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high standard HD military

tone59tone59 Member Posts: 673 ✭✭
edited November 2012 in Ask the Experts
I'm looking at a High Standard HD Military. S/N is 141790, finish is aprox. 85-90%. Its for sale at Scheel's here in Minot, and they're asking $499. Is this a good price, or are they off their rocker.

Sorry, I don't have any pics of it.

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    tone59tone59 Member Posts: 673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Seeking assembly/disassembly information for a High Standard HD Military .22 semi autoloader handgun. Detail to component level. Have exploded views, parts lists and parts to reassemble. Thanks.
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    tone59tone59 Member Posts: 673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Can someone tell me the born on date of a high standard HD military serial #302xxx.
    This was my dads gun.Dad was born in 1931 and I think would have been too young to have purchased it new.
    I dont believe the Franzite plastic thumbrest target grips are what the gun originally came with.They look like imitation marble with silver Franzite medallions.
    Are the correct standard grips plastic or wood for this year?
    If plastic-what color?
    The current grips were on it when I first saw it in the early 60s.
    Thank You.
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    Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,370 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Looks like early 1949, 1948 ended with 301349 according to BB.

    I once had a HDM and it had checkered walnut grips that I think factory.
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    RCrosbyRCrosby Member Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Will double check in the a.m., but my H.D. is in same range and I believe 1948 for D.O.M. Grips are checkered walnut as are all others I've seen.
    Great pistol. Folks who know have advised me to limit it to standard velocity ammo.
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    rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I agree with the other folks. The original grips were checkered walnut, for the post W W II HD military's.

    Consider yourself fortunate if the Franzites that are on it now, are still in good condition. The plastic they are made of isn't very durable. I bought a couple over the years to use as replacements for original HS grips that were cracked. Just through my money away, because they were warped. Apparently heat and poor storage doesn't agree with the plastic the Franzite grips are made of.

    EDIT #1, +1 for R. Crosby's post. A used HD Military that I bought years ago had the recoil shoulder on the frame severally battered. If you intend to do much shooting with your fathers HD. buy a replacement recoil spring from Wolff. Likely the original 65 year old recoil spring is still in the pistol. The recoil spring is not particularly easy to replace, as the recoil spring plug in the face of the slide has to be removed.
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    charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mine has shape checkered walnut grips. I have a High Standard book somewhere. Make sure you understand how to take the slide off correctly or it will get very expensive to save your gun.

    Out of all the 22's pistols I have owned that HD Mil is the most fun and accurate.

    Correct extra mags are hard to find. Took me 2 years to get 4 extra. I did once score a brand new in the wrapper on flebay for about $40.
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    tone59tone59 Member Posts: 673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I took the grips off.
    They say High Standard HD Franzite on the inside.
    Does this indicate the gun may have come from the factory with these grips?
    Doubtful...just double checking with you experts.
    Thank You.
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    RCrosbyRCrosby Member Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Indicates that the Franzite grips were made for the H.S. pistol but as far as I know no High Standards left the factory with Franzite grips.
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    tone59tone59 Member Posts: 673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Another family member said dad told them he had bought the gun new when he was 19.
    This fits fine-dads DOB 31,guns DOB 49.
    He also said the grips were custom made to fit for dad.
    He said the process involved dad squeezing a wax ball and Franzite using the impression to make the plastic grips.
    Anyone familiar with this as a practice gun stores used?
    I am skeptical.I believe dad would still have the original grips had he purchased the gun new.
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    JohnStimsonJohnStimson Member Posts: 448
    edited November -1
    Franzite grips were not made custom for the buyer. They were just standard hollow plastic aftermarket grips that have a history of warping.

    There were a plastic grip kits sold in the 1930's and perhaps the 1940's that the buyer could mold to his hand.

    The High Standard factory only offered a checkered walnut grip at the time of this Model H-D Military. They did not offer Franzite or the better made Pointer plastic grips from the factroy
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    rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by tone59
    Another family member said dad told them he had bought the gun new when he was 19.
    This fits fine-dads DOB 31,guns DOB 49.
    He also said the grips were custom made to fit for dad.
    He said the process involved dad squeezing a wax ball and Franzite using the impression to make the plastic grips.
    Anyone familiar with this as a practice gun stores used?
    I am skeptical.I believe dad would still have the original grips had he purchased the gun new.


    Never was aware that Franzite made grips on a custom basis. They were, to the best of my knowledge, the first manufacturer of inexpensive, mass produced, after market grips. This would be in the post W W II time frame, probably late 40's / mid 60? Many times Franzite's replaced the original grips because they were more flashy then the originals, specially the white plastic ones, besides being cheap.
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    tone59tone59 Member Posts: 673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thank you all for the info.
    I am on the hunt for a set of factory original walnut grips.
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