For extreme accuracy out to about 50 yards for small game?
Opinions?

You will see plenty of S&W 41's at any Bullseye firing line in the USA. I doubt you will see many (any) Browning Buckmarks. Having said that, for small game out to 50 yards you will almost certainly need a red dot sight and it will be a lot easier to mount one on a Buckmark than on a 41. Another possibility might be a S&W 22. Mine, with a red dot sight, will hold the X ring at 25 yards. The difference? Offhand shooting requires a very good trigger and ergonomics. Shooting two handed or from a rest, does not.
Peter.

Go with the S&W model 41. Getting a red dot mounted on it won't be an issue. About as good as it gets. With a good 4x scope and decent ammo you could make head shots on a rabbit at 75yds no problem. Too bad we can't use a semi-auto pistol for any type hunting here in Pa.

Teh Buckmark sirign good amo is aupisingly accurate.

Mine was good enough to win the IHMSA Shilouette regionals years ago in AAA class. I was shooting RWS Match ammo.

The difference between a 41, Buckmark and Ruger Mark II is zero. All shoot only as good as the ammo you buy. All can put 10 shots in almost one hole at 25 yards.

Well, in this world you get exactly what you pay for. If a Ruger or Buckmark was every bit as good as a 41, why are they not asking $1000 for them...surely they could get it being they are just as good. Listen, you can't get a Cadillac for the price of a Volkswagon! Just saying.

"The difference between a 41, Buckmark and Ruger Mark II is zero"
Huh?!!! Please see my original post. BFR, go to your local range for the monthly NRA pistol matches and see how many Rugers or Buckmarks you see on the firing line. You are talking nonsense, but I suspect that you do not know it. Just go to the range and stop spouting. Of course, your conclusion will be that all those master class shooters know nothing about small bore pistols!
Peter.

The first handgun I ever bought was a S&W Mod 41, in 1966. I used it for Bullseye Competition.
When I wanted a 22LR handgun for hunting I got a 7.5" Mod 41.

I think the S&W Mod 41 is one of the finest, most accurate 22LR handguns you can buy.

The newer ones are predrilled for scope/red dot mounts.

smith and wesson 41. great pistol. others mentioned, good pistols.

Thanks guys, ya, I'm looking for a heavy barreled 5" 41; preferably an older one as they appear to be a little better built then the new one's.

DW, not sure what a heavy barreled 41 is, as the barrel, rib etc are all one piece. there are basically 3 pieces: frame; half the slide, and the barrel rib etc. Dissasembly is by pulling down on the front of the trigger guard.
Peter.

Have a couple of 41's and 4 barrels; Heavy, 7 3/8, and two short field barrels that are pretty hard to find.
I usually have the field barrels on my 41's. My favorite pistol!
I have to watch my son closely as he likes them as well??

One of my "dream" pistols which I have never yet gotten around to buying is a Smith M41 with the lightweight 5" barrel. I can't imagine a better semi-auto .22 RF for all around use and ease of carry. And the early ones seemed to be built like a Swiss watch.

The 41's are fine .22 handguns with an excellent record. If you're looking for another option which can often be found at a good price I would suggest the High Standard line of target pistols. I shoot a Victor, and LOVE it. I also have an H-D "military" model that shoots waaayyyy better than I do.
I'm not criticising the ones mentioned, just wanted to put another possibility on the table.
With any .22 firearm...ammo selection can be a critical factor if you want to graduate from plinking beer cans to printing one hole groups.

Can't argue with the use of a High Standard. I have a Trophy model with 5 /12, 7 3/8 barrels, plus a Volquartsen SS 5 1/2 barrel. In case you are not aware however, there is the original High Standard company which I guess went belly up, but then another company under the same name was formed. I have heard varying reports of the quality of these new guns.
Peter.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Don Edwards:
The 41's are fine .22 handguns with an excellent record. If you're looking for another option which can often be found at a good price I would suggest the High Standard line of target pistols. I shoot a Victor, and LOVE it. I also have an H-D "military" model that shoots waaayyyy better than I do.
I'm not criticising the ones mentioned, just wanted to put another possibility on the table.
QUOTE]



Thanks for the suggestion. but I am always looking for something which appears a little better machined and finished, and also has a good reputation for accuracy.

The original Hi-Standards were very accurate pistols. Especially when "tuned" a bit by a good pistolsmith they've won a lot of trophies for their shooters over the last 60 years. I've owned perhaps a dozen of them...several H-D Militarys, a couple of Model "B"s, a Model "C", a "Victor", a 10"-barreled space gun", and a few others.

Most interesting one was a double martial marked H-D Military...stamped "U.S. Bureau of Ships" and also stamped "RCMP, P.Q." (Also was stamped with the name of the RCMP Barracks there in Quebec, but I don't recall which one. Sold it 15 years ago to a collector/friend in Powers, Oregon.

Still, If I found a good condition 5" lightweight M-41 Smith at what I thought was a good price, I'd leap all over it in preference to another Hi-Standard or any Browning.

Just a personal foible, but there it is....

Frames are very prone to cracking on the pre-Texas High Standards if a steady diet of high-speed ammo is shot. I currently have three of them, one with a cracked frame. The newer S&W's aren't made to the same standards as the old ones and aren't near as reliable, and I would seriously doubt if they shoot anywhere near as good. Parts are no longer available for the older S&W #41's. The Buckmark is a good serviceable plinking grade pistol, but will not hold up to the number of rounds that a serious shooter puts down range. The trigger leaves a lot to be desired and is hard to work on unless you really know it. After market parts including grips are in short supply.

The Ruger MarkII and MarkIII need some upgrades in order to meet the desires of a discriminating shooter but after market parts are readily available and installed by a gunsmith or talented amateur. Volquartsen and Majestic arms have some very worthwhile up-grades available. I'd suggest looking over their web-sites before making your decision.

P.S. If you decide to go with the Buckmark get one of the models with the adjustable trigger. The older Camper model was a good one, but the newer
Camper models don't have the adjustable trigger.

Dunno whether my opinion is useful in this context or not, but the most accurate 22 pistol I have ever owned is an older High Standard HD miltary. It feels good in the hand, too.
I have never shot a S&W 41, but have always admired them.

I had a 41 and accuracy was nothing special. I tried all the high end match ammo in it as well as normal stuff, and it couldn't come close to competing with my AMT Baby Auto Mag as far as accuracy was concerned. Not to be confused with the AutoMag II.

That's like comparing a VW to a Porsche. What's the old saying, you get what you pay for. The real question is are you a good enough shooter to benefit from the cost difference?