HS Victor - good deal?

Quick turnaround appreciated; don't know much about these, but have an opportunity to acquire this one TODAY:
HS Victor, ML50XXX, East Hartford gun.  Going on this photo only.  Gun, 1 mag, that's it.  Any info or rough value would be appreciated.  Would it be competitive?

Given the amount of wear I'd say 600 tops

JMHO

I'd have to take a hands on look in that condition..

The condition is a little rough for a target pistol.  So it may have been used as a hunting gun.  A physical exam would be required.  A friend picked up a near pristine victor for 900 and I felt she paid a premium price for it.  She's happy with it.  So $600 sounds pretty close.

If the frame is good and the bore is OK. It would make a good project to reblue

No way would I pay $600 in that shape.  One of our club members had one for sale that looked great.  He sold for $650

795.00 for this one on GB sorta puts it in perspective.

Uh, yeah.

Looks like this one is the 4 1/2" version. Most were 5 1/2" guns. This one Unless you get it cheap (under $450) I'd pass because it doesn't look well cared for. The internals could be a mass of rust. The magazines can be finicky, especially the new Houston made ones, so just getting one magazine only, isn't a great deal. Check the muzzle for damage at the crown. If there is one or more nicks on the side of the hole...pass on it.  Check to see if there in a firing pin indentation at the chamber (if so pass). It may or may not function well. Can you test fire a couple of magazines in it? I personally would pass on it and save up for a nice used one with a couple of magazines. If you buy a nice used Citation, Tournament Military, or Trophy with the push button barrel, you can replace it with an LSP barrel and scope mount without any fitting (in my experience).

Thanks for the help everyone.  It came home with me for twenty-two twenty dollar bills.  It's a beater, but it's my beater.  If people can rescue greyhounds and poodles I can rescue this pistol.

I did not get to fire it, but I did not notice any of the problems mentioned.  I'm a shooter, not a collector, so if it shoots as well as my Mark III (which I have never quite liked), then I'll put some effort into getting it aesthetically pleasing.  It needs a finish, and I think with some flat grips it will grip like a .45, which will be good for me right now.

But if I did want to go from 4.5 to 5.5 is there a way to do that?  I'm not seeing a quick solution online. 

Thanks again,

The 4.5 bbl makes for a short sight radius, if your going to use iron sight.

Brownel's has a couple of choices if you want to go dot. Volquartsen also makes space gun barrels for dots

http://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/barrel-parts/barrels/match-barrels-for-high-standard-prod7928.aspx

https://www.volquartsen.com/tags/5-barrels,28-high-standard

Thanks.  I am wanting to stay with irons.  I am seeing the barrels, but I am not seeing the top piece (with the vents) that the sight is mounted on.  I may be demonstrating my ignorance at this point, but looks like that is all that is needed to go from 4.5 to 5.5.  I just may not be able to get there from here.

Contact the folks in Houston about replacement barrels.  While they're fitting it they might be able to refinish it.  There used to be LH Grips available and you might be able to find a set of Pachmayr grips.  Those would be the quick what to get slab sided grips, but the factory grips are pretty similar to what's on a 1911 now.

Herret has flat trainers. Ebay has some flat trainers listed and Brownel's has a set in stock. I think your good on grips. Finding a Bomar rib is going to be a pain. I sold one on this forum for 125.00 in 2014 and it went so fast the keystrokes were still warm.

Len
http://item.brownells.com/categories/high-standard-grip-parts/grips-plain-flat-checkered-walnut.htm

Check out the frame well. If its been abused, you might have some cracks in the right side near the slide lock. Being it looks like its been used hard, make sure you get the recoil spring replaced in it. They fit into a well in the slide, and wear over time. Also in this gun you only want to run SV ammo. No HV please.  Before you go get a new barrel give it a shot.  The Victors are a very good shooting firearm, and unless the bore has been beat up, you just might surprise yourself. As far as being competive.  Well during the 60's and 70's they were the gun to have! If the company had not gone through all the changes, and sufferd some mis manangement, they might still be filling the lines. Enjoy the pistol. I have two High Standards and love them!!!

devildog wrote:Thanks.  I am wanting to stay with irons.  I am seeing the barrels, but I am not seeing the top piece (with the vents) that the sight is mounted on.  I may be demonstrating my ignorance at this point, but looks like that is all that is needed to go from 4.5 to 5.5.  I just may not be able to get there from here.

As someone said, you might like the shorter barrel after shooting the pistol. If you are still intent on getting a longer barrel, the sight rib will be the hardest thing to find. The original ribs were mostly aluminum, but some pistolsmiths like Jim Clark, Sr. and John Giles accurized High Standards and replaced the barrels with custom barrels (many were Douglas) and also put on a solid steel sight rib. This place might be an option for a custom barrel: http://www.ct-precision.com/highstandard.html Maybe he can give you a lead on a sight rib.