High Standard Manufacturing Corp., Inc. Commemoratives
High Standard Manufacturing Corp., Inc. Commemoratives
High Standard Firearms company was founded in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1926 as a supplier to the numerous firearms companies in the Connecticut Valley. It was based in New Haven from 1932-1945, at which time it was relocated to suburban Hamden, CT, where it continued to manufacture firearms from 1946 through 1977, at which time it moved to East Hartford, CT, from 1977-1984.
High standard made four different commemoratives while based in Hamden, CT. The Leech and Rigdon with its steel frame, smooth cylinder and round barrel; the Griswold and Gunnison with its brass frame, smooth cylinder and round barrel, the Schneider and Glassick with its brass frame, smooth cylinder and octagonal barrel, and the Bicentennial Commemorative model, which was a Leech and Rigdon with nickel plated frame, cylinder and barrel, and Liberty Bell engraving. The Bicentennial Commemorative could be had in a pine case with powder flask & silver dollar sized medallion or in a leatherette case with a Bicentennial belt buckle. The Griswold & Gunnison came as just the revolver or in a pine presentation case with a belt plate depicting the Georgia state seal. The Leech & Rigdon came as just the revolver, or in a commemorative gun case with a Civil War belt buckle replica. The Schneider & Glassick only came in a presentation case with a reproduction of the D guard Bowie.
These guns were a series of .36 caliber Cap and ball revolvers which began production in 1974 and ran through 1976 and retailed from $145 for the Standard revolvers and $425 to to around $450 for the Bicentennial Commemoratives, based on
accouterments . They are reproductions of the Confederate Brevetes of the Colt Model 1851 Navy Revolver. Note most Confederate copies of the Colt had round barrels, not the octagonal barrel found on the Colt.
The frames of these High Standard revolvers were made by High Standard and the balance of the parts were made by Uberti. The guns were assembled and finished by High Standard. High Standard made about 2000 cased sets and possibly as many as 2000 individual revolvers. Some of the High Standard models will have "HIGH STANDARD HAMDEN, CT U.S.A." stamped on the frame. Some will only have the "Confederate" name. The finish and serial number location is unique to High Standard and are easily identified as High Standard made revolvers.
High Standard Manufacturing Corp., Inc. moved several times throughout Connecticut until it closed its doors in 1984. In the spring of 1993, High Standard of Houston, Texas, a separate company, acquired the company assets and trademarks, as well as the .22 target pistols that High Standard Mfg. had also made. These original assets were transferred from Connecticut to Houston, Texas in July 1993. The first shipments of Houston manufactured pistols began in March 1994. High Standard of Houston, Texas also acquired AMT-AutoMag* and had “affiliated itself with Interarms and US Cartridge”. That company produced a number of pistols of AMT and prior High Standard models, 1911 model pistols, as well as AR- and AK-pattern rifles. The AK rifles are branded as Interarms. In 2018, High Standard of Houston, Texas went bankrupt and has closed its doors permanently.
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