How good are the actions on the Sears Model 50? It says built in Belgium, and is a mauser action.

Made in Belgium? You mean like FN? Let's see, a genuine made in Beligum FN Mauser action, good? Yup.

Just don't shoot it first before taking it apart, you may find it shoots so well that you can't bring yourself to disassemble it.

How good? I've been buying every one I've come across. My first was given to me by a late friend. It's on it's third stock. I keep falling down in some rugged spots and the stocks got broken.
I think they are a good rifle that is blessed with a bit of a clubby stock. (I'm small framed with small hands. Those with gorilla paws my like the stock much better.)Barrels are by High Standard and are chrome lined from what I understand. I haven't seen one yet that was a poor shooter. I think either Bishop of Fajen furnished the stocks, but that's a guess. One of the ones I have was the donor for my custom 7x57 Mauser. Another is in the planning stages for a .35 Whelen, another in planning for a 338-06.
If you plan on leaving it strictly stock, then the only change I really would suggest is change the trigger out for a Timney. The Higgins has the trigger pivoting on a pin and the sear on another. If the trigger pin that passes though the floor plate should wear thin and break or if the stock screws come loose the sear will not hold the firing pin back. At least this is what I have been told.
Here is a copy of the ownwer's manual for the M50. There are pictures there that should help explain what I'm talking about.
All I'll say is if the action is clean and the price it right, if it were me I'd jump on it. So, yes, I like them a lot. Excellent basis for customs too.


http://www.histandard.info/man...rifles/1083D150R.pdf

Paul B.

Good.

quote:

Just don't shoot it first before taking it apart, you may find it shoots so well that you can't bring yourself to disassemble it.

that's a fact!

They are among the very best... EVER!!

Well, I did not actually own the firearm until this afternoon. Pawn shop purchase for (don't hate me) $300 out the door (tax, title, etc).
I have it apart and it is really a good rifle. I am very impressed. The stock is not that bad. It's lines are more like a winchester featherweight. The metal to wood fit is very good. The stock needs refinishing, and I may have a local gunsmith do that.
I have looked at the pivot pin, and it seems OK. However a timmy would probably be better. I will shoot it before deciding anything. I will also switch to a known scope before test firing.
I am very pleased so far. After all these years this rifle may be what I wanted all along.

What is the scope?

I need a period correct scope for my 1955 Short side rail 8x57

Jpat,
The scope is a bushnell. Not the one that was sold with the rifle.

Mike,

Let me reiterate the warning ... if you are going to build a custom from it, DO NOT shoot the rifle before disassembling it!

I made that mistake. Just can't take apart a sub MOA .270 Win.

I have three of these actions. I built one into a .376/.416 Steyr Improved; one into a .338-06, and could not build the third as explained above.

I too will buy more as I run across them and can afford them.

quote:

Originally posted by mikethebear:
Well, I did not actually own the firearm until this afternoon. Pawn shop purchase for (don't hate me) $300 out the door (tax, title, etc).
I have it apart and it is really a good rifle. I am very impressed. The stock is not that bad. It's lines are more like a winchester featherweight. The metal to wood fit is very good. The stock needs refinishing, and I may have a local gunsmith do that.
I have looked at the pivot pin, and it seems OK. However a timmy would probably be better. I will shoot it before deciding anything. I will also switch to a known scope before test firing.
I am very pleased so far. After all these years this rifle may be what I wanted all along.

That was a damn good price. Most I'm seeing in my neck of the desert are going for $400 to $475 and I've seen a few for $500 and a bit more.
Paul B.

quote:

Originally posted by mikethebear:
Jpat,
The scope is a bushnell. Not the one that was sold with the rifle.

Where is that scope?

I've got a M50 that's been turned into a .375 Ruger. And no, I didn't shoot the original .270 Win first beforehand.

Does anyone know of a source of bases that will fit them without having to drill another hole in the receiver bridge?

The scope is on the shelf. It is a Bushnell Sportview. Not of the era of the rifle. If you want it we can arrainge something. But, I don't think it is what you want.

quote:

Originally posted by Mauser98:
I've got a M50 that's been turned into a .375 Ruger. And no, I didn't shoot the original .270 Win first beforehand.

Does anyone know of a source of bases that will fit them without having to drill another hole in the receiver bridge?

If you have the .860" rear spacing Talley makes bases to fit. Otherwise, if Weaver is your style it is easy enough to make a base from a Weaver blank.

I think Talley's are available for the rear in 0.860" spacing.

I made my own custom mounts.

quote:

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:
Does anyone know of a source of bases that will fit them without having to drill another hole in the receiver bridge?

If you have the .860" rear spacing Talley makes bases to fit. Otherwise, if Weaver is your style it is easy enough to make a base from a Weaver blank.

This is correct. Talley is the only current source for a mount for the .860" rear spacing.

But I do have a custom mount made by Jim Kobe that I would be willing to sell. It is a Leupold dovetail/windadge adjustable style that nicely covers the rear bridge without blocking the loading port. It is very nice, and I would be willing to sell it for what I have into it(+-$30) as I have gone a different direction on my two .860 spaced M50s.

I also have a set of the original JC Higgins scope mounts and rings if anyone needs them.

$300 is what I paid for mine a few years ago.






It came with an old Redfield on it but the cross hairs are canted. I'm going to send it in one of these days to get repaied along with an old Weaver Micro-Trac 2-7. I had a recoil pad added as my rifle was missing the old plastic butt plate. I've refinished the stock since the pictures were taken and she is even prettier now.

quote:

Made in Belgium? You mean like FN? Let's see, a genuine made in Beligum FN Mauser action, good? Yup.

Just don't shoot it first before taking it apart, you may find it shoots so well that you can't bring yourself to disassemble it.

I bought mine a couple of years ago from a Pawn Shop in Lubbock in 270. It wore a Swift 3x9 scope. Planned on using it as a donor for a 6.5-06 project. Friend drew a deer tag with me and I decided to let him use it. Couple of boxes of Remington 150 gr. from Walley World was fodder of choice. Long story short, it put 4 of these into .64 group at 100 and I couldn't bear to pull the trigger for the 5th. I immediately bought all the 270 from the same lot at both our WWs and now have a ugly but accurate 270 with 200 rounds of factory ammo. I also had to find another donor for the 6.5-06 and have a Midland (Spanish action) in 270 that gets the nod, and I do not plan to shoot it beforehand.

Check out my Model 50 in .270 just listed in the classified forum.

Well, everyone was right. I mounted a Nikon Buckmaster 3x9 on the Model 50, and sighted it in with Remington green box 165 grain corelok.
First two shots overlaped at 100 yards.
Group ended up at about .75 inches after sighting in at 100yards. Dayum.
It has a stock that needs refinished, and ejection problems. I think the ejector slot may just need cleaning out.

What aftermarket trigger should I get? I want a trigger with a steel housing and not aluminum.

That was the quickest sighting in session I have ever had. Used 12 cartridges.

timney is what I installed in mine.....now a .458WM. just a very good Mauser.

An FN is not a Mauser, its an Fabrique Nationale, its its own action, mostly based on the Mauser design..or so I have been scolded by some of the best smiths in the world...I'll never make that mistake again..

i have 3 Model 50s. 1 30 06 and 2 270s. i put a nice pc of English and 3 position safeties and they have made into excellent sporters. J.Brown if you still have those bases for sale id be glad to take them . P.M me and i sent the funds.

quote:

Originally posted by mikethebear:
How good are the actions on the Sears Model 50? It says built in Belgium, and is a mauser action.

The .30-06 I used to own had nice wood stock with checkered steel butt plate. While marked JC Higgins was actually High Standard High-Power Deluxe rifle.