High Standard HS-10

The High Standard Model 10 was an offering of High Standard Manufacturing Corporation of Hamden, CT. It is gas-actuated, semi-automatic shotgun. Some of its recognizable features are the bullpup design, rotatable shoulder stock, and integrated flashlight. It was the shotgun of Dick Tracy, the comic book hero! In a gas-operated weapon, the high-pressure gas from the cartridge fired is used to take out the spent case and then chamber a new cartridge. The energy from the gas is utilized through a port in the barrel or trap at the muzzle. This high-pressure gas is on the surface, and helps in the unlocking action, removal of the spent case, discharge, cocking of the hammer or striker, chambering of a fresh cartridge, and even the locking of the action.

This design was developed by Alfred Crouch, in the late 1950's and was based on the Remington semi-automatic shotgun. He was a Santa Monica, CA police sergeant, and was looking to design a shotgun for SWAT and tactical units. The design was sold to the High Standard Manufacturing Corporation. They used the Flite King an existing model as the basis for the development for this gun. The stock was replaced and the trigger assembly was relocated. A three-piece plastic shell was fitted around the around the receiver and first half of the barrel. At the rear, the shell became the attachment point for the rotatable shoulder stock, while the lower piece of the shell provided the grip. The trigger assembly was moved forward to accommodate the bullpup construction, and a rod connecting the new and original trigger locations was used to allow minimal modifications to the original Flite King receiver.

In one of the earlier models the upper plastic section accommodated a built-in flashlight and carrying handle. The earlier model 10 had a standard capacity 4 cartridges, though it also offered a magazine tube extension that could increase the capacity to 6 cartridges. The later model 10B improved on the earlier features, and its has a left-hand charging handle, flip-up front sight, with a new flashlight mount or carrying handle mounting block. This uses a "Kel-Lite" branded flashlight and can be removed Using a 12-gauge cartridge its effective range is 40 m or 45 yards. The weight when unloaded is about 4.54 kg or 10 lbs; the length is 660 mm or 26 in the barrel length 457 mm or 18 inches.

The Model 10 was quite eagerly received by the police force in the 1960s and 1970s. However many shortcomings made the gun unpopular. Its cycling action was incorrect, besides only magnum or high brass cartridges could be used. In spite of the specific cartridges, there was still a problem in the cycling action. It also had a rough and unpredictable trigger feel, a difficult to use rotatable shoulder stock, also it would sometimes recoil, damaging the flashlight's batteries. To top it all, the gun was not ambidextrous in use and only right-handed people could use it. So much so, that there was a warning on the gun cautioning against firing from the left shoulder. The High Standard Model 10 was designed for the law enforcement; it did not succeed as much as it could. This was because it did not fully respond to the wider needs of its customer.