Anyone remember this little derringer?

[Mule Packer]

Had the High Standard .22 magnum. Gave it to one of my sons. Great little gun.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I bought one of the magnums as a backup in the late 1960's. I did manage to break a firing pin and replaced it without incident, maybe 10 years ago. You can fire .22lr in the magnum version, but accuracy suffers. IIRC, the lower barrel is off on windage.

Mine is a bit loose, but the looseness is between the sideplates and the pivot pin. Lockup of the breech is tight, the breech & barrels just wobble a mite.

The .22 magnum versions do have a reputation of shooting loose over time - not so with the .22 LR types.

John

 

[trapper704]

In 1969 I was working in Alaska on the north slope, when my dad died in Oregon. At 2am I boarded a plane for home I had a 38 derringer in my vest pocket went to Seattle, Portland and Pendleton Ore. Probly wouldn't want to do that now. still have a couple of them in my stash.

 

[jimmyj]

Hi:
My Wife still have one in .22 Magnum in Her "Small Pistol Collection".
I used it back in "The Day" as a third "Backup".
A "Trick" to avoid misfires is to make sure the cartridges are seated fully in the chambers.

 

[turnerriver]

I read years ago about a Florida LEO who was called into a prison hostage situation by the two bad guys holding the hostages. They told him to come in, unarmed, to negotiate face to face. He put one of the High Standard derringers in his shirt pocket & was able to kill them both. Wish I could remember his name or more details as its a great story if true.
Regards,
turnerriver

 

[dant]

Been a while but we got this one from our dentist this past week, been a safe queen all these years.......




Having used to work on these back in the 70's, there is a small nylon cam that sits inside and alternates the firing pin for top or lower barrel,,,,,this "cam" piece could and would wear out ,break on the early versions. Yes a very handy dandy ,easy ,flat to carry piece, they even made a wallet holster for them at one time.

 

[BubbaBlades]

I picked -up this non-working HS derringer for a good price thinking that I could get the necessary repair parts, install them myself and still be into the gun at the right price. While I was waiting for the new parts, I replaced (with home-made parts) or repaired three broken parts and made a replacement main spring out of a 1911 recoil spring. This modified derringer has a smooth trigger pull approximately 3 pounds less than stock and 100% reliability so far.
Mark

 

[M29since14]

Those are questionable little guns at best. When I was just a lad a friend of my Grandfather's shot a man he thought was a fleeing burglar with one of the .22 Magnum versions. They were probably 25-30 feet apart and I remember the gentleman telling me he thought he missed the fellow because he didn't even flinch. When he tried the fire the second barrel, the gun wouldn't discharge. Just as well since the shot would have been to the back as he was running away.

The "burglar" was rounded up, taken to the hospital and treated and he survived without much ado. He turned out to be a "friend" of the lady of the house. You can imagine how that all worked out. Once the cops actually got to believe that Grandpa's friend really didn't know the man, or know what was going on between the fellow and his wife, they declined to press any charges and the whole mess died away - except for the subsequent divorce.

At that time I was a big admirer of Chiefs' Specials and my Grandfather and I convinced his friend to get rid of the H-S and get a Chief. I don't think the little H-S was ever returned, but he didn't follow through on the Chief - bought a Charter Arms instead, which he thought was "just as good."

I don't think those little guns are much use for anything, except possibly for signaling. Just a bit better than no gun at all.

 

[bugbeliever]

I would call a couple 22lr with quality ammo in both chambers a lot better than no gun. If you learn to shoot it. If you just buy it and think you have a solid back up then you better be very close to the target as these are a different animal as far as aiming them properly...using a middle finger rather than index. Odd but a solid shot with a 22 to any vital area will end the fight. Its not for a every day carry but worse comes to worse within 10 feet I feel it will get me out of a bad situation with 2 or less bad people. Again though it needs to be practiced with because they do not aim like anything someone new to them would imagine. Even as a little woods gun when I am fishing I put snake shot in there and it will end the angry rattle snakes threat to you or your kids. I prefer that than having to carry a revolver with snake shot and my M&P....You just have to be ballsy enough to get a lot closer to the snake.

 

[cowboy45]

I've owned several. I still have a couple of the wallet holsters for them. I think they are DeSantis or Galco. By way of a 1984 ATF decision, if you put it in the wallet holster, it has to be registered as AOW.

 

[smitholdtimer]

DM-101 .22 MRF

I've had a couple, one loaned for a while and returned, bought another and it was stolen out of my trunk. I never thought these were for anything except ear injections. Close is better!

 

[BJoe]

I've owned several. I still have a couple of the wallet holsters for them. I think they are DeSantis or Galco. By way of a 1984 ATF decision, if you put it in the wallet holster, it has to be registered as AOW.

Hi,
I read VERY recently that the wallet holsters are no longer a no-no. For a number of years they were sold as novelty items only. Now they are everywhere.

 

[mkk41]

I too had one in.22 mag. I actually had a piece of leather sewn into the upper cuff of a pair of cowboy boots for it.

 

[DR505]

Hi,
I read VERY recently that the wallet holsters are no longer a no-no. For a number of years they were sold as novelty items only. Now they are everywhere.

 

[Mule88]

I have the same one in .22 magnum and at 10 yds it shoots to point of aim. A cool little gun.

 

[Old Corp]

Carried one in .22 MAG as an unauthorized BUG in the early '80's. Carried in a flat wallet/pocket holster and like many, found that with grips removed it was even flatter. Blued finish is mostly gone.

Later relegated it to tacklebox duty and using shotshells dispatched many snakes quite handily with it.

 

[Packard]

I bought one of these when they first came out in .22 magnum. I don't know if it was the gun or the ammo but I had frequent failure to fire issues. Which left me with only one shot.

At about 10 feet it would keyhole the paper target frequently. I think that in the keyhole position a good motorcycle jacket will stop or significantly slow a 22 magnum.

I kept is for about 6 months; I kept the pistol smith at the store busy for those 6 months too. He finally declared it an ammo problem and not a gun problem.

I don't know. I do know that rim fire ammo is not as reliable as center fire ammo. And with the alternative choices now I would not get one of these.

 

[Rule3]

Apparently they are timeless or related to Cicadas!

2009

2012

2013

now 2016

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

Got a .22 LR NIB. Got a .22 Magnum a long way from NIB. Loose, no finish, and shoots great. Kinda like me..Not too good looking but works REAL good.

 

[RichCapeCod]

Old thread!! I have three (one in long rifle, two in magnum). Never had a problem with any of them.

Carried this one on rare occasions while in the NYPD. Holster is an old Seventrees.