S&W 41 vs HIGH STANDARD VICTOR .22 5 1/2

[bigshot500]

My neighbor stopped by this morning and we got to talking about plinking...he mentioned that he can pick up a high standard victory with 5.5 inch barrel and asked what I thought about the gun??? My experience with this or any High Standard is zip, zilch, nada..none. My experience with the S& W 41 is quit extensive and really enjoy target shooting,plinking etc with this semi.

My question, does anyone here have first hand experience with this model High Standard? How does it compare to the smith 41...accuracy, trigger feel, function, fit?

Thanks in advance

 

[Joni_Lynn]

It should be quite a good shooter. My High Standard's shoot very well and have a nice trigger pull. I think my High Standards compare very well to my 41 in all regards.

 

[snake charmer]

In my bullseye shooting days I used both guns. I prefered the Victor because the grip was more like my .45 than the M41. I don't think there was any difference in accuracy, and both guns were reliable.

 

[rck281]

In my bullseye shooting days I used both guns. I prefered the Victor because the grip was more like my .45 than the M41. I don't think there was any difference in accuracy, and both guns were reliable.

I agree with Snake Charmer. The grip angle on the Victor is nearly identical to that of a 1911. Also, the trigger on the Victor is adjustable by a screw at the rear of the frame. I actually prefer the Victor. I don't know much about late production Victor's.

 

[Wee Hooker]

I've owned both. The older high standards were excellent guns but...

The feed from the mag lips (no ramp) so they can be jam-o-matics if the mag lips ain't tweaked just right.

Spare mags are expensive and not as available as some other models.

accessories like grips, holsters etc are slim pickings

Mounting a scope can be a project.

Watch latter production. Quality and performance vary.

All that said, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another IF the price was right. They are finely built pistols with great triggers.
Still. price being equal ( as HS are rarely cheap), I''d buy the S&W 41.
Better yet, I'd buy a Ruger MK II for 1/2 that $ for the type of shooting you describe. It will shoot up there with the others in most peoples hands and be supported by a host of inexpensive aftermarket accessories. The Ruger MK II/III/22-45's are BIG in regional competitions for a reason.

 

[bigshot500]

Thanks for the responce...I have the mk2 govt and a 5.5 and 7.5 41 and the smiths have it all over the mk2govt..especially when it comes to the trigger...they break like a glass rod..the ruger isnt nearly as crisp.
So I guess it depends on the vintage of the HS, I should tell him to find out via the s/n when it was made and based upon this should determine if he buys it...btw the price was 650 w box. I did look on several auction sights and the prices are all over the place..is the vintage/production date the reason for the swings from 500 all the way to 900 for the same gun?

 

[ms]

I agree

It should be quite a good shooter. My High Standard's shoot very well and have a nice trigger pull. I think my High Standards compare very well to my 41 in all regards.

with what she said. I go back and forth between my model 41 and my HSs. The Hamden guns seem to be the best, I'd consider them fully equal to a 41.

 

[bigshot500]

Hamden?? was this a special production run or model?

 

[sceva]

Hamden: Production facility

High Standards were made at - in order
Hamden, CT Considered the 1st choice to get
East Hartford, CT Still pretty good, especially the earlier ones and not a bad choice
Houston TX : later - current production. I have heard both good and bad - mostly bad. would be a distant third choice for me.

My first upper end target 22 pistol was an East hartford High Standard Citation, it was very nice and shot well but I now have a S&W Mod 41 and I prefer the 41 myself.

With the Military frame (45 grip angle frame) which is used on the Victor, Trophy, Ctiation, and sharpshooter you are best to stay with std velocity ammo and it's recommended that the recoil spring be replaced every 20,000 rounds or so.
The High Standard military frames have been known to develop cracked frames ( especially if hi velocity is used but can also rarely occur with std velocity) thru the rail on the RH side at the right rear corner of the magazine well and once cracked it's a paperweight. There is also the magazine issue mentioned earlier, they need to be tweaked - tuned to the pistol. The mags are also pricey.

 

[andyo5]

I believe the gun's actual designation is "The Victor", not "Victory".
I have a 1980's built High Standard Citation and also a 1980's build Model 41. Both are fine shooters but both have their quirks.
The High Standard magazines need to be lubricated lightly, and the owner's manual tells you so. If not, I found that mine would tend to not feed the rounds properly. Not so with the S&W, but they sometimes have problems with the trigger not re-setting. You must rack the slide again to make it re-set.
The High Standard's problem can be avoided if you follow their recommendation regarding magezine cleaning and lubing. The Model 41's issue is more difficult to understand. My first Model 41 was sold because even a trip to the factory did not cure it. I have known others that could not be cured as well. This is my experience and yours may vary.
Also be advised that new High Standards are built in Houston, Texas unlike those built by the original High Standard Company, which operated first in Hamden and later in East Hartford, Ct.

 

[tdan]

I shoot a Bullseye match every Saturday morning. We have about an equal amount of 41 and High-Standard shooters. I'd say both guns are pretty equally matched accuracy wise. I'd say the High Standards have a better designed iron sight set-up, but since we all shoot red dots, that is a non-issue. A big difference is in the amount of alibis. The 41 shooters are hard-pressed to get through a 90 round match without SOMEBODY having a malfunction. A 41 that was shooting fine last week becomes a problem child this week. As to High Standard's: Once you have your magazines tuned for a specific brand of ammo, these pistols pretty much go bang every time. I shoot a High Standard. The two best shooters in my club shoot Pardini's...........but that's another story.

 

[bigshot500]

Will "Hamden" be engraved on the frame? this will be alot easier to tell my friend to look for as opposed to look up the s/n

 

[ms]

On the right side of the frame.

 

[H Richard]

I bought a High Standard Victor, Hamden mfg., in 1983. I've owned and sold 3 S&W 41's, but have never parted with my Victor. The company logo was a symbol of a trigger breaking like a glass rod, and it does. After only about 100,000 rounds I sent it to Bob Shea, an old High Standard custom gunsmith that bought a huge amount of factory parts when they originally went out of business and was the gunsmith that finished their 10X model (all hand fitted). He still works on them and does it part time. Had mine gone through and tuned up. Been solid as a rock the last couple years.

 

[Hammerless-12]

I do own both, a "A" series model 41 and a Hamden Victor. I love both guns and have had som issues with the 41. Granted the mags can be a problem with the High Standards but I have not had any problems yet. I have a safe full of Smiths, and love them to death. That being said if one would have to go, it would be the model 41. The Victor has a MUCH better trigger and groups MUCH better than the 41 I own. The Smith is very "picky" on which ammo it likes. The Victor is not near as finnicky on its diet. Both are very well crafted. But the Victor in my opinion is the better of the two. Just my 2cents worth.

 

[boatbum101]

I'll be the first to say I think the 41 is overpriced & IMHO not a good match quality pistol out the box . I've seen more than a few even the factory could not make shoot well , let alone dependably . The extactor is a poor design & has been so for years . Factory barrels are also problematic . Truth is some are fine & some aren't . The HS military grip Supermatics are less problematic . Magazines are the main issue . The Hamden guns are the best , have great triggers etc . East Hartford guns , like the 41 can go either way . The Houston guns are best avoided & the Mitchell's are junk . I currently own & shoot a 107 Hamden Citation & a 41 5 1/2" HB . The 41 needed a bunch of tweaks including relining the barrel to shoot as well . The 107 has a superior trigger & other than some mag adjustments has been problem / alibi free for over 43 years . Both are best with regular spring replacement & std velocity ammo . Strictly my opinion . YMMV .

 

[k22fan]

I apoligize for a little thread drift but I think some of the members who replied can help me. Where can I find instructions on how to tweak High Standard magazine lips? Mine came with only one magazine. It never jammed untill the lips got bent and the gun ran perfect with a magazine I borrowed to verify that my magazine is the problem. I have not found any replacement magazines for sale.

I can't add much that hasn't aready been posted to answer the original question. Before parts for improving Ruger triggers were common, most of the better bullseye shooters I competed against were split about equally between 41s and High Standards. There were lots of competitors who loved one and swore at the other because they had jamming problems with a sample they had owned but more compititors who loved them both.

I've had better reliability with 41s but I think it's more fun shooting .22 bullseye the way most shooters did when the game started. I finished our fall league 2nd expert and 2nd overall out of 26 firing my 617 with iron sights. I think thats not too bad considering It's my 1st season after not shooting bullseye for a few years, I'm over due for new glasses, I fire the slow fire DA and the winner is nudging over the line into master class.

Whoops! I drifted the thread even further off topic. The O.P. didn't ask for a comparison of High Standards and K22s, but the same money will buy either and if you never want to have to step foward when you hear "alabi shooters to the line" ....

Thanks in advance for any help with my magazine.

Gil

 

[tdan]

K-22.............Go over to rimfire central. There is a poster named Jaybar that has some stickies on High Standard tuning and maintainence. Briefly for magazine lip tuning, you need to make a little tool to bend the lips if necessary. Jaybar has instructions for this. You have two sets of lips on your mag. The rearmost are the feed lips. These should have an inside diameter of .185". The upper front lips are the kicker lips. They should be set at .230" inside diameter. These dimensions are the baseline specs for CCI Standard Velocity ammo. If you find your lips are off, bend each side a little at a time. Its important to keep the cartridge centered with the chamber.

Funny how one poster mentioned the 41's somewhat problematic extraction. They tend to kind of kick the brass downward. I like shooting to the right of a 41 guy. You don't get peppered with brass. If the shooter is getting alibis, I don't like it nearly as much. My High Standards fling that brass with authority. If I put one down the neck of your shirt, the gun is working perfectly.........hehehehehehh!

 

[Nedroe]

Sorry....

but I'll pass on a 41 every time to get hold of one of these. I've had the HD Military since I was 10 years old. The Supermatic for the last 20 years. If there's a chance I might end up swimmin' with it, I take my Ruger MKI.
Ned

 

[dlay]

Get the 106, 107, and ml as last resort, stay away from the sh high standards. The citation, trophy, or victor will all preform well.