest bullet weight for your firearm.
• You can also consider changing your firearm’s grip
configuration/composition to better fit your hand’s 
specific size and shape.
WARNING: NEVER USE AMMUNITION NOT SPECIFI
CALLY DESIGNATED FOR USE IN YOUR FIREARM.FAILURE TO USE THE CORRECT TYPE OR CALIBER
OF AMMUNITION MAY CAUSE THE FIREARM TO
JAM, FAIL TO FIRE OR EVEN GENERATE EXCESSIVE PRES
SURE WHICH CAN DAMAGE OR EVEN RUPTURE YOUR
FIREARM, CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH OR PROP
ERTY DAMAGE.   
						

							12
AMMUNITION  CONT’D.
•You are responsible for selecting ammunition that meets 
industry standards and is appropriate in type and caliber for 
this firearm.
•Locate the caliber designation 
marked on the handgun. This 
information indicates the ammunition 
caliber that should be used in this 
firearm. (See figure #1).
HANDLOADED OR RELOADED AMMUNITION
WARNING: NEVER USE NONSTANDARD, RELOADED
OR “HANDLOADED” AMMUNITION WHICH  HAS  NOT
BEEN SUBJECTED TO INTERNAL BALLISTIC PRESSURE
TESTING. RELOADED OR HANDLOADED AMMUNITION,
MAY HAVE MANY MANUFACTURING AND QUALITY VARI
ABLES (SUCH AS THE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF GUN POW
DER). ANY AMMUNITION THAT IS IMPROPERLY MANUFAC
TURED, EVEN IN THE SLIGHTEST DEGREE, MAY FAIL TO
FIRE OR MAY GENERATE EXCESSIVE INTERNAL PRES
SURES WHICH CAN DAMAGE OR EVEN RUPTURE THEFIREARM,CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH TO THE
SHOOTER OR THOSE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY.
•
Use only commercially manufactured ammunition with
internal ballistic pressures which are in strict accordance 
with the specifications of the Sporting Arms and 
Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI). If you are 
uncertain, contact your ammunition supplier for verification.
AMMUNITION SPECIFICS•Use only ammunition specifically recommended by
Smith & Wesson for your firearm.
•Never mix ammunition.
•Never use a cartridge not specifically designated for use in 
your firearm. Pressure from the wrong type of ammunition 
may exceed the capability of your firearm and may damage 
or even rupture your firearm.
•Whenever rimless pistol cartridges are used in the cylinder 
of a Smith & Wesson revolver, (except M547) full or
halfmoon clips MUST be used to both position and
extract such cartridges. Failure to use ammunition clipswithrimless cartridges may result in malfunction of the 
revolver.
FIGURE 1     
						

							13
AMMUNITION  CONT’D.
•Additional ammunition calibers can be fired from the
following list of select calibers.
Caliber on Barrel
Can also Fire  .45 Colt .45 Schofield, .45 S&W, 
.45 S&W .45 Schofield
.45 ACP .45 Auto Rim (in revolvers only)
.44 Magnum  .44 Special  
.357 Magnum  .38 Special, .38 Special +P  
.22LR   .22L, .22 Short, .22CB, .22BB 
(in revolvers only) 
•In some cases, a round of ammunition not specified on your 
handgun may fit into the chamber or cylinder. Firing 
ammunition not specified on your handgun may cause it to rupture and cause serious injury or death to you or others.
•Always inspect your ammunition before using it. Never use
dirty, corroded or damaged ammunition which can lead to a 
burst cartridge which may cause damage to the handgun 
and personal injury or death.
•“PlusP” (+P) ammunition generates pressures in excess of 
the pressures associated with standard ammunition. Such 
pressures may affect the wear characteristics or exceed the 
margin of safety built into some revolvers and could 
therefore be DANGEROUS. This ammunition should not be 
used in Smith & Wesson medium (K frame) revolvers
manufactured prior to 1958. Such pre1958 medium
(Kframe) revolvers can be identified by the absence of a 
model number stamped inside the yoke cut of the frame.(i.e., the area of the frame exposed when the cylinder is in 
the open position.
•“PlusPPlus (+P+) ammunition is not recommended for use 
in Smith & Wesson firearms.This marking on the ammuni
tion designates that it exceeds established industry 
standards, but the designation does not represent defined 
pressure limits and therefore such ammunition may vary 
significantly as to the pressures generated.
•In the Model 940 revolver, some brands of 9mm parabellum 
ammunition may cause difficulty in extracting spent 
cartridge cases from the cylinder. If this situation occurs, thoroughly clean the cylinder charge holes with solvent.If 
this condition persists, we recommend changing to another 
brand of 9mm parabellum ammunition.
•Smith & Wesson has found wide variations in primer
sensitivity between some brands and types of .22LR
ammunition. Smith & Wesson recommends that before you 
put your .22LR handgun into regular use, that you fire
several boxes of your brand of ammunition through it to 
determine reliability of ignition.If “failure to fire” occurs, try 
different types of brands of .22LR ammunition until a
reliable loading is found.
  
						

							14
MODEL NUMBER
IDENTIFICATION
MODEL NUMBER
FIGURE 2
FIGURE4
Trigger Guard
Trigger
Grip
Magazine
WellMagazine
Release
Front Sight
Frame
Slide
Slide Stop Rear Sight
BarrelManual 
Safety
SERIAL NUMBER
FIGURE 3       
						

							INSPECTING
YOUR PISTOL
PRIOR TO FIRING
When you inspect your pistol, you should first check for yourself
to ensure that it is unloaded. To do this, grasp the pistol with
your finger off the trigger and outside the tr
igger guard, point the
pistol in a safe direction, depress the magazine release, and
remove the magazine (Figure 5). With the pistol still pointing in
a safe direction, grasp the
serrated sides of the slide from
the rear with the thumb and
fingers as shown in Figure 6,
and briskly draw the slide fully
rearward in order to extract any
cartridge from the barrel
chamber and clear it from the
pistol. Do not obstruct the ejec
tion port because doing so can
interfere with ejection of a car
tridge and thereby creates the
risk of exploding an unchambered cartridge and possible
injury. Lock the slide in the open
position, by allowing the slide to
move slightly forward from the
rearmost position while pressing
upward on the slide stop. You
are now able to safety check the
mouth of the barrel chamber visually for any obstructions (Figure
6). At the same time, observe the breech face to ensure that the
firing pin is not protruding from the breech face. (Figures 7 & 8).
Finally, ensure that the slide moves freely along the frame
through its full length of travel (Figure 9). Always lock the slide
in the “open” position as described above. You must follow thisprocedure every time your firearm is inspected, cleaned, handed
to another person, transported or stored.
FIGURE6
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 7FIGURE 8
FIGURE9
Firing Pin
Protruding
NO 
Firing Pin
Protruding
15             
						

							16
LOADING
• Do not load the pistol until you are ready to use it.
• Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard 
until you are ready to fire.
WARNING: PISTOLS WITH A MAGAZINE SAFETY
ARE DESIGNED TO DISENGAGE THE TRIGGER LINK
AGE, AND THEREBY  PREVENT THE TRIGGER  FROM
FIRING THE PISTOL WHEN THE MAGAZINE IS
REMOVED FROM THE PISTOL. NEVER PLACE YOUR FIN
GER ON THE TRIGGER OR IN THE TRIGGER GUARD WHILE
YOU REMOVE THE MAGAZINE. DOING SO COULD CAUSE
THE HANDGUN TO FIRE. AFTER INSERTING A MAGAZINE,
ALWAYS TEST TO MAKE SURE IT IS LOCKED IN PLACE BY
APPLYING SOME REMOVAL PRESSURE TO THE EXPOSED
PORTION OF THE MAGAZINE BUTT PLATE.
If the magazine is removed with a round left in the chamber, be
sure to holster or otherwise safely secure the pistol under your
direct control while the magazine is being reloaded.
• Only use Smith & Wesson magazines specifically
manufactured for your particular model of pistol. Do not
interchange magazines from one model pistol into another 
model pistol.
• Smith & Wesson has provided you with a magazine 
designed to operate in your specific model of pistol.While 
your magazine may be able to be inserted into another 
model pistol, it will only function properly in the specific 
model for which it was designed.
• Follow instructions in this manual and any other specific 
instructions which may be marked onto, or accompany, a
magazine. Failure to use the particular type of Smith & 
Wesson magazine specified for your model and caliber of 
pistol may result in a malfunction.
• Load the magazine by first pulling the follower down as you 
insert a cartridge rim (rear of cartridge) downward on the 
forward portion of the magazine follower (or downward on 
the case of the previously loaded cartridge) and sliding the 
cartridge fully under the lips of the magazine until the 
cartridge rim is against the rear wall of the magazine.(Fig.8)
Repeat the procedure for the number of cartridges you wish 
to load, up to the magazine 
capacity. Do not attempt to 
load your magazine with more 
than the specified number of 
cartridges because doing so 
can cause a feeding failure.
• Place the manual safety in 
the safe (up) position.
• Inspect your pistol to ensure 
that the chamber is empty and 
the firing pin is not protruding beyond the breech face as 
previously described in the “Inspecting Your Pistol” section.
FIGURE 8     
						

							17
WARNING: VERIFY THAT THE FIRING PIN IS NOT PRO
TRUDING FROM THE BREECH FACE. (Figures 7 & 8)
WARNING: NEVER ATTEMPT TO LOAD THE PISTOL BY
INSERTING A ROUND INTO THE CHAMBER THROUGH 
THE OPEN EJECTION PORT.
WARNING: ALWAYS LOAD A ROUND INTO THE CHAM
BER BY FEEDING IT FROM THE MAGAZINE. FAILURE
TO FOLLOW THIS WARNING CAN RESULT IN SEVERE
INJURY OR DEATH TO YOU OR OTHERS.
Hold the pistol in one hand while pointing it in a safe direc
tion and with your finger off the trigger and outside the trig
ger guard. Insert the loaded magazine into the magazine 
well (opening) with enough force to ensure that it is locked in 
place.
WARNING: DO NOT USE EXCESSIVE UPWARD FORCE
WHEN INSERTING A LOADED MAGAZINE INTO THE PISTOL.EXCESSIVE UPWARD FORCE COULD CAUSE THE
SLIDE TO MOVE FORWARD, CHAMBERING A ROUND
AND MAKING THE PISTOL READY TO FIRE.
• To make sure that the magazine is fully and securely
inserted, apply some removal pressure to the exposed portion of the magazine butt plate.
• Press down on the slide stop to release the slide and allow it 
to carry fully forward. This strips a cartridge from the magazine and seats it in the chamber of the barrel.
WARNING: IF THE CARTRIDGE FAILS TO STRIP FROM
THE MAGAZINE OR FULLY SEAT INTO THE CHAMBER,
IMMEDIATELY STOP THE LOADING PROCESS AND
DETERMINE THE CAUSE AND CORRECT THE 
PROBLEM BEFORE PROCEEDING.
WARNING: THE PISTOL WILL FIRE IF THE MANUAL
SAFETY IS PLACED IN THE FIRE (DOWN) POSITION
AND THE TRIGGER IS PULLED.
• Remember to keep your pistol pointed in a safe direction 
under all conditions and always keep your finger or any other 
object off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you 
have made the commitment to fire the handgun. Never 
leave a loaded firearm unattended.
LOADING CONT’D.             
						

							CLEARING MISFIRES
• If, during firing, a cartridge fails to fire, the chamber must be 
manually cleared. Wait ten seconds while keeping the pistol
pointed in a safe direction. Verify that the manual safety is in 
the safe (up) position.Press the magazine release and remove 
the magazine. Grasp the serrated sides of the slide from the rear and briskly pull the slide fully rearward to eject the misfired round.
Keep your finger off of the trigger and out of the trigger 
guard. Do not obstruct the ejection port, and do not attempt 
to catch the round by placing your hand over the ejection 
port. (See figure 6) Also, remember that any time you release the slide while a magazine containing cartridges is in the 
pistol, you will have reloaded the chamber.
WARNING: IF YOUR HANDGUN GIVES ANY INDICA
TION THAT IT IS NOT PERFORMING PROPERLY, ORTHE OPERATION OF YOUR HANDGUN HAS
CHANGED “THE WAY IT FEELS OR SOUNDS”, STOP FIRING.
MAKE SURE THE FIREARM IS POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION,
UNLOAD THE FIREARM AND HAVE IT INSPECTED AND TEST
FIRED BY A GUNSMITH QUALIFIED TO PERFORM SERVICE
ON SMITH & WESSON PISTOLS.
18
FIRING
• Keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction and your finger 
outside the trigger guard until you are ready to fire. Place 
the manual safety in the fire (down) position. While holding 
the grip firmly, pull the trigger fully to the rear. As the trigger 
is drawn fully to the rear, the hammer is released, striking the 
firing pin which then strikes the cartridge primer. Upon firing, 
the slide moves rearward thereby extracting and ejecting the 
fired cartridge case. The slide then returns forward feeding 
the next cartridge from the magazine into the barrel 
chamber.
•After firing you must allow the trigger to move forward fully 
before you can fire another shot. Failure to do so will prevent 
the lockwork from fully cycling and will prevent your being 
able to fire the next shot. Keep your finger off the trigger and 
outside the trigger guard until you are ready to fire again.
This sequence can be repeated until the last round has been 
fired, at which time the magazine follower exerts upward pressure on the slide stop causing it to engage the slide and 
to hold it in the “open” position.
WARNING:UPON FIRING THE PISTOL OR RELEAS
ING THE SLIDE FROM THE SLIDE STOP, THE SLIDE
MOVES REARWARD OR FORWARD WITH SIGNIFI
CANT FORCE AND SPEED. TO AVOID INJURY BE
SURE NO PART OF YOUR BODY INTERFERES WITH THE
SLIDE MOVEMENT OR EJECTION OF THE FIRED CASE.
WARNING: WEAR EYE AND EAR PROTECTION
SPECIFIED FOR FIREARM USE EVERY TIME YOU DIS
CHARGE YOUR FIREARM. MAKE SURE OTHERS IN
THE VICINITY OF WHERE YOU WILL BE SHOOTING
DO SO AS WELL.
        
						

							WARNING: ALWAYS FOLLOW THE FIELD STRIPPING
INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY. NEVER DO ANYTHING
BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCT
ED TO DO IN THIS MANUAL. NEVER ALTER OR MOD
IFY THE PARTS IN YOUR PISTOL.
WARNING: SAFETY GLASSES SHOULD BE WORN
DURING THIS  PROCESS.
• Point the pistol in a safe direction. Make sure your finger is 
off the trigger, and the trigger is in the at rest or forward 
position. Depress the magazine release, and remove the magazine. (Figure 9)  With the barrel still pointing in a safe 
direction, and with your finger off the trigger and outside the 
trigger guard, grasp the serrated sides of the slide from the 
rear with the thumb and fingers while holding the firearm in 
an upright position, and briskly draw the slide fully rearward 
in order to extract any cartridge from the barrel chamber and clear it from the pistol.(Figure 10)  Lock the slide into the 
open position by pressing the slide stop lever to the up 
position.
19
UNLOADING
FIELD STRIPPING
DISASSEMBLY
• Point the muzzle in a safe direction. Make sure your finger is 
off the trigger and out of the trigger guard. Verify that the 
manual safety is in the safe (up) position. Depress the 
magazine release, and remove the magazine (Figure 9).
With the muzzle still pointing in a safe direction, and with your 
finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard, grasp the 
sides of the slide from the rear with the thumb and fingers, 
and briskly draw the slide fully rearward in order to extract 
any cartridge from the barrel chamber and clear it from the 
pistol. Do not obstruct the ejection port because doing so 
can interfere with ejection of a cartridge and thereby creates 
the risk of exploding an unchambered cartridge and possible 
injury (Figure 10).
• Unload the magazine by holding it with the bullet end of the 
cartridge pointing away from you and pressing each cartridge 
forward and out of the magazine.
FIGURE9FIGURE 10
Magazine
Release         
						

							FIGURE 14
• Make certain that the chamber is clear.
• While holding the pistol in the shooting hand, rotate the
trigger guard down. (Figure 11)  
• Make sure the pistol remains upright so that the barrel 
assembly will not fall off when released, lift off barrel 
assembly (Figure 12).
WARNING: YOU MUST CONTROL THE SLIDE AND
SPRING DURING REMOVAL TO PREVENT INJURY.
• Push back on the slide and raise it slightly (Figure 13).
• Move the slide assembly forward to complete disengagement 
(Figure 14).
• Remove recoil spring and recoil spring rod from slide.
FIGURE 11
FIELD STRIPPING DISASSEMBLY CONT’D.
FIGURE12
FIGURE 13
20