Bullsh-t rumor

 Somebody has started a rumor that there is a rift between the guys at High Standard Montana.

I was informed of this by Bob Snider.

He and Russ want to make it clear to everyone that that    

THERE IS NO RIFT IN THE COMPANY!!!!

jon

New High Standard book available: The Collectors Guide for High Standard Firearms

 

   

 There is a new book on High Standard Firearms available on Amazon Books.

     High Standard Firearms History, 1932-1984 Connecticut, A Collectors Guide contains 344 pages of the best information available to date including production numbers right from the Factory Records.    

    This book is unique in its preservation of the company's history based on archival data and first-person interviews with the company’s designers and engineers by John Currie in his three-decade quest for information. There are scores of photos of the people, their prototypes and rare and commercial firearms. 

    Copious graphs and illustrations give dates of manufacture and numbers of firearms produced with charts listing every Model Number/ Number Produced/ Years Produced and Serial Number Range. Truly a "Collectors Guide" for High Standard derringers, pistols, revolvers, shotguns and rifles.

Newsletters

 Winter 2023 newsletters were mailed out 2 weeks ago.

If you are a paid up HSCA member and have not received yours please contact me.

If you are not a paid up and active member send your application and $40 check to HSCA.

Mailing address is to the right of this post.

jon

Report of Tulsa gun show

Due to recent death of Gary Balaz, the Board met to fill his director's position. A quorum was present. Jerry Watson offered to serve out the remaining 18-month term. The Board accepted his offer. Jerry has previously served HSCA in an executive capacity.

In a discussion regarding the HSCA application form, it was reiterated that the sentences stating that a list of members would be available to all members must be removed. This is in accordance with previous rulings by the Board and members at annual meetings. The rule is in place to preserve member's privacy.

John Currie's book on High Standards debuted at the show. All the 62 autographed first edition copies sold. In addition, Amazon has sold 36 other copies. Five-star reviews are posted on Amazon. Copies may be ordered directly through Amazon. 

Fall newsletter is at the printers. It should be out soon.

The year is coming to a close. Pay your 2024 dues.

Write an article for the newsletter.

Tulsa table location

 

Message from Steve Schrott

As of today we now will have a sale table at Tulsa right next to David Lehman to promote the Book. It is table 13B10.. 

I will have our table cover and we hope to have some sort of banner. 

It gets better all the time. 

I will have more info in about a week as to how many Copies I will have to sell at the show and it should be available on Amazon by then. When it appears I will let you know.

Release date for Currie's book

 John Currie's High Standard book

is scheduled for release

at the Tulsa show.

Table location is not yet assigned.

Following Tulsa, it will be listed on Amazon.

No pre-release copies are available.

Updates will be posted on this Blog.

 John Currie's book

HIGH STANDARD FIREARMS HISTORY

1932-1984 CONNECTICUT

This well written 340 page book delivers exactly what its title promises. It traces the 52 year history of the High Standard Company and its firearms. It begins with a pre-history of the people and the products of the Fiala and Hartford Arms companies and continues through the final chapter of the company which was officially dissolved in December 1984.

This book is unique in its preservation of information based on first person interviews with the company’s designers and engineers by John Currie in his three decade quest for information.  There are scores of photos of the people, their prototypes and rare and commercial firearms. Graphs and illustrations give dates of manufacture and numbers of firearms produced with charts listing every Model Number/ Number Produced/ Years Produced and Serial Number Range.  Truly a "Collectors Guide" for High Standard derringers, pistols, revolvers, shotguns and rifles.

This unique book is not intended to give you the value of a particular gun. Other books do that. This well illustrated and well documented book tells the story of a company and its people through the design and production of their firearms. It has a place in the library of any High Standard or other firearms collector.

There will be copies available for review at the Tulsa show in November.

The Authors including John Currie will be there to discuss the process.

Hope to see you there.

Table number will be on this blog once Wannamaker assigns them or contact Steve Schrott at SSHiStand54@gmail.com the day of the show.

Acknowledgements

 My gratitude to:

Gary Hooper for two articles in the Summer 2023 issue of HSCA Newsletter.

Bob Contraros contributed the photos of Fred Steven's underwater pistol and articles regarding it.

Thank you Bob.

Ken Rabeneck for articles about Fred Stevens and Harry Sefried and photos from the 2023 annual meeting.

Steve Schrott for meeting photos, organizing the 2023 annual meeting and notes from the annual business meeting.

Dave Lehman for business meeting minutes and keeping the club going.

Dave is our treasurer and he keeps track of membership dues.

Also, Molly who works at Printworx and is the publisher of the newsletter.

My thanks to all.

jwm

 HSCA Summer newsletter

The 2023 Summer issue of the HSCA newsletter was mailed this week.  I have already received mine in the mail!  The publisher did a miraculous job. I hope you enjoy her work.

If you want a bigger or better newsletter, make it happen. I have received complaints that it does not arrive in a timely manner.  My three reasons: 

1) If I do not have enough material to print and justify cost of postage I don't! So, if you want more in your newsletter submit articles on a High Standard topic to: Nightdoc@aol.com. I am the acting editor. I do not do research. I print articles that are submitted. 

1a) Consider doing a better job than I do by publishing one of the quarterly issues. I am willing to help you.

2) USPS does its best too, but when you have not updated your contact information they cannot make delivery.  

3) If you have not paid your 2023 annual dues you should not be receiving the newsletter anyway!

Please remember that there is a NORTHWEST REGION High Standard club meeting and show the last weekend in August.  It is in Oregon. Contact Jerry Watson for specifics. WATSONLJ500@MSN.COM.

If you missed the annual HSCA meeting at the OGCA shame on you. There were great HSCA displays as shown in the newsletter. LOTS of High Standards on sale tables. One experienced member reportedly bought 8 firearms! Even John Stimson made an appearance on Saturday. He and Steve Schrott are, in my opinion, the best resources of information on High Standards. 

If you are a paid-up member and have not received a Spring or Summer 2023 newsletter, contact Nightdoc@aol.com. I do my best to contact members if a mailing is returned to me. (See item 2) above.

"THE BOOK" HIGH STANDARD 1932-1984 CONNECTICUT is with the editor and almost ready for publication. Steve Schrott is confident that he will have 50 copies to sell at the Tulsa show in November.  Four of the authors will also be there to answer your questions.

Members should feel free to share your High Standard experiences on this Blog.

Nightdoc

MODEL USA H-D M/S AUCTION

 POULINS AUCTION HOUSE HAS A HIGH STANDARD USA MODEL H-D LISTED FOR AUCTION

AUCTION WILL BE CONDUCTED MORNING OF 12 MAY 2023

ITEM LISTING with good description is 1032.

Serial number indicates that it was shipped to War Department 10/10/1944 as an M/S.

Expected opening bids around $9,000.

Expected hammer price of $18-28,000 USD!

Good luck.

Jon Miller

2023 NRA INDY

 I enjoyed spending the weekend at NRA Indy with Dan Rathgeber and his wonderful Spacegun Display.

 HSCA NEWSLETTER

Newsletters were mailed in late March.

If you are a paid up member and have not received your newsletter, contact the editor pro-tem.

If you have moved or died please contact Dave Lehman with forwarding information.

Thanks,

Jon Miller

Charlie Petty Auction ends this weekend. (March 25)

 Charlie Petty's estate is auctioning many of his firearms and ephemera this weekend at Amoskeag auction Live and Timed Online sites. There are approximately 120 items up for bid. They also have a nice memorial article about Charlie near the front of their catalogue.

Amoskeag Auctions

Enter 10919 as advanced search for complete listings of items. 

Good luck.

jon

Thank you

 

Special thanks to Wayne Davis, Gary Hooper and Joe Petino.

These three members authored articles which will be published in the 2023 Spring edition of the High Standard Collectors' Association newsletter.

I very much appreciate their contributions.

The newsletter is currently at the publishers and should be mailed within a week.

Hopefully.

If you have paid your 2023 dues and have not received your copy by mid-April please contact me.  My e-mail address is in the previous newsletters.

Hope to see you all at the HSCA annual meeting at the OGCA display meeting in May. More information on that will also be included in the mailing.

Thanks,

Jon Miller

PS Charlie Petty's estate items are currently up for bid at Amoskeag auction house.

 Sad news.

Charlie Petty, author of High Standard Pistols 1932-1950 died last November.  He was a founding member of the HSCA and a contributing Life member as well.

His estate is offering his firearms and other collectables through Poulin's Auction House in late March.

Go to their website for details.

We also lost another life member and HSCA supporter, Luther Mitchell, who passed in early February this year.  

More information about both of these members will be shared in the Spring HSCA newsletter.

Pay your 2023 dues if you have not done so already.

Write an article for this BLOG or the newsletter.

Become an active member of HSCA. Become an officer on the Board of Directors.

Plan on attending the HSCA 2023 Annual meeting held in conjunction with the OGCA annual display meeting in May.  HSCA is their invited guest. Go to the OGCA website for details.

Spring newsletter will be mailed in late March/early April.

High Standard Survival Pack Pistols

Survival Pack with Papers

In 1981, in an effort to stimulate sales apart of the target shooting market, High Standard began marketing the Survival Pack, which consisted of a new version of a 5.5" barreled pistol sporting an electroless nickel plated finish packed in a canvas carrying case which had three compartments inside to hold an electroless nickel plated extra magazine (included) and other possible items such as a compass, or folding knife.  The Survival Pack was touted as a survival weapon that could be carried in a backpack, or other mode.  The electroless nickel finish was advertised as being more resistant to corrosion and wear than the traditional blued finish.

Three Versions of The Survival Pack
L to R. Pushbutton Sharpshooter, Socket Head Sharpshooter, and Citation II 

The company produced three versions of the Survival Pack between 1981 and 1984.  The first version started production in 1981 as a series 107 electroless nickel plated 5.5” barreled Sharpshooter-M with black stained walnut grips, which utilized the pushbutton barrel release method.  This version was produced for only a few months, with less than 250 guns made, before the company switched to the series 108 guns. 

The series 108 changed the barrel release method from the push button to the socket head screw attachment method.  Other than the method of barrel attachment, the second version was still an electroless nickel plated Sharpshooter-M with black stained grips.  High Standard sold around 2,000 of these pistols in 1981 and 1982.

The third version was sold from late 1982 through 1984.  This time the gun used was an electroless nickel plated Citation II pistol with a 5.5 inch flat-sided barrel and naturally finished walnut grips.  Less than 500 of these pistols were sold.  The flat sided barrel distinguished this gun from the round barreled Sharpshooter-M.  It also had an over-travel adjustment on the trigger, which the Sharpshooter-M lacked.

Inside of Case. The extra magazine was included, but the compass and knife were not included. 

The Survival Pack was shipped in a white cardboard box with cardboard dividers to separate the carrying case from the two styrofoam shells used to hold the pistol.  The box measured about 11”X14.5”X4.9”.  The paperwork included in the box was a parts and instruction sheet for the electroless nickel Sharpshooter, a Limited One Year Warranty sheet, and a beige colored Survival Pack information sheet.  The carrying case held the extra magazine and an Allen wrench to remove the barrel retaining screw on those models with the takedown screw.  The case was placed in the box in a clear plain plastic bag.  There were two variations of beige fabric used for the outer shell of the carrying case.  Otherwise, the interiors were the same dark brown fabric with a flap utilizing a Velcro closure over the three pockets. 

The two versions of fabric for the cases.

High Standard produced other electroless nickel plated guns in the last years of production.  These included Sport King pistols in 4.5” and 6.75” versions; Sentinel MKI & MKIV revolvers; and Derringers in .22LR and .22 WMR calibers.  None of these were produced in high quantities.  The electroless nickel plated magazines are rarely found on the used market, and electroless nickel plated spare parts for any of these guns are also hard to find.