|
|
04-29-2024, 11:12 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Near Gettysburg
Posts: 9,361
Likes: 59,363
Liked 21,836 Times in 7,011 Posts
|
|
RETIRING AN OLD FRIEND
Some 30+ years ago, I made a decision to go full bore [rimshot] into bullseye shooting, now known as precision pistol. Feeling that I needed all the help I could get, I wanted to buy the best equipment I could afford. I managed to acquire a High Standard Supermatic Trophy .22 pistol that had been accurized by John Giles, one of the old time pistolsmiths that I knew about. That .22 pistol that had been customized by Mr. Giles with a Shilen or Douglas barrel, a sighting rib and of course, his own "wagon wheel" rear sight.
I don't know how many rounds the prior owner put through that gun, and I know I only used standard velocity cartridges in that gun. Unfortunately, it developed a crack in the frame that extended from the magazine well to the slide rails. I sent the gun in for repair but the manager of the repair facility, who was very familiar with High Standard pistols and knew John Giles, said that the heat from attempting to weld this crack in the frame would bring out a "spider web" of more cracks up to the surface. His advice was to shoot it until it quits.
So now this wonderful piece of craftsmanship is retired from competition. I never had a problem with it, the crack just happened to appear on a routine examination. I don't know what the remaining life span of the gun might be. Should I have an annual celebration by putting a magazine full downrange?
|
The Following 12 Users Like Post:
|
Abbynormal, ACORN, Bajadoc, BKLooney, cndrdk, jdlii, Jebus35745, jrm53, kev74, OutAtTheEdge, RSBH44, SS336 |
04-29-2024, 11:19 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: In The Woods Of S.C.
Posts: 8,989
Likes: 14,220
Liked 13,908 Times in 5,046 Posts
|
|
Keep shooting it. Sparingly.........Never let it just gather dust.
__________________
S&W Accumulator
|
The Following 6 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-29-2024, 11:29 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 3,783
Likes: 1,644
Liked 6,440 Times in 2,336 Posts
|
|
The same thing happened to my Houston-made 10-X. I was fortunate enough to get the frame replaced while High Standard of Houston was still in business.
The frame can't be fixed. You could move your parts to a new frame. I'd contact Alan Aronstein at Interarms Texas. The gunsmiths from High Standard Houston moved to a company called OFM, which is the gunsmithing arm of Interarms Texas. You can also find him in the High Standard section of Rimfire Central.
While I got my frame replaced, it came back to me malfunctioning. High Standard closed a month after I got it back. I took it to Alan and his boys fixed it up properly. Nobody knows more about High Standards than those guys.
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-29-2024, 11:51 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Puget Sound
Posts: 2,950
Likes: 8,945
Liked 5,362 Times in 1,889 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Golddollar
Should I have an annual celebration by putting a magazine full downrange?
|
YES! and I bet I'm not the only one here that would love to see a picture of that gem.
|
The Following 4 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-30-2024, 01:52 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Upstate, SC
Posts: 2,052
Likes: 3,151
Liked 4,899 Times in 1,557 Posts
|
|
I’m very sorry to hear about this. John Giles was a legend. Guys like him were artists and craftsmen.
Attached is the High Standard page from one of Giles’ catalogs.
You might do well to investigate micro-welding. This advanced welding technique is very non-invasive to the surrounding steel.
Pullman Arms in MA were/are (?) one of the innovators in it’s gunsmithing applications.
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-30-2024, 07:50 AM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Indiana
Posts: 11,991
Likes: 10,206
Liked 10,200 Times in 4,834 Posts
|
|
If it were mine, I’d use it as much as I wanted. It’s no good to anyone just lying around. I don’t know how long ago your gun was evaluated by an expert but we do know more about welding now than we did a couple of decades ago. If you want the crack repaired, you might consult with one of the shops that do the micro-welding thing. Possibly annealing before/after welding could help with the problem you describe. Anyway, failing any of that, I’d keep shooting it unless you are concerned it is a safety issue. Hands and eyes are pretty important.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-30-2024, 08:07 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,479
Likes: 2,002
Liked 3,447 Times in 937 Posts
|
|
The High Standard line of match pistols isn't the only match pistol to suffer cracks in the frame, the Hammerli International has the same problem, with the weakest spot developing a crack that gets worse with continued use. The pre 67000 s/n Walther GSP usually develop a crack in the slide where the cocking pieces sit. Unfortunately they are only good for parts at some point.
__________________
FFL08
|
04-30-2024, 08:22 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 3,783
Likes: 1,644
Liked 6,440 Times in 2,336 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andyd
The High Standard line of match pistols isn't the only match pistol to suffer cracks in the frame, the Hammerli International has the same problem, with the weakest spot developing a crack that gets worse with continued use. The pre 67000 s/n Walther GSP usually develop a crack in the slide where the cocking pieces sit. Unfortunately they are only good for parts at some point.
|
Crack kills! Those are far more catastrophic failures.
Reportedly, the High Standards can go quite a long time and keep shooting. There's a lot about this on rimfire central.
Alan Aronstein - Cracked Frames? | Rimfire Central Firearm Forum
|
04-30-2024, 09:32 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 87
Likes: 21
Liked 113 Times in 50 Posts
|
|
I feel your pain! I too, have a High Standard Trophy that developed a cracked frame. Alan Aronstein can replace the frame but it’s not inexpensive. When I enquired, only stainless frames were available but he may have done a run of blue ones since?
I’m still shooting mine as it functions well and doesn’t appear to be getting worse. I’m sure it will need to be retired some day, though. I have since managed to purchase a cosmetically challenged but sound Citation for $300. It will eventually become the donor frame for my Trophy. I might look into reblueing it first.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-30-2024, 10:45 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 3,783
Likes: 1,644
Liked 6,440 Times in 2,336 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by wagwan
I feel your pain! I too, have a High Standard Trophy that developed a cracked frame. Alan Aronstein can replace the frame but it’s not inexpensive. When I enquired, only stainless frames were available but he may have done a run of blue ones since?
I’m still shooting mine as it functions well and doesn’t appear to be getting worse. I’m sure it will need to be retired some day, though. I have since managed to purchase a cosmetically challenged but sound Citation for $300. It will eventually become the donor frame for my Trophy. I might look into reblueing it first.
|
After I had my frame replaced I still had a cosmetic issue. The 10-X guns were Parkerized but when I got it back there was a pretty big mis-match between the parkerizing on the frame and the barrel/slide. Since I was lucky enough to get the frame replaced I wasn't going to complain about it.
It looked like a parts gun anyway, so might as well refinish it. When it went to Alan he offered to try and make it match but offered another option. They finish their in-house production in Teflon. I went with that. Smoother than the parkerizing and even more durable. Black rather than grey/green.
I was told my crack was due to a faulty casting.
Here's the crack...
You can see the mis-match on the Parkerizing...
This is her all done-up in Teflon...
I am thrilled with the way it came out after Alan was done with it.
|
The Following 10 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-30-2024, 09:33 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Haslet Tx
Posts: 911
Likes: 2,591
Liked 1,531 Times in 461 Posts
|
|
Did it look like one of these? Both 103’s. Top one is 22 short. Bottom one is 22 lr.
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
05-01-2024, 04:06 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Near Gettysburg
Posts: 9,361
Likes: 59,363
Liked 21,836 Times in 7,011 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Model52guy
Did it look like one of these? Both 103’s. Top one is 22 short. Bottom one is 22 lr.
|
No, mine has the military grip.
|
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|