High Standard Supermatic

[toms silver 60]

Attached is a HS models chart created by a member of www.rimfirecentral.com. You can find a wealth of info there from a couple of HS experts including Alan Aronstein who now runs the operation in Houston.View attachment 771221

Super thanks on the HS chart as I have never been able to figure out where, when, and differences on the various models. All of the advice given is right on, particularly the part about only shooting standard velocity and changing out the main spring every 10k rounds. My favorite pistol was(is) a model 102 which I have had since maybe the mid 60's. I had fired 30-50k rounds through it when I found the new to me model 102 frame crack. I sent it off to a very well SA gunsmith who could weld anything-Unfortunately the cracks returned and the gun was retired.
I now have an model 103 as well as a grip mount red dot SW41 which weighs a ton. They both shoot far better than I can, but the HS remains my favorite.
I noted the model 102 was made only 1958-1960, probably because of the frame defect.

 

[tlawler]

What about magazine compatibility? I'm looking for a couple extra and I found one for a 107 military. Are all the 10x mags interchangeable?

 

[John Stimson]

That's a beauty, looks to be in excellent condition. I've collected HS pistols off and on for quite some time though I'm far from an expert. The Supermatic was made 1951 - 57 in two barrel lengths, 4.5" and 6.75". They are outstanding target pistols. The triggers are superb, better than the model 41 in my experience. They have a reputation for being finicky shooters but that is almost always a magazine issue, sometimes the mag lips need to be tweaked for 100% reliability. I don't have much guidance on pricing, they aren't rare but I don't see Supermatics in that condition often. I would guesstimate $750 - $900 maybe more with box and papers. Check completed auctions on Gunbroker. Good luck, hope you come home with it!

That is a S-101 Supermatic which was made from the second quarter 1954 through the end of 1957 with some small producxtion lots as late as the end of 1958. The U.S.marked ones are worth a premium as are the PROPERTY OF USMC marked ones.

 

[John Stimson]

Super thanks on the HS chart as I have never been able to figure out where, when, and differences on the various models. All of the advice given is right on, particularly the part about only shooting standard velocity and changing out the main spring every 10k rounds. My favorite pistol was(is) a model 102 which I have had since maybe the mid 60's. I had fired 30-50k rounds through it when I found the new to me model 102 frame crack. I sent it off to a very well SA gunsmith who could weld anything-Unfortunately the cracks returned and the gun was retired.
I now have an model 103 as well as a grip mount red dot SW41 which weighs a ton. They both shoot far better than I can, but the HS remains my favorite.
I noted the model 102 was made only 1958-1960, probably because of the frame defect.

The 102 design series was the worst design series for cracks. The 103 frame had changes to address cracking but the changes did not eliminate them.

 

[John Stimson]

I've had several High Standards but currently just one, which is a Houston gun. The best place to learn about them is over on the Rimfire Central forum where there is a dedicated High Standard section. The guys on there have literally "written the book" on High Standards.

As you probably already know, they should only be fired with standard velocity ammo. CCI or Aquila are the two most recommended but if it's standard velocity and it feeds, you're good.

I'd recommend replacing the recoil spring. Who knows how old it is. Parts are available from interarmstx.com. They are the remnants of the Houston operation and have a great deal of knowledge and parts. The owner is often on the rimfire central forum. His name is Alan Aronstein and worked at the original High Standard.

Alan is an old hand but although he was the president of High Standard in Houston he was not an employee in any of the four original Connecticut companies.

 

[John Stimson]

Very nice pistol! Yours is the Supermatic 101 series, the first of the push-button takedown models. As others have said, Rimfire Central is the place to go for all things High Standard. That's where I got all of my help when I had questions. Parts are readily available through many vendors. I get most of mine from InterArms. Just type that into your browser and you'll get a link immediately.

View attachment 771278

The S-100 was the forst of the pushbutton design series.

 

[John Stimson]

Congrats on bringing that one home. High Standard began assigning model numbers to the Supermatic model in 1954 with the introduction of the 101 series, that's what you have. This is the first model with the push button barrel takedown feature which would remain until the end of the company in 1984. They did not start naming the models until the 102 series in 1957. The 102 series had various named models including Trophy, Citation, Tournament, Flite King and Sport King. The Supermatic name stayed, the series number and model name were added, so you might see a Supermatic model 102 Citation for example. At some point along the way the Supermatic name may have disappeared, I don't recall. The named models stayed until the end of the company. Like S&W the High Standard .22 pistol rabbit hole is wide and deep, lot's of variations to collect. Their is a member here I believe, John Stimson that can tell you anything you want to know about these great pistols, maybe he will chime in here. As another poster mentioned, Rimfire Central is also a great place to learn about them. It's best to stay with standard velocity ammo as the frames were of a relatively soft steel and may crack if subjected to a steady diet of high velocity rounds. I've not experienced a cracked frame but something to be aware of.

After the Supermatic Model beginning in the lever nasme design series came the Supermatic S-100 and the SUpermatic S-101. After that a marketing ploy was grades of the SUpermatic..Supermatic Trophy, Supermatic Citation, and Supermatic Trounament. These three grades involved barrel designs and accessorirs and they had different specidied maximum trugger pull . 2 to 2.25 for the Supermatic TRophy, 2- t0 2.50 for the Supermatic Citation, and 2 to 2.75 die the SUpermatic Tournament. The trigger adjustment was only to get above 2.00 for matches.

The Supermatic Trophy has the finest finish .

There is a lot of misconception about frame cracks and standard velocity. The ammunition of choice to help with frame cracks is 1080 fps with a 40 grain bullet. All frames won't crfand and some have with the proper ammunition and fresh driving springs. There are a lot of factors, most of which we have no control over.

 

[dockmurgw]

I have one, it was my Dads...but I know nothing about it. Mr. Stimson, not the best of quality...but are these pics enough for you to identify it?

 

[John Stimson]

Attached is a HS models chart created by a member of www.rimfirecentral.com. You can find a wealth of info there from a couple of HS experts including Alan Aronstein who now runs the operation in Houston.View attachment 771221

I'm a member here too. SWCA LM 742.

 

[John Stimson]

Regarding your acquisition, receiving two genuine magazines and both barrel weights in the deal counts as a huge plus. The one thing you might want to try and find is the filler plate that mounts on the underside of the barrel when the weights are unattached.

Neither magazine would havebeen origial to the gun. The lip style magazine for thet gun would have been cadmium plated. athe finger styloe magazine was a discontinued design during he later part of the lever name design series.

 

[John Stimson]

Greyman and FMJ…thank you for the informative posts. I ended up getting it along with the Nickeled Model 41. It's a Model S-101 Supermatic (Citation?) with the 6.75" barrel and factory compensator cuts. Serial is 592518, which I think is 1956 manufacture. It looks to be in very good condition, with only the barrel weight screws buggered up a bit. I've got some old Kleenbore standard velocity rounds I'm going to try out in it and I'll post back how it shoots.

Please tell me more about it. I've been doing some web research on the High Standard company and trying to find out all I can on this model, but all info is good info.View attachment 771134View attachment 771135View attachment 771136View attachment 771137View attachment 771138

592,518 shipped as a catalog number 9119 on 8/18/1956 to account number 8166 on invoice numer4905.

 

[tlawler]

592,518 shipped as a catalog number 9119 on 8/18/1956 to account number 8166 on invoice numer4905.

Thank you John!

 

[glenwolde]

Alan is an old hand but although he was the president of High Standard in Houston he was not an employee in any of the four original Connecticut companies.

I stand corrected.

 

[John Stimson]

I have one, it was my Dads...but I know nothing about it. Mr. Stimson, not the best of quality...but are these pics enough for you to identify it?

That is a lever name seres Supermatic. The S-100 Supermatic was the version that followed yours.