Zavala and Bladeswitcher have caused me to catch the High Standard pump gun bug. For those who haven't owned a shotgun that says High Standard (or Sears) on it, they were made in a pump model on their own patent from from near about 1950 through about 1975, when the once mighty High Standard company had dwindled away to nearly nothing, and production stopped.
I've owned many High Standard made pumps in 12 gauge. Whether they were branded a J.C. Higgins, a Sears, or a High Standard Flite King, they were always substantial, well made shotguns with walnut stocks and lots of milled steel parts that remind me of a Model 12 Winchester without the high level of craftsmanship and fit, finish, and polish. They have a bad reputation for breaking an action slide handle, so if you buy one be a big boy if your toy shotgun breaks and no whining, please. Get it welded if you can and sell the parts if you can't. But I didn't know until recently that High Standard ever made a 20 gauge, and Bladeswitcher is still kicking himself for letting a 28 gauge get away from him. So when I saw two 20 gauges at a little gun shop near Blade's I walked in last week with intentions to buy them both, and found only one 20 gauge left. I bought it for $200 cash out the door price. The 12 gauge you'll see below cost only $105 cash out the door price only a few months ago, and the 12 gauge wood has been redone by the SX1 boiled linseed oil method. (Which is apply at least a dozen coats of hardware store grade BLO to the stripped wood with your fingers, trying to put on as little as you can with each application) The 20 is in far higher original condition, all wood and metal as found.
The 20 gauge has the most unusual locking system I've ever seen on a pump shotgun. That locking bolt is perfectly round, and fits up in the top of the action like a bolt in a dead bolt door lock. It's not nearly so smooth on the 20 gauge to work as it is on the 12:
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Both of these guns were made about 1969. The 12 gauge has the typical locking system you'll see on a Mossberg 500, which is a lot of ways is a knock off of the earlier High Standard. But a 12 gauge High Standard is the smoothest, easiest acting pump shotgun ever made and has only one close rival, the Remington Model 31, which the High Standard has often been accused of copying. Here's the 12 gauge bolt. Notice how the safety is in front, like a Model 12. There is a lot more machining on the action behind the barrel. The 12 gauge looks a lot more substantially made than the 20 gauge.
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Now for a view from the bottom of the guns, the 20 being the gun on top. The 12 gauge looks like you are looking up inside an extremely well made Mossberg 500. The shell follower is steel. There is no stamped shell lifter. There is more machining. The 20 gauge has the appearance of a cheap, stamped out economy shotgun in comparison, with a cheapie stamped shell lifter and a green plastic shell follower. What you can't see is that the 12 is the smoothest pumping shotgun I own and the 20 is the hardest to pump of any pump shotgun I've ever owned or borrowed. The 20 will work, it's not gritty or rough, but it requires lots of effort. The hard pumping doesn't interfere with actual use,,,but be forewarned if you buy a 20 gauge High Standard pump that you must use effort to pump the gun.
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But the poor 20 gauge doesn't quit losing the quality comparison with the 12 gauge. The barrels on both guns are fixed, screwed in permanently at the factory. But the 12 gauge has a meaty, substantial, heavy duty attachment to the barrel of the magazine tube. The 20 gauge has a cheap piece of pot metal attached by a hidden allen head screw that makes me believe that a Winchester Model 1200 cost cutter fired by Olin for making the gun too cheap must have found work at High Standard. It's simply the worst way I can imagine to do what the 12 gauge does about the best way I can imagine,,,,keep the barrel and the magazine tube in perfect alignment. The allen headed screw worked loose twice before I finally "put the squeeze" to it with a pair of pliers, and I hope never to take it off again. Not only that, the 12 gauge just looks like a far better made and better engineered gun,,,which it really is:
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Having trashed and bashed the 20 gauge in relation to the 12, still yet I'm glad I bought the 20 gauge. I can hardly miss anything with it. Now that I have the barrel hanger figured out, I have a really nice looking little 20 gauge that I've never seen before and I doubt I'll see again soon, and it really is in excellent shape except for a bit of peppering on the action here and there, and a few scratches on the stock. The 20 is not any worse a design that the Savage Model 30 or Model 67, and it does have a solid steel receiver, and should last me a lifetime shot in rotation with all my other shotguns.
But if you aren't a hard bitten total shotgun addict, pass on the High Standard Flite King 20's in favor of the 12's. The 12's are not only half the money, they are at least twice as well made and turned out as the 20 gauge models.
I've owned many High Standard made pumps in 12 gauge. Whether they were branded a J.C. Higgins, a Sears, or a High Standard Flite King, they were always substantial, well made shotguns with walnut stocks and lots of milled steel parts that remind me of a Model 12 Winchester without the high level of craftsmanship and fit, finish, and polish. They have a bad reputation for breaking an action slide handle, so if you buy one be a big boy if your toy shotgun breaks and no whining, please. Get it welded if you can and sell the parts if you can't. But I didn't know until recently that High Standard ever made a 20 gauge, and Bladeswitcher is still kicking himself for letting a 28 gauge get away from him. So when I saw two 20 gauges at a little gun shop near Blade's I walked in last week with intentions to buy them both, and found only one 20 gauge left. I bought it for $200 cash out the door price. The 12 gauge you'll see below cost only $105 cash out the door price only a few months ago, and the 12 gauge wood has been redone by the SX1 boiled linseed oil method. (Which is apply at least a dozen coats of hardware store grade BLO to the stripped wood with your fingers, trying to put on as little as you can with each application) The 20 is in far higher original condition, all wood and metal as found.
The 20 gauge has the most unusual locking system I've ever seen on a pump shotgun. That locking bolt is perfectly round, and fits up in the top of the action like a bolt in a dead bolt door lock. It's not nearly so smooth on the 20 gauge to work as it is on the 12:
Both of these guns were made about 1969. The 12 gauge has the typical locking system you'll see on a Mossberg 500, which is a lot of ways is a knock off of the earlier High Standard. But a 12 gauge High Standard is the smoothest, easiest acting pump shotgun ever made and has only one close rival, the Remington Model 31, which the High Standard has often been accused of copying. Here's the 12 gauge bolt. Notice how the safety is in front, like a Model 12. There is a lot more machining on the action behind the barrel. The 12 gauge looks a lot more substantially made than the 20 gauge.
Now for a view from the bottom of the guns, the 20 being the gun on top. The 12 gauge looks like you are looking up inside an extremely well made Mossberg 500. The shell follower is steel. There is no stamped shell lifter. There is more machining. The 20 gauge has the appearance of a cheap, stamped out economy shotgun in comparison, with a cheapie stamped shell lifter and a green plastic shell follower. What you can't see is that the 12 is the smoothest pumping shotgun I own and the 20 is the hardest to pump of any pump shotgun I've ever owned or borrowed. The 20 will work, it's not gritty or rough, but it requires lots of effort. The hard pumping doesn't interfere with actual use,,,but be forewarned if you buy a 20 gauge High Standard pump that you must use effort to pump the gun.
But the poor 20 gauge doesn't quit losing the quality comparison with the 12 gauge. The barrels on both guns are fixed, screwed in permanently at the factory. But the 12 gauge has a meaty, substantial, heavy duty attachment to the barrel of the magazine tube. The 20 gauge has a cheap piece of pot metal attached by a hidden allen head screw that makes me believe that a Winchester Model 1200 cost cutter fired by Olin for making the gun too cheap must have found work at High Standard. It's simply the worst way I can imagine to do what the 12 gauge does about the best way I can imagine,,,,keep the barrel and the magazine tube in perfect alignment. The allen headed screw worked loose twice before I finally "put the squeeze" to it with a pair of pliers, and I hope never to take it off again. Not only that, the 12 gauge just looks like a far better made and better engineered gun,,,which it really is:
Having trashed and bashed the 20 gauge in relation to the 12, still yet I'm glad I bought the 20 gauge. I can hardly miss anything with it. Now that I have the barrel hanger figured out, I have a really nice looking little 20 gauge that I've never seen before and I doubt I'll see again soon, and it really is in excellent shape except for a bit of peppering on the action here and there, and a few scratches on the stock. The 20 is not any worse a design that the Savage Model 30 or Model 67, and it does have a solid steel receiver, and should last me a lifetime shot in rotation with all my other shotguns.
But if you aren't a hard bitten total shotgun addict, pass on the High Standard Flite King 20's in favor of the 12's. The 12's are not only half the money, they are at least twice as well made and turned out as the 20 gauge models.
