High Standard Advice

I started playing around with Bullseye back in 2012. Mainly I wanted to shoot pistol at the Atlantic Fleet Matches and a retired Navy Friend handed me his hardball pistol and gunbox and said get to it. Soon after I picked up a High Standard Victor (Hamden) in immaculate shape for a .22 and a week later, stumbled across a Benelli MP95 with 4 mags, 2 sets of grips, ultra dot, and case. I was also working on Service Rifle at the time (I still am) so, Bullseye took second place (more like ignored place except for Fleet Matches). When I did practice, I used the MP95 and the High Standard sat lonely in the safe.

Back in August, I realized that I was getting burnt out on Service Rifle and found that two retired Bullseye shooters were doing coached practice sessions 2x per month 60 miles away. I started shooting these sessions and soon they added a 900 agg match 2x per month as well. All of this is with the .22 and I had been using the MP95. By this point the High Standard was in the gun box to offer as a loaner or use as a backup. Last night it went into backup duty when the MP95 got to the point that it was jamming 1 per mag (dirty chamber and I had no brush).

I decided to pull out the HS and once zeroed, I quickly realized why they have such a loyal following. In Rapid Fire, I was shooting the best that I had ever done. With the weight of the longer bull barrel the gun would recoil, and come right back on target. Also the rear notch was wide enough for my 50 year old eyes to see the front sight even after a day of working in front of the computer and 2 hours of shooting the Benelli (I have an adjustable Benelli rear sight on order too). Finally the grip angle is more comfortable for me that the Benelli angle (with ambi or ortho grip).

That's the background. Now for the questions.

1. What, if any, spares should I have on hand for the High Standard. Mine was built in 1972, so it's 42 years old?

2. Are there any secrets to cleaning the Victor?

3. I have the magazine adjustment instructions, is there any advice that forum members would like to offer on tweaking magazines?

Does anyone have any other thoughts that I should consider one way or another.

I started with a HS, then went to a Marvel, and never had to perform anything but cleaning maintenance to it. Having a Wolff spring kit handy will probably guarantee that you will never need to use it. I've had one for ten years and never broke it open except for the recoil spring. If the mags work well, then just don't drop them! Cleaning the chamber after every match and brushing off the breach face, with a old toothbrush, mid match has kept my HS working perfectly even with dirty Aguila.

high standards are accurate guns but they give so much problems with the mags most all of my fellow local bullseye shooters have moved on to different guns because of the high number of alibies.

Most important is getting the recoil spring replaced if you have not yet. They wear out. If it feeds well don't sweat mag adjustment.  Once you adjust it to a certain ammo you should be good to go. One thing is don't run HV ammo through the gun. SV only. they can crack the frame with HV ammo, and a bad recoil spring

I only use SV, I have not replaced the spring, but this thing is hard to cycle when dryfireing (using magnetic card to protect the face of the chamber). By hard I mean more difficult than cycling a 1911 but less difficult than a Browning HP.

ya i have a low round count early 70's 104 thats like that.  i shoot a 60's 103 turnamint with a victor barral. that thing shoots sweet!

It's normal to have that difficulty to cycle the gun.  It's just hard to get the hammer moving.

For magazine adjustments:  I find that if the bullet just touches the front lips a little bit, that's how you want those adjusted.  Adjusting the hooks is another story, and I don't advise it unless you have some practice, and only make very small changes.

I don't have any spare parts for mine, and I've shot it alot.  You have the spare gun if something goes wrong...I wouldn't stock up on anything specific.

I have always been a fan of HS.. I have several, and one NIB never fired Victor..
The HS barrels and chambers were the best of the American made .22s   A true match chamber..
One of my future projects is to make a replacement barrel with a feed ramp similar to the 41.. I believe that would enhance the feeding of the system..

Recoil spring replace and extractor area and slide face maintenance.  Check often the firing pin fit, keep using the magnetic card fit in the breech. Replace extractor with Volquartsen Exact Edge.  Check for need to iron the chamber back to round at the extractor cut.

Cleaning: 
Frequent chamber brush and pull through after. 
Infrequent:  barrel. slide, and grips off, spray out well with something like B12.  Blow out.  Spray down with G96.  Blow out.  Moly on sear-hammer surface.  Good oil on other key spots. 

I will post later my writeup on magazines.  Most of the usual info on the net is not complete.  Look for original magazines.  The earlier ones with smaller numbers 5&10 are better.  Magazines with larger numbers and grind marks on the sides are ok, but go for earlier if you can. 

Most Hamden made 106 & 107 guns and earlier East Hartford guns are fine.  Some transition guns assembled about the time of the move to E Hartford were less quality controlled.  HS guns have a lot of variables that non CNC machining produced a wide range of tolerance stack that when on the edges are difficult to tune up.  Luckily very very few are problematic Supermatic.