This kit gun shouldn't be this accurate, right?

[Idaho45guy]

As most know, my father passed in May and left me his firearms collection. Or rather, what was left of it, as he sold off dozens of firearms the last few years to keep things manageable.

I ended up with about two dozen firearms that ranged from the S&W M34-1 .22lr that is the subject of this thread, to an Al Biesen built Jack O'Connor tribute rifle.

I had a YouTube channel on which I posted varied videos of that featured reviews of pickup tires, pickups, firearms, UTVs, and various other hobbies I have.

I thought it would be interesting to shoot the firearms that my father left me, and invite viewers to comment on the firearms. I decided that the first video would be of three firearms, all in .22lr, but all very different. I chose a Winchester High Wall in .22lr, then a Ruger Mark II Target with a Burris 2x scope, and the S&W 34-1 kit gun.

I fired all from a bench at 25 yards using Federal Target Grade ammo. 5-shot groups and videotaped the very first time I had fired these guns.

I predicted that the High Wall was going to be the most accurate, followed by the Ruger, and the S&W was going to be lucky to get all 6 shots on paper.

I was wrong! The High Wall was indeed the most accurate with a 1/2" group, but the S&W shocked me with a 2" group using open sights! The Ruger was all over the place and didn't get all shots on an 8" paper plate.

Now, I had forgotten to clean the guns before the shoot, and they were all plenty filthy. But I had no idea that a little .22 S&W was capable of pretty good accuracy at 25 yards!

Is that sort of accuracy normal for these pistols?

Picture of the guns fired, with the High Wall target shown...



Here's the YT video if interested; I really am not very good at making videos, but they are entertaining, if not crude...

[gunther]

Check the base and ring screws on the Ruger. It ought to do better than that.

[Thumbcocker]

Not at all suprised by the kit gun. They were highly regarded by generations of woods bums. Very suprised by the Ruger. I would try it with iron sights. They are generally very good shooters.

[Bigslug]

I have a 4" Smith 63 - basically the same gun as yours (gorgeous BTW) in stainless. Mechanically, it's the same as any other Smith & Wesson revolver - the only slight oddity being that with the narrower rounds, they get six .22's in a J-frame instead of the more common 5 .38's.

Assuming it's in good mechanical tune, if you find ammo it likes, it'll keep up with any of the others.



Mine came with a set of hokey aftermarket grips, so I went with rosewood Hogues. It's one of my more valuable teaching aids.

[rintinglen]

I also have a 63, and no, it is not uncommon for them to shoot really well with ammunition they like. +1 on its value as a trainer. My granddaughter loved it.

[JoeJames]

I bought a used Model 63 about 30 years ago. I also had a Mark 1 Ruger. A buddy was trying to decide whether to get a Ruger Mark 1 or a S&W Model 63; so we tested both with 22 ammo they liked best. The Model 63 out shot the Ruger hands down; so he bought a 63. Over the years my 63 has honed its trigger down to less than 2 1/2 pounds, BTW.

[Daekar]

I have a 3" Model 63, and it's surprisingly accurate too. I'm not the world's best pistol shooter, but I would rather shoot spinners with it than with my wife's MK III Hunter despite the longer sight radius of the latter.

It doesn't like all ammo equally, but nothing does. If I weren't trying to keep the safe a little bit less populated, I would be on the lookout for a 617 with a longer barrel in hopes that it would be even better.

[wilecoyote]

...if disappointed, aside cleaning the guns, beware to the Ruger scope...

[JoeJames]

Model 63 test with a few different brands of 22LR ammo. Win Super X round nose did the best. But, to quote someone or other: "Every handgun is a law unto itself".

[tazman]

I used to have a S&W model 34 like yours. I found it to be equally as accurate as the model 17 I owned at the same time. It is a great revolver.

[lar45]

I too would take the scope off the Ruger and double check the screws on the base and rings. If that doesn't fix it, I'd try a different scope.

[kootne]

I too have my Dad's old kit gun. 3" barrel, Aluminum frame and receiver. When I say old, it is #5370 and S&W says those guns started at #5000. It is the only Smith I have ever shot that didn't shoot like a rifle. It wouldn't stay on a grouse at 25 yds. I checked the cylinder throats with pin gauges and it is sloppy with the .226 and won't pass a .227 so I am calling them .2265 I did try one of the dies for bumping .22 shells up and now it will do 2" at 25yds but only with CCI 22 Quiets. I wonder if he shot hi-speed 22 shells and swelled the cylinder? Don't know if that is possible or maybe it was always that way. I would swap it off but just can't do that with one of Dad's guns.

[FAAFO6]

All of my Kit Guns ( a 4" 1955 year pre-model 34, a 4" Mod 34-1 from 1977, a 6" Mod 35-1 from 1973 and a 4" Mod 63 from 1978 ) shoot extremely well. Most any ammo does about an 1 1/2" at 25 yards in any of them. And like most 22's each has a preference as to what it shoots the best. With its preferred ammo the oldest one will easily do an inch or less even with my old eyes. The Model 35 is basically just a Model 34 with the longer 6" barrel...don't have any idea why S&W called them a different model. Great little revolvers.

[dtknowles]

I am glad to hear that little S&W revolver shoots like that. I think that is what I would have expected unless something was wrong. Just because it is small does not mean it should not shoot as well has bigger guns. I am disappointed in my Ruger Single Six, it does not shoot that well with .22 LR more like 3" at 25 yards but I does better than 2" at 25 yards with .22 Mag. so that is the deal with that gun.
Regarding the scoped Ruger MKII, something is wrong. I have two and both will shoot better than 2" at 25 yard. My scoped MKII Hunter will shoot better than 2" at 50 yards with almost any quality ammo.
Tim

[Forrest r]

All of my Kit Guns ( a 4" 1955 year pre-model 34, a 4" Mod 34-1 from 1977, a 6" Mod 35-1 from 1973 and a 4" Mod 63 from 1978 ) shoot extremely well. Most any ammo does about an 1 1/2" at 25 yards in any of them. And like most 22's each has a preference as to what it shoots the best. With its preferred ammo the oldest one will easily do an inch or less even with my old eyes. The Model 35 is basically just a Model 34 with the longer 6" barrel...don't have any idea why S&W called them a different model. Great little revolvers.

The 35-1 is highly sought after/collected. Sold a 35-1 nib at the ohio gun collectors show 15/16 years ago for $1100.

I'd give the ruger a good cleaning and then retest paying attention to the fp hits in the 22lr brass. I've owned several ruger mk series pistols over the years. All of them had issues/accuracy went south when the internals got dirty. Heck the last ruger mk 4 I bought (2 years ago) had lite fp hits when it was nib/strait from the factory. Sent it back and ruger put a new bolt group in it for me. That pistol went from shooting shotgun patterns to +/- 1" 5-shot groups @ 25yds.