They called 'em Space Guns!

[PALADIN85020]

Years ago, I got my introduction to the fine High Standard slant-grip Supermatic .22 target pistols known by almost everyone as Space Guns. I was in the Army, shooting my arms room Ruger Mark I in a match. I was in a joint service command, comprised of people from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. A Marine captain was shooting one of these special guns - it had an 8-inch barrel tipped with a slick-looking compensator, and the rear sight was mounted on the barrel itself. The barrel, as he showed me, was detachable to be interchangeable with others of different lengths, and it accepted some racy-looking barrel weights.

At any rate, he cleaned my clock with that gun. I asked to examine it, and it was certainly made for competition, right down to the adjustable trigger and completely open ejection area.

He asked if I'd like to try it out, and when I did, my score improved very noticeably. I lusted over that gun, but as a LT in the army with a wife and baby, I knew I could never justify its premium expense. Here's a pic of a similar example to the one I fell in love with.



It was many years before I could find one that I could afford, and that's it above. Actually, many competitors actually preferred the shorter-barreled 6 3/4" version, where the distance between the sights was actually longer due to the rear-mounted back sight. I got one of those also. Here it is:



Unfortunately, my competition days were long over when I acquired these, but they fulfilled a nostalgic wish to have one or more. These guns ruled the bullseye circuit for many years. The slant grip models preceded the later ones with a grip frame mimicking that of the 1911 pistol.

Perhaps some of you more "seasoned" folks remember them?

John

 

[Fishinfool]

Just picked up one similar a few weeks ago. Always liked the style. Had it to the range last week, and from a bench, it is more accurate than most .22 rifles I have shot. It would make an excellent squirrel rig, if I could hunt with a semi-auto pistol here in PA. Makes a nice companion to my Victor.

Larry

20210303_143105 by Larry, on Flickr

 

[MG-70]

At least you were able to acquire one of your grail guns and enjoy it a bit, regardless of timing!

They were a bit before my time, and I only got to handle, never shoot, perhaps the last iterations, which were stainless, and from my research hit or miss when it comes to reliability.

With that said, I'm very familiar with the Ruger MK series, from the MKII on. Was yours a MKI Target, with the heavy, tapered, 6 7/8" barrel? What kind of trigger were you shooting, Clark Custom?, AND how much more expensive was the captain's pistol than yours?

Beautiful pistol and photo, on that top one!

Thanks for posting!

 

[PALADIN85020]

At least you were able to acquire one of your grail guns and enjoy it a bit, regardless of timing!

They were a bit before my time, and I only got to handle, never shoot, perhaps the last iterations, which were stainless, and from my research hit or miss when it comes to reliability.

With that said, I'm very familiar with the Ruger MK series, from the MKII on. Was yours a MKI Target, with the heavy, tapered, 6 7/8" barrel? What kind of trigger were you shooting, Clark Custom?, AND how much more expensive was the captain's pistol than yours?


Beautiful pistol and photo, on that top one!

Thanks for posting!

The Ruger I shot was not mine - it belonged to Uncle Sam, and I checked it out from the post arms room. It was the Mk I, and had the 6 7/8" barrel. It had the U.S. Property markings, and if you find one today, it would be quite valuable.

The gun was quite stock - no custom work. I have no idea what the gun the captain was shooting cost him - I just knew I was not in the same league to buy one.

This one I own today is a duplicate of the same vintage (without the U.S. markings).



This is the Ruger Mk I bull-barreled type, vintage of 1965, that I shot when I was in the National Guard and as a civilian. I did some trigger work on it, and it still has the best trigger of any .22 target gun I own.

John

 

[MG-70]

The Ruger I shot was not mine - it belonged to Uncle Sam, and I checked it out from the post arms room. It was the Mk I, and had the 6 7/8" barrel. It had the U.S. Property markings, and if you find one today, it would be quite valuable.

This one I own today is a duplicate of the same vintage (without the U.S. markings).

John

They are beautifully simple pistols! I had a very similar, stainless, MKII 678 Target (KMK678), in which I installed a Ramline extended heel release, that I stupidly sold in favor of the push-button magazine release MKIIIs. There's very little wrong with the MKIIIs that can't be easily remedied, however none of them balance as well as the tapered 6 7/8" barrel. They never made that model MKIII in stainless, so I had to settle for a GC and a Hunter.

Thanks again!

 

[FatDogEarl]

I have a Victor that's a true tack driver. Is the Supermatic even more accurate?

 

[SweetMK]

All I have is this 'ole beater that I keep under the seat of the truck,,,

LOL!!

 

[Dan Carey]

Yup, still call 'em Space Guns! Can't take mine out of the box at the range without having to explain what it is, how old it is, why it looks like that...
Everybody loves 'em!
And then, I have to explain the differences between the "Space Gun" and the 106 and Victor models. Maybe 45 minutes later I can start to shoot!

 

[growr]

When I saw space guns in the header I immediately thought of Match configuration AR-15's that were used in NRA High Power matches.....from my yesteryear shooting days...........

Randy

 

[brosky]

I just sold my last two to a friend and real collector and lover of all things High Standard. With my Pardini, Model 41, and Ruger Hunter all getting a lot of use, they just weren't getting any use and he was thrilled to get them. One was a revolver which are pretty rare around here. The 101 was made in 1958 in Hamden, had both barrels and weights along with the white leather case that it came with and the revolver was made in 1959. The machining on both was terrific as was just about everything that came out of Hamden in 50's to 70's.

 

[DRYHEAT]

Wow John that brings back memories. In Sept. 1966 I joined the Oregon State University pistol team and found I needed to get a 'real' target pistol, as my 2" .22 RB Kit gun was not going to make the cut. One of the members had the very model High Standard in your first picture for sale and it could be mine for only $110.00! Luckily I had save up enough over the summer by working and bought on sight. It was a lot of $$ but it lived up to the hype the previous owner had passed on to me.
Over 2 years our team competed in US mail matches with other colleges and did quite well.
I changed schools in '68 to an industrial arts college in Los Angeles to study Industrial Design. Since I knew before I left OR that the CA school had no pistol team so I sold my 'Space Gun' to another incoming OSU Pistol Team member... for $110.
That gun joins the long sad list of firearms I later regretted selling.

 

[Muley Gil]

The Ruger I shot was not mine - it belonged to Uncle Sam, and I checked it out from the post arms room. It was the Mk I, and had the 6 7/8" barrel. It had the U.S. Property markings, and if you find one today, it would be quite valuable.

The gun was quite stock - no custom work. I have no idea what the gun the captain was shooting cost him - I just knew I was not in the same league to buy one.

This one I own today is a duplicate of the same vintage (without the U.S. markings).



This is the Ruger Mk I bull-barreled type, vintage of 1965, that I shot when I was in the National Guard and as a civilian. I did some trigger work on it, and it still has the best trigger of any .22 target gun I own.

John

I've got one.

One of my dad's friends died and left him a number of firearms. Jim had been a target shooter in the '60s and had the Ruger and a High Standard as well.

When my dad passed, he left me his guns and Jim's as well. Dad and I had shot the Ruger some, but had hardly fired the HS.

I sold the High Standard a few years back, but I'm hanging on to the Ruger. When I go, I'm leaving the family guns to my nephew.

 

[Echo40]

When I hear "Space Gun" I think of either the Whitney Wolverine or MBA Gyrojet.

Bow, how I wish that I could own one of these sweet babies. I'm surprised that nobody is making them anymore, as I imagine a target pistol with the style of the Whitney Wolverine would be a hot seller if marketed properly.

 

[kreuzlover]

I had one of the "space guns" with the long barrel, in .22 short. Man, that thing could drive tacks! Shooting quail out of a tree, at 50 yards, was EASY! Like a lot of guns I've owned over the years, I foolishly traded this one off. This was back in '72, and I needed badly, I thought, whatever **** I traded the High Standard off for. I don't even remember what it was I traded for. But, I'm sorry I let that "Space Gun" get away.

 

[diecidecimi]

My first pistol was a High Standard Olympic .22 short., alloy slide. The same model won the Rapid Fire Olympic competition in Rome in 1960: and I can assure it is terrific, very nice to shoot. I inherited it from my grandpa, and still I have it.

 

[Ray1970]

Funny but when I first saw the Beretta Neos it really reminded me of some of those older rimfires like the ones you guys are posting. I figured that was where they got their styling ideas from.

 

[george_lehr]

I started Bullseye competition in 1969 with a used High Standard Supermatic Trophy similar to yours but with the 10" barrel. I paid $102.00 for it in a wood presentation case. In those early days I was able to maintain around a 275 average. Since then, I've obtained a citation with 8" barrel along with many other High Standard models, all but one of which have the slant grips.

My original developed a crack in the frame around 1980 and was replaced with a newer Trophy model with a mounted scope.

I still shoot Bullseye pistol, but I'm no longer competitive. I'm lucky if I can maintain a 255 average. At least I'm still there giving High Standard some representation in the sport.

George

 

[PALADIN85020]

When I hear "Space Gun" I think of either the Whitney Wolverine or MBA Gyrojet.

Bow, how I wish that I could own one of these sweet babies. I'm surprised that nobody is making them anymore, as I imagine a target pistol with the style of the Whitney Wolverine would be a hot seller if marketed properly.

I always wanted to find a Whitney Wolverine, and succeeded in landing one in the box some years ago. This one dates from May, 1956. These guns have an interesting back story, and I wrote it up as a chapter in my book 101 Classic Firearms.

An outfit in the Pacific Northwest made a lookalike to the Wolverine with a plastic frame. I heard that it did not perform well, and it became extinct.

As for the Gyrojet, never wanted one - looks like it was made with an erector set, and the "jet" ammo is no more.

John

 

[Echo40]

I always wanted to find a Whitney Wolverine, and succeeded in landing one in the box some years ago. This one dates from May, 1956. These guns have an interesting back story, and I wrote it up as a chapter in my book 101 Classic Firearms.

An outfit in the Pacific Northwest made a lookalike to the Wolverine with a plastic frame. I heard that it did not perform well, and it became extinct.

As for the Gyrojet, never wanted one - looks like it was made with an erector set, and the "jet" ammo is no more.

John

Yeah, Olympic Arms made a polymer frame variant of the Whitney Wolverine for about a decade, but they were made to order and apparently weren't ever a hot seller.
I think that they would have sold a lot better if Olympic Arms offered them with aluminum alloy frames as well.

When will firearms manufacturers learn that if you want to sell a reproduction of a classic firearm then it needs to be as faithful to the original as possible? They can still offer a redesign as an alternative to those who would prefer a cheaper, more modern, or enhanced variant, but if when they do a callback to a classic design with a bunch of cost-saving measures, unnecessary changes, and especially alterations to the firearm's aesthetics, then it just ends up looking inferior by comparison, which turns off everyone including those who would have been interested otherwise.

Yeah, the Gyrojet is just an interesting relic from a bygone era, not really something that anyone wants for its practicality or aesthetic appeal. It's a "Space Gun" to me because it was basically marketed as such, a gun that could function in space due to the jet propulsion of its projectiles.

 

[John_M52]

I bought a Ruger Mark? When I was 20 something and my father eventually told me to sell it and buy a High Standard. Then he told me to sell that and buy his friend’s Model 41. I still have the 41 but kind of wish I still had the High Standard too.