High Standard Model 'B'

[Good Pwny]

I agree with lithgow... A lot of HSs model HD have ''PROPERTY OF U.S.'' stamped on the right side...Even in the old published ''HANDGUNS OF THE WORLD'' there is a photo of a U.S. helicopter crew member in 'Nam, proudly showing a HS equiped with a silencer...
Regards, Thanos.

Doubt that piece was officially issued. Maybe for executions, which I don't think would be a popular thing. I'll ask my buddies in SF. It also is a little bit long for a covert weapon.

[emileverbunt]

U2 pilots had these silenced HS pistols.

Cheers,
Emile

[Rudolf Karl]

a quote from "THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA of FIREARMS"
"during the war (1940s) the pistol was produced as a training and recreation weapon for the US ARMY and a silenced version was provided for the Office of Strategic Services and for use by various clandestine organisations."

Rudy

[lew07]

Im pretty sure I have seen a photo of an American helicopter pilot in Vietnam with one of these pistols!!!!

[Walkwolf]

These were not 'issued' in WWII, but obtained by the U.S. Army for stateside
training, etc, as Rudy quoted above. Carrying one in the war would have
been a GI's choice, to use as a backup or personal sidearm.
I don't know about the OSS using them, but this
could be possible.

I'd like to see the photo of that pilot in Vietnam wearing one.

[lithgow]

The silenced pistol is still in use as a CIA issue weapon-an amazing history as it was rapidly developed after the US entered the war but was good enough to remain in service (in admittedly small numbers) ever since.-as the CIA was involved in many theatres of ops over the last 65 years or so that also included regular US forces (Vietnam, Afganistan, Iraq etc) the pistol could be 'seen' with troops operating with or in the hands of CIA operatives-usually a low profile outfit but occasionally in the spotlight e.g. the attack on the US embassy in Saigon during the Tet offensive.

[csty6973]

Thank you to all who gave additional information about my HS. I should have clarified my statement about issue to troops. I had meant OSS or Spec-Ops, those that would use a silenced version. I took it out this past weekend, along with my wife and a group of friends, and boy is this thing accurate! We all had no trouble keeping the shots in a 2"-3" group, standing offhand at about 30', even the two first-time shooters with us. There is vrtually no recoil using standard .22 loads, which had been reccommended on one of the web sites I found.

[csty6973]

BTW, is there a good Mosin-Nagant thread on this site? I bought one, and would like to share with others here.

[big ned]

I have handled and fired a moderated Hi-Standard HD back in the 80's. I was told it was an experimental type manufactured by FN and was one of a handful produced in 1967 but never put into production by them. The noticable differences I can remember from an American made Hi-Standard was that it had a very high ramped foresight to show above the moderator which was threaded onto the end of the barrel, not like others that enclosed the entire barrel length. The moderator was made by Mander's of New Zealand if I remember correctly. And the mag in the weapon was actually that from a Colt Woodsman. It was around 14" long and extremely quiet. The ammo used was Eley subsonic hollowpoints.

Regards, Ned.

[lithgow]

csty6973-the World Firearms section is where the gun posts are located-no dedicated MN thread but plenty of them in the general section-you could ask for a 'sticky' for them like the Mauser K98k one- I've posted 3 of the 4 I have in the section over the last year.