I just saw this thing.

Lavan · February 26, 2020, 06:10 PM

Had to Google to make sure it was real.

It is. or WAS...

Sheesh.

Sterling PPL .22 auto.

Wait...wait.. WAIT.... it's a .380

Forte S+W · February 26, 2020, 06:39 PM

Personally, I like the PPK a bit better when it comes to compact, all metal, straight blowback .380 pistols.

It's a neat-looking gun though, reminds me of the Ruger Mark I. A snubnose Mark I, that is.

Lavan · February 26, 2020, 07:20 PM

Aw c'mon.. The PPK isn't nearly as purdy as this thing.

10-96 · February 26, 2020, 07:37 PM

To me, it looks like it has a High Standard Model HD or 101 in it's family tree

Carmady · February 26, 2020, 07:45 PM

It also resembles the H&R self-loading .25 ACP.

Edit: The H&R doesn't even pretend to have sights.

Kemikos · February 26, 2020, 08:46 PM

Huh. I kind of dig it, although it doesn't look even remotely like a practical design. How much effective length does that barrel have, exactly?

Bill DeShivs · February 26, 2020, 09:13 PM

Sterling pistols of this type were copies of the Hi Standard pistols.
These were made after GCA-68, when there was a dearth of pocket pistols.

burrhead · February 26, 2020, 10:23 PM

Never seen such a thing but I like it. Certainly High Standardesque. So weird looking if I saw one at a reasonable price I'd buy it just for fun.

Lavan · February 26, 2020, 10:23 PM

I wonder if the instructions said, "In case of misfire, remove cartridge and throw it?"

Cheapshooter · February 26, 2020, 10:53 PM

Quote:

To me, it looks like it has a High Standard Model HD or 101 in it's family tree

Yup, looks like an HD that Bubba took a hacksaw to!

10-96 · February 27, 2020, 07:34 PM

Quote:

How much effective length does that barrel have, exactly?

Good question. I'm betting it has less than an inch of rifling engagement area. I don't remember where, but I recall reading that it was thought (or assumed?) that lower pressured revolver rounds such as .38SPL, .38S&W, all the .32's of old only needed an inch of rifling to stabilize the bullet. I'm thinking a Sterling engineer said "Hmm, hold my beer, let's see what happens."

Kemikos · February 27, 2020, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10-96

I don't remember where, but I recall reading that it was thought (or assumed?) that lower pressured revolver rounds such as .38SPL, .38S&W, all the .32's of old only needed an inch of rifling to stabilize the bullet.

Yeah, well, clearly that doesn't apply to the .380. having been intrigued, I found an old, archived review of a Sterling. It was evidently having massive keyhole problems...

TXAZ · February 27, 2020, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lavan

Had to Google to make sure it was real.

It is. or WAS...

Sheesh.

Sterling PPL .22 auto.

Wait...wait.. WAIT.... it's a .380

I'd call it a Zero.

Lavan · February 28, 2020, 05:40 PM

With about effectively ONE INCH of bullet travel, I'd expect this monstrosity to keyhole.

SGW Gunsmith · March 5, 2020, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lavan

Had to Google to make sure it was real.

It is. or WAS...

Sheesh.

Sterling PPL .22 auto.

Wait...wait.. WAIT.... it's a .380

Pocket pistol eh? Wonder how long it takes to unsnag the hammer, rear sight and most likely the front sight, from the pockets liner? By the time one were to get it out, you'd probably have three or four holes in your shirt from the bad guy.
Yah! "Zero" seems appropriate.

DaleA · March 5, 2020, 03:18 PM

Hey thanks Lavan for posting something really different.

This is quite the hobby we have here!

HisSoldier · March 24, 2020, 07:33 PM

If the riflings were in good shape I'd expect it would not keyhole, it only takes a few hundredths of an inch to get the bullet rotating.
Which reminds me of something someone said, I'd like to know where it's in print if it is, that Walther engineers responded to a statement that pistol barrels had to be perfectly straight to be accurate, so they made a pistol with a barrel like a corkscrew that was accurate. I assume the spiral was very slight but it makes sense assuming the sights were set up to the exit direction.

dahermit · March 24, 2020, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carmady

It also resembles the H&R self-loading .25 ACP.

Edit: The H&R doesn't even pretend to have sights.

It don't need no stinking sights!

Hal · March 25, 2020, 07:03 AM

I know your joking but - don't discount not using sights.

People like - t Dwight D. Eisenhower, Henry Ford II, John Wayne, Audie Murphy, all learned point shooting under the instruction of one Bobby Lamar "Lucky" McDaniel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_McDaniel

Excellent read - about both a largely forgotten technique and man

Sgt127 · March 26, 2020, 06:24 PM

I suppose little .22’s were a thing. That has a lot of High Standard in its genetics. It looks like a .22. I would not have guessed it’s a .380.

First gun I ever took off a bad guy. 1985 or so. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was stolen. It was.

S&W Escort.

David R · March 26, 2020, 07:23 PM

I had a Sterling 22. I paid $50.00. It was a conventional blow back 6 or 7 shot. Safety, no firing pin block. It fit in an ankle holster. I liked that gun but moved on to center fire for SD.

Sterling was made in Lockport NY. I know people that worked there. They made more than the fugly one in the first post.

The company went under. A girl was baby sitting. her boyfriend came over. He found the sterling 22. He removed the magazine, pointed the gun at the little boy and pulled the trigger. Boy was crippled for life. In a court case the company lost because the gun did not have a magazine safety. Look it up.

My shop is in Lockport. They have not been making guns for a long time. There is still a machine shop.

Mine looked like this. My dad had one too. Groove for sight.

https://www.threegunnuts.com/products/765

David

February 26, 2020, 06:10 PM	#1
Lavan Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 1999 Location: California Posts: 2,716	I just saw this thing. Had to Google to make sure it was real. It is. or WAS... Sheesh. Sterling PPL .22 auto. Wait...wait.. WAIT.... it's a .380

February 26, 2020, 06:39 PM	#2
Forte S+W Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2019 Posts: 819	Personally, I like the PPK a bit better when it comes to compact, all metal, straight blowback .380 pistols. It's a neat-looking gun though, reminds me of the Ruger Mark I. A snubnose Mark I, that is. __________________ Conspiracy theorists are the greatest political spin-doctors of all time. Only they can make the absolute worst political blunders sound like spectacular feats of ingenuity.

February 26, 2020, 07:37 PM	#4
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,160	To me, it looks like it has a High Standard Model HD or 101 in it's family tree __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

February 26, 2020, 09:13 PM	#7
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,986	Sterling pistols of this type were copies of the Hi Standard pistols. These were made after GCA-68, when there was a dearth of pocket pistols. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

February 26, 2020, 10:23 PM	#8
burrhead Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 1999 Location: Chihuahuan desert, Texas Posts: 1,148	Never seen such a thing but I like it. Certainly High Standardesque. So weird looking if I saw one at a reasonable price I'd buy it just for fun. __________________ Join the GOA, SAF and the TSRA I'm offended by people that are easily offended.

February 26, 2020, 07:20 PM	#3
Lavan Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 1999 Location: California Posts: 2,716	Aw c'mon.. The PPK isn't nearly as purdy as this thing.

February 26, 2020, 08:46 PM	#6
Kemikos Member Join Date: March 23, 2017 Posts: 55	Huh. I kind of dig it, although it doesn't look even remotely like a practical design. How much effective length does that barrel have, exactly?

February 28, 2020, 05:40 PM	#14
Lavan Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 1999 Location: California Posts: 2,716	With about effectively ONE INCH of bullet travel, I'd expect this monstrosity to keyhole.

March 5, 2020, 03:18 PM	#16
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	Hey thanks Lavan for posting something really different. This is quite the hobby we have here!

March 24, 2020, 07:33 PM	#17
HisSoldier Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 2007 Location: Oregoncoast Posts: 1,793	If the riflings were in good shape I'd expect it would not keyhole, it only takes a few hundredths of an inch to get the bullet rotating. Which reminds me of something someone said, I'd like to know where it's in print if it is, that Walther engineers responded to a statement that pistol barrels had to be perfectly straight to be accurate, so they made a pistol with a barrel like a corkscrew that was accurate. I assume the spiral was very slight but it makes sense assuming the sights were set up to the exit direction. __________________ CNC produced 416 stainless triggers to replace the plastic triggers on Colt Mustangs, Mustang Plus II's, MK IV Government .380's and Sig P238's and P938's. Plus Colt Mustang hardened 416 guide rods, and Llama .32 and .380 recoil spring buttons, checkered nicely and blued.

March 25, 2020, 07:03 AM	#19
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	I know your joking but - don't discount not using sights. People like - t Dwight D. Eisenhower, Henry Ford II, John Wayne, Audie Murphy, all learned point shooting under the instruction of one Bobby Lamar "Lucky" McDaniel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_McDaniel Excellent read - about both a largely forgotten technique and man

March 26, 2020, 06:24 PM	#20
Sgt127 Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2002 Posts: 1,053	I suppose little .22’s were a thing. That has a lot of High Standard in its genetics. It looks like a .22. I would not have guessed it’s a .380. First gun I ever took off a bad guy. 1985 or so. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was stolen. It was. S&W Escort.

March 26, 2020, 07:23 PM	#21
David R Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2015 Location: The swamps of WNY Posts: 753	I had a Sterling 22. I paid $50.00. It was a conventional blow back 6 or 7 shot. Safety, no firing pin block. It fit in an ankle holster. I liked that gun but moved on to center fire for SD. Sterling was made in Lockport NY. I know people that worked there. They made more than the fugly one in the first post. The company went under. A girl was baby sitting. her boyfriend came over. He found the sterling 22. He removed the magazine, pointed the gun at the little boy and pulled the trigger. Boy was crippled for life. In a court case the company lost because the gun did not have a magazine safety. Look it up. My shop is in Lockport. They have not been making guns for a long time. There is still a machine shop. Mine looked like this. My dad had one too. Groove for sight. https://www.threegunnuts.com/products/765 David