High Standard's "The Victor"

[much ado]

High Standards

In my mis-spent youth I had a Supermatic Citation, A Victor, and 2 model 41s. As DRM50 says above, the Supermatic was the best shooting one for me also. My brother also has both and he says the same. All that first batch is gone but a few years back had a chance to get a Supermatic Citation (even driving 125 miles to do so) and so glad I did. Great pistols!!

 

[Baxter6551]

I had an HD Military and a US Property marked model B. Neither functioned properly and both made several trips to gunsmith. I wanted them to work …. Ended up selling both to a High Standard Collector. My Model 41 and my Ruger Govt Target both shoot perfectly.

 

[Goony]

Here's another one with German proofs, in this case dated 1975. I wonder from whom the grips were sourced.

 

[AJ]

Here's another one with German proofs, in this case dated 1975. I wonder from whom the grips were sourced.

Looks sort of like the grips on my Walther OSP. These are factory grips.

 

[Rodan]

Here's another one with German proofs, in this case dated 1975. I wonder from whom the grips were sourced.

They look typical of the european target style. Rink is one maker:

Rink-Grips

 

[Goony]

Here's another Victor that's a close copy rendered in stainless steel: Mitchell Arms High Standard Victor II Semi-Automatic Pistol | Rock Island Auction

So far as I can gather given the scant information that's out there, Don Mitchell, a former president of High Standard, was operating as a firearms importer and distributor when he commissioned these to be manufactured by Pastucek Industries in Fort Worth. Originally they were marked with both his name and "High Standard" (see the attached photo) until he was enjoined from using the latter. In 1999 he was convicted of evading payment of his excise taxes, which effectively brought the whole venture to a close.

Owners of these Victor clones by and large seem to speak highly of their workmanship. It should be noted, however, that the earliest ones suffered from many small but crucial internal parts (such as the hammer, sear, firing pin, disconnector, ejector, and extractor) not receiving proper heat treatment.

 

[Goony]

Another Current Price Check

This one sold at auction about three weeks ago. The hammer price might seem to be awfully high for a later gun bearing an "ML" serial number prefix until you take into consideration that less than 600 in this exact configuration were made: Excellent High Standard The Victor Semi-Auto Pistol

 

[Kevin G]

High Standard's "The Victor"

I’ve got a few of the earlier slant grip supermatic High Standards. I really like these guns.
The above mentioned ML Victor auction describes it as a Hamden produced pistol. I am under the impression that ML serial number guns were produced in East Hartford?
Thanks, Kevin G
Apologies, upon reading the initial post this particular Question is clearly covered.
Thanks again, Kevin G

 

[H Richard]

I have owned 3 Mod 41's over the years, and only 1 HS Victor. I traded off all the 41's but shot the Victor for over 30 years. The motto "Breaks like a glass rod" defines the trigger. Accuracy outstanding. When scopes and red dots came out (and I needed them for my old eye's) they made the gun too heavy, so I added a Falcon custom barrel and the red dot and that extended my ability to continue to be competitive for many years.


The grips are made by Arnie Vitarbo, I'm not sure if he is around any longer or not. He made many grips for Olympic hopefuls.

 

[Goony]

Here's one (complete with barrel weight) sold at auction late last year. Note that the price obtained was fairly meager, reflecting the relative undesirability of these really late examples: HIGH STANDARD VICTOR SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL. - Poulin Auctions

 

[Golddollar]

Here's one (complete with barrel weight) sold at auction late last year. Note that the price obtained was fairly meager, reflecting the relative undesirability of these really late examples: HIGH STANDARD VICTOR SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL. - Poulin Auctions

If they can accumulate a number of usable spare magazines they got a real deal.

 

[Ray]

As I understand Mr. Aronstein company is manufacturing hardened lips magazines for High Standards .
Regards, Ray

 

[richrd]

I bought my "The Victor" new way back when. About ten or twelve years ago I decided to try another pistol match and entered the Cornhuskeer State Games with the trusty HS.

It was funny to see everyone look at it and hear the comments of the antique and dinosaur. {the gun, not me}

 

[wx7b]

Have had 2 Victors, sold the first as the mags were a pain, kept my 41. Found another in great shape, still fighting the mags, stupid design without a feed ramp. I have the mag lip adjusting tool, but is a never ending problem and long process. IMO not worth it. Otherwise a great gun.

 

[BB57]

I have a pair of S&W 41s (1970 and 2022). The 1970 is far suoerior.

However I still prefer the High Standard Victor and the Citation to the S&Ws. The trigger is much better and far more adjustable. They are a bit odd in terms of lacking a feed ramp, and thus relying on magazine lip adjustment. However as long as you stay with original High Standard or Interarmstx magazines it’s a non issue. I have had to adjust the feed lips on one of my Intermstx magazines fresh from the factory but it has maintained proper tune since.

The less expensive Triple K magazines have soft feed lips that will not stay properly tuned.

 

[Llance]

I have 3 or 4 High Standard pistols and one revolver, and I have not fired any of them. They were given to me by the widow of the man who owned the gun shop where I worked for free. In the six months I worked there the only thing I was paid with was an Ithica M-500 20 gauge. I cried (yes, I'll admit to dropping more than one tear) when he died. A gentleman, and a very fine gunsmith. His was the kind of shop most of us older folks visited when we were first starting out as shooters or collectors. Plank floors with no linoleum on the floor, big old brass cash register, do a bit of haggling for the price always staying polite without insulting him. You know of what I speak. She gave me more than the HS's, I was also given his target .45 and a Colt Officers Model, and two or three old H&R's with spur triggers. You know what I mean.

Llance

 

[govt 380]

Having owned a Victor for years, I can concur about the accuracy. However, if it was out of battery, racking it was a bear.

 

[Golddollar]

I bought a Victor at an auction a few years ago but because of my own faulty inspection I missed the fact that it had a cracked frame. I sent it to High Standard in Houston to get the frame replaced. It wasn't a warranty case but I didn't care, I just wanted the gun to be in working order. It took awhile but eventually they got my gun fixed and made sure to include a few magazines tuned to the gun. Now that my eyes are fixed I need to take it out and play with it. And everybody can call me AND the gun an antique and dinosaur.

 

[CALREB]

I have had this one forever. It is a great shooter though I dont take it out much anymore. I'm a lefty hence the no thumbrest .

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I had one of the later Victors, eventually sold it. Still have a Tounament.