Who's familiar with High Standard HD-Military 22's

[Faulkner]

Who is familiar with Hi Standard H-D Military .22 LR pistols? Any fans or owners, or even detractors?

I have an opportunity to pick up a nice one but I don't know much about them. I've always like the looks and feel of them, and the Colt Woodsman too, but don't know much about the Hi Standard even though I have nearly a dozen semi auto .22 pistols.

I'd appreciate any feedback.

 

[2152hq]

I had one, a HD-Military. Nicely made and worked fine.
It didn't draw any crowds at selling time though.

The War-time mfg HD (Model USA-HD ?) is the model that brings some pretty good prices. But condition speaks first as always.

The thumb safety on the left side of the HD Military is the easy way to tell the difference.
They only made it for about 4 or 5 years. The very first ones had plastic grips. Most have walnut.
I think the HD-Military could be had in a long bbl version (6inch?) as well as the 4 1/2.


As a beautifully made pistol that works as expected when all is correct with the gun and ammo, you can't ask for much more.
If you're looking at it from an investment angle, do some looking at the recent selling prices before deciding on a value. Note the difference between what the War-time mfg 'HD' and the post war 'HD Military' go for.

 

[feralmerril]

Here you go. I have a nice one myself.
John Stimson's High Standard Information

 

[Nedroe]

I have this one.....

and had one as a kid growin' up. Bagged many a sqirrel & varmint with it. You will not be disappointed. HS MAKES THE BEST TARGET PISTOLS, BAR NONE, & THE HD MILITARY IS ON TOP OF MY LIST.

Ned

 

[Stevie]

I own one just like the op's pictured pistol.

Works fine..a little ammo picky but not any worse than most .22 auto-pistols.

I inherited mine from my Father in law...a nice 4" example he had inherited from his father. Came with two 'two tone' magazines. Excellent accuracy and excellent reliability with ammo it likes.

Has a rather light trigger-pull..and a funky 'not much uva detent' feeling to the safety. I've fired a longer barreled version in the past..and it had the same funky safety feel.

Really...the HD Military I own campares favorably to a much newer Browning Buckmark I own too. They are both nice shooting and working pistols...generally dislike the same ammo(usually cheap bulk-pack)...and have weird-feeling safetys...the Buckmark's safety being stiff enough to need the off-hand to safe the gun.

I have heard or read somewhere that these really shouldn't be shot with 'hot' .22 ammo...but I don't know if that's wive's-tales or not.

 

[geddylee10002000]

I have a HS model 106. Shoots great! Have had it for 30 years (bought it from my dad). I recently bought 2 new mags, and a set of ambi grips for it from HS. Little pricey but worth it. I had to tune the mags a little but they now work great. Boy, Nedroe that is a good looking pistol!

 

[feralmerril]

Mine has a interesting story. I got mine from a friend of mine that was also my captain. He was on the sheriff`s dept around fort collins colorado probley in the late 50`s early 60`s. He had got a call where a filling station owner or worker was shot and killed. They caught the shooter right away but for awhile couldnt find the gun. Frank got a ladder and went on the roof of the station. The gun was there. He said after the trial the judge gave him the gun. I traded a old 1899 savage in .303 for it. Later he regreted the trade and always hounded me about it. Finaly I spotted a brand new old one just like it in the box at jack first`s gunshop. I told him go buy me that one and I will trade you back. He was too cheap to do it so I still have it. I found a old set of beautiful carved ivory grips for it. One side is a crouching mountain lion and the other a flying goose.
My house was burglared and this gun stolen along with some more. A guy was arrested with mine in another holdup. I got it back, the only one I got back! So it has a bloody history!

 

[Biker Bill]

I have a High Standard Victor (a variant of the military models I believe). My only caution was the magazine that came with it was a jam-o- matic. Not matter what ammo I used.

Picked up a 3rd party magazine and PRESTO, my favorite .22 target pistol. Very accurate and a great trigger and it eats anything that I feed it without a problem.

Bill

 

[feralmerril]

I had a friend that hired in the same day I did. He was a retired CID agent. I asked him what he carried on that job and was surprised that he said a 4" hi standard!

 

[s&wchad]

I had a high condition HD Military, but ended up selling it. Mine shot far enough to the left that it couldn't be regulated by adjusting the rear sight. The sight is an odd arrangement that requires you to loosen a screw on the bottom of the slide and another above the firing pin before making adjustments. I strongly suggest doing some research before attempting it.

The magazines are finicky, expensive and a challenge to find. The feed lips need to be "tuned" to make the gun function properly and there's a tool that HS offered just for that purpose. Even loading the mags requires a special technique. Only shoot standard velocity cartridges in the gun.

Personally, I think the HS pistols made during the 1960's are much better and more user friendly. If you're looking for an example to add to your collection, the HD Military is a beautifully finished gun and the exposed hammer is pretty cool. If you plan on shooting it, don't be surprised if you leave the range frustrated.

 

[Nedroe]

I had a high condition HD Military, but ended up selling it. Mine shot far enough to the left that it couldn't be regulated by adjusting the rear sight. The sight is an odd arrangement that requires you to loosen a screw on the bottom of the slide and another above the firing pin before making adjustments. I strongly suggest doing some research before attempting it.

The magazines are finicky, expensive and a challenge to find. The feed lips need to be "tuned" to make the gun function properly and there's a tool that HS offered just for that purpose. Even loading the mags requires a special technique. Only shoot standard velocity cartridges in the gun.

Personally, I think the HS pistols made during the 1960's are much better and more user friendly. If you're looking for an example to add to your collection, the HD Military is a beautifully finished gun and the exposed hammer is pretty cool. If you plan on shootinf it, don't be surprised if you leave the range frustrated.

Sorry about your luck, Chad.

My dad bought the one I used as a kid before I was born in '58 & it was well used & abused by both myself & my brother, & it never exhibited any of that. Neither does the one I have had for the last ten years

A quick trip around ebay yielded several new condition mags to be had, although, none very cheaply.

Ned

 

[Faulkner]

Good info gentlemen.

It seems that Bill Ruger may have indeed revolutionized .22 semi-auto pistols when he came out with the Ruger Standard.

 

[Nedroe]

Ruger MK's are OK.....

but if I can modify a CT Lasergrip to fit the HD Military, I'll never pick up the Ruger again.

Ned

 

[jaykellogg]

I had a Hi Standard Victor Military. I sold it when I quit shooting competition and i wish I never parted with it. I only used standard velocity target ammo and i never had any problems with feeding. I had some failure to fire that I blamed on the ammo from time to time.

 

[sophie]

I have a late '70's HS Trophy w/fluted barrel and always liked it better than my S&W 41 7" bbl. I sold the 41 back in 1982 and never regretted it. Still have the HS. All in what you like I guess.

_________
James

 

[BillyMagg]

I have a late '70's HS Trophy w/fluted barrel and always liked it better than my S&W 41 7" bbl. I sold the 41 back in 1982 and never regretted it. Still have the HS. All in what you like I guess.

_________
James

I had a friends 107 military for a while and loved it, he bought it as a lad, so it would be 50 plus years old, it was a shooter and a looker, I could shoot it accurately faster than any handgun I had ever used. MACVSOG used them on some of their excursions with a silencer, they also used the Rugers and the longer Barrel Berreta 70s in the same manner to take out sentries discreetly. It is a nicely made target pistol worthy of the name High Standard, older is better quality wise?

 

[Texas Star]

Didn't Francis Gary Powers have one on his ill-fated U-2 flight? I think it was displayed in Moscow with his other gear.

I believe that it was pretty standard among OSS and CIA agents needing a suppressed .22 pistol.

At one time, Hi-Standard was the second most common classic brand of .22 auto. Maj. Bill MacMillan (?) used one to win an Olympic Gold Medal, but it was a later target vesion, and the brand was a big item in such shooting.

I think my father still has a Hi-Standard Field King, one of the plinker versions that competed with the Ruger Standard and the Colt Huntsman.

 

[deadin]

This one is the closest gun I have that could be called a "family" gun.
It was bought at Jensen Byrd Co. in Spokane, WA by my brother-in-law shortly after he returned from the South Pacific at the end of WW2. (Sgt. Infantry, Bronze Star, Purple Heart.)
I bought it from my sister after he passed and I didn't really mind giving her a good price for it. It's one gun I will never sell. Jack was a real neat guy......

Complete with box, manual and sight adjustment instructions.

 

[feralmerril]

I belive gary powers was issued the silenced pistol to forge for food in case he had to bail out. I wish I had asked him as I knew him slightly when he was a test pilot on the TR-2`s for us when he was released.
Once he came out to my gate and had to wait for his wife to pick him up. He spotted my old 63 harley dresser and wanted to sit on it. I said I would give him the harley for a ride in the U-2. I was a student pilot, and kidding. He said something about it was like sitting with your head in a gold fish bowl for 16 hours! The poor guy got killed later flying a chopper.

 

[Catshooter]

I have my father's HD four inch. He told me to never use high speed ammo as the gun was built before that ammo was invented. It was intended for standard speed ammo only.

He traded a Marine a bottle of rum for it. The Marine hated it. The pistol saved my dad's life during the war when he shot his first Japanese soldier with it.

When I got it it hadn't been being well taken care of and the barrel had very small particles of rust throughout. Would only shoot about three inches at 65'. So I put a few fire-lapping rounds through it and the groups went down to 3/4 of an inch at the same distance.

Nice piece.


Cat