Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Mausers and Military Rifles JC Higgins model 50

Hello
Just purchased one of these rifles in .270 with the FN Mauser action.
Have sourced the original scope, mounts and rings just looking for the rear sight and elevator ramp.
Have come to learn that this rifles action is the base for many custom builds and that some of you might have one of these sights left over from one of your builds.
Please contact me if you can help get my rifle back to factory stock.
Regards Keith.

Welcome to the Fire.
It looks like you've got a good rifle to work with.
I'll keep my eyes open for what you need.
Have you checked World Gun Parts?
John

Hi John
yes world gun parts have the rear sight i'm after just not the ramp that goes with it sadly.
so ideally was trying to find both original pieces together as a set.
if nothing turns up might end up having to go that route and search out a suitable ramp.
was really trying to get this rifle back to original stock configuration
thanks for keeping your eyes peeled or me
regards
keith

I should have those parts. I'll look tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks for looking really appreciate it but just got off the phone with a gunsmith up here in Alberta Canada who had the rear sight and ramp and is going to place it in the post for me.
One of the members here turned me on to him so it's all taken care of.
Thanks very much for your kind offer z1r and hope you get this before you took a look.
Much appreciated
Keith
Nova Scotia

Glad you found them. I've had several Higgins 50's over the years, all good shooters. Coincidentally, my son just selected one of my Model 50's to replace his custom Small Ring Mexican 6.5x55 that he has outgrown.

I too have one that came with a period correct Sears scope as well.

Mines a 50 metal in 51 wood. .30-06. Bought it because it was cheap and already had a Timney trigger and Leupold 4x on it. Was going to make it a 6.5x55. The problem is it shoots to well as a.30-06.

Cheesy, funny, my boy selected a 51 stock for his 50 as well. Nice looking rifle you got.

Here mine in .270 seen as purchased. The Bushnell banner 4x40 scope has been removed and being replaced with either the original version JC Higgins rifleman senior 2.5x or the weaver k3 60b. Going to try them both and see which one like using more. Going to make a white line spacer for the butt stock too for that is missing as well.

Here's a link for the excellent gunshop up here in Gold River, Nova Scotia, Canada,
They have a lot of used and new firearms in stock.

Link to their stock page. http://kelvinstaxidermyandgunshop.ca/stock.html

Well, you broke the first rule, "never shoot the donor"...

The Swede is a good one, but t's hard to beat the ole '06...

IIRC, Hi Standard fitted those barrels for Sears, reportedly, some were chrome lined. I've read accounts of their accuracy.

Those guns may be the ultimate sleeper, often selling for less than the value of the action.

DF

I have a Sears Model 53, a post-64 Winchester Model 70 in Sears garb. I got it from a shooting buddy who is 92 and doesn't shoot anymore. He bought it used sometime in the 1960s. It shoots great. I took it to Colorado last November on an elk hunt. No elk, but I knew the rifle would do the job. I had one of those Model 50s and never shot it. I guess I should have.... It became a 35 Whelen.

If you want to take a departure from "100% original parts", consider a Marbles "bullseye" aperature rear sight. It replaces the rear dovetailed sight, and has an elevator ramp. It makes a very friendly sight for older eyes. I have one on my Higgins model 50. It is a great back-up sight system to my 4x Leupold. Cost = $20

It comes in a long and short version. The longer version is easier to adjust slide movement. The short leaf version can be a bit stiff to move the slide ramp for range/distance adjustment. If you don't like the outer ring, you can cut/file it off. Nice sight.


https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1828132532/

Dad put a borescope through it and says it looks pretty rough. But it shoots.

On gunbroker last summer paid $330 (local pickup, so transfer and shipping didn't exist) for it in a cheap synthetic stock. It already had a Timney trigger as well as a Leupold 4x scope. Added the 51 stock for $100 off of a WTB here. For $430 I've got a ready to hunt, accurate, good looking rifle with adjustable trigger and scoped. Using it on antelope next week in Wyoming. Hopefully.

This 338-06 I picked up here on the Classifieeds started life as a J. C. Higgins FN.

So, the action is a great one for a build. This one has a #4, 24" barrel, unknown maker, but perfect thru the Hawkeye borescope, It came with a Timney trigger, Buehler safety and steel Weaver type bases. I tweaked the bedding, painted the stock. I'm taking it deer hunting this season, shooting 225 gr. Fed Fusion bullets over H-380. It should knock'em down; probably to a job on a hog. I've posted this one already.

DF

I have a 51 30-06 I'm probably going to sell.

One of the nicer actions in my opinion...I don't pun one but have built several custome on that action...all were great shooters...it's one of the sleepers you can get pretty cheap...
What are those scopes? The one on the left looks like a weaver but the one on the right is cool...what is that one?
They would look great in a set of Buhlers...

The scope is a JC Higgins rifleman senior 2.5x with a crosshair which is what came with the rifle from the factory if one ordered it as a scoped rifle.
From what i've read it was made by Weaver for Sears back in the early fifties before fixed reticles were invented.
The original plates and rings were made by a company named Mashburn.
regards
keith

Started to mount my scope using the original base plates and ran into a problem. the front mounting plate barrel hole threads are stripped out. The mounting plates when purchased the rifle were drilled for 1/2" centres and these are the original .860 centres. So the rifle came with a few extra holes but they get covered up by the larger length original plates.
Does the barrel have to be removed to re-tap this front hole? Options?
Thanks.

I have a digital copy of the JC Higgins owners manual. If you need a copy pm me your email.

Me, I'd remove the barrel and retap both front holes to 8-40.

It's real common to find the rear with three holes because the original rear spacing was .860" not the more common FN spacing of .500".