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High Standard Model B problem

6K views 8 replies 3 participants last post by  PDX1953 
#1 ·
Hi everyone -

My nephew has a High Standard Model B (the early model) and the slide doesn't close completely. There's normally a gap about the thickness of a dime between the slide & breech but if I move the takedown lever around & push in the spring loaded protrusion on the back it'll close completely. Being as old as it is I don't want to drive out pins & disassemble anything but if it was a new gun I wouldn't hesitate & have the skills & tools to do so.

There's a slot inside the safety lever & it's only worn about .002" so I don't think that's the issue. The inside of the frame is worn as shown in the photo & that's what I suspect is the problem. What's puzzling is that I can get the slide to e slide completely by messing around as mentioned above. Are there any High Standard experts on this forum or has anyone had this type of experience?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Wood Table Roof Metal
 
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#2 ·
It almost sounds like someone released the spring in the slide and it is only engaging part way. When removing the slide on a Model B, one must pull the slide all the way back and push the pin protruding out of the slide down. This locks the return spring all the way back. The slide will then be "loose" on the frame, and operating the takedown lever will allow the slide to come off the frame.
 
#4 ·
If your Model B has the round or oblong extension of the retracting rod out the back of the slide the advice from Tom Savage is not appropriate. His advice is for a type II takedown gun.

There were a couple of weaknesses with the type I-A takedown retracting rod ( the one with the round retracting rod sticking out the back of the slide. ) 1. it was physically weak ond easily broken. 2. It could rotate out of position with the pocket for the tip of the stop lug not pointing down. This prevents the tip on the stop lug from engaging the retracting rod which frequently results in the slide not closing completely. In the types I-A and I-B takedown variations of the Models B and C the type I-B versions of the Models A, D, and E The spring is not captured as Tom Savage describes.
 
#5 ·
I have an extremely early version of the H-B, the one which has no safety other than a half-cock. It has nothing sticking out of the back of the slide, either round or oblong. If one attempts to remove the slide without first latching the recoil spring back, the takedown lever allows the spring to pop out into its channel and drag on other parts of the frame. I have dismantled it hundreds of times in the 50 years I have owned it and never have had problems with the recoil spring.
 
#6 ·
The later Letter series guns and all the hammer letter series guns had a type II takedown as you describe on your Model H-B. Not properly capturing the retracting rod with the spring compressed does cause problems like the original poster describes but the original poster says his Model B had the retracting rod out the back which means it is a type I-A or I-B takedown. I have samples (over 300) of most High Standard pistol models and I understand their characteristics pretty well.

http://www.histandard.info/manuals/letpistols/1123D200R.pdf

John Stimson
www.histandard.info
 
#7 ·
Thanks guys - I wasn't depressing the slide spring button while holding down the take-down lever. The hook wasn't getting behind the return spring but instead was resting on a few coils ahead of where it should have been.

This gun has a 5-1/4" barrel as measured from the frame to the muzzle. Is this unusual? I've seen 1/2", 3/4" & full inch barrels mentioned but nothing in 1/4". Probably means it's worth a million dollars - or not.

Thanks again.
 
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