.22 LR Target Pistol- S&W VS Ruger VS Browning

Beside the super expensive Euro Olympic/match pistols, my most accurate target pistols in order; HS The Victor Hamden, CT. manuf c.1976, followed by both S&W 41 c.1965 & Beretta 89 c.1999 ex aequo, in third but still very accurate for what it is, my Beretta 87 BB Long Slide c.1988. The 87 is not a true target pistol since it's made on the rather small, light and thin Cheetah frame and sports fixed sights.


If I could only have one it would probably be the Beretta 89, standard or gold standard versions doesn't matter, both are identical since Beretta switched from Std. to GS in the last few years of production. These will eat any kind of ammo from HV to std.vel and are extremely accurate with std. vel. match ammo.
 
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I purchased a browning buckmark from the EE, can't wait to get it in hands and take it out to shoot. First order is to shoot it, then slowly pimp it out.
 
There should be a like button for this. ^^^^
I have a Mk II and a Mk IV. Both with Volquartsen triggers. They are very accurate with CCI Standard or Mini Mags. If you are looking for an affordable target .22 this is the way to go. I have a Model 41, which is very accurate as well, but they got expensive.

I second this! I’ve owned a Ruger Mark IV competition for over a year and with a Tendemkross trigger I made it 3 lb trigger pull. I thought it’s a very good 22LR pistol. Now it turns into great after I finally added a Volquartsen trigger kit and William fire fibre sight. Trigger is now 1.8lb and I am aiming to get 10 shots 3 inch group at 25 yds consistently.
 
GSG 1911 .22 thats reasonably accurately and is fun to shoot for a .22lr

Got rid of my sig 1911-22. Couldn't hit much with it and take down is worse than a ruger mk2 imo.
Looks great though but pot metal slide design is not going to last, many have excessive wear at the slide catch notch.
 
I have a Buckmark and a Ruger Mk1. Both are excellent, with the Ruger being omnivorous.

A friend recently bought a Victory and it seems to work well.

Your choices are good. Pick whatever is available or feels the best.
 
I still have a Ruger MKI bull barrel.
I bought it new 45 years ago.
Put a trigger kit in it and was happy for many years.
I was not rich, That's all I could afford, it will not win matches.
With ammo it likes, it will print a bit better than two inches.

These days, my most accurate .22, is a 1974 Hamden High Standard Olympic in .22 short.
For bullseye, I have 1982 E. Hartford High Standard 10-X .22 LR.
For fun action shooting, I have a 1976 Hamden High Standard Tournament with a red dot sight .22 LR.Also on hand are some exremely accurate conversions for 1911 pistols by Kart and Bob Day, these will shoot up to the HS and 41.
I like the SW 41, but the HS pistols suit me best.
I use a Ransom Rest to find the best gun/ammo combo.
Then, I shoot one and two handed and from a rest, to see if I can keep up to Mr. Ransom.

If you are happy with hitting pop cans at 15 yards, then a GSG will do.

Whatever, it's all about enjoying shooting your guns, in whatever manner suits you best

Cheers Eh ! :cheers::canadaFlag:
 
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How did you mount the red dot on the Hi Standard, on the slide ? I have been thinking a mount to replace the bridge sight , some day?
I love my 102 Olympic, the trigger is as good as it gets and fully adjustable
Never owned a 10X, have shot one , would love a 10x Victor, I think there was a few made (very few)
BTW, the best Ruger I ever shot was a old MK1 target, I took on trade one time.
 
Used a Weaver rail mounted to the barrel.
How did you mount the red dot on the Hi Standard, on the slide ? I have been thinking a mount to replace the bridge sight , some day?
I love my 102 Olympic, the trigger is as good as it gets and fully adjustable
Never owned a 10X, have shot one , would love a 10x Victor, I think there was a few made (very few)
BTW, the best Ruger I ever shot was a old MK1 target, I took on trade one time.
 
Howdy Y'all

I just got into shooting in the last year or so, and I don;t have any friends who are into it, so I am turning to the internet!

I was hoping to get some recommendations for my first .22 LR target pistol.

I have been considering the S&W Victory or Ruger 22/45 or Buckmark pistols.

What are your experiences with these guns/manufacturers? Should I am to get a pistol with a removable barrel, or are they easy to clean without?

Which one is going to be accurate while also accepting any ammo I put through it>

THANKS!!!
Check out 22 Plinkster on youtube, he does many different videos on the Victory, The ruger Mark iv, the Volquartzen Scorpion, he is the king of 22lr on youtube.
 
The Ruger Mark 2 . not the Mark 3. the Mark 2 has a nice trigger and is very accurate and reliable . and it will feed about anything you put through it in 22 LR. I have heard the 22-45s are nice but I only have experience with the Mark 2.

Having shot both, I found that the 22-45 was not to my liking at all. Grip is supposedly similar angle and size to a 1911; but with the light frame, it sure dose not feel like a 1911; I found the accuracy lacking too (may have been me). Buckmark is a nice pistol; again I don't like the weight and balance. S & W Victory; I don't like the look of them, or how they are built; but there is no denying that they are great shooters. Our Club President is relatively new to pistol shooting, he bought one, and now out shoots all of us at most of our club level shoots.

My experience goes back over 40 years. Back then it was High Standard, Browning, and Ruger that were the affordable pistols. Most who owned or had experience with all three; those of us who did would rate them in the same order as I listed them. A really good quality High Standard had a better trigger right out of the box than can be tuned on a Ruger; they still do. The High Standard has always feed way better than the older steel framed Brownings regardless of a target, sport or field version of their pistols. They can still be found in great condition as most looked after them very well (they were 'affordable' but not "cheap"). I have a 7" barrel Sport King that I have owned since the mid 70's; I have a "SharpShooter" target version built in the '70s with a 5" bull barrel; and does it ever shoot. A good High Standard target pistol can be had for $400.00 + if you are patient. Mags are hard, but not impossible to find, and can be expensive. A friend of mine just bought a really nice one that came with 7 mags for $575.00 shipped; six of the 7 fit his; #7 fits mine LOL.

It's your choice; If you want a real shooter; HS, S & W, Ruger #2, in that order.

1911 GSG, SIG are made of pot-metal and plastic; they are fun, but will be shot out long after 40 years have passed; so far HS and Ruger have proved themselves; and I would wager that the S & W victory will likely survive the test of time.
 
I have not read all the posts, But if you want a good target gun, you DO NOT want one that the barrel comes out, ie gsg
Any of the Smith,s brownings, Rugers, colts, Hi standards will shoot great.
I shoot Hi Standards, but a old MK 1 ruger target model would shoot as good as any hi end target gun I had.
That new s-w victory seems good and you can mount a red dot on it if you get the rail, good for us old guys.
:agree:
 
I still have a Ruger MKI bull barrel.
I bought it new 45 years ago.
Put a trigger kit in it and was happy for many years.
I was not rich, That's all I could afford, it will not win matches.
With ammo it likes, it will print a bit better than two inches.

These days, my most accurate .22, is a 1974 Hamden High Standard Olympic in .22 short.
For bullseye, I have 1982 E. Hartford High Standard 10-X .22 LR.
For fun action shooting, I have a 1976 Hamden High Standard Tournament with a red dot sight .22 LR.Also on hand are some exremely accurate conversions for 1911 pistols by Kart and Bob Day, these will shoot up to the HS and 41.
I like the SW 41, but the HS pistols suit me best.
I use a Ransom Rest to find the best gun/ammo combo.
Then, I shoot one and two handed and from a rest, to see if I can keep up to Mr. Ransom.

If you are happy with hitting pop cans at 15 yards, then a GSG will do.

Whatever, it's all about enjoying shooting your guns, in whatever manner suits you best

Cheers Eh ! :cheers::canadaFlag:

:agree:
 
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