Picked up a new (well, new to me) shotgun this weekend: a High Standard Flite King Deluxe Model K1211. I saw it hanging around a local shop, it had been there for quite some time so I was able to get a pretty good deal on it. The action feels very smooth, and the gun's overall build quality seems to be superb. It also features a poly choke, that I am led to believe to be factory installed. It's only real bad spot is the butt pad that has had better days, but a replacement should not be hard to find.

I have some questions though that I was hoping the collective knowledge base of the S&W forum might be able to answer:

The age: This shotgun has no serial number on it so I am guessing it was manufactured prior to 1968, which if I am correct in my remembering was was when the Gun Control Act mandated the serializing all firearms.

EDIT: I had previously stated that the gun was marked Hartford, CT, it was not in fact, somehow I mis-read it. The stamping on the barrel states Hamden, CT which further research suggests would be the correct manufacturing location for a High Standard prior to 1976 when the company would move to East Hartford, CT. So this being the case, my only clue to age is the lack of serial number putting it before 1968.

Any thoughts on how to truly discern a date would be appreciated...

General information on High Standard Shotguns: I know little about these guns other than the bits and pieces I can glean from for sale ads for them. From what I have read, they are generally well liked, but suffered from some QC issues towards the end of production in the 1970s.

I would love to know more about the HS shotguns, and as a bonus, if anyone knows what the model numbers indicate (i.e. options?, gauge?) I would be interested to know that as well.

Thanks, and all opinions are welcome too...

Sweet !
The poly-choke is nice , adds to the look.
I have always enjoyed them.
I can't add to the history, my uncle gave me an older 20 gauge with a broken trigger guard, in 1975 , I fixed it and have hunted with it ever since.
Gary

I have the earlier Sears "Ted Williams" model purchased in 1953 with the brake and screw-in tubes. Used it for everything from rabbits to quail, grouse, ducks, squirrels, deer, and turkey. My daughter also used it for years. Never a problem and probably 4,000+ rounds. With the brake, loud but soft recoil.

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TOMBECK

The 121 and 1211 Model H/S shotguns came on the market in 1966. So one w/o a serial # would be mfg'd betw 1966 and the end of 1968 when the GCA mandated that shotguns also be ser#'d.
The K100 model precedes it but is eccentially the same gun

H/S started putting recoil pads on their shotguns in the mid 60's also IIRC, so the pad may be original to the gun. It's not uncommon for them to be brittle and cracked at this point in time.

The adj choke was an option on the 1211 model.
See if the bbl has a fixed choke marking on it by the breech somewhere.
If it does, then the adj choke was added after the gun (bbl)was made.
The factory adj chokes were a 6 position (6 'clicks') but I don't recall if the choke was marked with the H/S name, an outside maker like Polychoke, Weaver, Lyman, ect, or left unmarked.

Non-interchangeable bbl on those until about 1973. Then they stopped making the gun all together a couple yrs after that.

They are excellent smooth cycling pump guns. Some have a short coil action spring in the front of the forend,,sometimes called a buffer. It will kick the forend and action open on it's own when the slide latch is depressed as that short spring is compressed when the action is closed.
Some say that spring leads to the breakage of the action bar on the forend assembly with is about the only common problem with these. Early guns and the later mfg field grade and riot guns don't have that action/buffer factory installed.

The Hi-Standard pumps & the ones made with Sears/ JC Higgins
were sought after in my area for their reputation as being one of
the best guns to shoot slugs. They are built like a tank, and the
Fixed barrel contributed to this. I cut several down and installed
sights, or D/T for scopes. The only glitch that I know of was on
vent rib models. Ribs had a nasty habit of separating from barrel.
They can usually be picked up quite reasonable and are a better
gun than a lot of those on market now.