Failure to rctract

I am now experiencing a failure to extract on my High Standard Mod 104. The slide retracts enough to cock the gun but leaves the fired brass in the chamber. Not a magazine problem because it happens when the magazine is not in the gun. Where should I start looking?

Look at the extractor. It should be able to hold the spent brass against the bolt or slide face by itself, without aid. There is not only the extractor, but there is a spring behind it. Both are pretty easy to replace. I had the same problem with my High Standard "Victor" target pistol. I replaced both items, and solved the problem.

Hope this helps. Regards, and Merry Christmas. Bill.

If you mean the slide cycles enough to cock the hammer, but the case goes back into the chamber???

If so, it is not cycling hard enough. Something rubbing the slide, dirty, dry of oil, thick oil, soft ammo, cold weather, Restricted chamber from dirt, firing pin dent, extractor cut bending into chamber, missing ejector...

Check all this stuff out

My HS does this when the chamber gets dirty. I use a .25 rifle wire bore brush bent to an "L: shape to clean the chamber and that usually solves the problem. I also got in the habit of putting a drop of oil on the top round in the mag to help keep the fouling in the chamber soft. From my experiance HS chambers are tight and when fouling builds up the extractor slides right over the empty casing and leaves it in the chamber. Just keep it clean, something more that a bore snake and you should be good.



Virgil

I don't know where you live but I had a similar problem when I had a 104 and now with my Marvel. Here in VT when the weather gets cold I have to switch to a lighter weight oil as my summer oil got thicker and slowed things up just enough to cause my HS 104 to exhibit the same issue you are having. Another thought is your ammo. Did you change ammo to one which might be a little less zippy?

Scott

Thanks to all. I will start at the top an report back when I have an answer. Great group.

It looks like my problem is failure to eject and not failure to extract. It seems as though the slide retracts far enough to cock the hammer and then reinserts the fired brass back into the chamber without going far enough back to eject. Shooting High Velocity ammo works fine. I have already cut a few coils off my recoil spring without any success. Could it be that the hammer spring has stiffened with age? I would expect springs to weaken with time/use, not get stronger . I can cut more coils of the spring but am looking for suggestions.

It's possible. Metals work harden and don't get softer with use.

The slide doesn't have to move very far back to cock the hammer. I find it doubtful the spent case could move completely free of the chamber and then still be sufficiently aligned to reenter it. The ejector is fixed, and should be easy to check. Also, I think Wolfe Springs offers High Standard springs in varying strengths. Using a very light lube oil, such as Rem Oil, might help, and make sure your chamber is completely clean. Don't know if he is still alive, but Bob Shea (203-239-1012) is/was the best High Standard pistolsmith that ever lived. He worked for years at the CT factory, and then went into business for himself when HS went bankrupt. He was a WW II vet, so he may not be around anymore.

Soft ammo or restricted slide action can have the fired case put back in the chamber. My 41 is famous for this. At least the extractor works holding the case rim. Recoil springs get weaker with use. I have never had a HS hammer spring go bad. (Hammerli 208 hammer springs have weakened and needed replacing, but effect was light strikes)