Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles JC Higgins FN ?

Bought this rifle @ a gun show in Orlando, looking for info since I know nothing about 98's. Markings say JC Higgins Mod. 50 also has 583.97, cal. 30.06. Made in Belgium is on the action. 24th edition blue book does not list this model. Any info, mfg. etc. would be apreciated. BTW, owner said stock was original which is close to AA standards, beautiful with lots of black streaks, but no checkering. Thanks

thmpr

I had one and they are nice rifles with a post war commercial FN Belgian action. The only thing I didn't like about it was that the trigger was pinned to the trigger guard. I could easily be replaced with a Timney or the like. Thanks...

The GPC catalog has a code key to the JCH guns. If I could find mine, I'd tell you what the code says. Maybe somebody could do that for you.

Jeff

Yes it is a nice looking rifle. I bought it for the action to build something else, but now I can't bring myself to take it apart.

I have one which was a 270 and I rebarrelled it into a 35 Whelan. I STRONGLY recommend changing the trigger as the trigger as it is stock is unsafe because if your action screws are loose the trigger could disengage and the rifle could fire. I replaced mine with a timney -- very simple job.

Somebody once told me the barrels were chrome lined. Not sure if that is true or not.

JC Higgins was one of the house brands for Sears & Roebuck. The FN receivers were barreled by a third party that I've read was Marlin. I've also read that it was Savage who provided the tubes. No matter, they were good rifles and good shooters.

I've been looking for one for a while but apparently there are people who think a Sears/FN rifle rates some sort of "collector's premium" (or, they are hoping the buyer will think so). There is no real market for department store, house brand firearms so they are worth what they are worth as a shooter.

Check the Sears number again then go here and look, the one you give does not show up BTW>

http://www.okiegunsmithshop.com/crossref.html

Guys unfortunately I'm old enough to know that JC Higgins was a store brand name for Sears. So when I checked the Blue Book I checked both Higgins & Sears data, & found no info. I checked again & the barrel has Mod. 50 & below that it has 583.97, whatever that # is for I don't know. Thanks for the help though.

I only gave $300 for it so I don't think I got beat to bad.

You sure it's not Model 50 -- 583.93? That's the number I found for the FN Mauser/JCH.



BTW, if anyone has one of those worthless (pre '64) Ted Williams M-73s they don't want, I'll give a hundred bucks for it.

Wazzagrunt,

I have in my possession a JC Higgins w/FN Belgian action in .270 Win. The owner is unsure if he is going to sell it or not. I shot it a little last fall and it seems to shoot allright. Am planning on doing more shooting in the Spring. If I don't take it, (and I don't think I will) I will certainly let you know.

The only funny thing about this rifle, is the rear sight. It is the typical rear sight of the 50's and 60's. It is attached by a 3/8" dovetail with a adjustable riser in a slot in it. The strange thing is that rather than the dovetail in the front and the sight extending towards the rear, It is reversed. The dovetail slot is cut just forward of the action ring and the sights extends forward. Looks funny! But it does work. This rifle came complete with a JC Higgins 2.5x Scope from the store. The scope looks like a factory K-2.5 Weaver. Nowhere on the scope does it say: "Weaver". But it does say "Made in USA" It is also a steel tube.

The bbl is stamped "JC Higgins Mod. 50" and "Sears and Roebuck 583.93. I jsut pulled the barreled action out of the stock and there are no other markings on the underside of the bbl. Oddly enough, there is no serial #, either.

In my GPC catalog, I could find no reference to the store brand cross over. But I would guess perhaps they were made by either High Standard or H&R. Both of these companys marketed rifles on FN actions. Marlin did as well, but my refences state that only 1079 were made by Marlin in .30-06 and only 59 in .308. So considering that, I doubt they were made by Marlin. High Standard had a model called the "Hi-Power" in both .30-06 and .270 from about '62 to ' 66. Hope this sheds a bit of light on the subject...the9.3Guy

Put my glasses on, got out the magnifier, tuned on all the lights, & it does say 583.97. Also have the serial no. if that would help.
Butch

According to Ludwig Olsen's "Mauser Bolt Rifles" the JC Higgins rifles were assembled by High Standard. I assume High Standard made the barrels also.

The sight was probably reversed by a previous owner to provide clearance for a scope. I concur with yanking the original trigger which is non-adjustable but primarily for the reason of safety mentioned. I have two of these actions with Timney and Brno adjustable triggers installed on them and they are superior triggers. These are good sound actions to build on or to use as is although they are not the C-ring Mauser that some shooters prefer. It makes little difference in a practical sense in any event.

Stocker,

The dovetail slot in the barrel is only about 5mm forward of the action ring. It had to have been cut there purposely. The sight could not have been reversed. However, I suppose that the sight could not have been oringinal. It may have been a replacement. If I can figure out how to use my digital camera, I will try to take a pic. But don't count on it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ...the 9.3Guy

9.3 Guy: That's interesting. Provision for open sights on both of my rifles are/were provided by a dovetail on a small riser block that is silver soldered to the barrel 5 and 1/4" forward of the receiver ring. Somewhere in the recesses of my memory I think I recall seeing catalogue pictures (Simpson Sears)in the early to mid 50's that did show the set up you have. Makes me wonder if they might have been done that way as a means to get the sight high enough to correspond with the front sight on it's ramp and in the process eliminating making and attaching the risers.

Alternately, is there any possibility yours has been reblued and the riser block on the barrel was lost in the caustic process? A dovetail may then have been cut at that point.

If it came that way from the factory I don't know if the method preceeded or followed the way mine are mounted. It could have been considered more economical to simply cut a dovetail than it was to mount the riser block further up the barrel but my memory is not certain on seeing them oictured that way.

My rifles came with different sights in the riser blocks. One had the more common form with an elevator leaf. The other was a simple insert with no provision for vertical adjustment other than what you could get by filing it down or changing the front sight height.

They were an economy rifle based on a good basic action and both my original barrels were straight and accurate. I had one rebarreled to 257 Ackley and restocked it, fitted the Brno trigger and a 3 position M-70 type safety. The other wears an original 270 Win barrel with a Timney trigger and is going to be restocked before fall and may become a 35 Whelen before I'm done playing with it.
Best

Stocker,

Interesting thread! Thanks to thmpr, <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I can't for the life of me, figure out why I like these old Mausers. I guess because they have 'character'.

I agree with your assessment on them being "Utilitarian" or "economy" grade rifles. I think they were just meant for the common man who could not jsutify the expense of a Model 70 Win. As near as I can figure, they were made by many different manufacturers and imported by various importers. Yet, the quality and suggested retail prices were about the same.

It todays world, they can form the basis for some very nice custom rifles. (As you have already proven <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ) The ones with a solid left wall will always get a second look from me.

Well, I managed to take a pic. Now, If I can just get it off the camera and onto the computer...the9.3Guy

Here is a pic of my JC - rebarrelled to 35 Whelan with a Douglas premium barrel. Stock has been redone with a hand rubbed tung oil, contrasting forestock tip, recoil pad and changed sling swivels. Will eventually get around to changing safety. Also have changed the trigger.

http://www.highstandard.org/models/private/Sears/SearsCenter.html

Sears Bolt Action Center Fire Rifles

Ident. No. Model Caliber Roll Mark Date

583.90 50 .30-06 3/25/51
583.91 50 .270 3/25/51
583.92 50 .30-06 _/_/__
583.93 50 .270 9/28/51
583.94 50 .270 9/28/51
583.95 50 .270 _/_/__
583.96 50 .30-06 9/28/51
583.97 50 .30-06 9/28/51
583.98 50 .30-06 9/28/51
583.99 51 .270 12/22/5_
583.100 51 .30-06 12/22/5_
.
583.126 52 .222 _/_/55
.
583.5100 51L .30-06
583.5101 51L .270
583.5102 51L .308
583.5103 51L .243


A typical roll mark will read:

J. C. HIGGINS, MODEL 50, SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO. 583.93

and is usually rolled on the left side of the barrel just forward of the receiver.





Taken from data on sheet 4 of 5 compiled by J. J. Reardon __ 1/28/77

Transcribed by John J. Stimson, Jr. __ 6 April, 2002

Released _____ 6 April, 2002, Revised ___ 28 December, 2003

� John J. Stimson, Jr. 2002, 2003

JC Higgins rifles were assembled by High Standard. You can see by the chart that yours was assembled in Sept of 1951. The actions were FN 98's. I have 3 of them currently. They are without question my favorite hunting rifles. I have 2 30-06's and 1 270. The 270 will shoot 3/4 inch groups with every type of ammo I've had through except Remington. I used it this year to harvest a Spike Elk,







The 30-06, a 1 inch rifle, has provided the best shot I've ever made on a game animal. I was hunting in the Rimrock at 6500 feet when I jumped a small 3x4 Blacktail/Mulie cross out of his bed. I dropped him with one shot right behind his shoulder.







Both rifles have had the stocks cut down to a 13 1/4 LOP, and have Bold triggers, and Sunny Hill FN factory shrouds. Triggers are set to 3lbs. These rifles are better made rifles than just about any rifle made today, save maybe the CZ 550. You can usually find them for 300.00 or less. I wouldn't give any more than that. I also have a Commercial FN Supreme, that has been only test fired. The quality of that rifle is obviously much nicer than the JC Higgins. The other JC Higgins is going to be rebarreled to another caliber. Maybe. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You can also find the JC Higgins Model 51. It was an upgraded rifle with checkering. Some of these will have Husqvarna actions. The Model 53 was a Ted Williams rifle with the then new post 64 Winchester action.

The 270 I have wears a Leupold 3x9, and the 30-06, a Burris 4x. Both rifles use Weaver bases and rings.