High Standard Model A B & HD Military Disassembly Field Strip Takedown

[@gonesurfyn]

I just wanted to thank you. My father obtained this pistol via family long story short its from his grandfather...needless to say its been kept in the family.....I inherited the pistol when dad died last October. When I received this firearm and took it to the range and realized it would not cycle or eject. After viewing your video I realized the return spring was the suspect. After compressing the return spring properly, the weapon cycled and fired flawlessly.. THANK YOU!!!

[@22tanmay]

Hi Tony, I find the Model B disassembly process in your video a little strange. Because once the slide is pulled back manually and the little tab/ plunger on the top is depressed, the recoil spring guide rod gets automatically locked and the slide remains locked to its rearmost position - as if there was a slide lock. Now all you have to do is rotate the disassembly lever clockwise, push the slide a little forward and pull it back and it comes out. I have described exactly what I used to do with my Model B which I used for 10 years. Thanks for the video. Nice work

[@sidewinder666666]

@Tony Harrison Your info on the H-D is somewhat incomplete (as given by whoever told you about it), and while similar, the H-D does have some differences. I have my father's H-D Military in my hands as I write this. He bought it very shortly after WW2 and it still works like it was new. This was not one of the War Dept items, it was the civilian version, which had very nice Walnut(?) grips, heavily checkered. The slide on the H-D is somewhat different. First, once tension is put on that button by the spring after you hold the button and slide forward, you *can* release it without worrying that it will let the spring go; it holds it just fine. In fact you *have* to let it go if you intend to remove the firing pin, else you won't have enough hands for that task, lol. This difference is a necessity in design, given that it has the external hammer and that the firing pin runs parallel to the slide spring. To get the firing pin out for cleaning, after removing the retaining screw on the bottom side of the slide (visually obvious), you also have to turn the latch screw on the side of the slide 180 degrees to allow the firing pin to be removed (again, visually obvious if you have an H-D). Hope this helps anyone who has this model. I love it, and so did Dad.

[@zomborama]

Thanks for the note. I tried everything but I couldn't get the button to hold onto the retracting rod as you mentioned. If you look at the video, the rod is smooth at the end and I'm not sure if the rings had gotten stripped over time or if it just came this way.

[@sidewinder666666]

@@zomborama After viewing your video again, I can't help but wonder if either the face of the button that contacts the recoil rod has been rounded off, or if the recoil rod itself was rounded off or has a chipped edge. On the external-hammer H-D Military, the rod isn't rounded, it is actually a bit concave, so its outer edge holds the button down by pressure alone. I'd suggest doing a *full* strip on yours, removing both the rod/spring, and that button. Examine both faces of them where they would normally meet and see if anything is obvious as to why it won't stay held in place. To my knowledge *all* models of that design have the same mechanism. Given what a PITA it was to demonstrate what you did, I find it hard to believe that that is "normal".

[@deepee999]

Thank-you. I bought my "brand-new second-hand" H-D Military in the spring-released condition for a song -- I thought the slide spring was busted. For those with hammer-exposed versions, like mine, who are complete mechanical klutzes, like me, when re-installing the slide, be sure to hold the hammer *all* the way back or it will catch the slide on its way forward and leave you scratching your head. Again, thank-you for an excellent video.

[@donmulder8061]

Just found my dad's Hi Standard H-D Military model with a magazine still in it. Thanks for posting.

[@bu1967]

Thank you for posting this video. I inherited a H-D Military from my father and had not seen any take down instructions.

[@fastearle]

Just wanted to let you know that after all this time, your video is still helping people! I never knew that yoou had to keep that button down and couldnt get the gun to function! Thanks so much!

[@jbwatt308]

Thank you. I have a Model B that was my grandfathers. I bent that spring not knowing how to get it a part. It has been sitting in my gun safe since. After watching this I pulled it out, took it apart and straighten the spring. I will replace it, but I believe it will shoot now again. Great instructions, again thank you.

[@chrishartman7015]

Well made video. I have many HS pistols, I guess I'm a collector, though I do shoot them too. One correction: If you look at the end of the recoil spring,there is a plunger with rings machined in the end. This is to catch the retainer that the button is deflecting. In other words, you don't need to hold the button down once the spring is against it. Thanks!

[@bobmurray3229]

Thx for the education. I just purchased a very clean model B. 6.75” barrel. Thanx to you, I can now disassemble and clean my new pistol

[@9995-q1u]

I wish you had shown the actual clearing of the weapon to include removing the magazine. I am experienced with modern semi-automatic pistols but I have my dad's HD Military model and it has the magazine still installed and I do not know how to remove it and don't want to have a negligent discharge on an ancient pistol.

[@sidewinder666666]

I'm holding a H-D Military model in my hands as I write this. Look at the pistol butt, the magazine itself fits completely flush with the magazine well. The bottom of the butt, including the grips, is a flat plane EXCEPT for the magazine release, a small latch at the rear of the magazine which you need to push towards the back of the pistol butt. The magazine should release, and it should be obvious that the magazine *has* released. If not, there's a small tab at the front of the magazine that you can hook a finger onto and pull it out.

[@due51outdoors]

Hello and thank you for he video. I stripped my H-D Military, for the slide off for cleaning, and inadvertently pulled the trigger. Now the hammer is in the deployed position and will not budge to the cocked position. Can you help me with a solution? Thanks. John

[@charlesclary3246]

I have been looking for this info for several years!! A person was looking at my HD Military and messed the spring up. now i know how to repair it. Thanks so much!!!!!!

[@J.DeLaPoer]

Once the slide is off the gun you don't need to keep holding the spring retaining button. Actually if you're careful, you can release it as soon as the slide is fully retracted (before you push the lever down to remove slide from frame). Once it's pressed down with the slide fully retracted, the spring pressure itself should keep the button held down and the spring compressed from there. You don't touch that button again until you're ready to reassemble: Then insert the slide onto the rails, hold down the hammer, push the slide all the way forward, release the lever, then rack it backwards, and as soon as the slide hits full backward travel on the gun it will automatically release the spring button and reassembly is complete. It would be hard if not impossible to actually get any cleaning/oiling done if you had to keep your finger holding that button down nonstop the entire time until it's reassembled on the frame again.

[@LarryKelly]

if that is true, this guy’s video sends the viewer on a fools errand trying to clean his gun… unless he has three hands.

[@J.DeLaPoer]

I think his pistol is just defective/parts heavily worn perhaps. In any case I can only comment on my own gun. I unfortunately don’t have a manual to see what “official” sources say.

[@zomborama]

​@@LarryKelly No reason to be a dick, Larry. Feel free to post a video that shows the right way of it being done. If not, find someone else to troll.

[@zomborama]

@@J.DeLaPoer It's possible that the retracting rod was either stripped over time or perhaps some other issue but it does work.

[@LarryKelly]

@@zomborama comments tell the right way to do it and my post emphasizes that to anyone being misled.

[@zomborama]

Field stripping basically means taking the gun apart for cleaning without the use of specialized gunsmithing tools. It does not necessarily mean doing it in the field either, it just means it can being done by the average user. Remember, that the only way you can depress the button fully down is when the recoil pin is compressed and slide pulled back. If you are doing this but the button will not depress, then it's possible that your recoil pin has expanded like in the video.

[@darth375]

Thanks for the vid. It was a big help for getting the slide back on after some serious cleaning. I just took my Grandpa's to the range with a friend. Great little target shooter.

[@kurtchurba1994]

Disassembly occurred as instructed. Great job and thanks! (Hi-Standard Model H-D Military 6 3/4”)

[@ditchdigger93]

Watched again, I see you've got an old model B , the sight adjustment I referred to is on the HD Military. I see now that one is the fixed sighted type.

[@johnmarshall8382]

Very helpful. H-D Military has same action with an addition of a locking slide release but on the right side at the top of the right grip

[@zomborama]

It's possible that spring steel on the button assembly is probably a little more flexible than it should be and may be . Did you try tapping the slide with a rubber mallet do try to dislodge it? Also, the channel where the spring and rod sit may be gummed up. You may have to remove the pin and block to clean it out. I'm going to be posting a video soon to show how to do that.

[@boomertsm]

How do you replace the firing pin. My dad, a deceased Marine fighter pilot in WWII and Korea, used this during that time. But somewhere in its history, the firing pin went missing. I have ordered a replacement, but have no idea how to install it. Do you?

[@deepee999]

FWIW, after going to John Stimson's site, I was able to find what I needed (extra mags and, I thought, a new mainspring) from Brownell's. Prices and S&H both very reasonable.

[@edspad2]

Thank you, as you have shown it is tricky my Mod-B was stubborn, but it did remove as illustrated. now i can properly clean the upper and lower assembly.

[@martinlopezvaca4668]

Deceo el manual de desarme total High standesr mod B cal 22.

[@zomborama]

Thanks and I'm glad you found it useful. It took me a while to figure this all out and thought this would be a good one to show rather than describe.

[@chittaray6564]

Thank u Tony for the field strip instructions. Excellent. Can u help me how to change firing pin of my model B pistol. Because it mis-fires some time. Will appreciate your help.

[@zomborama]

Hi Ray, if you go to 1:02, look at the top of the slide from left to right-the rear sight, push button and a pin. This is the pin that needs to be punched out from inside the slide to release the firing pin. Be aware that there is a small spring inside the firing pin channel that keeps the firing pin retracted. Hope that helps and good luck.

[@chittaray6564]

Thanks a lot Tony for the perfect advice. Will try the way u said.

[@FoxRacer090]

i know this is an old video but i’ve had this damn model b for like years because it didn’t fire not knowing you need to push spring in. you just put one back in action

[@kirkniles4184]

Oh my gosh I’m so glad I watched this I have my grandpas military model.... Now I can fix it my self...thank you so much for the helpful tip

[@zomborama]

Glad I can help.

[@SatBchMagicer]

EXCELLENT video presentation! Camera work well directed and explanations clearly given and precise. Thank you for the vital information.

[@tomclark8278]

thanks much, I sent my HD to the gunsmiths at Gander Mountain 3 times and they couldn't assemble it right. I watched your video and had in done in 2 minutes.

[@joeguzman3558]

I know it's been 10 years ago from video but is still very good information

[@zomborama]

Yes, the firing pin will be visible when you pull back on the slide.

[@joemailloux7562]

if the gun is not damaged you shouldn't have to hold the button please watch some of the other take down videos

[@deeniebo100]

HELLO I HAVE THE SAME GUN AND I WANTED TO KNOW DO YOU STILL SEE THE FIRING PIN WHEN YOU RACK THE GUN...BECAUSE I STILL SEE MINE IT THAT NORMAL

[@uselessgrant11]

U just saved me a trip to the gun shop, thanks so much! 1940's hd military.

[@paulhatch7759]

Thanks got grandad's old mod b. Back together.

[@roycenelson6370]

It was helpful I just got mine and it is not loading and ejecting

[@odenthor1955]

HELP! mine is the exact same pistol as in video but the spring and rod will not got all the way into the channel so it won't clear that button I'm pushing on.

[@paulushooker2044]

+odenthor1955 It's possible that the spring has collapsed and bent out of shape in front of the recoil rod thereby not letting the recoil rod through itself.

[@odenthor1955]

+TJ Hooker Thanks, most of the spring and rod go into the tunnel/channel except for the last 3 coils of the spring and the head of the rod. I do notice that the spring coils at the tunnel/channel end are bigger than the coils up front with the rod in it which are tighter.

[@ChristiannTyler]

I have a model b with a longer barrel the serial number is 65000 any idea what year it could be?

[@lindseykuehl2945]

Thanks so much! Just got the same model and ran into the not spring back problem. Again thanks a lot!

[@richardjanke927]

Thank you very much. Just the video I needed before shooting my Model B

[@tobycleo]

can you fire high velocity in modle "B"

[@scair7331]

the odd part my hs the spring stays in place till the slide is back on then releases

[@zoeeymagoo]

Hey Tony, Im in search of a set of grips for my HD USA pistol. Can you help? Thx

[@deeniebo100]

THANKS BRO YOU WERE A BIG HELP I WAS SCARED FOR A SEC IT LOOKS AS IF IT HAS A FIXED FIRING PIN

[@davefox72]

@appleh8terguy Would u please make a video of how this is done? Is yours the model with the "second" safety lever right behind the first?

[@ratroute8238]

Hi all , just want to inform all you HD military owners that if you let the hammer fall forward with the slide off you may need to remove and reinstall the hammer(or have a gunsmith do it) as the hammer can over rotate , the hammer strut can jump off the hammer spring plunger.Don't ask me how I know.

[@patientestant]

Anyone else have troubles feeding with 40 grain ammo? 29 grain and 36 grain were doing well. The bullets have been catching on the lip of the chamber. I am using an aftermarket magazine, which is probably the main cause. Purchased one from Brownells made by triple Triple K today.

[@ceodad]

I got my HD from my Dad. The top button though is missing. Any ideas?

[@zanenelson7916]

Surely you have figured out that you don't have to continually hold the takedown button? If the parts are fitted as they are supposed to be, once the slide has been retracted the recoil spring will stay in it's compressed state.

[@zomborama]

Unfortunately that is not the case with this pistol. If I let go the button, the spring retracts immediately and I have seen other videos where the same issue occurs on others.

[@ClassXIRoads]

Thank you for this video, I recently aquired my fathers HD High Standard and am going to be giving it a good go though, I have newer High Standards that are very easy. This HD was known to double and triple. The last time that I know it was fired must be close to 30 years ago. I Cleaned it without removing the slide and ran a few rounds through it last weekend without issue, and have been looking for a video such as this one .. Safe shooting and again thanks.

[@CHUCKLOVES1969]

my dad who is 92....ex-naval aviation instructor at pensecola in WW2 and became a famous P51 Mustang air racer in his Miss America....gave me his model B Hi-Standard..long barrel.. with the leather holster in excellent shape. i have fired off a few clips of 8 rounds?..here's my stupid question. Why would u want to field strip the gun down? i can understand cleaning a gun every once and a while,,but why in the field?...and that button to push down seems extremely tight and hard to do on this.

[@tommygwood]

Do you know how to take down a Model B with the button is on the back? I can't seem to fine out any info. except a pdf manual but I still can't get the receiver off.

[@williamster2015]

Im still trying to figure the same thing out

[@johnsadler8637]

If I understand mine, that button on the back is the end of the rod with the recoil spring. The dog that sits on the end of his appears to sit in a slot on the underside of mine (and maybe yours?). On mine, the takedown lever is aft of the safety. My biggest problem was that the rod can turn so the slot is not oriented toward that dog. If I manually turn the slot to be fully visible and insert the slide, the takedown lever clicks back into place. At that point, the slide cycles manually the way I expect, and I can load a round into the chamber. However, it does not cycle when fired and the brass is not ejected. It is as though the extractor hook doesn’t catch the rim. It is still spring-loaded, so I don’t understand why that doesn’t work. Ideas?

[@462awest]

Hopefully, I'm going to be able to get this apart, but something else seems kaput..

[@thomaspinto9683]

That was really a superb video - many thanks for taking the time to put this out there into the information pool.

[@CHUCKLOVES1969]

also,,,he told me he got the gun in 1937-8? (stamped on trigger guard 52924---does that tell the year made?) and it has a 5 1/4 inch barrel. he handmade wooden handles and a cool leather holster for it. why he removed the original handles i dont know.

[@MikeinVirginia1]

Thanks for this info! I've never tried to remove the slide before. Now I can clean it properly!

[@aceacedada]

Just bought one of these and this was very helpful. Thanks.

[@DFX2KX]

What an interesting little gun, never seen one of those... That button seems a bit wonky, IMHO

[@RaulhondaRomero]

gracias se puede ver en español

[@eduardelgadilloypesado1302]

yo tengo pero la pistola tipo revólver es un amor

[@frankbeal8764]

Thanks for this. Very helpful. Just acquired a Model B that I think was manufactured before the government started using them, other than that, it is almost identical to yours. Again, Thanks

[@torqueguy1]

Fantastic video, very helpful. Don't know who or where you are but if you're ever in Virginia, you have an expensive dinner and a case of beer waiting for you. Seriously Thanks my friend

[@BOWGUY3015]

Well done sir. I just received a model H-D military. Great little gun and now I can clean it properly!

[@ChristiannTyler]

I need grips anyone know where to get some

[@smokndav]

good video, very helpful. I have the model E which is pretty rare but take down is the same

[@glennthomas7435]

Thanks Tony, good vid. Just got one the other day (HD Military).

[@Kikematamitos]

My hi standar model b have the barrell more long!!!

[@scooter17568]

Very helpful. Thanks! Looks like this will work exactly the same with my Model A.

[@462awest]

Yeah, sort of, the slide release lever was in a funny position and didn't feel right. I've never touched a Hi Standard before, but watching this vid, and knowing about the spring catch makes a lot of sense. If I can get the slide to release it ought to be a simple matter of pushing the spring back where it belongs, possibly getting a new spring catch button, the existing button has been beaten. Not by me, but someone in the last 74 years....

[@ChristiannTyler]

I got a old model b long barrel

[@ditchdigger93]

Something wrong with that one I guess. That take down button should not pop up when the slide if removed. One pointer is DO NOT hold that button down as you remove the slide off of the frame. Once the spring is compressed do not touch that button at all. When you return the slide to the gun it will pop up on it's own and be fine. Very well made pistol but there are tricks to it. Very few people know how to adjust the rear sight either. It's both simple as heck once you know how and complicated if you don't.

[@tobycleo]

good video.. Just holding down that little button is a pain.

[@CHUCKLOVES1969]

very clear information,,thx....i was only pushing button down without doing anything else...it probably is A LOT easier your way,,,,thanks again.

[@hawaiianfilter]

Awesome video. Thanks.

[@appleh8terguy]

I have the one with the button in the back and it is much easier to disassemble and assemble.

[@RobazacGarcia]

Tanks a lot men awesome video it helpe me whit mine all though mine said model "A" same mechanism

[@acman400]

Thank you. This video helped.

[@dgswa6488]

Great video, thanks for putting it together!

[@hawaiianfilter]

thanks for the post. it works now!

[@JosephBroome]

very helpful video! thanks for sharing!

[@nombreapellido6491]

Good video.

[@MrChris-bx7ss]

the button probably feels extremely tight because it has never been field stripped so the gun could be properly lubricated, dude.

[@zomborama]

Take a look here for parts schematics under "Hammer Letter" website --> histandard.info/manuals/ Parts # 27-H (spring steel spring,) 28 (button) & 29-H (screw) make up the button group and they're what you'd be looking for as a start.

[@derekquintal]

Very good!!!.

[@SatheeshKumar-hr6qm]

I have one.. very safe and effective for self protection and I like it very much..👍

[@MrChris-bx7ss]

wonky as it seems those guns are better built and more accurate that the ones u see for sale in the stores today.

[@zomborama]

Glad I could help.

[@zomborama]

Take a look at John Stimson Jr.'s High Standard website: website --> histandard.info/manuals/ under "Hammer Letter"

[@DFX2KX]

I bet, built back when building something to last was just what people did. Though, in the world of guns, that's a relative term, even a complete piece of crap can last 20 years, but still.... it was a piece floating around on Ebay, that make me curious.

[@OGwiseguy512]

Thanks dude!

[@27georgieffx]

Thanks a bunch.

[@sdlovegod]

Thanks!

[@birds110]

Thank you very helpful..

[@selah86]

THANK YOU!!!

[@LarryKelly]

Stupid and inconvenient. Invitation to screw up a gun.

[@zomborama]

Larry, there's a reason why this video has 157K views and a 95% positive rating - it's because it's helped people. You don't like what you see? Move along.

[@LarryKelly]

@@zomborama Read the comments on how wrong the video’s instructions to take down the HD Military are. They’re sparse, but like most things in the firearm world, idiots are plentiful, and actual experts are few and far between.

[@zomborama]

​@@LarryKelly You writing that my instructions in the video are wrong, offers literally zero value here, especially considering that so many people commented on how much they helped them. Find another KZbin video to troll.

[@LarryKelly]

@@zomborama Why don’t you read the comments where the writer explicitly describes why your instructions are wrong for the H D and what actually to do in the disassembly process. I could not improve on them and there are other videos out there that confirm. Get off your damn high horse and do some work.

[@zomborama]

@@LarryKelly This is KZbin, Larry. People come here to watch VIDEOS, not read sparsely-worded comments. If you want that, go to Reddit or better yet, post your own "expert" video or kindly get lost.

[@j04rodri]

Gracias!!!

[@nombreapellido6491]

Good video.

[@dand8536]

Thank you!!!