The High Standard Double-Nine Revolver
by Ed Buffaloe

There isn’t an extended history to High Standard’s revolver line, like there is to their line of semi-automatic target pistols.  They didn’t design their first revolver, the Sentinel, until 1955, probably at the behest of Sears, which was a large shareholder in the company.  The Double-Nine, a double-action nine shot Western style revolver, first appeared in 1958.  It had an aluminum frame, a rebounding hammer, and a 5½ inch barrel. They were available in both blue and nickel finish, though I have seen far fewer in nickel than in blue. Sears sold the gun as the J.C. Higgins Ranger Model 90, and later also as the Ranger De Luxe.

• W-100 in Original Box

  W-100. The first Double-Nine series was called the W-100.
• W-101. After about a year, the trigger mechanism was slightly modified for the W-101 series.
• W-102. In 1960, for the W-102 series, a return spring was added to the ejector rod.  On the earlier models, if you didn’t remember to manually retract the ejector into the cylinder before closing the cylinder you would put a nasty scratch on the left side of the frame.
• W-103. The changes were mostly internal for the W-103 series.  The ejector latch housing was stamped instead of machined.
• W-104. Internal changes only. The “Longhorn,” “Posse,” and “Natchez” models were introduced in 1961. The “Longhorn” had a 9½ inch barrel, the “Posse” had a 3½ inch barrel, and the “Natchez” had birds-head grips and a 4½ inch barrel.
• W-105. About 1970, more internal changes were made. The “Hombre,” “Durango,” and “Marshal” models were introduced. Somewhere near this time walnut grips became standard.
• W-106. The W-106 series had steel frames and could handle magnum cartridges, so the first Double-Nines were made with interchangeable cylinders. The firing pin was moved from the hammer to the frame, and the guns were available with an adjustable rear sight. The “High-Sierra” was introduced, with an octagonal barrel and interchangeable cylinders.

The Double-Nine shown here was the first gun I ever bought.  It is a W-104 series, made in 1968. I bought it in 1971 at a pawn shop in downtown Houston for $39.95--it came with a holster. The gun originally had some really ugly fake-stag plastic grips. I quickly sought out the black grips which have been on the gun ever since.

This is still my favorite .22 pistol.  I also own a High Standard semi-auto target pistol, but I can shoot the revolver interchangeably with it--they are both equally accurate. My experience with other .22 revolvers has not been as good. For instance, it is difficult to find a Ruger Bearcat where all the chambers are accurate. High Standard claimed that with the counter-bored cylinder the gun could be dry fired without damage.  I have accidentally dry fired mine a number of times over the years with no noticeable damage to the cylinder or firing pin.

This gun has seen a lot of wear and tear.  I foolishly left it in the trunk of my car for quite a while and the cylinder got some rust on it. Before I took these pictures, I carefully touched up scratches on the frame with Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black and retouched the cylinder and barrel with Birchwood Casey Super Blue.  The old gun looks pretty darned good now!
 

Double Nine serial numbers were in the same series as the Sentinel through 1971.

Late Model Western Revolver Serial Numbers 1972 M001000 - M009000 1973 M009001 - M027500 1974 M027501 - M043300 1975 M043301 - M056950 1976 M056951 - M070700 1977 No Production 1978 M075000 - M076200 1979 M076201 - M078350 1980 M078351 - M079300 1981 M079301 - M082850 1982 M082851 - M086425 1983 M086426 - M088063 1984 M088864V - M089950V  Production from 1978-1984 was at the East Hartford location.  “V” serial numbers above M089950V were frames only or scrap. For more detailed information and for earlier revolvers see www.histandard.info.

Copyright 2008 by Ed Buffaloe. All rights reserved.
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Please contact the author if you can provide good photographs of High Standard (or Sears) revolvers not shown here.

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