Talk to Smith&Wesson and they will tell you never to shoot anything but CCI Standard Velocity in a Model 41. But hey, it's your pistol.
I've owned a Model 41 since the early 80's and I probably have more rounds through it than any other gun I've ever owned.
I always knew that the recoil spring wasn't calibrated for high velocity ammo, so I pretty much only used standard velocity stuff.
My favorite load was the Federal Champion Standard Velocity, but I can't seem to find it anymore. Most of the cheap stuff is marked high velocity these days.
I developed the sideways stovepipe problem the OP speaks of, it turned out to be a worn extractor claw.
I removed it and did a little file work to sharpen up the rounded off tip, which worked fine for a few years, but the problem eventually returned. I then called S&W and they sent me a new extractor claw. That cured the problem.
The rounded tip of the extractor wasn't grabbing under the rim very well, and was losing it's grip on the shell before hitting the ejector at the end of the slides rearward travel. The spent shell wasn't being thrown clear of the ejection port before the slide came forward and stripped the next round from the magazine. The spent shell was now jammed between the bottom of the barrel extension and the side of the fresh round, which was only partially into the chamber. This isn't an easy type of jam to clear, often requiring removal of the barrel. It also usually results in bending or denting of the fresh round which was stuck partially in the chamber.
The extractor claw may be OK, but it's very important to remove all the accumulated crud from around and under it with a pick, as well as the entire case head recess in the bolt face.
The extractor is part #7 on this diagram: