I've been looking at this little jewel for several weeks and today Cabela's Ad and price caught my eye.(under $500) I go for a hands-on and was so impressed I whipped out the credit card brought one home. In any case here's my review and initial observations.

The pistol was packed in a nice padded plastic case with High Standard inscribed. After opening, the pistol was packed inside a clear heavy plastic and inside a bubble wrap container. When removed it was covered with oil, big time. Not grease, but heavier oil than gun oil.

Removed the magazine, checked the chamber, and field-stripped.(only one mag with pistol)

First the magazine: I was a little surprised to find an 8 round, high carbon steel, polished, black magazine with 8 numbered holes on the left and right sides. Near the base plate on the right side is marked ".45ACP", Left Side near base plate "ACT-MAG". On the left side near the front middle, ACT-MAG Italy/ PSI USA. Googling this revealed a company call, yep, ACT-MAG, a US company that is: Also manufactured with the NOVAK® logo, ACT-MAG has gained recognition as one of the best magazines available in the world of 1911. Quality construction, excellent finish and a manufacturers garantee of reliability. Nice surprise.

The pistol is nicely parkerized, checkered wood grips, it has a lowered and flared ejection port, beveled magazine well, GI hammer, narrow beaver-tail. Worked the slide with hammer down and cocked, very tight. In fact it will take working the slide and shooting to get even close to the slide function on my Colt Combat Commander. The trigger pull is about 6-8 lbs, with no creep. I can handle that.

After field stripping, turning the frame upside down, in front of the trigger guard is engraved "Apinti-Pahrump NV" and below that "Philippines". After researching and checking out the case, It seems assembly was by Armscor Precision International/Advanced Tactical in Pahrump, NV. A couple of empty brass was in an envelop with an attached inspection tag and signed by the assembler. Nice touch.

On the right side of the frame above the trigger: "HSxxxx919" and "1911-A1FS". Left side of the slide, roll mark "High Standard MTG. Co. The barrell bushing was a tight fit, the barrell and slide lock up good and tight. No play in the slide. The sights are GI. I'd like to place Novak sights on it. The feed ramp is well polished, but I'll probably take jewelers rouge make it even more shiny after firing and cleaning. There is no firing pin safety, as found in the Series 70 Colts, and which I dislike in the Series 80 Colt. Grip safety and slide safety function correctly.

I'll take it to the range early next week to see if it functions as good as it looks. I'll check it with what I have here at the house: Remighton 230gr hardball, Rem 230gr, hollowpoints, 230gr LRN handloads, and 200gr LSWC handload. The 200gr handloads are puffy load that may correctly not function the slide since my Commander, with a heavy spring and buffer won't correcty feed, producing a FTF. I will check it with the included magazines, serveral generics I have and Wilson stainless. I may also have a Colt blue mag. Afterward, I'll post a report, good or bad.

pictures? please?

Here's a better photo than I can quickly post from my iPhone, and heres a link to the magazine included.
ACT-Mag

Had a little time away from my honey-do list this morning to live-fire the HS GI 1911 and check out function and possible accuracy. The first four rounds on the following target at 25 yds, in the 8 ring and to the left of the 9 right was with Remington UMC, 230 gr hardball. The GI sights threw me for a loop so I moved to 9 yards and the rest of the rounds were inside the 9 ring.








I had with me 200gr Round nose lead reloads from a friend. Stapled up a second target and fired 15 rounds at 9 yards.









There were 0 malfunctions with the Rem factory hardball ammo.(that's why my carry guns are filled with factory loads) Shooting the reloads, I had one round that did not go completely into battery and required just a slight nudge with my thumb, after it went into battery it fired. So there was one malfunction with the reloads. (They will be used for practice only) Recoil seemed lighter, and the High Standard, and although well oiled, had only about 25 rounds through it at that point. I checked the reloads and it appears that some of the bullets might be seated slightly crooked in the brass causing a bulge on one side. I'll try some of them in Combat Commander to verify if that will be a problem. In any case, the next time at the range with a longer time to shoot, and putting several hundred rounds through the little jewel, I'll have a better idea as to the whether it's the pistol or the reloads. The small bevertail on the grip safety chewed the web of my right hand a bit, as expected. But, oh, what the hay.

All in all, considering my poor marksmanship, the new purchase, shoots well, seems to be well made and is a prime candidate for future carry. (After I replace the GI sights with some low pro sights that I can actually see.)

Visited the range again this morning before work and fired about 60-80 rounds of 230gr LRN. No malfunctions at all. I then fired about 50 rounds of Remington UMC factory 230gr HP. Again, no malfunctions. I even decided to try out those little bitty GI sights at 15 yard on 8in metal plates. Not to bad. I still am considering replacing them. I think I still have some 200gr LSWC handloads I'll try in a few days.

So, far I've fired over 200 rounds and only one failure to completely go into battery on the first trial of the Lead Round Nose handloads. Probably my fault if I relaxed my grip. The High Standard hasn't be cleaned except when I brought it home and field striped. In any case, I am getting more confident it will do the job and money well spent.

Great report! Good to see there are some inexpensive 1911's again. Have you tried firing from a rest to check accuracy without shooter induced error? Looks like she's at least MOB (minute of bad guy).

Room 055,

No, I haven't checked shooting from a rest. Thanks for the suggestion. I wanted to check for reliability first, but will check the accuracy from a rest within the next couple of weeks.