Hi-Standard H-D military .22lr

[zippy01]

I'm not having any luck field stripping this pistol.It seems like the lever just behind the grip and just under the slide on the right side
has something to do with takedown but it does not function.Is there some way to cicumvent this lever and strip the piece?
Thanks

[Old Fuff]

Look at the top of the slide and notice they're is a small button. Now remove the magazine and pull the slide back. Push down on the little botton and hold it while easeing the slide forward. If things go right you'll feel the slide go slack as the recoil spring is locked out. Next pivot the lever you noted down and backward, and then pull the slide off the frame. Be sure the recoil spring is locked out before you try to reassemble the gun.

[zippy01]

the lever will now turn all the way to the rear
but still will not release the slide.The lever is very loose also,about 1/4 inch of play in it.

[Alex Johnson]

I've had the same problem for over a year now. I bought one of these High Standards to refinish and it was missing the takedown lever entirely, I've field stripped it down as far as I can but still am unable to take the slide off the frame. About the only thing I can think to do anymore is start drilling out the pin that retains the main spring cover in the slide and see if that will do it. Other than that I'm stumped.

[Old Fuff]

Zippy:

After you follow my previous instructions put something on the hammer spur (your finger, small screwdriver, etc.) and hold it down while you finish pulling back on the slide. Sometimes the slide gets hung up on the hammer nose. If that doesn't work I'll go to something else.

Alex:

STOP! if you pull the part that the (internal) slide stop pivots on you will release this spring-loaded part inside the frame and then the slide will really be jamed. It's no wonder you can't get the slide off if the Takedown Latch (lever) was missing in the first place. Hopefully the shaft is still in place. I have an exploded view drawing and disassembly instructions before me so we can get out of this situation. I just need more time to post the information you need.

[zippy01]

O.F,thanks for the help.I see a thin piece of metal above when I remove that lever.It looks like someone before me has already botched this pistol.
Am I able to pull that strip of metal down manually somehow?

[Old Fuff]

This is rather difficult because the book you need is sitting in my lap. Anyway, in front of the hammer is a block, called the “Slide Stop.” Its purpose is to stop the rearward travel of the slide when you shoot the pistol. Otherwise you would get hit between the eyes each time you shot it.

The Slide Stop is attached to a lever, called the “Takedown Latch” which has a shaft that goes through the frame and the bottom of the Slide Stop. This shaft is keyed to a slot in the Slide Stop so that when the lever is rotated downward and backward the Slide Stop is rotated forward and downward from a vertical to (more or less) horizontal position. When it is in this position the slide, with the recoil spring locked out, can be slid off the frame going in a rearward direction.

If someone removes the Takedown Latch” (lever) while the slide is still on the gun the Slide Stop, which is under spring tension, will fly out-of-place and lodge somewhere in a manner that jams it against the slide locking it so it can’t be removed. Really bad news and the instructions say “never remove the takedown latch while the slide is on the frame, as it would cause a condition that is difficult to remedy.” I’d call this an understatement to say the least. Been there, done that.

What you need to determine is if the Takedown Latch is still properly attached to the Slide Stop, or is the Slide Stop floating around loose? I suspect that may be the “strip of metal” you are looking at. I hope it is. If so, turning the lever backwards should make what you are looking at rotate forward/downward. If not we will have to go to Plan-“B.”

[zippy01]

I can actually see inside the take down latch cylinder.Just can't get it to turn no matter what I use.What can it be stuck on.It will move around inside the frame but just won't turn.....aarrrrrghh!

[James K]

Hi, guys,

It has been a while, but I thought that latch turned forward and down (clockwise) to move the slide stop down out of the way. The stop can't come backwards because it is supported by the frame, so when the spring tension is released (as described), the stop can pivot forward and down into the gap in the frame, and allow the slide to come back and off.

Or is my memory failing? I didn't take my B12 today.

Jim

[Old Fuff]

Well you’re sort of right….

You do turn the Takedown Latch (lever) clockwise - which is down and backwards toward the hammer. This in turn rotates the shaft on the latch in a clockwise direction. The shaft is keyed to the Slide Stop and it is rotated forward and down from a vertical position (which blocks the slide) to a horizontal one (that should allow the slide to be pulled backward and off the frame). A coil spring and plunger is mounted in front of the Slide Stop, and the spring is compressed as the Slide Stop is rotated forward.

If someone removes the Takedown Latch (which I prefer to call a “lever”) while the slide is still mounted the Slide Stop is pushed out of place by the spring and plunger and usually locks the slide in place, and there is no easy way to correct the problem. I think this may be what happened and I’m trying to find a solution. I’m pretty sure there is one because I seem to remember reading about it years ago - possibly in a book that Brownells’ puts out called “Gunsmithing Kinks.”