Smith and Wesson Model 41

I bought a Smith and Wesson Model 41 .22 caliber target pistol (about this date) from Sportsman’s Warehouse in Phoenix AZ. I paid $749.00 plus tax.

Previously, I had owned a .357 Ruger (cowboy pistol) and learned, the hard way, it was not a good choice for a pistol on which to learn how to shoot.

Also, the .22 caliber Walther P-22 (semi-automatic) I bought next was also a poor choice because of its trigger and short sight radius.

So, after choosing poorly twice, I did my homework very thoroughly in selecting the S&W Model 41. Although it is relatively expensive, it is a popular choice among Bullseye shooters and has the qualities needed by a beginner: it is inexpensive to shoot and has a long sight radius. The weight is also relatively high which, given sufficient arm and wrist strength, is also a bonus for the beginner as is slows the “wobble”.

The only downside is that the gun is supposedly somewhat picky about ammunition. Smith and Wesson recommends shooting CCI Standard Velocity which costs about $0.05 per round. That’s pretty cheap but still double the cost of the bulk Federal ammunition sold at Walmart.

On balance, then, I bought an excellent gun that prefers a better grade of peanuts for ammunition. I can deal with that.