High Standard .22 Semi Auto's...Which one?

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FunGramps

New member
I'm eyeballing the Sport Kings, Dura-Matics, and a Field King with two barrels included. One Sport King has the original box and the soft zip-up case. Made in 1968. Rated at near 100%.

So, these once very inexpensive but well made guns are getting pricey, and good ones are selling fast.

$525.00 sounds crazy high to me for the best Dura-Matic. The others range from $450.00-close to $600.00, but they are minty. What do you think of the prices, and which models do you believe are better for shooting/investment/quality?
 
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What king of barrel takedown? Push button?
I have a 103 Sport King with the push button barrel and love the ability to change barrel lengths and types. Interchangeable with the later 106, 107 series as well.
The Sport King has that old style angled grip like the woodsman and ruger, but it sure sits nice in the hand. 525 is high but not crazy high. Fixed rear sight or ajustable sight?
 
HighValleyRanch said:
What king of barrel takedown? Push button?
I have a 103 Sport King with the push button barrel and love the ability to change barrel lengths and types. Interchangeable with the later 106, 107 series as well.
The Sport King has that old style angled grip like the woodsman and ruger, but it sure sits nice in the hand. 525 is high but not crazy high. Fixed rear sight or ajustable sight?
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My bust!
It's the Dura-Matic M-101. Fixed sights.
There is also a nice Field King that comes with the two barrels. Adjustable rear sight.
Other minty Sport Kings (push button type) are the 100, 101 and 103.

Which are the best models in your oprinion?
 
If you are looking to buy a High Standard, buy one of the newer ones (current productionj) and don't mess with the 50+ year old models.
 
I went through the High Standard craze some years ago and found most of mine to be jam-o-matics. For some reason HS elected to make their .22 autos without feed ramps, thus depending on very critical magazine feed lip adjustment to allow for chambering. I decided life was too short to mess with that and offloaded all of them. Some folks are luckier than I, so I guess it's the luck of the draw. YMMV
 
High Standard used the same model names over several mechanical design changes.
The ones with the big round slanted takedown button are the latest and even they have differences in the 100 series of guns.
There are guns with a smaller round button and with a lever takedown, older patterns.

I have a Supermatic Citation Military that is extremely accurate - 1" at 50 yards Ransom Rest - but getting five good magazines for Steel Challenge was a challenge of its own.

The Duramatic is a completely different gun from anything else they ever made. Striker fired and with a solid plastic butt; no grip frame.

I don't know what is available new, the brand has bounced around so many times that I don't know who, where, and if there are guns in production.

There is something going on here but if you hit Shop, you get a big banner that says "we do not sell firearms."
https://highstandardfirearmsusa.com
 
Jim Watson said:
High Standard used the same model names over several mechanical design changes.
The ones with the big round slanted takedown button are the latest and even they have differences in the 100 series of guns.
There are guns with a smaller round button and with a lever takedown, older patterns.

I have a Supermatic Citation Military that is extremely accurate - 1" at 50 yards Ransom Rest - but getting five good magazines for Steel Challenge was a challenge of its own.

The Duramatic is a completely different gun from anything else they ever made. Striker fired and with a solid plastic butt; no grip frame.

I don't know what is available new, the brand has bounced around so many times that I don't know who, where, and if there are guns in production.

There is something going on here but if you hit Shop, you get a big banner that says "we do not sell firearms."
https://highstandardfirearmsusa.com
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There are some very nice Supermatic Citation Military models available. Big money for those. How well does yours feed?
 
HighValleyRanch said:
What king of barrel takedown? Push button?
I have a 103 Sport King with the push button barrel and love the ability to change barrel lengths and types. Interchangeable with the later 106, 107 series as well.
The Sport King has that old style angled grip like the woodsman and ruger, but it sure sits nice in the hand. 525 is high but not crazy high. Fixed rear sight or ajustable sight?
Click to expand...
Concerning some of the comments regarding feeding and jamming, do you have those issues with yours?
 
My High Standard 107 was my first good target pistol. I used it for Bullseye compeitions for many many years, putting over 10,000 rounds through it. During that time I didn't experience many jams, otherwise I would have moved on to another company.

But recently, I brought it back out to life, and have been experiencing some feeding issues, but will figure it out no doubt. I've been shooting my Sig Trailside mostly now.

But the 107 with the ".45 trainer grips" I recently made for it feels so good in the hand!
 
There are some very nice Supermatic Citation Military models available. Big money for those. How well does yours feed?
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The two original magazines feed well.
Gun show magazines, probably Triple K, hardly at all, I ruined my last one trying to make it look like factory.

The "A" magazines from Texas feed well but do not always drop free. I have marked the stickiest one and use it last on a Steel Challenge stage.

There is an adjusting tool, just a bar of steel with a slot in it the right width to bend the lips. The bar is its own gauge, width for the front lip spacing, thickness for the rear.

My Model 41 and Nelson Conversion are much more reliable. I had my first half in the Nelson yesterday since settling on suitable ammo, and it was most likely due to knocking the gun against a low barricade port. (IDPA match here now running NFC for .22s in the Covid ammo shortages.)
 
If the OP is buying those older High Standard as a collector, feel free, it's your money. If buying as a shooter, don't. Good luck finding parts. Even the newer models, good luck finding parts. Is the company even in existence? I mean besides Interarms TX, I know of no place that even attempts to make a few parts, let alone an entire gun. Interarms has been claiming for 5 years they are going to start making a HS Victor "type" pistol, but even that claim has been removed from their web site.

The HS pistols are very accurate, and can be very reliable if the magazine is set up correctly. But just bump a magazine lip, and you have to re-tweak.
 
I have a nice one that I "inherited. It has nice machining but is........" JUNK!"

It jammed the first time I tried it. I'll be selling it some time, as I have two woodsmen that are reliable.

The holster is worth more than the gun!!
 
skywag said:
I have a nice one that I "inherited. It has nice machining but is........" JUNK!"

It jammed the first time I tried it. I'll be selling it some time, as I have two woodsmen that are reliable.

The holster is worth more than the gun!!
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I appreciate all the feedback. It appears these pistols would serve best for collecting, if anything.
The Colt Woodsman is a great looking pistol. Might have to read up on those. I have all the modern weapons I want, but there's something about vintage that also appeals to me. Like a 100% condition Colt SAA in its stagecoach box. :)
 
A big reason as to why High Standard .22 semi-autos can be so sensitive to magazine-related reliability problems is that, unlike most other .22 auto pistols, the mag follower serves as the feed ramp. If their magazines are in good shape (spring, lips, cant angle of the follower) High Standard pistols can be very reliable-but it doesn't take much to get a magazine out of spec.
 
This is going back nearly 50 years, but if you're looking at vintage Hi Standards, it might be of interest.

I shot in a Connecticut 50' Bullseye league back in the 70's. Our team shot a variety of guns: Colt Woodsmen, Hi Standards of one model or another, and two guys had S&W M41's. None of us had trouble with the guns jamming and "alibis" were very infrequent in the Timed & Rapid Fire stages of our competitions.

I shot a Victor for over a year, but never liked the grip angle...too close to a 1911's for me at that stage of my shooting education. I found one of the M41 guys who was willing to trade, right across, for my Victor and the deed was done. My scores didn't improve and after joining the outdoor matches at Lyman's old Blue Trail Range, I grew to appreciate the 1911's grip. To this day, I shoot it better than the more slanted variety....Woodsman's, some of the Hi Standards, et. al.

Of note, at the time one of our competitors was Colt's factory team. All of which, at the time IIRC, shot Hi Standards! Also of interest is that Colt's 50' .22 range was located in the factory basement. Poorly lighted and with virtually zero ventilation, it was the worst range of the 8 or 10 we shot in around the state. I've always wondered if Colt tested their products elsewhere, because that range was a real dump.

As to the viability of Hi Standards of that era being problems, I'd refer you to Ed Harris' remarks on .22's in general: ammunition and model choices. You can Google his "Back Creek Diary" for more information. He's the inventor of "Ed's Red", a great cleaning and lubing formula, BTW, and a former American Rifleman staffer.

Personally, my memories of my Victor and our team members' Citations are that the guns were well made and every bit as reliable as S&W's & Colts. Accuracy at that level of competition, devolved to the individual shooter's skill, because the guns were essentially equal.

JMHO, Rod
 
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Recently bought a High Standard Victor (one of the pricier models). Only came with one mag, but the gun has run well, is very accurate, and has an amazing trigger.

Was actually shooting it today and getting a 90% hit ratio on 6" steel plates at 27 yards, which is about as well as I can do with a handgun.

As others have said, getting a decent magazine is critical to reliability and you should avoid the Triple K magazines like the plague. However, Brownells sells High Standard mags, and I think they're pretty good. (Have one on order and will let you know once it arrives and I've shot it.)

Also, do not shoot high velocity ammo out of a High Standard. Mine does great with CCI Standard Velocity ammo.

Have to disagree with poster that says these are junk. IMHO opinion they are infinitely superior to a Ruger. More accurate, more comfortable to shoot, more accurate, good sights and there is simply no comparison between triggers. But then I like some of the older .22's (own a 20 year old SW 41 as well).

And if you get one you should definitely shoot it.
 
I have owned a High Standard Victor for more than 30 years. It was made in the Hamden, CT factory in 1973. It is a fine, fine gun. Arguably the best American made target pistol ever manufactured. Fantastic trigger.
Finding reliable magazines, however, can be a chore. I have had good luck with the mags from Brownells.
 
I have a Supermatic Citation Trophy that I bought from an estate. Beautiful gun. Nicely machined, but enough sharp corners it's drawn blood a couple times. Very accurate and one of the best triggers I've ever felt in a factory gun. But it has feed problems too. Wanted to love it. Could probably get it running with some tweaking
 
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