Guns: S&W SW22 Victory review - Turn of the Screw

Introduction

For decades, .22 target pistols all had one thing in common: a complex, difficult takedown procedure. It didn't matter whether you had a Ruger Mark II or III, a Browning Buckmark, or a S&W 41 - all of them were a pain in the butt to field strip and reassemble.

Smith & Wesson's SW22 Victory changed the game in 2016. The gun featured an innovative system that allowed you to disassemble it with the turn of a single 1/8" hex screw, and to remove the barrel from the upper receiver by loosening another screw. 

Since then, Ruger redesigned its .22s to use an even simpler tool-less push-button takedown system, nullifying the Victory's primary advantage.  Does the SW22 still hold up in 2023?

Sights and Trigger

Out of the box, the Victory feels heavy and solid, with an ergonomic textured polymer grip that should fit most hands. The controls are in logical places, and the rear of the slide has unobtrusive grasping grooves for easy racking.

My model came with excellent fiber optic front and rear sights. The green dots absolutely pop, even on an indoor range. The SW22's trigger was also great, with a light, clean break. Unless you are a serious target shooter, I can't imagine having to upgrade these parts.

Takedown

It's been years since Ruger stole the Victory's thunder, but back in 2016, the one-screw takedown system was a huge advance. No more fumbling with levers and springs that required three hands; all you had to do to disassemble the Victory for cleaning was remove one screw at the front of the trigger, using any 1/8" hex wrench.

The downside to this system is obvious - over time, the screw works itself loose and allows your slide to rattle on top of the frame.  Now, I never had the screw back completely out, and all it takes is a hand tightening after each range session to get the gun good as new, but it's still an annoyance.

Range Report

The SW22 is easily one of the most accurate mass-market .22 handguns ever. The heavy weight, good sights and trigger, and heavy stainless target barrel produce fine groups, even when shot standing offhand.

Here's 20 rounds - two full magazine - of bulk Federal AutoMatch at 25 yards:

20 rounds of CCI standard velocity 40 gr. at 25 yards:

20 rounds of Blazer Value Pack at 25 yards:

Stepping up to better ammo gave better groups. Here's 20 rounds of CCI Mini Mags at 25 yards - this is almost my maximum accuracy when shooting a pistol, standing offhand with iron sights:

Conclusion

There's not much to complain about with the S&W SW22. It's accurate, reliable, comfy to shoot, and easy to trick out with new barrels, optics, etc. (thought such things are not at all necessary).  If you're looking for a dedicated .22 target pistol and you don't mind carrying a spare 1/8" hex key in your range bag, the Victory remains an excellent choice.