High Standard Questions

[Revans]

I need advice on the purchase of a HS Victor Hartford model #ML58996 in 95% condition.. It has 3 mags and stovepipes frequently in all 3 mag. It is a joy to shoot when it is running right.\
1. what year was it made?

2. Is it worth $375 ? Is the money better spent on a ruger or Buckmark?

3. Is there anyone out here who can effectively tune this gun to run better? Costs?

Thanks

roger E.

 

[mbopp]

There's an active Hi Standard forum over on rimfirecentral, with perhaps the most knowledgeable people in the world on HS firearms there:

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=49

You can also register on John Stimson's website, he'll be able to tell you the build date:

http://disc.yourwebapps.com/Indices/226190.html

First, don't shoot high velocity ammo in it. CCI Standard Velocity is what most people use. Second, wade through the websites and read up on the magazines, feeding, and setting the feed lips. If it really needs a gunsmith the best bet is to send it back to the new High Standard company in Texas.

Victors can be finnecky but I sold my Ruger MKI to get my Hamden Victor. Al Marvel makes a scope base that mounts in place of the rib if you want optics on it. Can't help you with the price but it seems like a good deal.

 

[RUT]

>>It has 3 mags and stovepipes frequently in all 3 mag.<<

Which is why I unloaded my three H.S.'s. Only one left to get rid of.

 

[itchy1]

"2. Is it worth $375 ? Is the money better spent on a ruger or Buckmark?"

I had a HS and sold it for the same reason. I love my Buckmark and Mark II and have had no problems feeding either of them cheap Blazer bulk.

 

[dfariswheel]

The Hartford ML series Victor was a very high quality pistol.
It was High Standard's top of the line standard Target auto.
The only thing better was a custom hand assembled and tuned 10X version built by the old HS gunsmiths.

In that condition, the price is excellent. The Blue Book lists one in 95% at $550.

Many HS magazines need to be tuned for reliable operation.
You can send them in to the current High Standard, or you can build a special tool and try it yourself:

http://www.highstandard.com/services.html#magazine

A Victor with tuned magazines is a far better gun than any Ruger or Buckmark.
The Ruger's and Buckmarks were plinkers that have been "sort of" converted into target guns.
The Victor was specifically designed from the ground up to be America's best .22 Target pistol.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

I wouldn't trade my HS Victor for a half dozen Buckmarks or Rugers, period.

 

[harvester]

Good price and great guns. Tune the magazines and it may run just right. Sometimes they were tuned to only use 5 rounds in the magazine, perhaps you could try that too.

 

[warnerwh]

They are excellent guns. I'd just get it running properly.

 

[Kp321]

I have had very good luck with HS factory mags, not so much with after market mags. There is a thread on Rimfire Central on tuning the mags. I would jump on the Victor and start looking for factory mags. You won't find a pistol that will out shoot it., IMHO.

 

[icanthitabarn]

My Trophy started jamming, all the time, after being fine. I was very upset after not getting it right, after many attempts. Then bingo, and it has been flawless and feeds like no bullet is there.

 

[Pete D.]

HS

High Standard made, arguably, the finest American manufactured target pistols ever marketed. I have a Victor with many 10s of thousands of rounds through it. With proper ammo, it rarely jams. It is my Bullseye match gun....if it jammed, I wouldn't be using it.
If the gun in question were stamped Hamden, $375 is a good price. I would not buy a Hartford gun.
Pete

 

[Furncliff]

Here's Jim Barta's page on the High Standard...http://home.roadrunner.com/~jbarta/otherstuff.html

Fourth and fifth items down deal with the magazine adjustment and making the tool. After you do one magazine you will wonder what all the fuss was about. It's just no big deal. My factory magazines have stayed in adjustment for many years. The new magazines that are made now will work... maybe.

The High Standard Victor is a great target .22, but many folks don't have the patients to make the simple adjustments they need. Get some Wolff magazine springs and replace the old ones and while you are at it, do the recoil spring. Your rewards will be a superior pistol with a great trigger that could only be matched by the more expensive S&W 41. Experiment with ammo brands, .22 pistols are finicky. Earlier H.S. pistols were made before H.V. was available, you need to check your pistols age to make that determination. But... they seem to be more accurate with the target ammo anyway (1070fps). Mine like SK Standard Plus, Wolf Match Target and CCI Standard Velocity. There are a bunch of pistol match ammo brands out there as well.

The price you mentioned is a very good buy.


Edit to add... your pistol sn and age may be on this page.
http://www.histandard.info/models/pistols/107.html

 

[Pete D.]

According to Tom Dance's A Collectors Guide to the Hamden and Hartford Target Pistols, ML58996 was produced sometime in early 1980.