SMITH&WESSON VICTORY or RUGER MARK4 TACTICAL

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  • diver dan

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    Jan 21, 2013
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    I would like to know if anybody has a smith victory .22 that is bare bones stock , how accurate it is ? ALSO same question about the RUGER MARK4 in any factory configuration.Want to pick up one of these but want to shoot it stock , wanting to see how you guys feel about these pistols.I can count on you guys to give honest feedback.:yesway:
     

    Areoflyer09

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    I’ve the Victory and 2 MkIVs, for me the Rugers are more accurate. We aren’t taking huge differences and it really came down to how they fit me, the balance they have and I liked the factory Ruger trigger more. That said, neither has a factory trigger that I’d call great and the Rugers have more options on that front if you change your mind down the road.

    For pure mechanical accuracy, I think the Rugers have an edge in accuracy due to how the barrels are attached compared to the same in the Victory.
     

    seldon14

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    Ruger MK series is better than the Victory in every way, other than disassembly, but if you are looking at a newer one, the Ruger comes out on top there as well.
     
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    Jan 6, 2014
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    Columbus
    I have a Mark IV Hunter and love it. I'm waiting on a volquartsen accurizing kit to show up from optics planet. I haven't shot a victory but I do own a walther p22 target and an old supermatic citation. I've looked at the Smith several times too but agree they aren't that great looking. I might add a Smith to my collection one day, but I'd own a buck mark before the victory
     

    Thor

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    I think the Victory is just a poor copy of the old Colt .22 (formerly called the Cadet with copyright infringement). The Ruger is a far better design. I don't own either (but do own the Colt) but if I was going to buy something else in a .22 pistol it would be the Ruger. (also, it does look waaay better)
     

    churchmouse

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    Oh good...it's not just me.:)

    Oh no not at all. Absolutely no knock towards anyone that has the Victory intended but man that is just not a good looking pistol. I have no idea how they run. We have a couple of Mk IV's and a 22/45 Lite that CKW has taken over.
     

    wtburnette

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    Ruger MK series is better than the Victory in every way, other than disassembly, but if you are looking at a newer one, the Ruger comes out on top there as well.

    I have had a different experience. I have had 3 Victories and 2 Mark IV's. The Victories have all been more trouble free with more types of ammo and just as accurate as my Mark IV's. I love both styles of gun, but I like my Victories better than my Mark IV's. Slightly harder to assemble/disassemble, but a better gun IMO and less money normally than the Mark IV series.
     

    JHB

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    I have had a different experience. I have had 3 Victories and 2 Mark IV's. The Victories have all been more trouble free with more types of ammo and just as accurate as my Mark IV's. I love both styles of gun, but I like my Victories better than my Mark IV's. Slightly harder to assemble/disassemble, but a better gun IMO and less money normally than the Mark IV series.

    I have to agree. The Victory trigger right out of the box is better with mods both guns are equal. The Ruger take down is easier and the cost is higher. The main thing is the Victory works every time I can't say that abut the Ruger.
     

    wagyu52

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    Sep 4, 2011
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    Yup, save your money and buy the victory. It’s more accurate than I am, goes bang every time and disassembles easy enough.
    If you want to spend more money on a .22 pistol invest in a S&W 41.
     

    gglass

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    Dec 2, 2008
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    ELKHART
    I'm not sure if people care about the opinion of 22Plinkster, but his favorite pistol is his custom Victory, and this is a guy who owns or has access to most every type of .22 pistol.

    https://youtu.be/iyS8OWNPZzs

    The victory would be my choice as well.
     
    Last edited:

    Areoflyer09

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    I have had a different experience. I have had 3 Victories and 2 Mark IV's. The Victories have all been more trouble free with more types of ammo and just as accurate as my Mark IV's. I love both styles of gun, but I like my Victories better than my Mark IV's. Slightly harder to assemble/disassemble, but a better gun IMO and less money normally than the Mark IV series.

    What ammo have you had issues with in your Rugers?
     

    wtburnette

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    What ammo have you had issues with in your Rugers?

    I to am curious. Never ever had an issue with a properly serviced Ruger.

    Both Mark IV's have had issue with Federal AutoMatch, as well as CCI SV. The Mark IV Competition might be due to magazine, not ammo, but I'm still testing. What I get from them is the occasional time when the next round is not picked up from the mag and loaded into the gun. Very strange. My 22/45 Tactical is occasionally having the issue, while the Competition was doing it pretty much every magazine. I have new mags and have been testing and so far it's only happened once out of the new mags. Never had an issue with any of my Victories, that I couldn't trace back and say was ammo related (not going off after good strike). I can run Federal AutoMatch or Federal Black Pack cheap as heck .22 out of the Victory with no issues at all. Plus I've been able to run 1k rounds through at a time between cleanings with no issues.
     

    churchmouse

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    Both Mark IV's have had issue with Federal AutoMatch, as well as CCI SV. The Mark IV Champion might be due to magazine, not ammo, but I'm still testing. What I get from them is the occasional time when the next round is not picked up from the mag and loaded into the gun. Very strange. My 22/45 Tactical is occasionally having the issue, while the Champion was doing it pretty much every magazine. I have new mags and have been testing and so far it's only happened once out of the new mags. Never had an issue with any of my Victories, that I couldn't trace back and say was ammo related (not going off after good strike). I can run Federal AutoMatch or Federal Black Pack cheap as heck .22 out of the Victory with no issues at all. Plus I've been able to run 1k rounds through at a time between cleanings with no issues.

    OK we had mag related issues as the 22/45 lite came with several after market mags and they seriously sucked. I thought ammo at 1st but same same across the spectrum. I stepped up to some Ruger mags and off to the races. Some patience and diligent attention to the feed lips on the crap mags seemed o put them back into the rotation.
     
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