Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Opinions on JC Higgins Model 50

I know how you feel, at one point I felt the same about my first Model 50. That was before I shot it. When it started putting 5 factory rounds into an inch or less regularly, I reconsidered. I couldn't see spending several hundred dollars and getting a rifle that *might* shoot as well as the one I started with, not to mention losing the chrome lined bore.

I ended up building a 35 Whelen on an Interarms action.

Anyway the point is if you buy a Model 50, shoot it before you decide to change caliber.

"Anyway the point is if you buy a Model 50, shoot it before you decide to change caliber."

That is sage advice.
Paul B.

Or, never shoot the donor...

It could shoot too good to become a donor, then what ya gonna do...



DF

Classic rifle.

Natman, the ONLY thing I'd consider changing on this Model 50 is the stock. Lots of drop at the heel and it makes lining up the scope a little difficult for me. I'm using low rings so the scope bell barely clears the barrel, safety is still easily reached and the bolt handle clears the eyepiece. Even in low rings, I don't get a real solid cheek weld on the stock. It also "feels" so different shouldering it compared to my other rifles. Will probably put the factory stock away and replace it with something from Boyds in their basic walnut. Hope that doesn't sound blasphemous, but it would also be nice to have the factory stock so pristine that I could put it back on before passing his rifle on to my grandson. P.S. My 35 Whelen is an old mid 1970s Savage 110 with an E R Shaw barrel. It shoots 250 grain Speer Hot Cors into itty, bitty groups. My hunting buddy calls it my big bore varmint rifle.

True dat.

Then you get stuck with a good shooting 30-06. Darn.

The Model 50 dates from 1950, when scopes were a lot less common than they are today. If the stock doesn't fit you, then by all means get another. However, I would replace the trigger if you replace the stock; the trigger Model 50s come with depend on the distance between the action and the trigger guard being just so.