high standard for steel challenge

[amish_rabbi]

i just started steel challenge at my club and shoot my production gun right now but i love .22s and want to build an open class one. the ruger 22/45 is an option but not to sure about it. the high standard guns seem to be very well regarded pistols but i dont see alot/any discussion about them in steel challenge or as open guns. anyone using one?

[paul788]

I use a HS 5" Victor for Steel. They are picky about ammo and the five mags must be tuned to run with whatever ammo you pick. Tight chamber and wax bullet lube can cause issues. I have been told not to let the ammo get too hot as the lube will flow to the low side and cause chambering problems. I finally got all my mags to run with Federal Auto Match ammo and ran a 5 stage match with no issues. My daughter's Ruger 22/45 with TS top end has as many or more issues with reliability.

You can buy a barrel tapped for a mount or someone makes a mount that matches the hole spacing on a Victor. Check the Rimfire Central forum for more info. J Barta has good info on mag tuning.

Paul

[pgh george]

I run a Victor as well.

Ammo is CCI Std Vel.

C More 6 MOA

Mag Tuning is a Must.

Drive Spring should be replaced if round count is unknown.

Here's the link as per Paul's suggestion.

High Std Tuning

Hope this helps

[mbopp]

I run a Hamden 5.5" Victor. The old Connecticut guns should only be fed standard velocity ammo due to the problem of frame cracking. I run CCI SV in mine, $25 a brick for the paper boxed stuff at the LGS. The new Texas HS guns with SS frames can run high velocity ammo.

Yes the mags need to be tuned. I have one original and 4 new HS mags and the original runs the best out of the bunch. Triple-K mags won't hold a tune because the feed lips are not hardened. I also popped for the factory HS adjusting tool rather than making my own. And I found they don't like Breakfree LP as lube, it's too heavy and causes sluggish feeding. BTW - The mag release isn't designed for speedy reloads though if you miss with 10 rounds!

I have an Al Marvel scope mount that replaces the Victor sight rib but don't use it much:

http://www.marvelcustomguns.com/high_standard_victor.htm

Different Weaver bases can be drilled and made to fit also. My criteria for modding the gun is to not drill or change anything that can't be put back to stock.

A Tactical Solutions FO sight for a Ruger / Browning can be cut down and adapted to the HS. You'll need to grind down the head on a flat head screw to mount it but it's a common hardware 6-32 size, not a 6-40 gun screw.

The rear sight didn't go low enough for a center of mass sight picture, it was meant for 6 o'clock bullseye use. You can add a plastic shim (.030"-.060")under the factory front sight to raise it up to correct it.

An Uncle Mikes #6 nylon holster will work if you don't have a scope mounted. Putting a Victor in a holster is almost sacrilegious though.

I don't know about the new guns but old Hi Standards shouldn't be dry fired ("If clear hammer down".) It will peen the chamber edge and result in bullet hangups and misfeeds. The RO allows me to use a chamber flag instead. I may try a .030" plastic or brass shim between the bolt and barrel face and drop the hammer on that. Normally I hold the bolt open just enough to set the disconnector then pull the trigger.

Yes there's a Hi Standard forum on rimfirecentral.com. John Barta (jaybar) and LDBennet among others are well versed in the old Hi Standards. Alan Aronstein (president of the new Texas High Standard) is sometimes on there too. John Stimson also runs this site for all the old HS guns:

http://disc.yourwebapps.com/Indices/226190.html

A kindly old gentlemen over on RF Central took pity on me and sold me a pair of ambi 1911-style grips to replace the left side thumbrest target ones. Herrett's Grips also lists some for the HS Military (1911-angle) guns. Brownells has new HS grips and parts also or you can order them directly from Texas High Standard.

Yes, if you don't know the round count replace the drive spring.

Hope this helps.

[jkrispies]

I shoot grandpa's 1950's era Hi-Standard Sport King a lot and have used it for Steel Challenge... not in Open, though! No experience with the new Hi-Standards (it's a different company using the name) but the old ones are amazing little .22's. Frankly, I wouldn't modify one of the old ones if I got ahold of it, just because it's a classic nowadays. If you're looking to invest in a .22lr for Steel Challenge, do a search for a recent discussion on the Ruger 10/22 vs. the Browning Buckmark. Personally, when I eventually begin my .22lr Steel Challenge build, it will be with the Buckmark-- and that's coming from someone who owns and regularly shoots a "classic" Hi-standard.

Edited December 20, 2011 by jkrispies

[mwx40x40]

As I read this post about Hi Std's and mag tuning , I was wondering the mags, especially the cheaper ones with soft lips, if they could be annealed. Would annealing make them harder? Just a thought.

[Jaxshooter]

I own several High Standard guns and do not use any of them for SC. The problem ultimately comes down to the magazines. With no feed ramp each mag has to be tuned to the precise angle to feed the round directly into the chamber. Not only is it very difficult to do this but one drop can completely throw them out of spec. The new model magazines don't work very well in the original guns either. It is much eaiser to buy a Model 41 and a handful of factory magazines and load them up and fire away.

[Flexmoney]

There are at least two at our local SC matches. IMO, they don't run well. I wouldn't even think of putting more money into one to make it into an Open version.

[40S&W]

For what it's worth.

Build a Open Gun from a S&W Mod 41. You will never be sorry. Mags are not an issue.

[earplug]

I shot a High Standard and the frame mounted rear sight is in the way if your using a optic sight.

I bought my pistol used in 1978 and I thought it had magazine problems a couple of years ago. Turned out it was the slide rails were worn and the loose slide was causing feeding issues.

A M-41 is a lot simpler to deal with in the long run.

If you like to tinker and mess with your own triggers and springs a conversion unit for a 1911 is fun to shoot.

[amish_rabbi]

thanks for all the info guys, i hadnt realized that there is no feed ramp on the guns but i did know the mags would need to be tuned.

my first pick was a tactical solutions .22 conversion but I just cant being myself to spend $500 on mags and only get 5 out it. to bad sadly. and the 41 just didnt look good to me so i wasnt drawn to it but ill track a friend down with one and try it out and see how i like it

[itchy]

I think Dave Sevigny is shooting some form of a hi standard for Steel Challenge in Open rimfire. He used to shoot a model 41, but changed last year.

Seiichi

[itchy]

Correction, Dave never shot a M41, it was a Browning buckmark before the hi standard.

Seiichi

[bradhe]

I have been shooting High Standards for a while. I really like a Victor frame that I put an LSP barrel (Brownells has) on and an aimpoint. I have four others as well. Like everyone has said, they are finicky for ammo and magazines; the High Standard magazine adjustment tool is a permanent part of my shooting bag. Each gun requires it's owned sepcially tuned magazines

Then I had an epiphany. I found a NOS Smith 41 at the local gun store. I bought a dozen magazines from brownells and with no modifications, tuning or fuss it has now run about 2500 rounds of CCI standard WITHOUT A SINGLE MALFUNCTION. I haven't cleaned it yet either. I just chopped, fluted and compensated the 5.5 barrel (they are heavy) and have a new goto gun for fast 22s