Problems with High Standard HD-Military

[bdft]

The slide on my High Standard HD-Military will not travel all the way forward when I pull it back to #### it. Its almost like a spring inside is broken. Could the retracting rod spring be broken? I'm assuming this spring carries the slide forward. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Rudy H]

Does it feel easier to pull it back. If so then it probably is broke. Time to take it apart.

 

[bdft]

Its not so much that its easier to pull back but that when you let go it doesn't snap shut, it just slides forward and stops about 1/4" from completely closed. I expect the problem is a broken spring, I was just hoping for a revelation.

 

[Donny Fenn1]

with a cartridge in the chamber? some of the 22LR "waxed" bullets will leave a build up that eventually won't let the cartridge go in all the way...

 

[bdft]

No, empty. The slide just mushes to a stop with about 1/4" to go. It doesn't hang up on anything. There's just not enough force to close the slide.

 

[marshall]

Take the slide off and look at the spring , may be kinked, I have some new
ones for this model as well as the newer ones.
The slide will close O.K. with a gentle push? iif it does, sounds
like the spring, also check the rod.
Marshall

 

[lookout]

My father in law had one with a similar problem. The spring had broken and he gave it to a gunsmith to fix. He got the wrong spring as a replacement and while it worked initially, it was too long and kinked inside the spring guide - and the same condition resulted in his HD. I called Western Gun Parts and they sent me the correct spring. Strangely, I had to trim the spring a bit as it was too long as well (comes that way for trimming maybe?) and now it runs like she's supposed to.

 

[bdft]

It sounds like the spring. That's where I'll start, anyway. Thanks.

 

[bdft]

I found the problem. There's a little screw on the side of the slide that has a relief cut in it for the firing pin. If that screw is all the way in, on mine anyway, the retracting rod hangs up on the end of it. I screwed it out three turns and the rod clears it. Now everything works as advertised. These Hi-Standards sure have a lot of screws and pins all over the place. Not quite as simple as a 1911 or a Hi-power.

 

[lookout]

Nice guns but definitely from a different era - when complicated was OK, sorta like a Browning .50 HMG. J Browning had it right and simple with his full bore handguns!