victor .22 jams

[Revans]

I'm looking at Victor HS with 4 clips in 95% condition listed at $600. My

friend let me shoot it and I was very disappointed. It jams/stovepipes with

each mag and often misfired. I could hear the click of the firing pin drop

squeeze gain and it would fire. It happened enough that I began to wonder if

this is the set up on this target pistol. Any advice on the victor or the

misfires jams? I tried winchester, federal, CCi ammos.

I like the looks , trigger,and feel of this gun. Would have bought it if it worked.

Any advice or suggestions What is a fair offer or just walk away?

 

[owlhoot]

The first requirement for a serious target pistol is reliability. The Victor was designed with that in mind. Moreover, High Standard had a long and distinguished history in making excellent target pistols before the advent of the Victor. So it is not like the Victor was their first effort. Having said that, the Victor was not as popular with the target shooters of its generation as the S&W M41 because the Victor was a little more likely to jam. Nevertheless, the Victor was an outstanding target pistol.

The Victor was designed to use standard velocity rather than high velocity ammunition. This could have a bearing on the jams. Faulty magazines could also cause the problem. The gun may just need a good cleaning.

The second problem, as you describe it, doesn't seem possible."I could hear the click of the firing pin drop, squeeze again and it would fire." In my target shooting days I owned three Victors and I knew dozens of people who shot Victors, and I've never heard of any having this problem. Obviously, there is something mechanically amiss with your friend's pistol. Many good pistols are available for $600. I believe I would pass on this Victor.

 

[mes228]

Victor

I've seen this with a friends Victor. I suggest someone cleaned it with WD40, months or even years ago. Clean well and lube. A new application of WD-40 will "dissolve" the old immediately. Then clean away the new with a solvent. Victors are a great pistol. Can jam, but not a habit. Somethings not right.

 

[forindooruseonly]

I agree with whats been said. In my experience, feeding issues with Victors usually stem from a couple of things - cleaning issues or the magazine lips being tweaked. Since all 4 magazines had the same issue, I would suspect a cleaning issue.

And as mentioned above, don't run the hot stuff, or even high velocity ammo. Stick with standard velocity ammo, it won't beat it up.

and often misfired. I could hear the click of the firing pin drop

squeeze gain and it would fire.

If you cycled it by hand and dropped the hammer on the same round and then it went off, it sounds like it is having light primer strikes.

 

[mbopp]

A few things come to mind. Are the mags genuine Hi Standard? Aftermarket Triple-K mags won't hold a "tune" on the feed lips. These guns don't have a feed ramp so magazine tuning is necessary to get them to run.
Is it an original Hi Standard gun, a Mitchell or Stoeger clone, or an early Texas High Standard one? Early Texas guns has mis-machined frames and were troublesome.
As far as misfires, the firing pin may be gunked up in the slide or there's the off chance the firing pin is broken.
Over on rimfirecentral there's a dedicated Hi Standard forum. The president of the new Texas High Standard company is a member and posts there. John Stimson's Hi Standard forum has a wealth of information on production history and the care and feeding of Hi Standards.
The original Hi Standard Victors should only be fed standard velocity ammo, CCI Standard Velocity is a favorite among Victor shooters.
I found a scope mount rail for my Victor that replaces the sight rib. Topped with a reflex sight it's my favorite 22.

 

[Revans]

thanks

Just wanted to say thanks to all for the prompt and professional response to my questions on the Victor. As a newby it is sometimes uncomfotable sharing ones ignorance. Still striving for perfection. I'll be back.

Roger

Brookville, Ohio

 

[Pete D.]

Victor

Is it an original Hi Standard gun, a Mitchell or Stoeger clone, or an early Texas High Standard one?

That was my first thought. There are "Victors" and there are Victors. All are not equal. The second thought that I had was whether or not it is a "Hamden" gun.
The original H-S company manufactured out of two facilities in Connecticut, one in Hamden and the other, when the company was in decline, in Hartford.
The Hamden guns are recognized as being of superior quality.
I own and shoot regularly a Hamden made Victor. As noted by others, only SV ammo. CCI works well as does the old Federal 711. It rarely - very rarely - misfires or jams. In fact, I cannot remember the last time that it did not work properly.
Pete

 

[ElrodCod]

The magazines are the most likely the problem.

 

[Ala Dan]

I too, own a Hamden, CT High Standard "Victor" with the word 'military"
preceeding the s/n on the right side, if you are pointing the weapon. The
only time out to the range, it did misfire on a few occassions; but I have
since cleaned it, and I don't preceive this to be a major problem. I will
find out soon~!

 

[Confederate]

My recommendation is to leave it alone and buy two Rugers. That way you'll have two guns that don't jam. For six hundred bucks, you should get a gun that doesn't malfunction. I have a Ruger and and AMT Lightning and neither jams. How could you not like them?

 

[Minnesota Wild]

I have a Victor that's had that problem...if the gun is clean, the issue seems to normally be with the magazines. As has been mentioned, if the feed lips are not correctly tuned the gun will get rounds stuck between the rail and the flat material over the chamber.

When the gun is running well, it is spectacular (which is almost always, it really is reliable). The accuracy is incredible. The handling is great.

On the other hand, I also have a MkIII Hunter that's about as accurate, has readily available parts, and has a huge aftermarket for a far cheaper price. I love both guns, but if I didn't own both and knew what I know now, I would probably just buy the Ruger. Same price for a used Victor or the new Hunter with a red dot and a couple extra mags.

 

[1SOW]

The HS Victor can also be 'very' ammo picky. As was said above, get some CCI or Fed "Target" loads and try it. I didn't care for the full length ramp covering the ejection port, but it was a sweet pistol with adjustable trigger, available barrel weights etc..

I won't advise on a "fair offer" as it depends on condition, where made and your reason to want it.

 

[RH45]

Many years ago, I bought a brand new "original" Victor. I had misfires with it. I replaced the firing pin, spring, and even went as far as trying a different barrel. t never ran 100%.

I ended up trading it for a Browning rifle, with full disclosure.

 

[davedolli]

I have a Houston victor that jammed on every round on any mag. I contacted High Standard Houston, and they told me to send it to them and they would fix it free. The problem was an over sized mag well. They replaced the frame with one of there new stainless ones, 2 new mags, replaced the rear site which needed attention, did a few more upgrades to the pistol and sent it back to me all for free. It runs great now. It looks super now with the blued upper and the stainless lower. Also I can shoot hv ammo if I want without worry of cracking the frame.
Dave

 

[Pilot]

I had Houston Victor that never shot well, as it jammed on every other shot and had weird trigger issues. I sent it back to Houston three times for work and while they were very nice about it seemed exasperated at all the trouble they were having with their guns.

I sold it to a friend who knew about its issues but wanted it as a project. My four Ruger MK II's run, and run and run........

 

[mbopp]

I wonder if the OP ever got it fixed?

 

[glasses]

Hihg Standard Stovepiping

I have a High Standard Victor Military .22 Original Manufacture also. The stovepiping is driving me CRAZY. I have cleaned it, changed the extractor and extractor spring with no success (had to take it off the line last night agin. I would throw the thing in the garbage except it is the most accurate gun I have ever fired.
In the blogs and at the range I hear alot about the magazines being tuned but nowhere does it tell you how to do it.
Does anyone know the criteria for adjusting the clips? can I do this myself? Should I send it back to High Standard in Texas?
Thanks.

 

[Pete D.]

adjustment

1. Older frames in the Model 106, Model 107, ML Series, and SH Series could have a radius in the top rear of the magazine slot. The magazines produced today could stop 1/4 in. short of locking into these frames due to this radius. To correct this, the radius must be removed from the frame by machining.

2. All magazines are gauged to be under .360 wide. However, if you receive a magazine that is wider than .360., you can easily correct this with the use of a dial caliper and a pair of pliers or vise grips.

3. Magazine feeding is very sensitive to the particular ammunition that is being used. Due to the wide variance in ammunition specifications, the width of the magazines feed lips must be adjusted for the particular target ammunition to be used to obtain maximum reliability. The basic dimensions should be .230 wide for the rear of the front lips and .185 wide for the front of the rear lips. The front and rear lips should also be kept parallel.

4. Magazines should always be kept clean and well oiled.



NOTE: 1. The .230 dimension is fairly constant for all ammunition. The .185 dimension should be increased if the bullets are feeding too low, and it should be decreased if the bullets are feeding too high. This adjustment can be accomplished with tools like needle nose pliers. You can also make your own tool with a piece of 1/4 in.1/2 in. flat stock by sawing a slot in the end. 2. Due to the overall length of some 22LR match ammunition, it will be impossible to get it to feed ten (10) rounds properly.

a High Standard Victor Military .22 Original Manufacture

Should I send it back to High Standard in Texas?

"Back" to them? If it is a Texas gun, it is not original manufacture; it may be new but the originals were made in CT.

Pete