High Standard's "The Victor"

[Golddollar]

All of this talk about the High Standard Victors inspired me to take mine to the range today. Because of my cataract surgeries, I found I needed to use reading glasses to get a good sharp view of the front sight. Unfortunately, the combination of the reading glasses with the goggles over them tended to fog up. But I gave it a try. The first couple magazines full were getting a lot of failures to eject. Since the gun had been in the safe for quite a while, I pulled out the bottle of Ye Old Breakfree and lubed up the slide. That eliminated the failures to eject.

As it turned out, I didn't have too many shots on the target, but I saw a lot of little holes below the target on the backer. I'll crank up the rear sight and see what happens.

 

[AJ]

All of this talk about the High Standard Victors inspired me to take mine to the range today. Because of my cataract surgeries, I found I needed to use reading glasses to get a good sharp view of the front sight. Unfortunately, the combination of the reading glasses with the goggles over them tended to fog up. But I gave it a try. The first couple magazines full were getting a lot of failures to eject. Since the gun had been in the safe for quite a while, I pulled out the bottle of Ye Old Breakfree and lubed up the slide. That eliminated the failures to eject.

As it turned out, I didn't have too many shots on the target, but I saw a lot of little holes below the target on the backer. I'll crank up the rear sight and see what happens.

Why wear goggles over glasses? One or the other, but not both.

 

[Golddollar]

Why wear goggles over glasses? One or the other, but not both.

I couldn't find the safety rating of the reading glasses.

 

[Rodan]

Try searching for "Delta Plus" safety glasses on Amazon. They offer 'full-lens' reader safety glasses in several strengths. I use them for iron sight target shooting and they work well... no need to tilt your head back.

 

[daddio202]

I have an early The Victor and must say it shoots great when it feeds, but it's hit or miss on the feeding. Original high standard clips feed best and I have tool for adjusting the lips. It's still a struggle to get it to feed 10 shots in a row. I have 4 High standards and a 1950's sport king and 1960's Duramatic, which was the cheapest model but it's the most accurate and feeds reliably as does the sport king. Fun plinkers

 

[AJ]

I couldn't find the safety rating of the reading glasses.

Try searching for "Delta Plus" safety glasses on Amazon. They offer 'full-lens' reader safety glasses in several strengths. I use them for iron sight target shooting and they work well... no need to tilt your head back.

Our county range is safety conscious to the max. They allow any form of glasses to be worn. Looking at some of the shooting glasses sold (they are cheaply made), I would figure your readers are just as safe. Before I have my cataracts done, I just wore my prescription glasses to the range.

 

[Golddollar]

Try searching for "Delta Plus" safety glasses on Amazon. They offer 'full-lens' reader safety glasses in several strengths. I use them for iron sight target shooting and they work well... no need to tilt your head back.

Thank you. That seems to be what I need.

 

[Wyo]

I have an aftermarket barrel on this one (I have two) so I can mount an optic and, boy, does it shoot! This was 20 rounds at 50 yards with an old 2x Burris scope. Most rifles don’t do this well.

 

[Green Frog]

I just have to contribute this Victor story. I was a senior at Wake Forest University and was invited to stop by a Bullseye Pistol Match being held in the Army ROTC indoor range in the basement of the gym. As luck would have it, the High Standard rep was there with the soon-to-be-released Victor (this would have been in the Fall of 1970). We all got to try it out.

Over the years, many High Standards passed through my hands, including a prize winning collection of the early models (HD Military and earlier). My first "modern" example, with which I competed casually for many years, was a Model 103 Supermatic Tournament that was once Government property, Dad had a standard Victor, but he sold it in favor of an Olympic Model... he liked shorts for the low recoil. . Don't forget the "Space Gun" barrels!

I could go on and on for pages, but I'll just say I still have that old 103 and a custom built Military grip gun that was my last Bullseye gun. Thanks for putting me on this walk down memory lane!

Froggie

 

[Model46]

I'll jump in here quickly. I don't have much to add in addition to what has already been said. I am a High Standard collector and shooter. They are fussy guns but once tuned are reliable and fun. I prefer the space gun series and shoot some of mine in bullseye competition. Also a shout out to Alan Aronstein who has helped me with a problematic Olympic and supplied parts to keep my collection running. Great guns ...

 

[millerj7]

I have nothing to add, either information or experience with the subject Victors. I would like to express appreciation for the subject and Llance for churning up pleasant memories of my youth. Back in the 1970s I worked at a local shop (Denny's Sport Shop in Grand Rapids, MI) mostly stocking for a couple hours a week. A couple times a year, the owner (Denny) and I would go rabbit hunting with our pistols. Denny always used his Victor and I always used my S&W M41. We never put much of a dent in the cottontail population, but we burned up a lot of 22LR SV ammunition and had a great time in the winter when hardier souls were ice fishing. Denny has since passed long ago, but I still have and use that 41. It has accounted for many squirrels and other small game and has since had the stocks replaced with Herrett's. They are more comfortable and useful for field work IMO.
Again, thanks for stirring up pleasant memories of simpler times.

 

[millerj7]

Forgot to show the "before" image.

 

[stu1ritter]

I shot a Victor in bullseye for years and years. Custom CTC aluminum barrel with liner and milled to take scope rings. Trigger done by Mike Curtis (he actually improved on the Hi-Standard trigger). Tens of thousands of rounds and almost never an alibi string. Over the years it let me shoot three 100's in slow fire. I do miss it.

Stu

 

[Golddollar]

Try searching for "Delta Plus" safety glasses on Amazon. They offer 'full-lens' reader safety glasses in several strengths. I use them for iron sight target shooting and they work well... no need to tilt your head back.

I went to the range today and tried out these glasses today with an iron sighted Victor. What can I say but they worked? They squared out the front sight like nobody's business. The sights were way off and I was able to bring the groups into the black at 25 yards. I got the glasses from an outfit called Safety Glasses USA.com because I'm a Luddite and couldn't get into the Amazon ordering system.

 

[henry1089]

I love these old High Standards I have several
I just changed the recoil spring in a 4.5" Hamden made Victor last night and shot it today Super fun!!!
Fantastic gun Super trigger and ridiculously accurate
They can be picky about ammo and the mags need to be adjusted properly to work well
Allen A has helped me as well a few times, He has always been willing to hear your problem and offer a solution(s)
I have bought numerous spring replacement sets from him as well as extractors and firing pins etc All work great
my personal favorite is the Slant grip 102 or 103 6.5" barrel
Somewhat different looking but Holy Cow are those accurate pistols
I did buy a pair of those safety glasses mentioned above
they work great

 

[22shtur]

The East Hartford marked examples are in particular not so sought after on account of the new facility being too small to accommodate all of the operations the company formerly performed in-house.

Other than the stocks and bluing, were the barrels and internal parts still made by High Standard to the same tolerances as the Hamden guns?

 

[TAROMAN]

Feel your pain. After cataract surgery I had a set of "monovision" prescription safety glasses made. Right eye focused on the front sight, left on infinity.

 

[AJ]

Feel your pain. After cataract surgery I had a set of "monovision" prescription safety glasses made. Right eye focused on the front sight, left on infinity.

Now I am cheating. This is a 10 Meter Air Pistol Target fired at 50 yards. I was using a benched Winchester 52D with a Redfield International Mk 8 rear sight and Olympic Front Sight. I have had the cataracts in both eyes repaired. I had my cataracts repaired because I could not see a 4 inch target at 50 yards through Iron Sights. Now I can and only use B&L Shooting Glasses that are tinted yellow.

I have a handgun target that a friend call "To Keep You Humble" that I fired on Friday with my S&W 52-1.

Could be happy for the rest of my life if I just had those two 52's to shoot.

Get your cataracts fixed, you should be happy you did!

AJ

 

[Moo Moo]

Here is the HS Victor a bought in 1989 or so. I used it for ISSF events. Traded it in for a Pardini in 1991. My extremely poor photography on 35mm film.

 

[OIF2]

Just talked with Alan Aronstein at Hi Standard Houston. He had a couple of new mags fitted for me to a Sharpshooter I bought at Cabelas. Hi Standard is manufacturing the new Victor with a stainless frame now, and it's a great pistol. Plans are in the works to build a Trophy 5.5" before the end of the year (I'll be buying one). I'll have it finished in flat black CeraKote like the old 10-X and I'll be a happy guy.
Bob