The JC higgins model 50 30,06 I bought got a bit of a test today. I wen't out to my usual spot in the woods and started shootin.
It was not long before I was reminded that its bow season here and I was not making any frends ,blasting away in the forest.
But I did get a few rounds off.
One thing I noticed right off is that the trigger pull witch seemed reasonably good off handed in my basment sighting in on knot holes is not very good at all off at 100 yards , off a pillow on my trucks hood.
Not to worry there is a Timney on the way from midway.(on sale for 50.00)
But I did get 2 165 grain Hornady bullets into the same hole ,and some 150 grain coated partitions put 3 into about an inch and a half.
I bet off a real bench with the timney I will cut those groups in half.
I didn't get to shoot the sierra 180s but I will try them soon. Might have to put that one away for a few weeks as its about time to get serious about deer season ! ...tj3006
Oh I almost forgot.
I put 3 rounds from my 45/70 into about 3 inches at 100 , off handed. They were alittle high, 1 was actually off the paper but I was shooting a 300 grain speer and its sghted for a 350 grain hornady.
That marlin with its VX2 Leupold 1X4 is sure fun and easy to shoot !
...tj3006

I, too, have a Higgens 50 in 30-06 and love it. Darn thing just shoots great!

My 30-06 JC Higgins model 50 copper fouled its barrel something fierce. I think that is the reason it was at the gun shop. I gave it to a local gunsmith for bore lapping. He claimed he used a hone. I have no idea how it worked but the barrel came back brighter. I think the bore is chromed, so I don't know what he did. Anyway it takes longer to copper foul, and until then, it shoots great.

I glass bedded the action. I also broke the original trigger when I stuck a M98 bolt in the action. When the sear is forward, the slotted sear on a M98 will reset the trigger and I broke it on cocking the action. Well now I have a Timney in the action, and it is a better trigger.

I am going to install a rubber recoil pad and stop messing with it. With a hard plastic buttplate it kicks like a mule.

I have a cheap Tasco 2X7 scope on the thing and it works. I have shot one deer with it, using 130 grain bullets, which go real fast and are quite accurate, and it is a fine rifle.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m17/tj3006/IMG_0157.jpg meet MR higgins.

TJ. GREAT looking rifle. It sounds like it has plenty of potential--although current performance is excellent in it's own right.

Good purchase!!

I think the stock is a prety piece of wood.
I would like to replace the plastic grip cap, and sand it down and refinish, I would also like to have it checkerd blued and mabye replace the sights, but How much of that ever happens is debateable...tj3006

That does not look like the original stock. All of mine had very plain walnut with a clubby almost classic style and no Monte Carlo. I think the Higgins M51 did come with a Monte Carlo stock though. I've never seen one.
I have one in 7x57, a rebarrel and restocked in a classic European pre-war style that is a tack driver. The fellow I got it from, it was a .270 at the time, had pulled some WW-2 GI brass and used a neck sizer to make .270 brass. he forgot about the corrosive priming, failed to clean it properly so I got into it real cheap. So, I had it rebarreled, and a new stock made up. it's one of my all time favorites.
The rest are all in 30-06 (soon to be changed.) One 06 is in a Butler Creek stock and is otherwise strictly stock. It too is a tack driver. Another 06 is totally stock and is so accurate it's downright scary. I have one other where the original owner slimmed down the factory stock. It's quite pretty. but I'm thinking it needs some bedding work as accuracy isn't all that good. If that doesn't work, I'll rebarrel it to .35 Whelen. I love those old Higgins.
Paul B.

Thomas Jones,

Funny, I was just working on MY JC Higgins model 50 ( FN Mauser, 30-06), shimmming up the real base .086".The Weaver base, as per the Weaver chart is the right height, but has narrow hole spacing. Had to get a Weaver #75, and add 0.086 brass shim.

I hade another FN mauser JC Higgins 15 years ago. It was an extra rifle, so I sold it. One of those things you learn to regret. I put a Timney trigger Sportsman trigger on that rifle. I had to remove some wood so the trigger would actually project through the stock. It wasn't difficult. I just had to take my time with a small chisel. As I remember, the new trigger didn't made any marked improvement in the grouping, but it sure broke nicely at 3 lbs.

The trigger on my current Higgins model 50 is quite nice. I'll leave it "as is." This one also has a very nice Marbles rear sight on it, and has a big white dot front sight which is very visible as I look down the sights out my basement door in the dark Maine woods.


When I saw my current Higgins for sale locally, I jumped all over it. The wood is plain, and original. It came with a Lyman Challenger 4x scope, which turned out to be a dud, and had busted internals.

You just can't beat the quality of these rifles. Haven't shot this one yet. My other Higgins (30-06) shot ~ 2" groups at 100 yards with a 4X scope. I just wanted a solid "whatever rifle"/loaner. I don't see them that often, and I didn't want to wait another 15 years.

They are great rifles. Mine has a 10" twist barrel. I will try some 180 grain bullets it then some 165's. I also have some 220 grainers that I'm curious about how they will shoot (have 2 boxes of old Winchesters from a garage sale sitting on my shelf I got for $5/each). Figure the fast twist would be ok with them. Just have to do some reloading, and shooting soon.

Enjoy your Model 50 JC Higgins. They truly "don't make them like this anymore." They aren't as finely finished as a Browning Safari Grade, but I was looking for function, not shiny.

I took my Model 50 JC Higgins (30-06) out to the gravel pit this afternoon for my first shooting session with it. I shimmed up the rear base .086" , and put an older Weaver 4x with 2 inch dot on top. Shot Rem factory 180 grainers at 100 yards. 5 shot groups were 1.7".

The Weaver scope is pretty nice. It's an older model (pre-microtrac). Not sure if the age matches the rifle, but it's close. Sort of a vintage matched set up. I do like that 2 MOA dot.

I'm happy with it. Now I have some 30-06 brass to reload. Have some Hornady 165's, Win Power point 180 grainers, and 220 Winchester round nose (for a giggle later).

I'm happy with it. Got the Marbles iron sights adjusted too. 12 MOA front white sight was fun to shoot. The ladder rear sight raised the group 3" at 50 yards (or 6 moa, from the middle of the bead to the top of the bead). Good to know for potential use later.

I like it.

I've had 3 or 4 of those FN actioned rifles over the years and all shot well.
I'm told they were made by HiStandard for Sears. HiStandard barrels.