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41 slide frozen shut, doesn't budge

5K views 30 replies 15 participants last post by  wetdog1911 
#1 ·
I'm pretty sure it's just gummed up as the pistol was functioning perfectly when it went into the case. Been a safe queen for at least 5 years if not longer. It was stored with the firing pin down and magazine inserted.

Kroil is going to be my first step, but I also want to ask about immersion if the Kroil can't get to the problem. Would straight mineral spirits or kero work?

Of course the grips will be removed. I have gunsmith screwdrivers, but the specialized S&W ones are on backorder. Don't think I'll need them for grip screws, but ????

Bought it in 1990 barely used, but have never been able to match up the serial# with any list, but it's before the move, the big time CNC, laser etching, etc. Diet has been a steady Wolf MT (SK produced), and will be with nearly 2 cases left.

Anyway, any thoughts, suggestions, or better yet, actual experience would be most helpful.

Thanks

Wet
 
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#3 · (Edited)
Does it have a Wolff recoil sprint in it?

If so, there was a post over at the S&W Forum where Wolff instructions have you place the spring in backwards. The unfinished end of the spring can wedge in between the guide rod and the slide. If that happens you have to beat the pistol open and the spring galls up the guide rod. If that is the case I would send the pistol to S&W or someone that knows what they are doing.

I will try to find the post for you but I know I saw it on the S&W forum.

The wolf springs have a cut end and one that is coiled up "or finished". The finished end of the spring should go forward.

Read this post: It goes into great detail and good read if you run Wolff recoil spring in a M41.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...s-when-changing-recoil-spring-model-41-a.html

After reading the above I only use S&W springs
 
#5 ·
As far as I can remember the spring is still factory. Never gave me problems and saw no reason to change it. But, after owning it for going on 30 years, memory gets funny.

Don't really use the safety as it's so stiff. Plus, that was the first thing I looked at.

Domino, thanks for the link. I bumped the thread up to really dig into later (I'm a member over there also).

I was just thinking of the complete soak before sending it off to S&W in case it IS just dried gunk in the action (try the easy fixes first), Was wondering just what the best thing to soak it in would be and what the process would entail.

I usually leave the pistol cocked, but this last time decided to drop the hammer before putting it away. It does feel like the safety is engaged, but it is fully down and not even close to the slide notch.

I'm baffled.

Wet
 
#10 · (Edited)
Wetdog1911,

The other question you asked about the grip screws. I always use the Brownell's hollow ground screw drivers so you don't round the screw edges on the grip screws. I hate seeing screws that were rounded off on nice firearms.

You might try tapping the barrel with a rubber mallet to remove it from the slide once the trigger guard is down.

I normally lock the slide open first, but you don't have to do that to remove the barrel.
 
#12 ·
Wetdog1911,

The other question you asked about the grip screws. I always use the Brownell's hollow ground screw drivers so you don't round the screw edges on the grip screws. I hate seeing screws that were rounded off on nice firearms.

You might try tapping the barrel with a rubber mallet to remove it from the slide once the trigger guard is down.

I normally lock the slide open first, but you don't have to do that to remove the barrel.
Yeah, I have the Brownell's hollow ground screwdrivers, what I was referring to was the S&W speciality set mainly for relvolvers. It's a 4pc set and currently on backorder.

I have both a rubber mallet and a small plastic 'tapper'. All I need to do is figure out where my kid set them down. LOL My wife says it's over the top to keep the expensive hollow ground set in the safe, but I always know where they are.

Wet
 
#14 ·
One other thing you may try is to put some Liquid Wrench or similar into all the parts you can so it finds it's way into the gummed up pieces. Let it set a while and heat the whole unit with a hair dryer or something that can get it hot enough you can barely handle it with your hands. A lot of time dried up gunk will liquify with a little heat, especially if there are some solvents like Liquid Wrench to help it along... Besides, if you somehow got a little bit of moisture in the action causing corrosion, this may loosen that up a bit also...
 
#15 ·
Remove the grips and put it in a pan of Kroil. Come back in two weeks and see if things have changed. It sounds like it was WD-40'd before storage?
A few years ago, a customer brought in a S&W revolver that had been sprayed with WD-40 on a regular basis for years. I finally got the thing apart with Kroil but was left with the gummy residue on everything. A half hour soak in a solution of hot, 140+, water and tri sodium phosphate (TSP in Lowes paint dept) cleaned it like new with no blue damage. TSP is the main ingredient in the de-greasing solutions used before hot blue. It will leave the metal completely oil free so a quick oiling after degreasing is needed to prevent flash rust.
 
#19 ·
:confused::bthumb: LOL, it fixed itself while in hospital.

I had gotten a gallon of MS and a pan to soak it in and was waiting on the S&W magna tips from Brownells (on backorder). I had to go back in the hospital, so I stuck the gun, in the case, in the bottom of the safe near the Golden rod, but not touching.

Anyway, there it sat for over a month till I felt like getting back to it since the driver tips had also arrived. The case was warm to the touch from the golden rod, but not hot by any stretch. Just for S&G I grabbed the slide to check one last time before disassembly and BLOOP, it went back and locked open!! My mouth fell open and I gave a happy W...T...F..?

Dropped the mag out and worked the slide some and it was slick as ever. The only thing I can figure is, is that the FP10 had gummed up during the winter. The safe is in a unheated garage and the pistol was near the top of the safe and then, spending close to a month near the warmth of the golden rod softened the gumminess? IDK

I'm still going to disassemble the pistol, give it a good soak in the MS, a through cleaning, and then we'll see. I'm thinking perhaps Ballistol for the internals (old school I know, but after all these years its proven itself), and Eezox for the corrosion protection.

Any other thoughts would be welcome.

Wet
 
#21 · (Edited)
wetdog1911

"I'm thinking perhaps Ballistol for the internals (old school I know, but after all these years its proven itself), and Eezox for the corrosion protection".

Or you could just spray it down with Hornady One Shot Cleaner and Gun Lube once you've finished cleaning it.

It sprays on and will get into every nook and cranny, then turns into a dry film lube that won't build up, or gum up.

It's an outstanding lube, but you can still place some grease on your favorite spots when you decide to go shoot it.

It's an outstanding rust perventer.

Temp rated from -40° to plus 400°, so you won't have to worry about the temperatures in your safe.

Check out this massive product review concentrating on rust prevention and lubricity.
It's right at the top for both, plus everything I described in the above features.
http://www.dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

Seems perfect for your needs.

Smooth
 
#29 ·
"I'm thinking perhaps Ballistol for the internals (old school I know, but after all these years its proven itself), and Eezox for the corrosion protection".

Or you could just spray it down with Hornady One Shot Cleaner and Gun Lube once you've finished cleaning it.

It sprays on and will get into every nook and cranny, then turns into a dry film lube that won't build up, or gum up.

It's an outstanding lube, but you can still place some grease on your favorite spots when you decide to go shoot it.

It's an outstanding rust perventer.

Temp rated from -40° to plus 400°, so you won't have to worry about the temperatures in your safe.

Check out this massive product review concentrating on rust prevention and lubricity.
It's right at the top for both, plus everything I described in the above features.
http://www.dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

Seems perfect for your needs.

Smooth
Hey Smooth, read that whole link, but took exception with the fingerprint & Eezox. When applied right I don't even leave a visable fingerprint, even on a 1958 Browning Superposed bbls and Eezox was the only one that failed?

I'll give the Hornady a shot, even though I don't care much for spray anything. The Frog Lube is definately going to get a try out. Those 2 seem to be worth consideration and I'll consider them.

I never used a golden rod for the 15 years the safe was in the garage in Hollywood, FL with no corrosion issues just using Eezox. It got broken out of the packaging (it came with the safe), when we moved to SC in 2007. Sure could tell you weren't in SoFL any more. LOL With 30* temp swings being normal and the humidity being just as crazy, corrosion is way more of an issue than it ever was in constantly hot and humid SoFl.

Wet
 
#27 ·
I've been using Eezox since the late 1980s. I never use anything else with it. It has decent lubrication qualities.
Same here with the late 1980s/early 1990s. IIRC, wasn't it SLI Liquid Gunsmith before Eezox? The BCPR (Black powder cartridge rifle), crowd turned me on to it for black powder fouling and corrosion.

AFA lubrication, I've been less than impressed with it, but then again, I really don't use it as a lube per se. But, the corrosion resistance is top notch. A single can lasts me for years, so little is needed.

Wet
 
#25 · (Edited)
M2HB

So everyone loves what they've always been using.

That's for good reason, a lot of products get the job done in an OK manner.
However only a few can be the best, and Eezox isn't one of them. Good but not great.

Came in with a C- on lubrication, and a D on rust prevention compared to the best.

Compared to the best is an important qualifier, because Eezox didn't suck as a rust preventer at all. The test was just so tough.
However I don't think it's much of a lube. Not from my experience, and the test backs that up.
Anyway it was just way behind the top few, which were crazy good at both.

I've tried Eezox as I mentioned, so someday you may want to give One Shot a go, lf you haven't already.

Smooth
 
#28 ·
Congratulations for getting your model 41 up and running!:bthumb: There is a multitude of good lubricants made for use on guns, and everyone has their preferences. Usually someone will buy one and it serves the purpose so they continue to buy it. The important part is to use it correctly, not too much and not too little.
 
#30 · (Edited)
wetdog1911

"Hey Smooth, read that whole link, but took exception with the fingerprint & Eezox".

I have no idea what you're referring to about finger prints.....did I miss something in the product review?
Was that the part about hot dogs? I'll admit that I only speed read that and couldn't find an obvious conclusions so I moved on.

I'll go back and check and read that part more slowly, although I'm not sure how much I care about finger prints, because I don't use either product on any part of my rifles where I would care.:)

Smooth
 
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