I have a JC Higgins Model 50 that is missing the rear sight -- does anyone know where to find one? I have looked at Brownell's with no luck, so wondering if there is a part that is interchangeable with this gun.

The one thing about those Higgins is they have strange looking rear sites. Some had elevator sites that are different backwards to what we are use to seeing

The early ones do have a backwards rear sight. Later ones use the standard dovetailed rear sight with elevator.

I probably have a box of them somewhere, PM me if you want me to look but you can use a lot of aftermarket sights that are usually better.
Does yours have the raised block or slotted barrel?

NT,

I used this rear sight for my 51 as I couldn't stand the open dovetail. From the looks of the bluing wear on my rifle, it had the older ramp/wedge style rear sight but I couldn't track one of those down so I went with the simple dovetail w/ adjustable elevator. Slid right into the dovetail with just a little persuasion.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/516164/lyman-rear-folding-leaf-sight-16b-345-high-elevates-to-445

Nighttrain,

I also have a JC Higgins Model 50 that is missing the rear site, and I have given up looking for the exact replacement, although like 458Win says, he and others may have them in boxes somewhere. It appears most eveyone took the sight off so a scope you clear.

I purchased the one I have as a donor, but made the common mistake of shooting it and now I cannot make myself take the barrel off.

I think some of the aftermarket sights will work, but may need a little work with a file to fit the dovetail correctly. I will look into that over the next few days myself, and if I find something I will get back to you. With my bad eyes I don't need open sights, but I would like to give it to one of my grandchildren and they all see very well.

I too used to always pull the barrels on those rifles as I read they were not accurtate - but now know that you can't trust everything gunwriters say

I know now that many of those rifles shot very well - plus many also had chrome lined barrels, which is a big asset in wet country

The J.C. Higgins Model 50 is very accurate - so much so that you can rebarrel one and you'll be lucky if the $500 you'll spend doing it gives you a rifle that shoots as well as it did before.

I can't believe that anyone who actually shot one would write otherwise.

Anyway, the early 50s had a sight that mounted on the very rear of the barrel, like the one shown:



Later Model 50s had a boss soldered to the barrel and a similar looking sight mounted the other way around.

The last one I picked up a year ago had the blocky sight base soldered on as well as a checkered dark walnut stock with a cheek piece that appears to be done by the factory. It also didn't have the plastic white spacers on the grip cap that is usually the distinctive feature that sets them apart in the sales rack.

Phil, that sounds more like a Model 51, either that or someone put an M51 stock on the gun.

On another note, one M50 I got into on the cheap was chambered to the .270 Win. and had that dovetail with the backwards rear sight. I just did not like the looks of that dovetail right over the chamber so when I decided I wanted a 7x57, you know which M50 was the donor. I might have a spare M50 sight in my junk box but it's in the shed and almost 90 in the shade right now. Shed'll be a lot hotter.
Paul B.

Just purchased one of these jc higgins model 50 rifles in .270 mine has the soldered on sight base on the barrel
Was looking for the correct original replacement rear sight and ramp for this model.
Found /purchased the original 2.5x scope and rings and bases for they had also been changed and or removed so one step ahead!
If you have the ramp and rear sight to sell please contact me for would really like to get this rifle back to stock configuration and that's the last parts needed to do it.
thanks and regards
keith

Found the sight and ramp so just waiting on the post mistress now. Thanks SuperCub