On April 19, 1879 Carl Gustave Swebilius was born in Vingaker, Sweden. He was one of five children of the town watch maker. He grew up working with his father and learning his love of precision machinery. At age 18, Gus immigrated to the United States and lived with his eldest sister in New Haven, Connecticut.

His first job in the U.S. was making barrels for Marlin firearms company. He was quickly promoted to foreman of that department. He continued to attract notice and was promoted to the tool room. After three years, he was transferred to gun design where he was working at the outbreak of World War I.

While there he modified the Browning .30 caliber machine gun for use on aircraft by lightening it from 35 to around 19 pounds and increasing the rate for fire from 400 to 900 rounds per minute. He finished that task in less than a month.

Swebilius was the first American to perfect the cam system sending bullets between spinning propeller blades and the first to synchronize a gas operated machine gun. His design was used on propeller aircraft through World War Two.

Major George Chinn, author of the classic tome The Machine Gun, recognizes Swebilius as second only to John Browning in early design of machine guns. Coincidentally, Swebilius worked with Browning during World War I. Following World War I, Swebilius worked as chief designer at Marlin and then at Winchester until 1939.

Swebilius worked not only at Marlin and Winchester, but also on a side venture producing high quality barrels and barrel drilling equipment. In 1932, Swebilius, Gustave Beck (a partner in the barrel drilling business) and three other investors bought the defunct Hartford Arms company lock, stock, barrel and manufacturing tools for $800.

The deal included enough partially assembled pistols and parts to complete around 800 pistols. George Wilson, Sr. was hired as foreman to assemble the pistols. Swebilius sold them to Galefs Hardware and Sporting Goods stores. They made enough money on the deal to pay off the note and they had the equipment to produce more pistols. This was the way Swebilius did business.

After some modifications by Wilson, the Hartford semiautomatic became the High Standard Model B starting with serial number 5000. The business was successful. Swebilius hired new Swedish immigrants whenever possible. When the United States entered World War II business skyrocketed. Initially the military used the model B for a machine gun sub-caliber firing device.

Pistols: Model B and Model B-US

From the beginning of the war there was a demand for .22 caliber pistols to train new recruits in marksmanship. The .22 was cheaper to shoot and had less recoil and report than the standard issue .45 caliber M1911.

In 1942, the War Department purchased Model Bs in mass quantity with deliveries beginning in May and June. Every model Swebilius had in inventory regardless of model or barrel length went to the military. The first pistol, a Model E serial number 95215, was shipped on March 10, 1942. Model B, Model A, Model D, Model E, Model H-B, Model H-A Model H-D and Model H-E pistols all went to the War Department.

Most early pistols were commercial Model Bs. Many survivors have the US Ordnance acceptance markings. At the request of the military, the Model B was modified to become the Model B-US. All barrels were cut to 4.5 inches to conserve steel. The frame was modified to more closely resemble the 1911 Colt in the web space of the hand. “Property of US” was roll stamped along the top of the barrel and on the right side of the frame over the trigger guard. A crossed cannon ordnance acceptance cartouche is also found on the right side of the frame. All had the standard ten round magazines. 14,000 Model B-US pistols were produced between 1942 and June 1943. Model Bs were also exported to England under Lend Lease. Several were silenced. One is in the Imperial War Museum in London and others have been located in Scandinavia.

Model H-D and USA Model H-D

The Model B-US was supplanted by a George Wilson designed exposed hammer Model H-D which was further modified into the USA Model H-D. The commercial Model H-D had the adjustable rear sight replaced by a fixed sight and the addition of an external safety. All barrels were 4.5 inches. US Property and ordnance marks were stamped like the B-US. This modified pistol was dubbed the USA Model H-D. About 34,000 were produced between 1943 and 1945. Early guns had the typical High Standard deep blue luster finish while later ones were Parkerized to save money. All grips were plastic.

USA Model H-D M/S

While the USA Model H-D was being produced for the military, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) had need for a silenced pistol for use on clandestine missions.

They contracted with Western Electric Bell Laboratories for the suppressor design. Bell chose the Kulikowski (Polish) silencer as its model. Several pistols including the Colt Woodsman, High Standard Model B, C, D, E and USA Model H-D were tested at Aberdeen. The USA H-D was selected. High Standard assembled and delivered 2,620 pistols to the War Department during World War II.

The classified pistol was officially named the USA Model H-D M(ilitary)/S(ilenced). Its code production name was the “Impact Testing Machine.”

The first batch of around 1,400 had blued frames with Parkerized suppressors. The second order came out with both frame and suppressor Parkerized. These were all shipped in black High Standard boxes. There have been several runs since then. One Parkerized batch was delivered to the CIA in plain brown Kraft boxes.

Most of the early guns were serial numbered and entered into the shipping books, although there were some missed numbers and blanks in the records. OSS/CIA reportedly had a special batch made without any markings. These were referred to as “sterile.”

The M/S had an exciting career. Soon after the first run production was completed, the head of the OSS “Wild Bill” Donovan took a sand bag and an M/S into the Oval Office. The story goes that upon his arrival President Roosevelt was doing some dictation. Reportedly, Donovan emptied the ten-round magazine into the sand bag in a trash can unnoticed by either the President or the guard outside the door. Whereupon Donovan offered the empty gun to the President with an explanation of what had just transpired. Roosevelt reportedly said, “Donovan, you are the only (expletive deleted) Republican I would trust to do such a thing.”

Roosevelt kept the pistol on display at Hyde Park until it was discovered that it was a classified weapon. It was promptly returned to Donovan’s aide.

That is a charming story and something like it probably did happen. But even a slightly hard of hearing sixty plus year old man can hear a suppressed pistol go off in a closed room at close range. The firearm reports are suppressed, not entirely and completely silenced. ALL guns make noise. The break of the trigger, fall of the hammer, movement and impact of the slide all make sounds. The escape of burning propellant gases into the atmosphere and the crack of a bullet breaking the speed of sound make even louder noises. How are they suppressed?

On the M/S, the slide can be locked in place by a disabled slide safety. The sound of the trigger break and hammer fall, while unavoidable, are fortunately negligible.

The last and greatest problem is the escaping burning propellants. In the M/S, most of the expanding gases are vented and captured in the first stage of the suppressor. The barrel has been turned down to 0.406 inch diameter and ported with four rows of eight perpendicularly oriented holes in the early versions and eleven holes in the final model. Gases behind the bullet escape through the ports and are captured in a roll of zinc plated bronze mesh. The mesh acts as a heat sink that cools and slows the gases before they escape.

The suppressor is divided into a first and then a second chamber by a brass washer. The front chamber is beyond the muzzle of the barrel. It is filled with stacked brass or bronze wire doughnuts, which capture gases escaping the muzzle.

For optimal results the weapon is prepared in advance. A liquid such as oil, water, insect repellant or optimally Burma-Shave is introduced into and allowed to fill the suppressor through the muzzle opening. Excess fluid is drained by gravity to prevent barrel blockage. A loaded magazine is inserted and the gun is then fired.

The muzzle end is then quickly sealed with a piece of masking or cello tape. The chamber end is sealed by the next bullet. This excludes oxygen from the tube thus preventing combustion of any propellant trapped in the tube. The liquid serves the same purpose and also acts as a heat sink absorbing energy while passing from liquid into a gas phase. The tape on the muzzle acts as a wipe making maximum contact with the bullet and thereby impeding remaining gas escape.

To maximize effect the muzzle should be in direct contact with the target. In that fashion, the inevitable escaping gases will follow the tract of the bullet penetrating the skin (and hopefully the skull contents). The cavitation and tissue disruption of the bullet will be multiplied by the expanding gases trapped inside the closed container.

There was little worry of fouling the rolled mesh in the M/S suppressor as it was meant to be replaced every couple of hundred rounds. Extra rolls were included in the box along with assembly instructions and a special wire brush meant for use in cleaning the weapon. The brush was usually discarded.

There was a glitch with the M/S ammunition. Standard .22 caliber bullets were in contravention to the Hague convention as they were not jacketed ammunition. As such, they were not supposed to be used in war time. A communiqué was sent out to all troops to stop use of the M/S until proper ammunition in the form of the T-42 could be supplied. The order was of course ignored.

High Standard wasn’t alone in making the M/S. Armorers in Viet Nam reverse engineered the pistol and produced an untold number of copies for use by troops and Special Ops teams. What better way to silence watchdogs (Hush Puppies?) when entering a village in the middle of the night?

During World War II, the Russians became aware of the M/S and requested samples. As we were at that time fighting a common enemy the request could not be ignored. Churchill suggested however, that the guns be shipped without the screens – which is what happened.

The Soviets had more experience with the M/S later when they shot down a U-2 piloted by Francis Gary Powers over Sverdlovsk on the First of May 1960. Powers was on what was already scheduled to be the last U-2 reconnaissance flight over Russia. The integrity of his plane was disrupted when a surface to air missile exploded in his immediate vicinity. He ejected from the aircraft at high altitude carrying several survival items including a sheath knife, suicide device disguised as an American silver dollar and a High Standard USA M/S serial number 120046.

Much to the chagrin of the Eisenhower White House, Powers was captured intact and alive. The pistol, items listed and parts of the U-2 were paraded through a propaganda trial meant to embarrass the USA. The M/S has since been known as the “Powers Pistol.”

The Powers Pistol along with other evidence is still on display in the KGB Museum in Lubyanka Prison on Lubyanka Square in Moscow. The Lubyanka Prison is notorious in Russia as it was KGB headquarters where people were taken for interrogation, torture and execution.

After the OSS was disbanded, the CIA and military operations inherited most of the remaining stock. As late as year 2000, there were still over 400 of the original guns on inventory at CIA Langley. Several had been issued to Special Ops in Kosovo.

People report coming across them while decommissioning navy ships or in the survival pack of the B-52 bombers. Dozens spilled out of a 55 gallon oil drum at an American air base in Thailand in 1966 or 1967. Some were reported in Korean CIA bases.

Many USA Model H-D M/Ss disappeared into duffle bags after the war. Some disappeared when the OSS was disbanded. At least two of those were converted back to USA Model H-Ds. There are possibly a dozen original M/Ss that were Amnesty registered and are legal for civilian ownership.

Model P-380 (.380 caliber)

Despite the efficiency with the M/S, the OSS wanted a more robust silenced weapon. The SOE had the Welrod in .32 ACP and in 9mm. It was quiet, but it was a manually operated, magazine fed, single shot pistol. The OSS wanted a magazine fed semiautomatic .25, .32 or .380 caliber silenced pistol. Colt was approached initially, but after negotiations failed the contract went to High Standard. The contract for 1,000 guns at $57 each was signed on 23 April 1945. A one month production run was scheduled to begin on 24 August 1945 but there were delays. The revised date of production was set for 15 September. The war ended in the interval and the contract was cancelled. One gun was delivered to the OSS but there may be others.

High Standard was compensated for the contract cancellation. Swebilius had the balance of frames after the contract was cancelled, so he replaced the silencer with a standard .380 barrel and marketed it as the G-380.

.25 Caliber

The prototype suppressed .25 caliber pistol serial number “1” survives. The silenced .25 caliber pistol disappeared from the inventory near the end of the war but later surfaced and was confiscated by police in New Jersey. It was transferred to a private collector “in return for favors.”

In the 1960s, ATF agents approached Harry Sefried while he was working at his desk at High Standard. The .25 prototype was on his desk. The agents inquired regarding its ownership. Sefried replied, “Depends”. “On what?” they asked. “Well if it’s legal its mine, if not it belongs to the company.” While the agents went to the front office to search through the paperwork, Sefried took the pistol to the machine shop, removed the baffles and had the left side of the suppressor milled exposing the ported barrel. When the agents returned they informed him that the company’s Title II paperwork had expired. They would therefore confiscate it as an illegal silenced pistol. Sefried protested that it was no longer suppressed as the tube had been milled. To prove that, he positioned the agents on the milled side of the pistol and fired it. All present agreed that it was not suppressed and Sefried kept the pistol. That pistol and the .32 caliber prototype are now privately owned.

Model P-22

The OSS requested another modification. They wanted a pistol which could be quickly converted from standard commercial to suppressed configuration. High Standard complied with the quick change lever placed forward of the trigger guard. By depressing the lever either barrel could be slid forward and removed allowing interchange. Four prototype .22 calibers were produced in this configuration. That lever takedown was found on the P (later G)-380 and subsequent G series commercial pistols.

.50 Caliber Browning Machine Gun

As mentioned earlier, Swebilius left Winchester in 1939 to work full time at his new company at about the time war broke out in Europe. England was in desperate need of all guns and especially machine guns for aircraft. Swebilius had secured a reputation in the field in the last war. A friend, John Owsley, convinced the British Purchasing Commission that Swebilius could supply the goods.

In November, 1940, the first contract was signed for 12,000 .50 caliber aircraft machine guns and spare parts. Initial delivery was expected in ten months. Swebilius had nothing. He had no land, no plant, no men and no tools. Worse, most tools had already been snatched up by other manufacturers. Gordon Wilson and Charles Liedke scoured the east coast for any usable machinery buying anything available. It is reported that they even went to silk weaving factories and bought outdated pieces from storage. Everything was sent back to the new Waterfront plant in East Haven where Swebilius and his crews reworked the machinery to specifications.

The first machine gun came off the line on 19 April 1941, five months after the contract was signed. Newspapers and Time magazine wrote articles acclaiming the feat as a miracle. There is a photo that shows Swebilius by a chrome plated .50 caliber proclaiming it to be the 10,000th off the line seven months ahead of schedule. There had been only one reject up to that point. A total of 228,000 guns with extra parts were produced for the Allies and another 25,000 were also refurbished.

United Defense Model 42

Swebilius was a proven genius in design of firearms, especially machine guns. He designed what was to be the UD 42 prior to World War II. It was designed to replace the venerable but weighty and labor intensive Thompson .45 caliber submachine gun. The new gun was designed to fire 750 rounds per minute and quickly convert from the European 9mm cartridge to the American .45 caliber ACP. It was one of the finest and most innovative firearms designed for World War II.

Applications for patent were submitted October 15, 1940 and four patents were issued to Swebilius for the UD 42. Another patent was issued to his friend, coworker and High Standard vice president, John Owsley, for his innovative back to back style of magazines.

Although designed by Swebilius, High Standard was dedicated to barrel and machine gun production and was unable to produce the new weapons. Marlin won the Netherlands Commission contract and manufactured 15,000 submachine guns for use in Dutch Indonesia. High Standard received a 10% royalty of $7.50 per gun.

Japan invaded Indonesia before the guns were delivered. The United States bought all the guns and transferred them to the Office of Strategic Services for overseas use. All guns were issued except 800 held back by the Dutch. In 1944, many ’42s were airdropped into the European Theater of Operations where they were used with success. They were also used in the Mediterranean and Far East theaters where they were met with favor. Later they were used in China and in Africa.

US Army Ordnance informally tested the UD 42 in August 1940 and found it acceptable. It was resubmitted for formal testing in November, 1941 with suggested modifications. It was found to be reliable, accurate and controllable. At about this time, the Ml Thompson had become available. Ordnance found the UD 42 to have “no requirement.” Development of the .45 caliber version was halted after the production of six prototypes.

In 1948 Marlin acquired exclusive rights to produce the UD 42 with royalty rights to High Standard. The Netherlands and Argentina expressed some interest but sales never materialized. The UD 42 was used through the early ’70s in Southeast Asia and Africa. Some made it back to the US but they are not common. There is rumor of a limited offshore stockpile still in Cosmoline as late as 1998.

Other Swebilius Designed Firearms

.30 Caliber Carbine

Swebilius designed .30 caliber carbines for infantry use. The Ordnance Department tested them in both semi and full automatic versions. The carbines were found to be light, accurate, reliable and easy to maintain. Although they performed well, the Winchester submission was chosen to become the M1 carbine.

M3 Grease Gun Silencers

In early November, 1942, the Maxim Silencer Company (also located in Hartford) offered to make silencers for .45 caliber M3 submachine guns. A booklet entitled Design of Silencer for M3 Cal. .45 SMG was completed in November, 1943. Trials showed that noise was reduced to only a few decibels above the mechanical action of the gun. In May, 1944 High Standard received a contract to produce 1,000 silencers for $12,970. Barrels were to be provided by General Motors Guide Lamp division.

After some delay, the first barrels arrived, but were defective as the threads had burrs and thread tolerances were not as specified. High Standard received a separate contract to remove the burrs. The first silencers were shipped in August, 1944. The silencers were used in Europe, Southeast Asia and the Pacific theaters to good effect. Beyond noise suppression, the silencer also reduced barrel flash and rise making the gun more accurate.

A second $73,440 contract for 4,000 silencers and barrels was placed in December 1944. This time the barrels were produced by High Standard. Shipment was completed by September, 1944. None of the second contract silencers were issued as there were 4,100 still in stock at the end of the war. Some were still in storage at the beginning of the Vietnam war.

High Standard also tested the M3 silencer in 9mm but found it unsatisfactory.

Barrels

High Standard Manufacturing Corporation, 1817 Dixwell Ave. Hamden, Connecticut was the pistol company. In addition to the Model B, Model B-US and USA Model H-D, it also produced barrels for the Model 1919 .30 caliber machine gun, barrels for the model 1911A1 .45 caliber pistol, the 1903, Model 1903A1 .30 caliber rifle with and without sights, the model 1903A3 .30 caliber rifle, Model 1917 .30 caliber rifle barrels and the M2 .50 caliber machine gun.

.45 Caliber Pistol Barrels

High Standard made .45 M1911A1 barrels during WWII under a “Government Free Issue” contract for Remington Rand, Ithaca and US&S as these pistol makers did not make their own barrels.

Production/procurement records show:

Remington and Ithaca used some (a few) Colt barrels in the early production days and some Flannery barrels in 1944 and 1945. If you estimate they made spares before production was halted at war’s end, you can easily argue 1,000,000 to 1,200,000 were made.

Miscellaneous Related Ordnance

High Standard also had contracts for bomb fuse bodies, bomb fuze striker, flash hiders, yoke rod ends, deep hole drills and numerous other small contracts. They continued to produce machine gun barrels and parts until the 1970s.

High Standard Manufacturing Company. Inc, 1337 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, Connecticut was the machine gun factory. There was also a plant at 100 Waterfront in East Haven, Connecticut.

Both of these companies were paying engineering fees to a parent company called Dixwell Corporation, which was controlled by Swebilius. The officers and directors of all three companies were similar if not the same.

At fiscal year ending November 30, 1945, Swebilius personally owned 127,155 of the 150,000 shares issued (85%) for the pistol company. With the stock owned by his sons, the controlling percentage rises to almost 89%.

Epilogue

At war’s end, Gus Swebilius was second only to Louis B. Mayer as the highest paid executive in the United States. There were charges of war profiteering. The investigation board not only cleared Swebilius, but commended him for saving the United States government millions of dollars in his contracts and the production methods adopted by other companies.

Swebilius health was failing. He died of throat cancer October 18, 1948. After providing for his widow and sons, he left much of his personal fortune to cancer and epilepsy research. His legacy still provides research grants today.

(Personal correspondence from and special thanks to: John Brunner, Bill Jenkins, Charles Petty, John Stimson, and Bob Waldridge.)

Submachine Guns of the United States of America: From the AM-180 Through the ZX-7
Frank Iannamico, 2004
Moose Lake Publishing LLC
Henderson, Nevada 89014
ISBN 0-9742724-0-X

Book reviewed by Jon Miller

“Prolific publishing pundit, Frank Iannamico, pens powerful primer providing provocative parlance pertinent to our past time.”

Appropriately titled, this profusely illustrated 486 page book chronologically catalogues the history and progression of American submachine guns from the 1921 Thompson through the M16.

The author introduces U.S. submachine guns through a review of preceding German, Italian, Russian and Japanese efforts in the first section. He then melds into the WW II U.S. Machine Gun Trials replete with extensive documentation in the second section. Trials included the Atmed, Austen, Hyde, Reising, Smith and Wesson, Soumi, Star, Sten, Woodhull and High Standard machine guns. Illustrations include period photos and field-stripped weapons.

The third section is dedicated to Phase Two of the Ordnance Tests. It includes the above weapons plus the Atlantic, Auto Ordnance T-2, Masco, modified 1911-A1 pistol, German MP40, Olsen, Owen, Turner, UD-1, and Thompson with straight line butt stock machine guns. Machine gun cartridges are discussed and Ordnance testing procedures are explained in this section.

Section five is U.S. Production Guns 1921-1945 from the Thompson through the Grease Gun with emphasis on the Thompson, Grease Gun and UD-42. Section six is one hundred fifty five pages of all the Post WWII U.S. Submachine Guns.

A fifty five page section is devoted to Prototypes and Patents in section seven. This includes intriguing illustrations of prototypes with patent drawings.

The final twenty pages show field-stripping diagrams of Thompson, Reising, UD-42, M2, Grease Gun, Smith and Wesson Model 76, MAC Ingram and M16.

Submachine Guns of the United States of America provides a solid introduction to the submachine gun. It covers each topic well and provides appropriate illustrations. This ambitious work successfully provides a sound source of information and education for the beginner and intermediate level Class III enthusiast.

In a previous article I presented material on the USA Model HD .22 caliber pistol manufactured by the High Standard corporation for the War Department during World War II. This pistol was designed to be similar enough to the Model 1911 .45 caliber Colt to allow inexpensive introductory training in pistol marksmanship for inexperienced recruits.

The previous article emphasized the military silenced version (the USA Model HD-MS ) specially designed for use in covert military operations and by the Office of Strategic Services and later (allegedly) by the Central Intelligence Agency. In the previous article I stated there was a shoulder stock designed for the pistol, but that I had not found any information about it.

During a research trip to the National Archives Annex in College Park Maryland I located the fifth of the eight original copies of “Report of The Infantry Board (number 1731)” of the field test of the shoulder stock and the suppressed pistol. Included in the report were photos of the stock in folded (fig 1) and open positions (fig 2). There was also a photo of the weapon and stock in use (fig 3). This is a summary of that report.

The Infantry Board report on function of the silencer was complimentary. The silencer did not give any trouble during the tests. (Other weapons tested had problems as the hole in the end cap was not aligned with the flight path of the bullet.) The report states there were a few problems with extraction and ejection attributed to the increased energy absorption of the silencer. There were problems attributed to ammunition provided for the test not associated with the silencer.

The unsilenced gun could be heard out to 900 yards during the day. The silenced pistol’s report could be discerned intermittently at 350 yards. (This represents a significantly greater distance than the author’s experience.) It reportedly sounded like the unsilenced gun at 900 yards. The report was audible at greater distances at night.

There was little difference in visible smoke with and without the silencer during daylight This is a significant consideration in daytime covert operations. The silencer did reduce the muzzle flash by an estimated 75 to 85% at night. No flash was visible with or without the silencer from 150 yards.

Penetration was tested by firing into a penetration test rack of 13/16” thick pieces of soft pine wood separated by 1” spaces placed at 15, 25, 50 and 75 yards from the muzzle. Comparison was made to another unsilenced USA Model HD.

This test demonstrated that there was predictably less penetration into soft pine at operational distances by the pistol with silencer. ( Incidental reports of operators experienced with the silenced pistol indicate effective ranges out to 100 yards. These were operational experiences obtained in the field after this report was filed.)

The detachable wire stock is a single formed piece of 0.4” wire attached to the pistol grip by an adapter and eccentric lever. It could be removed from the pistol or replaced in a matter of seconds. Although the report does not include respective weights, it does state the stock did not add significantly to the weight of the weapon. The stock is held in either the folded or extended position by a spring and detent. In the folded storage position the stock rides under and parallel to the barrel (fig 1). The report documents improved accuracy with use of the stock.

The officers testing the stock were not enthusiastic about its performance. They specifically cited the adapter as being too flimsy and unstable. It frequently shifted out of position. While it does offer some improvement in steadiness over the unsupported pistol, the wire stock itself does not give support equal to a standard type rifle stock. It also lacked a cheek support.

In addition the shoulder stock is awkward to use as demonstrated in Figure 3. The rear sight is only nine inches from the shooter’s eye. This is close enough to the face to encourage flinching. The proximity of the eye to the rear sight blurs the sight picture reducing accuracy. The report discusses, and discards as impractical, the possible use of a peep-sight.

The report includes a discussion of “the cleaning problem”:

“Although the .22 with non-corrosive ammunition does not require much cleaning, it would appear desirable to clean it occasionally. The silencer complicates the cleaning problem. If patches are used, they are liable to foul in the holes in the barrel or to get caught in the screen washers ahead of the barrel. Also the silencer will be partially filled with water, cleaning fluid or oil. The silencer is not too easily stripped and assembled because of the large number of parts. It would seem desirable to strip it when the pistol barrel needs cleaning.” REPORT of The Infantry Board, No. 1731, CALIBER .22 HI-STANDARD PISTOL WITH SILENCER AND WIRE SHOULDER STOCK. FORT BENNING, GEORGIA. 5 December 1944. page 28.

This problem was later remedied by not cleaning the barrel, but instead replacing the rolled wire tube around the perforated barrel and screens as needed. The .22 cal barrel did not become fouled under tactical conditions as the pistol was fired sparingly. It was necessary to clean the chamber and slide occasionally due to accumulation of blown back products of combustion. This was usually accomplished by swabbing the firing chamber a barrel brush and then wiping exposed surfaces with a cloth.

The final recommendation by infantry Colonel PE Lieber was “That no further consideration be given the subject pistol as an infantry weapon.” The weapon combination was ungainly and basically unsteady. Other reports considered it inappropriate for the infantry in general to use a silenced weapon. Indeed it was never adopted as an infantry weapon.

On the other hand the OSS and its successors adopted the pistol and have found applications without the wire stock.

Other Archival documents indicate production of at least six of the prototypes and orders for one hundred more. There is no evidence of these ever being produced nor of any field use of the prototypes.

The author is still seeking an example of the wire shoulder stock. Any information would be sincerely appreciated.

Two political events scared me as I grew up. One was the US-USSR Cuban Missile crisis. Here was brinkmanship epitomized. The other was the downing of a CIA U-1 spy plane flying a reconnaissance mission over central Russia. I was sure that this incursion into Russian air space would result in escalation into armed conflict.

I remember Francis Gray Powers being paraded through the headlines and across the television screen. His spy equipment was displayed as proof of “Yankee imperialistic aggression against the peace loving peoples of the Soviet Union”. The wreckage of the U-2 aircraft, its camera, Powers’ uniform, knife, suicide kit and suppressed pistol were used as evidence in his trial. The artifact of special interest to High Standard collectors is the .22 caliber USA Model HD MS (s/n 120046) carried by Col. Powers as he ejected from his disabled aircraft (See photo). The Powers pistol and evidence used in the propaganda trial is now exhibited by the successors to the KGB in the Lubyanka Prison Museum in Moscow. The NFA and ATF have given me written opinions that under current law the Powers Pistol can not be repatriated to the USA.

That pistol is similar to the approximately 2,620 USA Model HDs fitted by High Standard with a suppressor adapted by Bell Laboratories and delivered to the Office of Strategic Services in 1945 for use in clandestine missions. The suppressor was adapted from a “Kulikowski Polish” suppressor.

Colonel Rex Applegate remembers a Sgt. Jackson developing a prototype suppressor for the High Standard HD at Camp Richey Maryland during the early stages of WWII. Colonel Applegate was then a First Lieutenant at the Military Intelligence Training Camp where military intelligence students were taught about foreign weapons. Up to that point Maxim silencers had been state of the art for submachine guns. These were the same Maxims already available to British farmers for use in pest control. Sgt. Jackson worked in the machine shop maintaining the foreign weapons. One day he said he could do better than the Maxim. After a time he presented his prototype to Lt. Applegate who was duly impressed by the work. Jackson had made his prototype by drilling holes through the barrel, covering it with wire mesh and then a housing. Lt. Applegate submitted the gun to the War Department “where they tested all kinds of kooky devices like cross bows or slings that threw grenades. The next thing I knew Washington types showed up and started taking over in the device. That’s when we lost track of it. One thing I do remember is the difference ammunition made in the report. Standard velocity .22 caliber long rifle would often but not always make a loud report. Long rifle ammunition was not consistent enough. I used .22 caliber Long ammunition instead. It was subsonic and made no noticeable report. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had discovered the importance of the bullet not breaking the sound barrier”.

An early story about the efficiency of the suppressor states that General “Wild Bill” Donovan, then head of OSS, entered the White House carrying a sand bag. He had also concealed on of the first MSs under his uniform. Reportedly he entered the Oval Office where FDR was dictating a letter. Donovan surreptitiously placed the sand bag in a corner. He then emptied the ten round magazine into the sand bag without being noticed. He then approached FDR, explained what he had done, and presented the MS to him butt first. FDR stated something to the effect that Donovan was the only Republican he would trust to perform such an act.

While this story may have some basis in fact the report of this suppressed pistol fired indoors is certainly noticeable, if not identifiable to persons with average hearing.

That pistol was exhibited for several months in FDR’s Hyde Park home until somebody realized the breach of security in displaying the then classified pistol. It was subsequently returned to the OSS.

The Model H-D was not the first suppressed High Standard nor the only High Standard produced suppressor. Although it never went to production, High Standard already had government contracts for experimental production of suppressors for the M1 carbine in 1943. Several months after the H-D contract came a contract for M-3 grease gun suppressor.

In October 1943 forty four Model A,B.D. and E pistols were among a shipment of one hundred ten Bell Laboratories suppressed firearms delivered to the OSS for testing. The suppressed High Standard pistol showed promise. The design was modified and was approved. On 22 November 1943 a contract was awarded for production of 1,500 units.

The addition of the letters MS to the USA Model HD connotes “Military Silencer” modification.

The first shipment of five hundred and three USA HD MS pistols was delivered in January 1944. Within a week Major Lucy had demonstrated them in Algiers. Within two weeks twenty had been shipped to General MacArthur and six were issued to Alamo Scouts.

By the end of July 1944 six hundred nineteen pistols had been issued to troops in Europe, four hundred eleven to the Mediterranean and three hundred sixty seven to the Far East. One hundred ninety three remained available in the continental U.S.

Within a year a total of four hundred ninety five went to the Mediterranean and six hundred thirty six to the Far East.

Initially met with reservation the pistol soon proved effective and gained wide acceptance in the field. It is probably the only suppressed pistol to see significant use in WWII. Donovan himself stated that the pistol’s accuracy seemed unaffected by the addition of the suppressor. Col. Applegate concurs that they were effective at distances of about one hundred feet.

Existence of the MS was leaked to the press in 1944 when Admiral Nimitz released photos of his pistol to the press. Nimitz was one of the dignitaries issued the MS by the OSS. Others went to Admiral Leahy and the five OSS theater commanders.

The first contract pistols had blued frames and Parkerized barrels. All OSS pistols were roll stamped with the Ordnance acceptance “crossed cannons” on the right side of the frame. “Property of U.S.” was stamped on the right frame as well. A test target and instructions on cleaning both the pistol and suppressor were included in the hinged black box. The left end of the box had a yellow label lettered with

HI-STANDARD MODEL D 4 1/2” BARREL

The label was overstamped by hand with the crossed cannon Ordnance acceptance mark and the word “SILENCED”, both in black ink. The serial number was hand written on the label in pencil.

In August of the same year a second contract was awarded for an additional one thousand pistols. The cost was $38.93 per pistol. Shipments were delivered in late September and early October. All these had Parkerized frame and barrel. This second run had the above markings and added two small numbers stamped on the base of the barrel and tube. A new inclusion in the box was a bristle brush to clean the bore and standard four and one half-inch barrel.

Records indicate High Standard also produced a limited number (possibly all prototypes) of a shoulder stocks for use with the pistol. The author has not located any examples of these as yet.

There was a final contract for one hundred and twenty pistols at the same price in January 1945. As yet I haven’t found records showing the destination of these pistols.

In a 1966 letter to Bill Douglas, Will Lawson, High Standard Sales Manager, stated “Upon completing this government contract all finished parts and subassemblies including records were turned over to the Government arsenal.”

High Standard also produced other runs for the Central Intelligence Agency. These guns had both Parkerized and blued frames but all had Parkerized barrels. The frame and tube were numbered but lacked the Ordnance acceptance or “Property of U.S.” markings. Reliable sources also state that some were “totally sterile without any visible markings or stamps”. Unlike the OSS pistols, which were shipped in black High Standard boxes, these were shipped in a brown kraft box. The CIA kit included a .22 short magazine not found with the OSS.

The Powers pistol was one of these. The serial number 120046 is blank in the High Standard shipping records. It was probably on inventory but not used during the war. It must have been suppressed for the CIA after WWII.

These were the preferred suppressed side arms issued for use in Vietnam and South East Asia and are still in use today. The CIA is rumored to have less than four hundred High Standards left in its armory.

At the request of the OSS in late 1944, High Standard developed a suppressed prototype HD pistol in .380 caliber. Colt had been approached initially, but had refused to make the necessary longer and heavier barrels for .32 or .380 caliber. High Standard delivered the prototype in January 1945 and was awarded a contract for 1,000 pistols in April 1945. Initial cost was to be $65 per pistol. The contract was re-negotiated and price reduced to $57. Black plastic grips were substituted for checked walnut grips. Production began in September but was terminated by the end of WWII. Only one was delivered to the OSS. A picture of it can be found on page 252 of Pate’s book.

Although slightly louder than the .22 (88 dB vs 70-77 dB) the increased noise of the .380 was considered an acceptable trade-off for the increased power. The .380 also offered a quick-change type G barrel not available with the .22 HD. After the war this pistol sans suppressor became the G-380.

Records show that High Standard worked with a suppressed .25 caliber pistol as a trade-off between the .22 and .380 calibers. Information on this work is limited.

The High Standard H-D was suppressed by turning down the forward 4.70” of the 6.75” barrel to .406” external diameter. Eleven vertical and horizontal .125” “bleeder” holes were then drilled completely through the barrel .250” apart giving a total of forty four holes. (The early version used four rows of eight holes.) The frame end of the barrel was threaded to accept the 7.75” long .98” external diameter .843” internal diameter shroud. The forward end of the shroud was threaded to accept a .06” cap drilled with a centered .234” diameter exit hole. Both ends of the shroud had holes where spring loaded detents on the cap and frame locked the barrel in place. A front sight was affixed by solder.

Inside the shroud is a two chamber suppressor system. The first consists of a 4.375” long. 795” diameter tightly rolled tube of tin plated #20 mesh bronze screen. The mesh is soldered on both ends and side as well. It was designed to be discarded after 200-250 rounds. Next is a .06” wide .828” diameter brass washer with a .410” hole drilled to slip over the barrel to separate the rolled screen from the forward compartment.

The part of the barrel (approximately 1”) extending beyond the rolled screen and washer has .828” diameter size thirty mesh bronze screens drilled with .410” holes fitted tightly over it. Filler screens occupy the remaining space to the muzzle cap. They are of the same material and .828” diameter but not fitted to the barrel. They are stacked tightly to fill the space. They have a central .243” central hole to allow passage of the bullet.

The assembled pistol is 14” long. It weights 2.37 to 2.75 pounds. The silencer alone weighs .63 pounds. The free volume of the suppressor is 1.84 cubic inches with .76 cubic inches in front of the barrel. Muzzle velocity is reportedly 930 fps with 75 foot pounds muzzle energy with standard velocity .22 caliber ammunition.

Several variables can affect the efficiency of this or any suppressor. Most of the suppression is a function of trapping expelled gases and slowing the projectile to a subsonic speed. Part of the perceived noise is also from the mechanical action of the pistol’s slide. Standard velocity .22 ammunition is subsonic. Using .22 shorts further reduces the report by decreasing escaping gases and speed. Mechanical noise is almost eliminated with .22 cal shorts as the powder charge is insufficient to blow back the slide.

Coating the screens with heavy oil or other fluid such as shaving cream also increases efficiency. The fluid absorbs heat from trapped gases reducing gas volume and thereby volume of gas expelled through the muzzle.

When a round is fired powder continues to burn in the barrel or in this case the suppressor. This combustion produces more gas and increases report. To reduce combustion a first shot is fired in advance to burn out the oxygen. A piece of cellophane tape is then applied to the muzzle to control reentry of oxygen. Combustion is minimal and report is reduced. Muzzle flash is also eliminated in this fashion.

Placing a piece of cellophane tape over the muzzle also creates a “wipe”. The tighter the seal between the muzzle and the bullet the better the control of escaping gases. With a wipe the bullet punches a hole of minimum size. This tighter hole retards gas escape and diminishes report. Repeated use of the same hole decreases its efficiency.

Use of jacketed ammunition reduces fouling of the screen and does extend suppressor efficiency. In the Bell Laboratories designed High Standard suppressor system this was not considered critical as replacement screens were issued with the guns.

Regarding the early use of the OSS pistol the Hague Accord Regulations prohibited the use of non-jacketed ammunition by uniformed combatants during hostilities. Jacketed T-42 .22 caliber ammo was specifically designed for this pistol to circumvent this regulation. Most kits included non-jacketed Remington .22 cal standard velocity ammunition however. When captured with an OSS pistol most operatives did not expect treatment in accord with the Geneva Convention on Treatment of Prisoners of War.

There were 2,620 suppressed pistols produced by High Standard. An unknown number of copies have been produced by machinists and armorers in and out of the armed services since that time.

Reportedly High Standard and X-ploraco, a Texas based company, also custom manufactured a number of legally suppressed HDMs in the 1950s. The X-ploraco combination suppressor and pistol was sold for $125.

Of the total produced, other authors give either three or nine as the number of guns Amnesty registered and legal for private ownership. ATF has responded to the author’s requests for the correct number amnestied by stating that their records are not setup to give a specific number of any particular type of firearm. The author has located one Parkerized and two blued privately owned amnesty registered OSS pistols. I have not seen any examples of the CIA contract or custom shop work but would welcome the opportunity to do so. The Rock Island Arsenal, FBI and CIA collections have pistols in their collections as does the Lubyanka Prison KGB history museum.

References and sources of information

Firearms Silencers vol I/II/III
John A. Minnery
Delta Press
El Dorado, AR

OSS Special Weapons & Equipment
Spy Devices of WWII
H. Keith Melton
Sterling Press, NY 1991

OSS Weapons
John W. Brunner PhD
Phillips Publications, Williamstown

Personal conversations with Colonel Rex Applegate

Personal conversations and correspondences with
John W. Brunner PhD

Personal conversations with Charles Petty

Silencers Principles and Evaluations, Report R-1896
Dept of the Army. Frankford Arsenal
Philadelphia, PA 19137
August 1968

Silencers, Snipers and Assassins
J. David Truby
Paladin Press, 1972

US Handguns of World War II
Charles Pate
Andrew Mowbray Publishers 1998