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H-D military

tone59tone59 Member Posts: 673 ✭✭
edited April 2011 in Ask the Experts
trying to date a high standard H-D military 22lr pistol.it has a 4 1-2 inch barrel and plastic franzite target grips.high standard est.the born on date to be 1943 but my book says production of this model did not begin until 1945.the ser# is 302xxx.can anyone help?

Comments

  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    1948 is the most likely date. Go to John Stimpson's High Standard site for more information. The H-D Military model with the adjustable target sights were made after W W II. If it was made in 1943 it would have a fixed rear sight and be marked H-D USA. Made as a training pistol for U.S. military.


    EDIT #1, Here is a photo of a High Standard HD Military pistol. Compare it to the photo Mark posted of his HD USA.

    1287749744.jpg
  • mark christianmark christian Member Posts: 24,443 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If it has the fixed sights like mine it is a war time model:
    [img][/img]HSHDUSA.jpg

    If it has the adjustable rear sight then it will be a post war pistol, as The Snowman previously indicated.
  • JohnStimsonJohnStimson Member Posts: 448
    edited November -1
    302,xxx could have shipped between 1/3/1949 and 11/30/1951. These guns did not ship in serial number order.


    EDIT #1

    This serial number is way too late for a war time training pistol. The only "H-D made in 1949 through 1951 was the MODEL H-D MILITARY which is what the original poster called it.

    Below is a copy of an original factory records page from this time frame.


    SN_LOG_1000.jpg

    Note that one exception to the normal models is a post War model marked "MODEL H-D" like to pre war models but this post war pistol was made with fixed sights and came in both 4.50 and 6.75" barrel lengths and was nicely polished and blued. Almost certainly a transition gun made tyo get back into commercial business after the war using the whatever parts they could use including parts left over from the government contracts. These are very scarce with fewer than a dozen currently known.
  • slumlord44slumlord44 Member Posts: 3,702 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It is my understanding that the HD Military was never used as a military trainer. There is an earlier model, the US model if I remember correctly, that was used by the milirary as a trainer and is US marked. I have one but am not sure of the exact model without pulling my records.
  • mark christianmark christian Member Posts: 24,443 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
  • slumlord44slumlord44 Member Posts: 3,702 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My US marked High Standard is a USA HD MODEL. I have never seen a H-D Military that was US marked. You sure this is not a USA HD Model? Does yours have adjustable or fixed sights?
  • tone59tone59 Member Posts: 673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    mine has an adj rear sight.
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