High Standard Model "B" 22LR

Updated September 9, 2026

Vintage High Standard Model "B" .22 LR Semi-Automatic Pistol – New Haven, Connecticut Manufacture Up for auction is a scarce pre-World War II High Standard Model "B" semi-automatic pistol, chambered in .22 Long Rifle, manufactured by The High Standard Manufacturing Company of New Haven, Connecticut. The left side of the frame is clearly roll-marked "MADE IN U.S.A. / THE HIGH STANDARD MFG. CO. / NEW HAVEN, CONN. / PATENT PENDING / .22 CAL. / LONG RIFLE," while the slide bears the "HI-STANDARD / MODEL 'B'" designation. Serial number is stamped on the frame, and the black checkered hard rubber grips display the iconic "HS" monogram medallion on each panel — a hallmark of early High Standard production. About the Model: Introduced in the early 1930s, the Model "B" was High Standard's first true production pistol and the direct ancestor of the company's long and storied line of .22 caliber target and sporting autos. It is a hammerless, blowback-operated, single-action .22 with a fixed barrel, patridge-style front sight, and dovetailed rear sight — a design so well regarded by the U.S. Ordnance Department that later Model B variants (the Model B-US) were adopted during WWII as low-cost .22 caliber training pistols for troops prior to qualifying on the .45 ACP M1911A1. The "PATENT PENDING" marking on this example places it as an early New Haven-era production gun, made before High Standard's 1932–1945 New Haven factory era gave way to the postwar Hamden, Connecticut plant. Condition: The pistol displays the typical blued steel finish with visible finish wear, handling marks, and honest patina consistent with age and use, as shown in the accompanying photographs — including thinning/wear at the muzzle, slide, and grip strap. Grips are solid with crisp checkering and intact HS medallions. Why Collectors Want This: High Standard pistols are highly sought after C&R collectors, vintage American firearms enthusiasts, and collectors of pre-war Connecticut gunmaking history. Early "letter model" High Standards like the Model B are increasingly scarce on the secondary market and represent a foundational chapter in the company's history — the direct predecessor to the famous H-D, Supermatic, and Olympic target pistols that followed. Specifications: Manufacturer: High Standard Mfg. Co., New Haven, CT Model: "B" Caliber: .22 Long Rifle Action: Semi-automatic, blowback, hammerless Grips: Checkered black hard rubber with "HS" medallion Markings: "HI-STANDARD MODEL 'B'" (slide); "MADE IN U.S.A. / THE HIGH STANDARD MFG. CO. / NEW HAVEN, CONN. / PATENT PENDING / .22 CAL. LONG RIFLE" (frame)

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