High Standard (Hamden, CT) Feeding Jams

[tl_3237]

My old faithful High Standard Supermatic Citation with original magazine, which I bought in the mid-60s, has been experiencing feeding jams and I’ve run out of ideas as to the fix. This is my main target pistol and I’ve fired literally 10s of thousands of rounds (exclusively Remington Standard Velocity/Target) with never a problem.

Of late I am experiencing a feed jam usually on the 2nd round from the mag initially loaded with 5. The 1st round, which is loaded via manual cycle, and the last round never have a problem. The 3rd and/or the 4th rounds sometime jam but the vast majority of problems are on the 2nd.

I’ve replaced the recoil spring. I ordered one from Numrich Arms that was for High Standards. It turned out to be the same twist rate but 1" too long so I had to cut it down.

I’ve installed a new (Wolff 105%) magazine spring. I’ve cleaned and buffed the feed ramp.

I cannot see any anomaly with the magazine - it firmly locks into the well and there is no play at the top of the magazine while locked in the well. I’ve noticed that the mag has two sets of tangs or fingers.(see empty mag pic - the rear set holds the case rim as the slide pushes the round forward while the front set appear to restrict lateral movement but do not contact or otherwise retard the round as it rises up the feed ramp (should it?).

The cause of the jams appears to be that rounds are hanging up or almost hanging up on the top edge of the breech face/chamber interface. This would indicate that the rounds are too being introduced into the chamber in a high condition - sometimes sufficiently high to prevent deflection into the chamber when being rammed by the slide. Even the rounds that do load show some shaving damage. I cannot discern any imperfection in the area of round nose contact - I never dry fire without a casing so there’s no indent from the firing pin on the breech face to cause a burr situation.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


JAM


Other Pics --------------


Empty Mag in Well

Charged Mag in Well


Jammed rounds (side view)

Jammed round (left, side view) and two rounds (right, top view) that loaded but I extracted for examination. Notice shaving where they deflected off top of breech face into chamber