Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles JC Higgins Model 50

I always liked the 358Winchester and the x57 is similar. I'm getting to the age where I'm not shooting big recoil any more and do not need another moose rifle (have a 300H&H for that) so the smaller case will do just fine for a short/handy bush gun.

Saying that, I will have the bbl marked "9.3cal" like they did on the Husqvarnas so if the need arises by me or someone else they could run a x62 reamer into it and get the extra FPS without much hassle.

That’s smart.

Those JC Higgins have weird hole spacing for scope base mounts. Weaver std 98 bases will not fit and many get drilled an extra hole because of this. Mine has an extra hole on the rear rec. ring and it's off-center. Warne is the only place I know that makes a mount specifically for the M51. It's an all-steel weaver style so is a very good mount. The new Warne style mounts for this rifle have two slots for rings so it gives you some flex to have a ring closer to the rear of the front receiver ring and allows for shorter scopes,

That M8 4x scope on yours is nice and long and is a good fit for longer scope ring spacing.

I believe the hole spacing on rear is .860 on some. I have had M50s with the other .500 spacing as well. My current is the former and have Talley steel 2 piece with the .860 spacing you refer to as well as Weaver style steel bases. Good rifles!

I’ve also had them with standard hole spacing for FN 98’s. The one I have now is.

Talley Mfg makes bases as well for both hole spacing. Mine has the .860 rear and wears a set of talleys with throw lever rings and a Talley peep that works great with the factory front sight.

Good information. Thanks for sharing.

That makes sense for your application. I would still do the X62 and just load down a bit, but X57 brass is so available (as in size up 8X57) and cheap, your way definitely has advantages.

I'll be anxious to see what you churn out.

Great rifles. All of mine have needed a rebarrel to get to acceptable (for me) accuracy and fouling levels. Many have better luck on that, but I haven't seen better than 1.5-3 MOA on a decently large sample size. Modern stock dimensions can be difficult to obtain if you aren't handy or willing to spend $$$$j. Additionally, it can be hard to find a quality gunsmith willing to work on these. But when you get these right and everything comes together, they make as good of a rifle as you will find in my opinion.

Are you stoned? Smoking pot? Every one I’ve owned has shot lights out.

Finding a quality gunsmith to work on a FN 98? Maybe it’s Meth your on?

Are you retarded?

I'm not stoned. My sample is around 15 or so examples so maybe I haven't shot enough of them to find a good one. In my experience, those High Standard barrels on the Higgins are terribly ROUGH and hard to get to shoot (as are most of the cut rifled barrels I've messed with on the older non-Higgins FN Mausers).

Regarding gunsmiths, it's a lot easier to find a gunsmith that really knows how to chamber and build an accurate rifle without taking five years if you have a Remington 700 action. I've had plenty of heartache with gunsmiths building Mausers. Many of whom I've run across and are willing to work on Masuers, aren't great at machine work, but know how to make them feed and often know how to build a nice looking and handling rifle. I would currently recommend one gunsmith, who posts on here, for a nice Mauser build, though I am sure others are out there. Additionally, I know one other gunsmith / benchrest shooter that will cut a precision chamber and is willing to work on a Mauser and will do so in a reasonable time period. With him, a person would need to figure the feeding and stock work out on their own. I doubt he would want his name publicized so I won't mention it.

I love FN "Mausers" more than any other hunting rifle, but you've got to love them to have them built because there are fewer gunsmiths these days that will build them and build them well. Many times that custom dream gun on an FN will break your heart because it's never quite right after coming back from the gunsmith, which has happened to me more often than not. Remingtons and Model 70s are much easier, but I love them less.

I have owned three M50's, still have two. One .30'06 belongs to my oldest son, handed down to him from his great-grandfather. The other belongs to my youngest son, .270 bought off the classifieds here. Both wear Talley LW's. The pics linked below are the older son's .30'06 wearing the new AA walnut I did for his birthday a few years back. Factory LOP was almost 2" too short for him.

The reference to bad shooters baffles me, too. These will both will hold 1-1.25" for 5 rds with multiple loads and the .270 averages under an inch with the best load we've tried in it, so far. The one I no longer have was the same.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/full/135435.jpg

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/full/135436.jpg

While my experience with the accuracy and fouling of factory barrels has annoyed me. I have to admit that even the accuracy produced by factory barrels have been good enough for memorable hunts. For example, I shot a mule deer at about 20 feet right under the chin while it was looking at me over a mesquite bush after a five-hour stalk. On my first trip to Afirca, I killed a bunch of game with one. Though, the Africa trip started in a pretty rocky manner with my scope getting knocked off during the airplane ride and then expending half my ammo trying to get it sighted back in because of the combination of a skeptical PH, 2.5 MOA and Leupold's less-than-stellar tracking.
but
Both those hunts were with 2-2.5 MOA .30-06 Higgins FNs. The Africa rifle now has a Douglas (or maybe Shilen, can't remember), 338-06 barrel, Meopta 6x42 and is a tack driver but hasn't been hunted since. I need to take that rifle back to Africa.

I totally agree that the x62 would be the better route for this, in fact I have already dies and 200pcs new brass here for the x62.

Funny about the 9.3x57. While it's very similar to the 358Winchester, it gets no respect at all but at the same time everyone thinks the 358 is kickin'.

I would agree with that. There are fewer and fewer folks who will do good work on a Mauser these days and those guys aren't young anymore. The heyday for that work was after WWII when there were boatloads of surplus 98s kicking around, but those actions are drying up and as is the demand. Those who do that work with a good reputation don't seem to be lacking for work though.

OTOH .... There are lots of guys out there that can do excellent work on a LEGO 700 gun.

The. 30-06 M50 I have was made 1951. OD muzzle diameter is 0.533. It would make a pretty thin wall at the muzzle if rebored to 0.366. The barrel would have to be cut back to 18" to have 0.100" wall thickness.

In the 6 years I have owned the JCH .30-06 M50, short of a different barrel, a comprehensive list of poor accuracy/precision fixes has not changed how well it will group bullets. < 1% of the time, it will make a sub-MOA 3 shot group. > 99% it can be relied on to make 2 -3" group.

I bought the rifle for the FN action so, of course, I had to shoot the donor. It became a challenge because of the chrome lined bore - hidden silk purse, Internet, legend of JCH M50s all shooting one hole groups all day long as long as the shooter does their part. Thanks for kinda spoiling the hope I had of finding the hidden tunnel to the secret hand shake.

It’s odd you guys have had such poor luck with them. I’ve had just the opposite. I think I’ve owned 5, 4 for sure. Each one has been an excellent shooter with the 1 270 I owned shooting 5/8’s groups ridiculously easy. Odd.

I've yet to give up hope so hope you don't. In fact,I hope you've found one that shoots great without a rebarrel! I did have a .270 that on a clean barrel with one fouling shot would shoot three into an inch or so for the next few shots (maybe 8-10), but then would foul and go to the standard 2-3" you describe. That is the best shooting Higgins I remember having. I gave it to my business partner's son when he was 11 or 12. He's now in his 20s and last I heard still loves it.


A new barrel installed by a talented gunsmith can go a long way on one that doesn't shoot. I also like M70-style safeties and Bansner or Brown sttocks or a nice wood stock, but that is personal choice. They make really great rifles. I will post some pictures when I have a chance.