Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing jc higgins model 50 saftey problem

hoping for some input here, working on a jc higgins model 50 (FN mauser action)with the 2 piece trigger and swing up safety. was giving to me by my wifes grandfather to build a custom.

went and shot it, first 4 shot at 100 yds were just over 3/8s inch off sandbags. looking at keeping it stock except the safety will not engage now after i shot it. i have striped and cleaned the bolt and reassembled. this was after it stopped working. it looks as if the cocking piece is not sitting back far enough to let the safety engage. any ideas?

will replacing the trigger to a timney help this so i can keep the swing safety? not sure if the 2 piece trigger is not holding the cocking piece back far enough so the safety can block the piece.

thanks in advance

I will be curious to what experts say. I had one a few years ago with the same problem. I replaced that "unique" trigger with a Timney, and the original safety worked fine.

have been tinkering with it, removed the bottom metal and re-installed it, torqued it down and now it works again. im thinking 2 piece trigger is the cause

I'm not a fan of the trigger they used anyway, so it was an easy swap. It's been a good while now, but I think I had to do a modest amount of filing somewhere to fit the Timney. But it was an easy install.

Edited to add: As I think about it more, I'm pretty sure I had to file a bit in the slot for the trigger in the bottom metal.

They sometimes needed the slot for the sear to be opened up as Woodsy Al said.

It is definitely the trigger group, this also happens when someone works on the trigger to smooth it up, or get a lighter pull. With minor work to the safety it can be made to work properly again after trigger work is done, or when the trigger is well broke in.