Why is so much being asked for the old High Standard 22 derringers? Had one a long time ago that was handy when didn't think I would need a gun but wanted one in case. Not about to pay what is being asked for them now, $300 & up for a decent one on Gunbroker!

Collectible I suppose. I personally never thought much of them but they certainly are a topic of discussion and sort of an "antique" at this point in time. I own a couple of guns too that have no real purpose - other than I just like them!

I never paid any attention to them until a few months ago. One of the pawn shops I frequent got one and priced it near $400. I thought it was ridiculous until I priced them on Gunbroker. Shortly after that I found this one at another shop for less than $200 and snapped it up.

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I have one in 22 Magnum and 2 Davis in 22 Magnum also. Of the three, The High Standard shoots the best groups, less than 2" for 4 shots at 21 feet (which is much further than I would ever use it!) The only ammo that does any good is Federal's 50 grain JHP. I remember when they made a press release in the 80's, this is the only 22 mag ammo especially for handguns. The 39/40 grain stuff is for rifles!, and just doesn't stabilize in 2" of rifling. There is a poly tipped (ala Ballistic Tip) ammo out there, but I never tried it.

I have 4 boxes downstairs they are all Product Number 752 but are different appearing and say they are from 3 different product series (one says it is "Premium") but they are actually the same stuff! Same bullet, same speed, equals same stuff! My brother also uses this ammo in his Single Six, and also has good results.

Ivan

I had one those Fitz Special Derringers I bought new in the early 70's. About $65 at the time from a wholesaler IIRC).
It misfired a lot. HighStandard couldn't fix it so I sold it and never wanted another one. One of the last 'new' guns I ever bought, maybe it was the last one..

Derringers: you either love 'em or hate 'em. The HS seems to be the most useful derringer IMHO. It's flat, lightweight, and safe for carrying in the pocket where many jacket pockets are too shallow to contain a J-frame. No hammer to cock (a true DA) and no half-cock function which may not be secure. NAA trumpets the safety notch between chambers on it's revolver cylinders, but I understand this is also prone to slipping while in the pocket.

I don't believe HS derringers are expensive for reason of collector value; many of us who have them, carry them. YMMV.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

I bought the .22 magnum version new in about 1971. Good quality gun with heavy trigger, horrendous muzzle flash and poor sights, but I guess they weren't designed for anything other than very close range self-defense. I sold mine and never missed it.

First shot one of these in the '70s, not sure how accurate it is. Never tried to shoot a group with it. Carried one as an LEO backup.

Got this edition much later, reblued the worn finish with a light bead blast and replaced the frame with a NOS one I had laying around for a couple of decades.

Mine hasn't misfired, when shot at night with the old Winchester JHP the fireball is impressive, and IMHO one of this pistols biggest assets.

Mine is .22 magnum and shoots good. But watch out getting your finger pinched between the trigger and the half guard. It’ll kill ya’.

Before the days of concealed carry permits I carried a 22 mag model in a wallet holster in my right back pocket. Without the grip-scales it was flat as a pancake. I would lay my index finger along side the barrel and pull the trigger with my middle finger. Got to where I could hit what I could point my finger at out to five or six yards. "Yes, Mr. Bandit, here is my wallet." Never had to use it for real thank goodness.

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On the whistle draw and fire 6

Of course,part of the price increase is inflation. I owned a HS derringer and I thought it was a well-made and safe gun to carry. It would be quite difficult to get the thing to go off by accident.

For its purpose, I thought it was a very effective as a hold-out gun. I never used it for primary carry.

This Old Derringer is getting some new grips.

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CCI makes their Gold Dot Short Barrel HP. It works well in my old Hawes derringer.

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I'm with her

I have one I paid $75.00 for in 1998 and a wallet holster with a finger hole came with it. Still have it and still use it as back-up.

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IN GOD WE TRUST     ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Just an FYI for those of you who have an old wallet holster for their HS derringer. BATF considers that you’re manufacturing an “Any other weapon” if you place the gun in it, since it completely conceals the firearm and allows shooting the gun while concealed (same lines as a briefcase gun). If you want to legally use this type of holster, you’re required to pay the $200 tax. Other Wallet holsters that don’t completely cover the gun have been ruled OK. This ruling seems obsurd, but I have no desire to defend myself in court.

Firearms Guide - Identification of Firearms - Section 9 | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

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"I also cook."

While in college part time I took a course on Forensics taught by a Captain in charge of the bureau of our state's largest PD. It included autopsy photos of a woman shot by a H-S. It seems that she would carry the gun in her bra for her mob connected boyfriend. He wanted it, she reached for it and it was stuck, so she pulled harder. One shot to the chest, a fatal wound.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

Dang. That is a hard way to go.

The Hi-Standard Derringers are fun and purposeful little hideout guns. They were manufactured from 1962 to 1984. In the mid-1970s I carried one in a clip-on inside-the-pants holster; virtually impossible to detect, easy to carry, and there if you needed it. I bought this one in 1976, and paid $50 for it.

I found that the trigger could be "staged" and fired with an almost-single-action let-off, enabling some accuracy out to about 10 yards.

"Wallet" holsters have been made for them, but if one of these has a hole in it for your trigger finger, it falls under the National Firearms Act of 1934. If combined with a gun, it must be registered and a tax paid to legally possess the combination.

There are generally no problems with the .22 LR version, but the .22 magnum guns do tend to shoot lose with use.

I devoted a chapter to them in my book 101 Classic Firearms.

Handy little guns!

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Hi Standard D-101 .22 magnum (the D-100 is the long rifle version). The duct tape is to keep junk out of the guts of the pistol. Makes for a much flatter handgun. I carried it a few times when in the NYPD, when I really, really, didn't want to be "made" as a cop.

I fire mine using the middle finger as the trigger finger. My pointing finger rides alongside the barrel. Makes for more accurate, and easier, shooting with this small handgun.

I have three; two in .22 magnum, one in long rifle. The only one I ever carried was the one shown in the photos.

The pocket holster is from Seventrees.

Rich


http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachm...1&d=1548983119

http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachm...1&d=1548982985

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