Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns High Standard shotguns

I've always heard that High Standard made good quality shotguns. I've seen a couple in a gun shop up here-a pump and a semi-auto. Both appeard to be nice looking guns. Can anyone tell me anything about these guns? Should anything break on them, are parts still available? I own a Hi Standard Sport King .22 pistol that has provided our family with hours of fun, and has had thousands of rounds run through it. That's what made me possibly interested in these shotguns. Thanks for your input.

I'm surprised no one has commented on this. I figured someone out there must have one of these.

I don't own one, but a buddy uses his 20ga. autoloader for everything, including geese. The thing handles nicely and never stutters.

I have a JC Higgins (made by High Standard) pumpgun that my Dad bought back in the mid-'50s. I have every reason to believe that it will keep going forever

Mike

I just bought a Flite-King pump 12 gauge for $150, nice gun.

Reply to JC Higgins shotguns

My father bought a 12 ga JC Higgins pump with a plain 28" mod. choke barrel back in 1948. I have it in my gun safe and it still is in very good shape. High Standard made a very good shotgun. I still hunt with it and it still gets the job done. My son will get it when I leave for the great hunting grounds in the sky. Good Shotgun them High Standard/JC Higgins.
.

Both the ones I saw in the local shop were very nice looking guns. Appeared to be hand cut checkering, nice wood, and they both swung real nice. Nothing loose or rattling. I think I might go back and see if they're there yet. Might be an interesting starting point for a little different collection. I've got a .22 Sport King that we really like. I know they fetch a pretty penny these days in just about any condition, but it seems the shotguns aren't too highly priced.

If I'm not mistaken the J.C. Higgins was the first gas operated semiauto shotgun. There may have been a few bugs in the design, but they always looked to be well built.
John

I can�t speak to the semi-autos, but the pump guns are first rate. Extremely reliable and the action is the smoothest pump action ever made, even better than a Winchester Model 12. The only complaints with the High Standards was that they tended to be a touch on the heavy side and they have fixed barrels when everyone else was offering removable barrels.

They are a real steal on the used market. Parts are plentiful, but I doubt you�ll ever need any. My JC Higgins Model 20 was bought in the �50�s and has countless thousands of rounds through it. Never a single part broken and I�ve never once seen it fail to feed a shell.

Very interesting thread here because it was 40 years ago this month way back when I was 18 and purchased my 12 ga. Flite King brand spankin' new, on sale for $69.95 at a local sporting goods store. Still have the original hang tag and owners manual. They really do have one of the slickest actions. Just point the muzzle up, hit the slide release button, and that action will slide right open all by itself. The only downside would be the fixed barrel, (mine's a modified choke). Don't recall what the list price was back then but they sold out quick at $69.95; I got there just in time to get the last one they had. It's had an awful lot of rounds through it over the years including slugs, (got my first deer with it). Totally reliable and no problems. Nowadays I have a rifled barrel, scoped 870 for slugs and a camo Mossberg 500 with screw-in chokes for a turkey gun but my High Standard will always have a place in my safe. Last time someone asked if I was interested in selling it I told him; "Sure... just show up when they have my estate sale".

My son's first shotgun was a used J.C. Higgins/High Standard. The only problem I'm aware of is that the tabs on the front of the trigger housing are a bit delicate, especially on the plastic version. I agree, they're nice guns, and underrated.

Paul

My late uncle bought a new J. C. Higgins 12 Ga. w/vent rib and
and chokes that screwed into the recoil tamer(?) in the late
'40's. My cousin had it after him, then my dad and then me.
I took woodcock, pheasant, grouse, rabbits, squirrels, ducks,
geese and deer (with a makeshift sight). It never failed or jammed and was smoother then a Model 12. It was heavy and/or
solid. Another one I shouldn't have gotten rid of.

The first High Standard shotgun I ever saw...a friend of mine drove up and told me he just got a good deal on a automatic for $125.00...he raised the trunk slowly...and laying in there was a beat-up, rusted out, scratched up, facimile of a shotgun.
He's killed several deer with it and swears it the best shotgun hes ever owned. That was (3) years ago. I think he still keeps it in his trunk.

what barrel can you replace the old one with I have one somebody cut(younger version of myself) and it is unservicable.But the action is as good as any 870 I have ever owned. It's a JC higgins pump model 20
thanks that would help me out alot.

Got a JC Higgins model 20. Most robustly built pump I have.
A real sleeper, & one of the best buys in a used pump. I never fail to see 2 or 3 at each show round here. $125 or less will usually get you one.

Hi Kevin:

I have my Dad's HS Model 20. I like it pretty well, but don't shoot it much.

It has the power pac choke. This choke tends to build up a ring of plastic around the choke tube from the wads.

Can a plain barrel be installed on this gun?

Thanks.

I always fancied the Model 10A from High Standard. That's a built in flashlight on top.

I spent all morning tearing down and putting a Supermatic 20ga auto back together. All machined steel with only the action arms and lifter made from stamped metal. The one I have can fire 2 3/4 and 3 inch shells and the forearm cap is a switch to adjust between the two. It opens and closes ports for more or less gas to pass thru to the piston. I had to repair the bolt release, and after a simple fix it works fine. Like a lot of older designed autoloaders it is a little complicated and probably the reason a lot of them have been abused is that it is not a simple job to take one down for cleaning. As to the weight, it is about 1/2 pound lighter than my Remington 1100 12 ga.. They both have 28" plain barrels. The only complaint I have so far is the bolt handle is tiny and you have to pull back against a fairly strong return spring. Of course the proof is in the shootin', I hope to take mine out squirill hunting next Sat.. If you see it for sale you'll know what happend.

Tarheel