High Standard HD military slide not retracting after fire???

[Winchester_73]

Recently a friend of mine shot his High Standard HD military, and for whatever reason the slide did not move or only moved slightly after firing. He brought the gun back to me and so I hand cycled it. The slide did not seem exceptionally hard to pull back. The gun hand cycled properly with feed and ejection. He was using federal high velocity 22s (blue box), so I don't think it was the ammo. I'm thinking I just need to change a spring but which? On numrich, they list a "retracting rod spring". I assume that to be the one? Thanks for the assistance. SN 243XXX.

 

[hooligan1]

Disassemble, clean, and inspect everything, then reassemble, use a different lube for the slide, also maybe a bad batch of .22's.. If all this results in no fix, replace the recoil spring,(I can't really see this being the culprit) Is it an older gun or is it brand new? sometimes they start out a little tight, proper wear and lubrication will bring them around usually! Also make dang sure there's no crud in the chamber OR on the cartridges!!

 

[Winchester_73]

Is it an older gun or is it brand new?

The full name for the gun (my apologies for omitting) is a High Standard HD military. I believe the model was discontinued around 1950. I will try dissassembly/reassembly and lubrication first.

 

[10-96]

Also, check around the chamber mouth. Your friend my have put a dimple there by excessive dry-firing which could put a holdup on departure plans of the recently fired case. I haven't tinkered with the HD in quite a while, but I do recall a very precise means of taking it down. Pushing that button on top of the slide at the wrong time can kink the spring. Does it's resistance lessen, or lighten up, just before the slide fully closes?

 

[James K]

PLEASE save yourself trouble and grief and find out how to disassemble that pistol BEFORE you follow advice to take the gun apart and clean it.

If you do things in the wrong order, you could ruin the gun.

Jim