Smith & Wesson Model 41: the end of an era
Smith & Wesson announces the phasing out of production of the iconic .22 rimfire Model 41 competition pistol: It's the end of an era in the history of sport shooting
Smith & Wesson Model 41: the end of an era
The announcement came out of the blue on Smith & Wesson's Facebook and Twitter/X official profiles, on August 20: the end of an era is approaching for the Company and the world of gun enthusiasts and sport shooters worldwide, as the iconic Smith & Wesson Model 41 .22 Long Rifle semi-automatic pistol – one of the world's most iconic competition handguns in history – will be phased out of production at the end of 2025.
The Model 41 pistol isn't only an icon of global sport shooting, but represents a mainstay of Smith & Wesson's history, being the first purely civilian- and competition-oriented firearm that the company engineered after the end of World War II, to return to the global commercial markets after long years of civilian and commercial firearm manufacture being banned by the US Government as the entire American gun industry had to focus its manufacturing capabilities towards the war effort.
The first prototypes of the Model 41 pistol were assembled in July 1947; Smith & Wesson would take the best part of the following decade – a period of research and development that would be considered unacceptably long by today's standards! – refining and perfecting the project until the first lot of 679 samples of the new Smith & Wesson Model 41 pistol, fed via 10-rounds single-stack magazines, was launched in 1957.
Smith & Wesson Model 41 .22 Long Rifle semi-automatic pistol – right side
Smith & Wesson Model 41 .22 Long Rifle semi-automatic pistol – left side
A blowback-operated, streamlined, iconically designed handgun, featuring a 105° grip angle patterned after the Colt M1911-A1 design for a consistent grip angle and higher levels of shooting comfort and accuracy, Smith & Wesson's Model 41 quickly earned itself a reputation as a super-reliable and laser-accurate firearm for both basic training and official competition shooting.
Infinite variants were launched as the years went by, with barrel lengths ranging from 13 cm (5") all the way up to 19 centimeters (7.3/8"), either with or without muzzle brakes, most of them interchangeable to allow shooters to configure their pistol at will; a budget-priced variant, the Model 46, was adopted by the US Air Force for basic marksmanship training in 1959, and the 1960s even saw the launch of a .22 Short Model 41-1 for International Rapid Fire shooting competitions.
Except for a brief hiatus, from 1992 to 1994, the Smith & Wesson Model 41 in all its versions – including a recent Performance Center version with top Picatinny rail – has been in production for the best part of the past sixty years.
At the end of the year, this long production run will come to an end of good. It truly is the end of an era, and the last four months of 2025 will represent the final possibility for sport shooters and enthusiasts to get their hands on a truly iconic pistol.
Visit the official Smith & Wesson website for further information and address all inquiries about international availability and pricing to the authorized Smith & Wesson importer and distributor for your Country.