High-Standard .22 Magnum Derringer

[ken158]

Not to rain on your parade... but I have never seen anyone who had one of those even come close to shoot a qualifying score with it and the trigger pull is so hard their hand would shake pulling the trigger while attempting to keep it on target. Point of aim and point of impact are barely in the same room... I did own one for less then a week in 22 LR thinking it would be better then a sharp stick but I re-evaluated that position. Too much of a liability of hitting an innocent person if it was ever fired in defense. An airweight Chief Special is a much better option.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Ha! We just had a discussion that started on SBRs and I added the weirdness of ATFs rules on these derringers.

Short-barreled rifle question

I have two. One is unfired, NIB, and the other sits in the holster that ATF requires a tax stamp for, which I have.

We have a Forum member who used one to save his life in Vietnam. It's his story so I won't tell it but suffice to say his NVA captors missed it and paid for that error.

Someone above said this:

A hot little handful.

Which leads to this:

I'd suggest this should be a "carry a lot, shoot little" gun.

I totally agree; the AOW holster mediates the hot little handful part but I carry it as my "robe gun" - that way, wherever I am at home I have a gun with me. When I get dressed it hangs in the closet and I carry bigger defense guns.

==================================

That said, Paladin, where do I find these "markings"? -

You illustrated your post with a a "type two" version of the gun. These were made from 1967 to 1970 and had a "trigger" logo. The early ones, from 1962 to 1967, had an "eagle" logo, and the third type, made until 1984, had no logo at all.

 

[mikerjf]

I got one because I thought they were interesting, but would never carry it as backup... the NAA is much easier to shoot accurately, and carries more rounds.

Cool tho... the first real advance in derringer design in many years.

Imagine a bunch of revolver guys seeing their first High Standard - “Yeah, it’s more reliable, but it doesn’t have the capacity!”

 

[Old Corp]

Carried that same model HS .22 Mag derringer in the same model wallet-style holster (back pocket) through most of the 1980's when working as a beat officer.
We were not allowed BUG's, but I was not the only one to carry similar. I was acquainted with an officer that got into a struggle with a perp trying to snatch his weapon and the HS derringer inserted up his nose caused him to cease efforts.

Eventually, it took on tacklebox duty - loaded with shotshells it took out a few snakes here and there.
Still have it and the many-times-sweat-soaked holster.

Interesting little pieces.

 

[forrestinmathews]

I can hit five somethings with the NAA. I am not certain what the ballistic impact is, but I have seen them hasten along the journey several times. The magnum is better than the LR is better than the Short, but they all work up close.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Ha! We just had a discussion that started on SBRs and I added the weirdness of ATFs rules on these derringers.

Short-barreled rifle question

I have two. One is unfired, NIB, and the other sits in the holster that ATF requires a tax stamp for, which I have.

We have a Forum member who used one to save his life in Vietnam. It's his story so I won't tell it but suffice to say his NVA captors missed it and paid for that error.

Someone above said this:


Which leads to this:


I totally agree; the AOW holster mediates the hot little handful part but I carry it as my "robe gun" - that way, wherever I am at home I have a gun with me. When I get dressed it hangs in the closet and I carry bigger defense guns.

==================================

That said, Paladin, where do I find these "markings"? -

The logo markings can be found on the left side of the barrels. Here's my own type 2 with the "trigger" logo. It was made in January 1970, and is a .22 LR gun.

John

 

[Buford57]

Yes, indeed, there are better options -higher capacity & energy - today for not much more weight & size. I have a similar pocket holster that holds a Remington .380. But in the 70s and 80s there were not those options. The alternatives were the little Browning or Colt .25s or Beretta .22s and .25s, if you could find and afford one. The Ravens, Sterlings, etc. also were used and cost less than the HS. I did not find them reliable.

An Onion Field gun had to meet two criteria: it had to be unobtrusive enough to be missed in a pat-down search and it had to go BANG reliably.

The HS met both criteria and had the added advantage that if the first round misfired another was immediately available. It was meant to disorient or (God willing) disable an assailant, regain momentarily the element of surprise and provide an opportunity for fight or flight.

It was never meant to be used as a BUG in the sense most use the term (i.e. a second fighting gun) by anyone I knew who carried one. It was a last ditch "get out or go down fighting" gun. Maybe that's why I hang on to mine.

At that time the after actions that informed our decisions were Newhall and the Onion Field, not Miami and Skokie. We did what we could with what we had.

RIP - Campbell and Hettinger

 

[ISCS Yoda]

The logo markings can be found on the left side of the barrels. Here's my own type 2 with the "trigger" logo. It was made in January 1970, and is a .22 LR gun.

Okay, then. Mine both say "DERRINGER" on the left side of their barrels, no logo, so they were made between 1967/68 and 1984. Got it. Gracias.

 

[JayFramer]

Yes, indeed, there are better options -higher capacity & energy - today for not much more weight & size. I have a similar pocket holster that holds a Remington .380. But in the 70s and 80s there were not those options. The alternatives were the little Browning or Colt .25s or Beretta .22s and .25s, if you could find and afford one. The Ravens, Sterlings, etc. also were used and cost less than the HS. I did not find them reliable.

An Onion Field gun had to meet two criteria: it had to be unobtrusive enough to be missed in a pat-down search and it had to go BANG reliably.

The HS met both criteria and had the added advantage that if the first round misfired another was immediately available. It was meant to disorient or (God willing) disable an assailant, regain momentarily the element of surprise and provide an opportunity for fight or flight.

It was never meant to be used as a BUG in the sense most use the term (i.e. a second fighting gun) by anyone I knew who carried one. It was a last ditch "get out or go down fighting" gun. Maybe that's why I hang on to mine.

At that time the after actions that informed our decisions were Newhall and the Onion Field, not Miami and Skokie. We did what we could with what we had.

RIP - Campbell and Hettinger

Beautifully well written. GOD BLESS those that would defend our safety and freedom, and the lives that they gave.

 

[JayFramer]

So I got the little High Standard Derringer in and aside from NOT being “NIB” like the seller described on GunBroker (ah good old trusty folks there! ) my example was unfortunately not reliable with a few varieties of ammo. It would have a couple light strikes every 50 rounds or so.

With two rounds onboard that failure rate is not acceptable. No doubt there are High Standard .22 derringers out there that are perfectly reliable but I couldn’t carry this one in good conscious, so it’s been gotten rid of.

It was actually fairly large but was very thin and did disappear in the back pocket in the Safariland wallet holster. Muzzle flash and noise were intense and was a bit snappy! Honestly it was super fun to shoot but mine also seemed to be poorly regulated and shot more than a foot apart at only a handful of yards away. I’ve read that’s very common with these.

Oh well... I just “had” to try out one of these after hearing so much about them from retired LEO guys. I may or may not buy one again if I can find one in good shape for a good price, I’m still drawn to them for some reason.

-Jay

 

[bobcat]

I carried one as in an ankle holster while in the Border Patrol, not authorized, but I knew lots of guys with second guns in those days. It has since disappeared into the mist of my memory, gone somewhere along the way. I always figured it was a stick into flesh and pull the trigger if I needed it, certainly not a target gun, thankfully, I never needed it but I liked having it just in case.

 

[rockquarry]

I bought one of these new almost fifty years ago. Firing it near dusk right after purchase produced a fireball like a .357 or .44 Magnum cartridge loaded with H110 powder. Might have been blinding in a dark room.

 

[kaaskop49]

I carried one as in an ankle holster while in the Border Patrol, not authorized, but I knew lots of guys with second guns in those days... I always figured it was a stick into flesh and pull the trigger if I needed it, certainly not a target gun, thankfully, I never needed it but I liked having it just in case.

Great post. Sums up the rationale behind the derringer. The advantage of the H-S was that it could be carried loaded safely, unlike the Remington pattern and knock-offs which used a half-cock notch which caused many of us to worry...

Back before guns became innately evil, it was not uncommon for someone to carry a small handgun in one's pocket or purse. There have always been difficult people ready to confront/harm law-abiding individuals. Paper ballistics aside, who knows how many 1,000s of times these pocket guns deterred such people?

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[federali]

Rimfire? Really?

If you shoot enough rimfire, either .22 or .22 magnum, you've had the following experience: you pull the trigger and nothing happens. So, you take out the cartridge, rotate it a bit to get a piece of fresh rim under the firing pin, pull the trigger and the gun fires.

The priming compound is spun into the rim by machine, oftentimes, a short segment of the rim is missed and if the firing pin strikes that segment, you have a dud. During my years of firing interclub .22 Gallery, we could hardly ever run a relay with having to run an "alibi" relay.

This isn't about bullet power, expansion or energy, Rimfires are simply not reliable enough to stake your life on one.

 

[JayFramer]

If you shoot enough rimfire, either .22 or .22 magnum, you've had the following experience: you pull the trigger and nothing happens. So, you take out the cartridge, rotate it a bit to get a piece of fresh rim under the firing pin, pull the trigger and the gun fires.

The priming compound is spun into the rim by machine, oftentimes, a short segment of the rim is missed and if the firing pin strikes that segment, you have a dud. During my years of firing interclub .22 Gallery, we could hardly ever run a relay with having to run an "alibi" relay.

This isn't about bullet power, expansion or energy, Rimfires are simply not reliable enough to stake your life on one.

I’m thinking so, too. Maybe with rare exception to something like a DA rimfire revolver for people who are recoil sensitive. If one round is a dud, there can be as many as 5-12 additional rimfire ready.

After my experience with the HS I view it as truly a product of its time. I see now my plans to carry it today we’re folly and clouded with nostalgia. Even if it was 100% reliable, I compared it to my Kel-Tec P32 which is several ounces lighter, has the same footprint in terms of length and height, and is darn near every bit as thin, yet offer 8 .32 ACPs. Guns like the Ruger LCP are barely any larger and offer even more power.

Guns like that didn’t really exist back when the HS was so popular. It was pretty much that or the various .25s. I don’t know how many reports I’ve read of HS derringers experiencing misfires and the internal components getting out of wack, too many to count. Add the rimfire aspect and the over 10 oz loaded weight and the size of the thing... again, a product of its time.

I’m still glad I got to try one out but today their are legion better options.

 

[JayFramer]

Got out to the indoor range briefly today.
Ran 4 rounds thru the HS Mag at 10 yds.
All 4 in the body area fired at about 3 second intervals.
CCI 40gr solids.

In and out fast but fired the new 460/6rounds/XTP, the old G36/two mags hardball and the S&Walther PPKs/four mags plus one in the chamber DA then SA.
Seven shooters on ten lanes, old Revere range, too smokey.
Just checking function.
Didn't want to waste the 40 I loaded with 13.5 grs of TrailBoss last night. 30/255gr HC @.452 and 10/250gr [email protected].

I need a backyard range!!!

Keep looking OP as they are fun.

Frankly I don’t much care if they are fun, but reliable. If I ever get one again It’ll have to be reliable.