High Standard Replica Revolvers

[Coot]

I am a big fan of High Standard pistols and just recently remembered that they made a couple of black powder replicas. In particular, the Leech & Rigdon and Griswald & Gunnison Confederate revolvers are of interest. Has anyone handled either of these guns and was the workmanship & fidelity to the originals impressive? I understand that the production run was very low - do they make it to the market often?

 

[Robert an saa fan]

Have owned four or five of these and handled quite a few more over 35 years. They seemed to be high quality fit and finish. The Griswold & Gunnison were brass frame as you know. The Leech & Rigdon was nickeled steel frame, maybe nickeled brass frame?

Shot a second hand one a bit and it did fine. Think the brass frames in that vintage were more prone to stretch than the current Italian replicas. Suspect that the High Standards were made here of Italian rough cast parts. Anyone know for sure?

They both seem pretty desireable, especially in the Southern USA. Historical accuracy of these two seems good but am not a serious student of them.

At several recent gun shows one was for sale in a shop worn High Standard case for $600 asking price. No takers. Here they seem to show up every year or two.

Hopefully some other members will have more information.

 

[Zonie]

The "3rd Ed Blue Book of Modern Black Powder Values" says of the High Standard guns:
"These guns were a series of .36 caliber cap and ball revolvers which began production in 1974 and ran through 1976. These are reproductions of the Confederate copies 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 were made by High Standard and the balance of the parts by Uberti. The guns were assembled and finished by High Standard."

The book lists the GRISWOLD & GUNNISON, LEECH & RIGDON, SCHNIEDER & GLASSICK and a "BICENTENNIAL BLACK POWDER model. This was a cased pistol which came in either a pine case or a brown leatherette covered case celebrating the American Bicentennial.

 

[B. Miller]

I have a HS Leech & Rigdon. It is in a black leatherette case with a black and white picture of two colt style revolvers and a sword laying on top of a Confederate battle flag. The top of the case is marked "High Standard the arms of the CONFEDERACY" in silver. It also has a silver plated CS belt buckle inside the case. The frame has one very small rough spot that was not completely finished out and the cylinder could be unturned but I could not garantee that as it was between 25 and 30 years old when I purchased it. The revolver was purchased as a collectable and keeped with my 2nd gen Colt Lee And Grant navies. I guess I have a bicentenial model as it has the case and belt buckle. Overall it is a good looking revolver.

Bruce

 

[bprevolver]

A complete list of the High Standard Black Powder revolvers can be found at the following link:

http://www.histandard.info/models/revolvers/blackpowder.html