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Humiston’s High Standard Research and Development department was started with three designers and two excellent ex-Winchester tool makers. Their initial duty was concerned with manufacture and design of Sears product. After about a year, in 1956, the gifted Fred Humiston passed away from cancer, and vice president George Wilson Sr. appointed me as his replacement.

The R&D workload increased considerably as High Standard took on experimental government contracts from Springfield Armory and the Detroit Tank Arsenal for the design of the T-152 and T-153 tank machine gun. A new design of the T-3 double action 9mm pistol with a twin stack feed was also required for the armed services. In addition to the added military research, the R&D department was required to continue with the Sears commercial gun design program. This expansion obviously required increased R&D personnel, so the workforce was expanded to 10 designers and six tool makers, plus the use of subcontractor tool companies. It was during this period that I designed, built and tested the world’s first gas-operated autoloading shotgun. This unique shotgun was produced by High Standard as the Supermatic and the Sears JC Higgins Model 60.