High Standard Trench gun

[bmarvin]

Fantasy piece ?

https://www.proxibid.com/HIGH-STANDARD-MILITARY-12-GAUGE-PUMP-ACTION-TRENCH-SHOTGUN/lotInformation/65645470

[Bruce Canfield]

Yes, total fantasy piece.

[TSMGguy]

Whatever these are, they seem to show up from time to time. They are not mentioned in Canfield's book, United States Combat Shotguns.

 

Rare USAF Experimental High Standard Trench Shotgun | Rock Island Auction

 

SOLD ULTRA RARE VIETNAM ERA USAF EXPERIMENTAL K-1200 HIGH STANDARD TRENCH SHOTGUN, MINT! - Pre98 Antiques

Edited January 5, 2022 by TSMGguy

[bmarvin]

Whatever these are, they seem to show up from time to time. They are not mentioned in Canfield's book, United States Combat Shotguns.

 

Rare USAF Experimental High Standard Trench Shotgun | Rock Island Auction

 

SOLD ULTRA RARE VIETNAM ERA USAF EXPERIMENTAL K-1200 HIGH STANDARD TRENCH SHOTGUN, MINT! - Pre98 Antiques

 

 

I've check Poyer, Canfield and the World's Fighting Shotguns with no results.

When did the US stop using flaming bomb ordnance mark?

I'd think it was before that High Standard was born

[TSMGguy]

Assuming these are legit, it looks like the piece in your original post has some additional markings, including an Ord. bomb.

[Tom D]

bmarvin said:

"When did the US stop using flaming bomb ordnance mark?

I'd think it was before that High Standard was born."

 

You are pretty much correct. The use of the Ordnance bomb mark ceased well before High Standard began developing shotguns for law enforcement and the Military in the early 1960s.

 

The only High Standard shotguns that I have heard that were used by the Military were some of the Model 120s by dog handlers during the Vietnam War. And I don't believe they had bayonet adaptors/heat shields.

[ordnance]

I agree with the previous comments about the guns mentioned above. The ordnance bomb is definitely out of place on a shotgun of that vintage. Odd, but there are lots of similarities between the three guns. Perhaps a police contract type with some extra stamps to pass it off as a military piece for additional $$$ or one faker following the lead of another faker.

 

But at least a few real High Standard Air Force trials guns do exist that were sold by the factory in 1980 and I have one, purchased at the SAR show about 15 years ago. I doubted its authenticity when it was first encountered, especially with a crooked U.S. stamp on the receiver looking like most humped up fake GI shotguns. But the owner produced the original paperwork from the factory sale when he purchased it and I changed my mind.

 

Note that the barrel is notched for a handguard/bayonet mount but has never had one installed and the stock was made for a rear sling swivel, also never fitted. Note too, that one of the 4 guns offered for sale was fitted with a bayonet adapter but I don't know what type it was, an existing design or something made by High Standard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tom D]

ordnance, do you think the parkerized finish is original? All of the High Standards I have seen had a blue finish.

 

A blued K-1200 advertised as one of the USAF experimental guns sold at the Rock Island Auction back in April 2015. It had a two digit number with a letter suffix on the left rear of the receiver and a different two digit number with a letter on the left side of the buttstock. It also had a modified bayonet adaptor/heat shield on it to take the shorter type bayonet. The adaptor was a plum color like a Stevens (or one of the repro Stevens) and a polished blue heat shield. The rear sling swivel looked like the one screw type rather than a two screw inletted one. It did not have any US markings. It sold for over $8,000.

[ordnance]

Yes, the finish is original. Note in the descriptions of the four guns offered in the High Standard sale that all are listed with parkerized finish. I do not have the third page of the auction listings so I don't know if more than four guns were sold then.

 

The other three had consecutive serial numbers with mine separated from the group by one digit. It's also interesting that they all carry 6 digit serial numbers unlike the other ones linked here with 2 digit numbers.

 

I can't explain these 2 digit guns blued guns and I suppose they could be some sort of test pieces. But the additional bogus markings, different types and colors of bayonet mounts, and other features cast doubt about their authenticity. I have a lot more confidence that my shotgun is a genuine USAF trials gun than any of the others discussed here.

[Tom D]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I now see in the documents where the bid shotguns had a parkerized finish.

[Colt Chopper]

Not to hi-jack the thread, BUT, did they make a JC Higgins trench gun?

[Bruce Canfield]

Not to hi-jack the thread, BUT, did they make a JC Higgins trench gun?

Nope.

[TSMGguy]

It's a shame that someone added a rubber butt pad.

[bmarvin]

Here's another one. No serial number and a ground off US marking that's still visible

The US marking seems way to large as well as in the wrong location

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/921901158