Hi Standard HD Military Pistol

Housepuss · #1 01-25-2022, 07:46 PM

Was in a LGS several weeks ago, saw this in the display case and just had to have it.

6 1/2" barrel, mfg in 1945, one original magazine, no box or docs.
Probably about 85% condition. Beautiful bore, everything works as it should. No other bluing loss other than on sides of barrel.

I know very little about these pistols. This one cleaned up pretty
good. There are very small scattered chips at the base of the
right grip. The grips are black plastic. Don't know if they are original or not. Bluing loss on both sides of the barrel. Looks
like it's been in and out of a holster many times.

Not sure what I/m going to do with it. Don't really need it.
Got a perfectly good Woodsman and a Model 41 for pistol target practice. I think I'll just sell it.

Housepuss · #2 01-25-2022, 07:48 PM

A couple more photos

glenwolde · #3 01-25-2022, 08:05 PM

I used to have one. While a fun gun I came to the conclusion that they were just too old to subject them to heavy use. I kept having to get it serviced for one thing or another.

They made a lot of HD's. Like 150,000 or so. I see them all the time. I always liked the exposed hammer. Be advised you should only use standard velocity ammunition. A lot of these show wear from the use of High Velocity ammunition. I seem to remember the grips as being wood.

You can get mags from interarmstx.com.

harvester1 · #4 01-25-2022, 08:11 PM

I think you should at least shoot it to find what ammo it likes. I have one that will keep up with my other Hi standards, with my Woodsman match target and the model 41. It was a middle level target pistol for Hi Standard in its prime.

GypsmJim · #5 01-25-2022, 08:32 PM

Back in my bullseye days I used to shoot a S&W model 41. An old friend of mine had a HD-M and he let me shoot it. It was all over the map, but it ran 100% and he wanted to get rid of it cheap.

So, I bought it. Turned out there was a loose screw under the slide that held the rear sight in place. Tightened the screw and sighted it in and it was a tack driver.

I ended up retiring the 41 because the HD shot better.

Back then it increased my score to 259. I realize not a prizewinner, but not bad considering.

The gun came with original stocks, an original set of sambar stags, 3 mags and a tooled holster.

I realize the old guy didn't know better and was just trying to get rig of a dog and screw a young guy, but it is what it is.

I sold the 41 years ago but still have the HD. Best 40 bucks I ever spent.

Golddollar · #6 01-25-2022, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harvester1

I think you should at least shoot it to find what ammo it likes. I have one that will keep up with my other Hi standards, with my Woodsman match target and the model 41. It was a middle level target pistol for Hi Standard in its prime.

But absolutely, positively do not shoot high velocity ammunition in it. Even though high velocity shells will operate the gun, the metallurgy of High Standard handguns is not up to taking use of high speed .22 shells, which can result in a cracked frame, even in a relatively modern production gun.

Drm50 · #7 01-25-2022, 09:03 PM

I’ve had a 4” HD for over 55yrs. It was used when I got it and has been shot thousands of rounds. Nary a bit of trouble and it has fired nothing but HS 22s, most being Rem Gold.
I agree with Standard Vel for preWar Hi-Std pistols and the match grade models.
I’ve traded my 6.75” HD Mil to forum member. I’ve not found them to be dainty pistols. Magazines are expensive to come across.

Nedroe · #8 01-25-2022, 10:42 PM

I grew up with one.

Dad had a 4.5 inch HD Military & a Model 37 Airweight Smith & Wesson with the 1-7/8 barrel. At 6 years old he started me out shootin the M37. He said" if you can learn how to shoot this, you will be able to shoot any handgun. He wasn't wrong, but I found it much easier to take squirrels, & rabbits with HD. I'd get home from school & jump out the door with that HD & an M1 CARBINE, walk the woods & railroad tracks until dark.
Most fun I had as a kid was when the old man would drop me off in the morning at the city landfill in the summer time with that HD & a few boxes of 22LR. I'd play hell on the rat population. When dad got off work, he would come join me shootin' rats until it got dark.

I miss those days.

Ned

Gene L · #9 01-25-2022, 10:48 PM

I have one with a 4" barrel. It's solid and accurate. I think the grips are black on mine.

deadin · #10 01-26-2022, 12:05 AM

My HD Military was bought by my BIL in Spokane WA in 1946 when he came back to the States after duty in the South Pacific in WW2.
I have the original box, all the paperwork and his original sales receipt.

Closest thing to a family gun that I have.

Llance · #11 01-26-2022, 12:50 AM

I have one 4" bbl. I was told and always thought they were made as training pistols for the army for people who needed to learn to shoot 1911's

chief38 · #12 01-26-2022, 03:23 AM

An great example of a fine, Plain Jane 22 rimfire pistol. My Dad owned one but sold it before I could legally own a HG. I wish he hadn't as I would have wanted it.

VaTom · #13 01-26-2022, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Llance

I have one 4" bbl. I was told and always thought they were made as training pistols for the army for people who needed to learn to shoot 1911's

High Standard made barrels for 1911A1s during WWII. My 1943 Ithaca has a High Standard barrel. I believe they went into Ithacas and Remington Rands. They are marked with an HS at the linkage.

A High School buddy back in the 1960s got a High Standard .22 pistol for Christmas one year. Always admired it back then. I have seen a few at local auctions but they were either well worn or brought big prices.

KYMISTWALKER · #14 01-26-2022, 07:18 AM

Sweet old gun, I’m going to say you paid around 6 to 7 hundred for that pistol,, they are sought after here.

glenncal1 · #15 01-26-2022, 09:39 AM

I saw this model B at the LGS for reasonable money and the gun in very nice condition, you know the rest of the story. It is a quality little plinker.

BrovoEchoSierra · #16 01-26-2022, 10:15 AM

I started out with an H D 40 some years ago. My brother and I shot it quite a bit, and all with cheap H V ammo, as we were young, and didnt know any better.
I have not shot it in years, but would now use Standard Velocity ammo in it, as I know better.
It was a fine gun, and shot really well, or at least I remember it did. I had it out and cleaned it a couple years ago, and it looked like it was as good as it ever was.
I will have to get that thing out and give it a run. I have some CCI SV ammo that would probably work well.

The HD got retired when brother and I both picked up Ruger Mk 2's in the early 90's.

We burned up a lot of ammo, woods walking with them as well. Figured I could get parts for them, or send it to Ruger if they ever broke.

Never did really need any service or major parts for the Ruger.
I had some failure to eject problems, and a guy talked me into putting a high end aftermarket extractor on it a few years ago.
When we took it apart, it turned out to be really dirty, and really did not need the extractor.
He thought it would improve the reliability, so we put it in anyway.
The cleaning it got, at the time probably did more than the new extractor did.
Hard to fix something that aint broken in the first place.

Sorry for the drift off topic..

deadin · #17 01-26-2022, 10:55 AM

Speaking of HS Model B's, how many of you were aware of these:?

(Hint.... There's only one HS in the picture. The rest are Hartfords...)

AJ · #18 01-26-2022, 04:03 PM

Have had a bunch of various model HS pistols, including a "E" model. Shot well. A collector offered me more than I had in it and the fact that spare parts were hard to find, he ended up with it.