Hi all;
I have a question about a supermatic I came accross, I will describe it the best I can;
The old brown box is marked High Standard Supermatic serial 34 95XX
The gun is like new with6 inch barrel, Target adjustable sights shrouded chamber plastic grips with thumbrest for right handed shooter
The gun is a lever takedown.
3 clips
3 barrel weights numbered to the gun, dovetailed to fit in bottom of barrel,
allen wrench for weights.
1 weight has allen screws replaced with blade type screws, old small screwdriver included.
The gun is like new easy 95%+
clips are very good 90%+
box is about 85% wear on edges.
Anybody know what I got here? Called High Standard and talked to them about it and they say it left there New Haven factory in late 1952. Asked them about value and they would not say. All they said is if gun is in condition I say and all the stuff is there they would be interested in purchasing it. High Standard is sending me a postage paid box to send it to them.
Question;
Anybody know if I have something good here?
Should I send it to them for appraisal and offer?
Kind of nervous about sending something in for a reason like this. I bought it because I like high Standard pistols and thought it would be a good shooter, I have not shot it yet. High Standard said I should not shoot it because it would deter collector value. My books show nothing special for supermatics. But high standard sees something here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks God Bless Steve

Check out Jim Spacek's site.
http://www.tm-techmark.com/jspacek.htm

Your serial number is less than half of mine's and it was made about that time. Mine has a push-button take-down and I'm not familiar with a lever takedown. Anyhow, I'm not a High-Standard collector and there's some knowledgeable folks at Jim's site.

Bye
Jack

A little more looking turned this site up. It looks like my Supermatic is a few years later than yours.
http://www.histandard.info/models/pistols/lever-name.html
http://www.histandard.info/

Bye
Jack

Jack;
Thanks for the reply. I will check this site. I know the guy I talked to at high standard said there was no way I had this gun when I told him it was a lever takedown, But then wanted me to send it to him for appraisal and offer. He said they would like to have it for their (or his) collection. Nobody I know ever seen one quite like this one. I never have. But there are alot of thing I have never seen. Thanks Again Steve

Kind of curious that the gent at High Standard says you shouldn't have a gun like that when the site I posted above even gives the serial number range.There's a 1st Model Trophy listed on GunsAmerica with some good pictures of the lever release. It doesn't have your style barrel, but the rest of the details should be similar. It's about 2/3 of the way down this page.
http://www.gunsamerica.com/1690/1690-random-3.htm

Bye
Jack

Backwoods:

I've been collecting High Standard pistols for 20 years. You have a first model Supermatic produced from mid 1951 thru 1954. This was the first of their modern series of pistols featuring the lever take down. After 1954 all their pistols utilized the push button take down.

This pistol has the original "slant grip". in the early '60's High Standard developed a pistol with a straighter grip, identical to that of the 1911 45 Auto, in order to compete with Smith & Wesson's model 41.

Your pistol, with the weights and original box is a collector's item, probably worth at least $700. You don't really need to send it to someone for an appraisal, the values are listed in the "Blue Book of Gun Values". You might also refer to "High Standard, A Collector's Guide to Hamden & Hartford Target Pistols" by Tom Dance.

I still shoot several of my High Standard pistols. It's best to use target or standard velocity cartridges. These pistols were made to shoot and modern 22 pistols are hard pressed to match them in performance, fit, and finish. In fact, if anyone is looking to purchase a 22 pistol, a used High Standard is still a top choice.

Maybe I'll see you in the U.P. after the snow melts.

[Thanks guys. Guess I won't be shooting this one then. Took it in on a trade because I too like high standards.

8iniowa;
Hope to see you up here come spring. If it ever gets here. Seen -4 this morning and -18 on tuesday morning. Still alot of snow around. Probably 2 feet of hard pack here. North even more. No warm weather in sight on forecast. Be like last year, Spring came all at once. The year before too. We had alot of flooding that year. Let me know when you are coming up and we can meet someplace. God Bless Steve