SMITH&WESSON VICTORY or RUGER MARK4 TACTICAL

[Areoflyer09]

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.

Has it done it with ammo other than Federal? What about non-bulk packed ammo?

My experiences with most Federal branded 22 ammo has put it on the no buy list for me.

 

[wtburnette]

Has it done it with ammo other than Federal? What about non-bulk packed ammo?

My experiences with most Federal branded 22 ammo has put it on the no buy list for me.

Yep, CCI SV and Aguila SV as well. So far with the new magazines I've used only CCI Mini Mags and CCI Select, with only one time that a round wasn't picked up from the mag out of 100 rounds or so.

 

[Areoflyer09]

Yep, CCI SV and Aguila SV as well. So far with the new magazines I've used only CCI Mini Mags and CCI Select, with only one time that a round wasn't picked up from the mag out of 100 rounds or so.

Interesting, the MkIV Comp ran CCI SV like a champ for me. Try putting a shot of liquid graphite or something similar in the mags, I’d avoid any oils that can collect dirt or gum up.

 

[wtburnette]

Interesting, the MkIV Comp ran CCI SV like a champ for me. Try putting a shot of liquid graphite or something similar in the mags, I’d avoid any oils that can collect dirt or gum up.

My son and I did notice the follower didn't seem as "springy" as it should be in both mags. The new mags react like they should. I'll try the liquid graphite to see if that helps, as I'd hate to have to throw the mags away.

 

[Areoflyer09]

My son and I did notice the follower didn't seem as "springy" as it should be in both mags. The new mags react like they should. I'll try the liquid graphite to see if that helps, as I'd hate to have to throw the mags away.

If that doesn’t help, I’d try stripping and cleaning them and then new springs before I pitched them.

 

[wtburnette]

If that doesn’t help, I’d try stripping and cleaning them and then new springs before I pitched them.

Yep, will save that for a rainy day when I'm bored...

 

[gmcttr]

My son and I did notice the follower didn't seem as "springy" as it should be in both mags. The new mags react like they should. I'll try the liquid graphite to see if that helps, as I'd hate to have to throw the mags away.

I have a MK III not a MK IV, but the only time I had a similar problem was with CCI SV which is my go to ammo for the pistol but was shooting in COLD weather. I could pull down on the mag's loading button and the follower would not raise the rounds. Once back home in the warm and the mags worked fine. Seems like the wax on the bullets stiffened up in the cold. Graphite might have solved the problem.

I know I've shot my MK I with the same style mag in all kinds of weather without a problem so I never really understood what the difference was.

 

[wtburnette]

For me, this was at an indoor range. Not overly cold.

 

[d.kaufman]

The wife's mark IV 22/45 lite has eaten pretty much everything we've thrown at it. She prefers to run CCI SV in it but we've used Federal auto match, champion blue box, the 36gr black pack hps, aguila, Remington t bolts, mini mags, browning, herters, etc.
Only ammo it's ever not liked was the gimmicky CCI red and green Christmas rounds. We fed those thru the 15-22 & 10/22 to use them up

 

[wtburnette]

OP, if you ever get to the Greenwood area, I'd be happy to meet you at an indoor range and let you run my Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Tactical and my S&W Victory. Let you compare them head to head to see what you think. If you're near a range that offers them as rental guns, you can rent both to test as well. I don't see you going wrong with either choice, as they are both fine weapons.

 

[teddy12b]

I bought a Ruger Mk IV tactical because I wanted a threaded barrel and it was cheaper than the target versions of the gun. Out of the box I bought a VQ accurizing kit because why not. I tried fidling with putting the kit in and I ended up with a box of parts I took to a local gunstore who does lite duty gunsmithing. I got the gun back and it was nothign but light primer strikes and problems, I took it back and have it again. Now it runs for the most part, but I really regret ever messing with it as it came from the factory. I do find the ambi safety is uncomfortable, and I took the top and bottom rails off my tactical because I don't need them. I do wish there had been some factory screw plugs included in the box because now I've got empty threaded holes that are exposed.

Personally I'd buy the same pistol all over again, but leave it alone this time. I have yet to really get out and just pound the rounds through my MK IV because I haven't really had it in my hands for enough time to really do that. Whenever my can's paperwork comes through I think it'll be a good combo, but I've probably got another 9 months to go waiting for that.

I think the S&W is good to go too, but I just prefer the Ruger MK IV. I've owned previous MK versions and hated cleaning them, the MK IV is a breeze to clean.

 

[Hookeye]

Tried a few and am out of the .22 handgun game.
Like Ruger well enough.
Some High Standards.
But none ever had it all.

I dunno if my next one will either, but am done messing around.
If I get back into .22 rf pistol........


Hammerli Xesse

 

[WanderingSol07]

My wife has the Ruger .22lr 22/45 Lite and likes it better than the S&W Victory and my Buckmark Medallion. I like my Buckmark better than the other two. Suggest you try all three and then decide.

 

[marvin02]

@teddy12b

If you want to remove the safety paddle/lever on the right side there should be a small washer that came with the gun. Remove the screw, take off the lever and replace with the washer. You can buy one if you don't have it.

You should be able to get it screws to fill the holes where you took off the rails.

 

[teddy12b]

@teddy12b

If you want to remove the safety paddle/lever on the right side there should be a small washer that came with the gun. Remove the screw, take off the lever and replace with the washer. You can buy one if you don't have it.

You should be able to get it screws to fill the holes where you took off the rails.

Yeah I had the ambi safety off with the washer on it but the gunsmith mistakenly put that back on the last time around. I still don't know what size the filler screws are but I hope to get the size right at some point in my life, I'm just lazy about this one.

 

[doddg]

Enjoyed reading this thread since I love everything .22LR.
I have had 3 SW Victories & 2 or 3 of the Mark 4.

I found one of many targets I put downrange with the Mark 4 & the Victory.
The middle target shows the Mark 4 & the bottom right shows the Victory.
You can see they tied for "1st Place" but they are very very close.
You can be the judge which has the edge, but this is only 1 target.
This might not have any bearing on your accuracy, or mine on a different day, it only illustrates they shoot similarly.

Another example of the two.

 

[goob469]

Not in the original post question - but, I'm a big Browning Buck Mark fan! Therefore, I submit a 3rd option.

 

[KWIndy]

Yeah I had the ambi safety off with the washer on it but the gunsmith mistakenly put that back on the last time around. I still don't know what size the filler screws are but I hope to get the size right at some point in my life, I'm just lazy about this one.

Give Ruger customer service a call in Prescott AZ. and they will gladly send you as many fill screws as you need after removing the rails.

 

[doddg]

Buckmark, Victory or Mark 4.
All great guns.
When I was trimming the safe of all my .22LR semi-automatics these were the ones that were left.

Only my Smith 41 and a Mark 3 that had a Volquartsen barrel and trigger beat them out.I have no idea which of these two guns will survive, for now I am enjoying both.

 

[augdog]

I had Buckmarks and Rugers. Never had A Victory.The Buckmark was my favorite. Then I bought A SW model 41 quite the gun! All the others are gone sold off.