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Was back at the local gunshop again today. They still have a M51 J.C. Higgins there for sale. As you all know, it is an FN Mauser action with IIRC a Hi-standard barrel, which was retailed solely by the old Montgomery Ward stores. This one, which is at the Cave Creek Armory in Cave Creek, Arizona has an NRA Excellent bore, NRA VG+ bluing, and what I believe is the original stock finish (but could have had a very thin coat of finish applied long ago). It is missing the iron rear barrel sight, but does have an appropriate to the period Weaver K-4 on it with medium crosshair reticule. Overall, I would rate the gun at 96% to 98%. Even the original plastic buttplate is shiny & intact, with no cracks or chips. Nice also in that it has not had the buttstock cut nor an aftermarket pad installed. I have nothing to do with this gun, so I haven't posted anything about it in the classifieds, as I am not involved in selling it or profiting from the sale if it does sell. Other than a brand new one which I sold some years ago in Oregon, I have not seen a better one for sale in at least 20 years. Cave Creek Armory is asking $349.50 for it, and I suspect might go a bit lower. If anyone is interested in it, their phone number is 480-595-2858...ask for Jeff as he is the co-owner of the shop who took it in trade. I hope some one who needs a nice mauser buys it. I don't want a 12th .30-06  . | ||
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That's a great deal, but I am also somewhat "overstocked" on ' 06s. | |||
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Thanks AC.  Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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AC. the only mistake I cas in your post was it was made for "Monkey" Wards. J.C. Higgins id a Sears brand. I'm not surprised the barrel is pristine as they were chrome lined. I believe the M51 is a slightly fancier version of the J.C. Higgins M50, of which I have a few. I need another 06 like I need a hole in the head and if money wasn't so damn tight right now I'd snap that one up sight unseen. I just had to put new shoes on my 4x4 which kind of messed up my discertionary spending for a while. FWIW, that's a petty decent price for the gun considering the FN action. Paul B. | |||
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"Pretty decent"? Less than $400 for a scoped FN with a chrome lined barrel, in 98%? Well, I guess... that is a squeal of a deal for any scoped rifle nowadays. Bare actions go for that and a bunch more! | |||
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I will let you know how good a deal it was when I receive it.  Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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Thanks for the correction, Paul. I used to shop a lot at both when I was young, and always did get their proprietary brand names mixed up. I thought "Ted Williams" was the Sears label. These days I won't shop at Sears for anything. I have been screwed out of so many hundreds of dollars by the predatory abuse of their "warranty & parts" folks, that I won't even drive through their parking lot to get to the street next to the malls they are in. | |||
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Well, 96% might be more what I'd rely on. I put 96% to 98% because I am never quite sure how folks count percentages these days. I much preferred the old NRA terms for condition, but it seems every time I use them, folks then ask me, "What does that mean? What % is it?" Always seemed to me the condition terms the NRA used to publish every month in the American Rifleman were about as useful and accurate as one could get. Trouble is, few folks ever seemed to bother to read what the terms actually required for a gun to fit into one of them. Mike - If you are not satisfied with the gun when you get it, just let me know. I don't really want yet another '06, but as I led you onto this one, if it doesn't fit your pistol, I will back you up 100% and buy it from you for what you paid. | |||
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AC, Nobody held a gun to my head. As long as the action is sound I can't lose. But, that was a mighty generous offer you made. Thanks. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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It is along with the J.C. Higgins name. FWIW, J. C. Higgins is a person who never existed. Some Sears & Roebuck executive literally pull the name out of thin air because it sounded dignified. Ted Williams was a famous baseball star. Paul B. | |||
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Two days late ... drat! Great rifles. Amazing what once was sold by Sears! I only have three so still have a place in the safe for one more (regardless of how full it is). Mike -------------- DRSS, Womper's Club, NRA Life Member/Charter Member NRA Golden Eagles ... Knifemaker, http://www.mstarling.com | |||
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Wrong. From the Sears Archives: "J.C. Higgins: 1908-1964 Many people ask if there was a real "J.C. Higgins" who worked for Sears. There certainly was. John Higgins began working for Sears in 1898 as the manager of the headquarters' office bookkeepers and retired as company comptroller in 1930. "John Higgins" the employee became "J.C. Higgins" the brand name during a discussion in 1908 among Sears' executives of possible names for a new line of sporting goods. At this point, the story gets a bit murky, but Higgins' name was suggested and John Higgins consented to Sears use his name. Since he did not have a middle initial, Sears added the "C." In 1908, the Western Sporting Goods Company in Chicago began putting J.C. Higgins on baseballs and baseball gloves sold in Sears catalogs. By 1910, the J.C. Higgins trademark was extended to cover footballs and basketballs. Later, the popularity of the Higgins brand—combined with the wider participation of American youth in sports—led Sears to place tennis equipment, soccer balls, volleyballs, boxing equipment and baseball uniforms in the J.C. Higgins line. By the 1940s, J.C. Higgins represented all Sears fishing, boating and camping equipment. After the Second World War, Sears consolidated all sporting goods under the J.C. Higgins brand name and added it to a line of luggage. The J.C. Higgins brand disappeared shortly after Sears introduced the Ted Williams brand of sporting and recreation goods in 1961." "AC. the only mistake I can see in your post was it was made for "Monkey" Wards. J.C. Higgins is a Sears brand." Montgomery "Monkey" Wards also offered a house brand FN actioned sporter about the same time (Western Field). Harrington & Richardson, Sako, Weatherby, Browning, HVA, Winslow, Marlin, Colt, Parker Hale and others also used the FN Deluxe or Supreme. NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS. Shoot & hunt with vintage classics. | |||
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I have a JC Higgins model 50 in 30-06. Put a Nikon buckmaster scope on it, and it shoots better than any rifle I ever had with Remington green box ammo. Better than I can hold it. Now has a timmy trigger. I have been looking for a 270. | |||
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The Western Field rifles used FN Supreme actions while the JC Higgins used FN Deluxe actions. I like the Sako trigger of the Supreme better but like the Deluxe's safety & shroud better. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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 NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS. Shoot & hunt with vintage classics. | |||
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fla3006, What do you think of the Supreme bottom metal? It is hinged, but I think I prefer the Deluxe unit better. Seems more graceful and the lack of a hinge never bothered me much. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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Mike, I prefer the Deluxe, much like military. Don't really care for the overall configuration of the Supreme, not as nice as Argentine or most of the aftermarket stuff, or early Mark X. At least most are steel. NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS. Shoot & hunt with vintage classics. | |||
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I just love this old proprietary stuff. Not only did Sears use the J.C. Higgins and Ted Williams brand names, but shortly before Sears got out of the sporting goods business they sought to update to a more contemporary brand using the baseball pitcher "Catfish Hunter". Now think about it, can you imagine a better name for your hunting and fishing equipment than "Catfish Hunter"? I have a Sears Catfish Hunter autographed soft rifle case, but that is the only example I own. Wards used two brands: "Westernfield" (not Western Field as you will often see) for its firearms and "Hawthorne" for its ammunition and possibly some other products. Not only did both Sears and Wards rifles use the excellent FN actions, but both also had rifles with Sako actions! Not to be outdone, J.C. Penney had a proprietary line, but the person's name attached to it escapes me at the moment. Maybe someone remembers. Western Auto used "Revelation" for their products, which were made by both Savage and Mossberg, and maybe a couple of others. I think that Marshall Fields of Chicago sold some proprietary guns and gear, but I don't know of their brand. And of course back in the early 1900's, just about any local hardware store that sold more than two shotguns a year was able to have their own brand name gun produced. I'm a Sako enthusiast and own or have owned Sakos branded Browning, H&R, Wards, and Colt. I'm possibly zeroing in on a J.C. Higgins. The ones (that I know of) which are yet to go are Marlin, Anschutz, O'brien, Winslow, Magnum Research, North American Grizzly, and Beretta. It is my belief that High Standard barreled and stocked the Wards and some of the Colt Sakos, and possible some more brands. | |||
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Actually, it's WesternField.  Oddly enough, my first rifle came from JC Penny. While Mom was shopping for household goods, I talked the lady behind the sporting goods counter into letting me put a Marlin (Glenfield 30A) on layawy. I was 15. Mom of course had to fill out the 4473 when I paid it off. The world is a different place. But I remember cruising the Western Auto, Ace Hardware, JC Penny, Monkey Wards, and Sears sporting goods sections. It made being dragged around shopping much more bearable. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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Stonecreek, were you the guy who beat me out of this? SakoMonkeyWards NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS. Shoot & hunt with vintage classics. | |||
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My granddad's brother,our Uncle Fred...was a gun nut into some shady business..(read that as Moonshine)before the War...he use to leave stuff at my Grandfather's ... since he was 'respectable' as my Granddad would say.. Back in the 60s, my granddad had several BARs and Thompsons in his gun cabinet...when we use to ask him to show them to us..( let us get our hot little hands on them) he'd tell us NO..those belong to Fred...not me... But having acquired those either in the 20s or 30s...Fred had bought those at a local Hardware Store/Western Auto... | |||
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One Xmas many moons ago my older brother got a brand new two wheeler bicycle that my dad purchased at Monkey Wards. It was labeled Hawthorne. Wow, what a bike, it had EVERYTHING you could put on it at that time. The croos bar tank covers (where the 6 volt battery was housed) sealed beam headlight, horn, turn signals and break light, spring front end suspension, leather seat also with spring suspension, white wall tires, and rear carrier. Thing was very very heavy too! | |||
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Lol, I bid on that one too. Didn't win though. As a consolation prize a friend gave me an L59 action. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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I dragged a J.C. Higgins .270 home from the pawn shop and brother, it shoots. I bought it as a donor for my 9.3 project, but am having second thoughts about tearing it down... | |||
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Never fire a donor rifle! I have safes full of donor rifles for that very reason. Funny, all the JC Giggins model 50's I have accumulated have been in 270. Never came accross a .30-06 for sale. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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Nope, but I was watching that one in case it went for a bargain price! z1r: Thanks for the owners manual with the Western Field logo. Curiously, all of the gun barrels I have seen have been marked "Westernfield". I guess it depended on who was doing the graphics. | |||
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Buckshot, I do understand. I picked up a J. C. Higgins .270 that had been put into a Hogue stock from a pawn shop after it was mentioned by a member here. If I remember it was $310. Was gonna build a boomer with the action. Made the mistake of shooting it. Just can't tear down rifle in a rational chambering that holds sub MOA. Oh well  I now have a very serviceable .270! Mike -------------- DRSS, Womper's Club, NRA Life Member/Charter Member NRA Golden Eagles ... Knifemaker, http://www.mstarling.com | |||
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Mike / z1r, Noticed your comment on your preference for the deluxe style bottom metal. I have a nice clean assy from a Higgins 50 that I would trade (and then some) for a hinged assy from a Supreme. Please feel free to shoot me a PM if this might be of interest. Best, Bob | |||
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I learned my lesson the hard way with these. Bought a model 50 in .270 with a Swift 3x9 scope on it for $300 at a pawn shop in Lubbock a couple of years ago. Was going to be my donor for a 6.5-06. Friend needed a rifle for a deer hunt we were going on so I picked up a couple of boxes of Rem 150 gr. at Wally World and sighted it in. I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger for the 5th shot. It put 4 into a measured .64 at 100 yds.  I figured it didn't matter about the fifth shot, if you hadn't put it down by then, it wasn't going to be the guns fault. Bought all the Rem 270 150gr. the two local WWs had. Have a nice loaner with 200 rds now. Picked up a Midland Mauser in 270 with a Weaver K-6 for $300 last year to be the donor. I am not shooting it!!! I have never wanted a 270, but this one will stay that way. Thaine "Begging hands and bleeding hearts will always cry out for more..." Ayn Rand "Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here, we might as well dance" Jeanne C. Stein | |||
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I jsut recived the rifle and am very pleased with what I recieved. If it shoots as well as it looks, I guess I'll have acquired yet another boring but effective .30-06. If not, it may well be the basis for a 9,3x64. Can't lose either way. Thanks for the tip AC. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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When are we going to see pictures of your new toy? -------------------------------------------------------- Behavior accepted, is behavior repeated. | |||
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Lol, I'll try to get some by the weekend. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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J.C. Giggins?  Seriously though, all the ones that I've seen have been 30-06's. I did have one in .270 but the outside finish was terrible, the stock looked like it's been rode harde, dragged over the rocks and put away wet. Looks like it rode for a long time in a saddle scabbard. It didn't shoot all that well thanks to a very early Weaver K4. you know the kind where the reticle didn't stay centered. It is now a very sweet custom 7x57 Mauser with 23" barrel and European style stock with a schnable forend tip. It'll put 5 rounds of Winchester 145 gr. Power points into .75" consistantly.  Gotta love it.Paul B. | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Medium Bore Rifles M51 FN Mauser for sale in local shop
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