Author Topic: Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W  (Read 3119 times)

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Offline lgm270

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Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W
« on: March 14, 2004, 10:56:00 AM »
The L-frame S&W, chambered most commonly in the .357 Magnum, has also been chambered in a 3" .44 S&W Special version with a 5 shot cylinder.

Why has this revolver never been chambered in the .41 mag?  Cylinder walls would be thicker than  with the .44, providing a greater margin of strength and safety.  It seems to me that this would be worth doing.

If not a 41 Magnum, then how about a .41 Special?

Would love to hear your comments on these ideas.

Offline JOE MACK

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Re: Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2004, 04:17:46 PM »
Quote from: lgm270
The L-frame S&W, chambered most commonly in the .357 Magnum, has also been chambered in a 3" .44 S&W Special version with a 5 shot cylinder.

Why has this revolver never been chambered in the .41 mag?  Cylinder walls would be thicker than  with the .44, providing a greater margin of strength and safety.  It seems to me that this would be worth doing.

If not a 41 Magnum, then how about a .41 Special?

Would love to hear your comments on these ideas.


There are several 'smiths that do a .41Special S&W L-frame or Ruger GP-100 conversion. These are all 5-shot as far as I know. I believe there would still be insufficient metal between cylinders for a full house .41Magnum. FWIW. 8)
JOE MACK aka Brian aka .41FAN

HAVE MORE FUN AND GET THE JOB DONE WITH A .41

Offline papajohn428

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Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2004, 02:36:22 PM »
There is something close to what you want, it's a Smith 657 that Lew Horton brought out in the 80's, they made either 3000 or 5000 of them, I don't remember which.  I had one for several years and loved it, still drool over the pictures I took of it.  I kept doing trigger jobs on it (mostly polishing the innards) until it was so sweet people fell in love with it instantly.  With factory loads it had incredible muzzle flash, but it was solid and very controllable in rapid fire.  I could never use it as a hideout, but did carry it off-duty for a time.  They occasionally show up for sale, you just have to keep looking.
Personally, I like the idea of a 3-inch  five-shooter on the L frame, but I doubt we'll ever see one.  If they do make it, I'm getting two!
PJ
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Offline .41 special

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Re: Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2009, 04:30:45 PM »
Most .41SPL conversions on L-frames, and GP100s are 6 shot. I wonder if anyone has tried this on a colt MKIII.

Offline Cayoot

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Re: Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2009, 06:29:29 AM »
I'm in the process of having a S&W 686 -4 converted into a 6 shot .41 Spl now.  Can't wait until it's done! ;D

If you want to learn more about the .41 spl conversions, check out John Taffin's book "Big Bore 6 guns".  That is where I got my inspiration.
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Offline lgm270

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Re: Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2009, 12:54:52 PM »
I'm in the process of having a S&W 686 -4 converted into a 6 shot .41 Spl now.  Can't wait until it's done! ;D

If you want to learn more about the .41 spl conversions, check out John Taffin's book "Big Bore 6 guns".  That is where I got my inspiration.

 I can't wait either. Do keep us posted on how it work's out.

Offline .41 special

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Re: Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2009, 05:01:09 PM »
I have a .41 special that david clements did on  a 686 3in, It's a pretty nice combination, for a poor boy. Who is doing yours?

Offline Old Griz

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Griz
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Offline Sweetwater

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Re: Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W
« Reply #8 on: October 25, 2009, 01:07:04 PM »
How about this?

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=86951&tabselected=tech&isFirearm=Y&parent_category_rn=

I went there. Is that still an N frame?

John Linebaugh did a/some L-Frame 41Mag 5 shot several years ago; maybe the same that John Taffin alludes to.

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Sweetwater
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Offline papajohn428

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Re: Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2009, 10:27:52 AM »
That is most definitely an N-Frame.  Kind of a newer version of the Lew Horton 657 three-inch.  As a friend of mine likes to say, "It has the illusion of concealability".  It's still a pretty big gun, for a snubby.  Some folks might be able to conceal it easily, but I couldn't! 

Still, if you ever needed it, it would be awfully comforting to have close by!
If you can shoot home invaders, why can't you shoot Homeland Invaders?

Offline mcwoodduck

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Re: Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W
« Reply #10 on: October 26, 2009, 10:47:52 AM »
So what you want is an L framed version in 41 mag of the Model 60 with the 5" barrel for a lighter weight woods gun?
Years ago I had an idea of a 5 shot K or L framed 44 Special or 45 CP with moon clips with 3-4" barrel and dove tailed in Novak night sights with a heavy barrel.  Having the night sights the same as the ones they use on their semi auto line and just dove tail the grooves into the barrel and the frame.
Round butt revolvers with a barrel mounted rail for a light or laser on the home defense models.
Thought they would be the best idea for carry and / or home defense. 
Night sights were and are still lacking on most fixed sight revolvers.  I thought they would give the gun a smaller height sillohuette and would be snag resistant in most clothing.
Well I wrote S&W and told them they could have any and all of my ideas.  I figured the only way to get it done was if I did not ask for anything other then the gun to be made.  Asking for $ or a gun will tie up the idea or worse get it axed to stop any law suits later if they were going to bring it out.
They came out with a Mod 669 in 3" and was close to what I spec'd but not exactly about 6 to 8 months after I sent the letter.
They later came out with the Night shade series that are closer but not exactly what I asked for.
What you may want to do it write them directly in either a letter or e-mail and tell them exactly what you want and what market you think it will fill.
While we all would like to think the R&D guys from S&W read the forums and see what we want, I don't think they do, and the only way to get your ideas to them is to tell them directly.
good luck on getting your ideas made, I think it would be a good woods cary gun.  Small package and more frontal surface area and heavier bullets for the trail, hunting, or personal defense.  If they made one in 4" with night sights I would think about it rather than the 4" 629 I am planning on buying for next season.

Offline Drilling Man

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Re: Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W
« Reply #11 on: October 26, 2009, 11:41:09 AM »
  As many of you know, i have a S&W M-19 "K" frame chambered in 44 spl.  The guy that built it for me, told me he had built one and sent it to S&W to see what they thought about it.  And also to see if they would build them as a production gun.  He told me that he didn't expect any money for any idea's they (S&W) may obtain from his design, and that S&W kept the revolver quite a while.  When he finally got it back, it had the chit shot out of it, and appeared to have been fired many thousands of rounds.  S&W thanked him, and nothing become of it.

  DM

Offline RJL-77

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Re: Brilliant Idea: .41 Magnum L-Frame S&W
« Reply #12 on: December 27, 2009, 07:12:57 PM »
I like my model 57 in 4" alot. but it also is not a verry concele able piece on my stout5'4' frame. ;D

Offline pourboy

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Better yet!
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2009, 04:42:45 PM »
David Clements offers a 10mm conversion on GP100s. Now THAT is cool!

http://www.clementscustomguns.com/rugerdarevolvers.html