Pawn Shop find: Customized HS Duramatic (why?)

[gb6491]

A little background on the High Standard Duramatic:
"Dura-Matic Models
The Dura-Matic pistols are a striker fired design designed and patented by O. O. Sunderland, a former designer for High Standard. The design was shopped around and High Standard became the producer of this low cost plinker after Colt decided not to produce it.. The basics of this design are also found in the Colt Cadet/Colt 22 and the Beretta U22 Neos.
Dura-Matic M-100
.22 LR caliber semiautomatic pistol with 10 shot magazine. Striker fired, fixed sights, blued finish, brown checkered plastic one-piece grip. Take down by thumb nut. Available with 4.50", 6.50", or a combination with both barrel lengths. This model produced briefly in late 1954 and early 1955.
Dura-Matic M-101 / Plinker M-101
Like the Dura-matic M-100 with slightly different locking method for thumb nut takedown. Produced 1954 to 1970.. Later appeared renamed "Plinker" M-101 in 1971 to 1973 . Plinker not available with both barrel combination. Plinker came with a pistol rug as a promotion feature. A slightly modified version was sold by Sears Roebuck & Co. as the J. C. Higgins M-80" http://www.histandard.info/models/pistols/Dura.html (http://www.histandard.info/models/pistols/Dura.html)
This is what they look like in stock form:
http://i67.tinypic.com/2801l5i.jpg


So my buddy called me the other day to say he'd seen a couple of High Standards at a local pawn shop. His description of one led me to believe it was a Duramatic. I wasn't that interested until he said it had a heavy flat sided barrel and adjustable sights. He and I ended up going to the shop last Friday. They did indeed still have two High Standards; an HD and a customized Duramatic.
At first glance, the M100 looks...let's just say... different, maybe a little ugly. In addition to that it has some fine scratches and other finish blemishes. However, it feels darn good in the hand and the work that was done on it appears to be several steps above Bubba grade. I liked it enough to take it home with me. Once home, I hand cycled some rounds through it (without issue) and everything felt pretty smooth. I've since put some rounds through it: I had a couple of light strikes (haven't broken it completely down yet), but otherwise it functioned reliably and is at least as accurate as the pimped out Ruger MKII my buddy brought along to shoot. :) I'm liking it!
http://i66.tinypic.com/fa2z40.jpg
http://i63.tinypic.com/17clrq.jpg
http://i67.tinypic.com/11cdvmo.jpg
http://i68.tinypic.com/4sxldh.jpg
Regards,
Greg

[Bawanna]

That's awesome. I love the looks of that. Kind of a Woodsman grip angle.

What blows my mind (ok it's small but it can still be blown) is how the front strap checkering follows through and perfectly aligns with the grip checkering. I can't imagine how difficult that would be to pull off.
If it matches up on the other side my head will plumb fall off at the neck.

Glad that beauty found a deserving home. It will be loved and well taken care of.........

[Ikeo74]

In the left side view if you look real close and follow the lines, it looks like it is a perfect match also. I bet all the lines were checkered in at the same time including the front strap checkers.

I have a Duromatic like the top one not the custom. It's a good plinker.

[gb6491]

That's awesome. I love the looks of that. Kind of a Woodsman grip angle.

What blows my mind (ok it's small but it can still be blown) is how the front strap checkering follows through and perfectly aligns with the grip checkering. I can't imagine how difficult that would be to pull off.
If it matches up on the other side my head will plumb fall off at the neck.

Glad that beauty found a deserving home. It will be loved and well taken care of.........
Good eye boss ( you too Ikeo74 :)), the checkering does follow through around the grip:
http://i66.tinypic.com/2vvw01v.jpg
http://i66.tinypic.com/2j316jb.jpg
The 1911 grips are glued to the original one piece HS grip. I believe the screws are ornamental. One was missing and the hole didn't look threaded. I just cut down an old screw I had and glued it in place. It is a close match for the other three.
The sights are Ruger and fit like they could have been designed for it:
http://i64.tinypic.com/28bh3s3.jpg
Whoever did the work had some skills.
Regards,
Greg

[Ikeo74]

What kind of price did they have on the standard model? (If you want to tell)

[gb6491]

What kind of price did they have on the standard model? (If you want to tell)
Oops, sorry for creating any confusion if your are asking about the stock Duramatic in my post. I swiped that photo from an auction site.
I didn't even look at the HD model they had, but my buddy said it was around the $400 mark.
I can go back and check that if you like. I don't really need my arm twisted very hard to cruise the pawn shops in town:)
Regards,
Greg

[Bawanna]

Not only matches side to side in the front but also side to side in the back too!

That man had very serious patience and talent. My head fell off on the floor as I anticipated.

That's amazing. One I'd love to hold for a minute or two, bet it feels incredible in hand.

[Ikeo74]

Oops, sorry for creating any confusion if your are asking about the stock Duramatic in my post. I swiped that photo from an auction site.
I didn't even look at the HD model they had, but my buddy said it was around the $400 mark.
I can go back and check that if you like. I don't really need my arm twisted very hard to cruise the pawn shops in town:)
Regards,
Greg
Thanks, but it is not necessary, I was just curious because I bought mine used with a holster about 20 years ago for $100 and was wondering if they had increased in value.

[Bawanna]

Oh yeah, they increased in value a ton. Like most everything else that's any good.

[Bills1873]

I fell in love with the H&R 22 revolvers, some models that went for $100 or less now go for $400 plus! I'm plenty old enough to have bought them all new way back, but didn't even know about them back then. Hindsight is 20-20!

[gb6491]

I fell in love with the H&R 22 revolvers, some models that went for $100 or less now go for $400 plus! I'm plenty old enough to have bought them all new way back, but didn't even know about them back then. Hindsight is 20-20!
You're preaching to the choir brother:) I've a couple of re-badged (Sears and Western Auto) High Standard revolvers that probably went for a song back in the day. They are not in the same league as your H&Rs, but fun plinkers none the less.
Here's the Sears:
http://i51.tinypic.com/2nvyniw.jpg
...and the Western Auto:
http://i63.tinypic.com/ifznkw.jpg
Regards,
Greg

BTW, I took a shine to this little 922 some time back. It pretty much has a permanent home in a pocket of my range bag:laser::roll:
http://i67.tinypic.com/2cnb1o1.jpg

[Bills1873]

Nice! That model 99 nickel or stainless?

[gb6491]

Nice! That model 99 nickel or stainless?
It's nickel.

[Bills1873]

Guns of our youth. I'd drool over them in my younger days, they seemed unobtainable. Now we can have them.

[b4uqzme]

I've never really been in many pawn shops. They aren't too common in this area. But there are some. I visited one just the other day. Not many guns but they did have a JP Sauer and Sohn 44magnum SAA in about a 5.5 inch barrel. It wasn't in bad shape and not a lot of money. But is stayed in the store. It didn't follow me home.

Nice Hi Standard BTW!

[Alfonse]

That's awesome. I love the looks of that. Kind of a Woodsman grip angle.

What blows my mind (ok it's small but it can still be blown) is how the front strap checkering follows through and perfectly aligns with the grip checkering. I can't imagine how difficult that would be to pull off.
If it matches up on the other side my head will plumb fall off at the neck.

Glad that beauty found a deserving home. It will be loved and well taken care of.........

Could you do that with my MK or K9 sir? I think that would look great.

That is a great find Greg!

[Bawanna]

Could you do that with my MK or K9 sir? I think that would look great.

That is a great find Greg!

I've done 3 panels with a panel on the back strap but carrying the checkering wrap around like that, maybe if I got real lucky.

Going around like that is tough. Sounds like a personal challenge though. When I get some time I might have to take you up on it.

[Armybrat]

Those Hi-Standards were pretty good guns for the money. I bought this Model 101 new about 40+ years ago and had a lot of fun plinking around at the family land with it. traded it off last year towards a new Ruger Super Blackhawk.

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/f1f15f49d010b403ffe98db08f8e9e560b38e26.jpg