I am by no means an expert on shotguns, but at that price I would say that you got a great deal for that one.

I do recall something about that shotgun that you should be aware of is that the earlier ones could ‘slam shotgun fire’. Because they did not have a disconnector in the trigger assembly, if you go to stroke the pump while holding the trigger down it will fire as soon as the chamber is closed on the fresh round. Just something to be aware of I think.

Some might think having the ability to speed dump a full magazine of rounds might be cool, but that sounds like a waste of good ammo to me.


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I am by no means an expert on shotguns, but at that price I would say that you got a great deal for that one.

I do recall something about that shotgun that you should be aware of is that the earlier ones could ‘slam shotgun fire’. Because they did not have a disconnector in the trigger assembly, if you go to stroke the pump while holding the trigger down it will fire as soon as the chamber is closed on the fresh round. Just something to be aware of I think.

Some might think having the ability to speed dump a full magazine of rounds might be cool, but that sounds like a waste of good ammo to me.


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My Ithaca model 37 will do that as well.

 

When I looked at it, I thought High Standard shotgun, probably 1960’s…
Turns out High Standard made JC Higgins shotguns. JC Higgins being just a trade name for Sears.
Like my Western Auto Revelation 12ga pump, which is in all respects, a Mossberg 500.

 

Fun gun trivia fact: JC Higgins was a real person, he was an account executive for Sears Roebuck; someone in Sears marketing thought that the name sounded very outdoorsy, like a classy guy who would duck hunt , shoot clays, etc; Sears paid Higgins a royalty to use his name on a line of hunting and firearms rellated items- shotguns, cleaning kits , hunting clothing, etc-...... The line did well, for years. The funny thing was that Higgins himself didn't hunt, he was a golfer.....

 

J.C. Higgins was a Sears house brand - they didn't actually make guns. It's a High Standard Model 200 rebranded for Sears.

 

Good bit of insight. Thank you.

I am by no means an expert on shotguns, but at that price I would say that you got a great deal for that one.

I do recall something about that shotgun that you should be aware of is that the earlier ones could ‘slam shotgun fire’. Because they did not have a disconnector in the trigger assembly, if you go to stroke the pump while holding the trigger down it will fire as soon as the chamber is closed on the fresh round. Just something to be aware of I think.

Some might think having the ability to speed dump a full magazine of rounds might be cool, but that sounds like a waste of good ammo to me.


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Thanks! I didn’t have a shotgun and wanted one for general purpose mostly as a house HD gun. At $140 and how dirty it was I was worried but an old timer who works there walked me through it, assured me it was good, and had the gunsmith check it again.

How do I avoid slam fire and a ND?

When I looked at it, I thought High Standard shotgun, probably 1960’s…
Turns out High Standard made JC Higgins shotguns. JC Higgins being just a trade name for Sears.
Like my Western Auto Revelation 12ga pump, which is in all respects, a Mossberg 500.

Yes, I was reading about it being a store brand made by other major manufacturers of the time, which ultimately in this case is a good thing. I read that the same models name brand cost much more.


these are considered reasonable quality right?

Congrats. I picked up a JC Higgins 12 guage bolt action awhile back. Was made before serial number days. Made by high standard.

How has it treated you? This one is pre serial number too. What year range does it make it?

 

I love those old shotty’s from that era. Good score

 

It looks and feels classic.

 

Congrats. I picked up a JC Higgins 12 guage bolt action awhile back. Was made before serial number days. Made by high standard.

 

i grew up using my dads in 12 gauge. a little heavy but solid and reliable...

 

You'll need to clean this shotgun often. They don't like to get dirty from what I can remember. Except for that it's a pretty amazing point to start your adventure with 12 gauge pumps. Perhaps one of the best available. Congratulations!

 

Thanks!

 

Nice! I like the looks of it. And you stole it for that price!

 

Congrats! We inherited a model 20 12 gauge years ago. It runs great! No serial number, so unsure of age.

 

Wow very nice!

 

What do people think about getting swivels for a sling drilled?

 

Go for it. It’ll never be a high dollar collectors item so you won’t really devalue it by making it more user friendly for yourself

 

I have a friend who collects these old Sears shotguns. He swears that they're the best out there😁. He has a few dating back to the 30's. Around here they run in the $150 to $250 range depending on condition and what Guage they are of course. If you need hard to find replacement parts for repairs, according to my friend, Numrich is the place to shop.

 

That’s good to know there are parts available. Some online posts said they couldn’t find parts. Does Numrich have a site?

 

OMG my dad had one, where it I now I don't know, I will have to ask my brother, I used one with my Dad on many a pheasant hunt in rural Michigan.
It lived in the basement closet under the stairs in a green zippered gun case forever as I grew up.
I left home and spent twenty-one years serving my country and cannot remember if I asked my Dad about it, his 12 Ga, or the .22 I hunted with in many a farm and field.
Maybe he sold them, I have his M1 Garand he used to take many a deer, but I wish I had that .20 ga pump, it never failed me, ever.
You my friend have a great well made (IMHO) shotgun. I long for the days with Dad, and our Dog "Checkers" in the field for pheasants and rabbits.
I cleaned, oiled, and loved that .20 ga.
Good luck with it.

Again thank you for the memories, It never had a sling on it, cleaned up easy, all metal wiped down with oily rag was all before we put it back in its case and in the closet under the stairs.

I have a couple Mossberg 590's now for HD, but sure wish I had our old one too.

 

My first shotgun was a Ted Williams. I think I got it at Sears.

 

Shotguns are addictive….especially when you wrap your mind around the fact that they are the most devastating firearm the average person can buy…. I’ve got a safe full of them lol and this one stays by the bed, and in the truck

 

At close range it seems there is truth to that. I was looking at a stopping power chart yesterday and 12 gauge slugs were up there with many of the most powerful big bore rifles.

 

SEARS AND ROEBUCK FIREARMS

Sears and Roebuck Firearms

gun-data.com

 

https://www.gunvaluesboard.com/i-have-a-jc-higgins-model-20-id-583.2003-was-curios-to-year-and-approximate...-603618.html

 

I saved this thread to say NICE

 

I bought one, 3", 12 gague, from the long gone Sears store at Cloverleaf Mall about 1976-77 or so. I paid $99.00 for it. It came with two barrels, a 20" rifle sight slug barrel, and a 28" Modified choke barrel. I've never used the slug barrel, it was my buckshot gun. It carred 3" number 1 buck just fine. No idea how many deer I killed with it but it was a few. I never had to shoot but one more than twice. Normally, the gun cracked, they went down and stayed down.

I painted it camo when the stock finish started to wear. I put a sling on it using "Bubba engineering". I drilled the stock for a sling swivel, and used a radiator hose clamp to secure the front to the magazine tube. A few turns of electrical tape protected the metal from the hose clamp. A few more over the clamp, completed the "camo" job. It was supposed to temporary. It was. I only used it that way for twenty years or so.

I've had other shotguns over the years. I bought a 3" magnum Remington 1100 figuring it would replace "that old piece of Sears junk" but it never did. Most of the time it was strapped to the roll bar of my Jeep with a bungie cord, but it traveled just tossed in the back of a pickup truck many a time too. It got cleaned once a season rather it needed it or not. It never failed me.

It still rests in a place of honor in my safe, but I haven't fired it in years.

 

I bought one, 3", 12 gague, from the long gone Sears store at Cloverleaf Mall about 1976-77 or so. I paid $99.00 for it. It came with two barrels, a 20" rifle sight slug barrel, and a 28" Modified choke barrel. I've never used the slug barrel, it was my buckshot gun. It carred 3" number 1 buck just fine. No idea how many deer I killed with it but it was a few. I never had to shoot but one more than twice. Normally, the gun cracked, they went down and stayed down.

I painted it camo when the stock finish started to wear. I put a sling on it using "Bubba engineering". I drilled the stock for a sling swivel, and used a radiator hose clamp to secure the front to the magazine tube. A few turns of electrical tape protected the metal from the hose clamp. A few more over the clamp, completed the "camo" job. It was supposed to temporary. It was. I only used it that way for twenty years or so.

I've had other shotguns over the years. I bought a 3" magnum Remington 1100 figuring it would replace "that old piece of Sears junk" but it never did. Most of the time it was strapped to the roll bar of my Jeep with a bungie cord, but it traveled just tossed in the back of a pickup truck many a time too. It got cleaned once a season rather it needed it or not. It never failed me.

It still rests in a place of honor in my safe, but I haven't fired it in years.

I like the history and stories with such guns. I’m old enough to remember when Sears had a brick and mortar store in my town (80’s and 90’s), but likely they no longer sold guns there. It seemed to be mostly clothes and appliances.

 

First OP, I think you did well and have a good shotgun, just keep your finger away from the trigger while cycling and no problems.

I have a JC Higgins Bolt action 22, detachable magazine, made by Marlin. Mom was a Catalog Sales Manager at a Catalog outlet. We had everything Sears

The first shotgun I fired was a 16-gauge bolt action JC Higgins

Thanks for the memories.

 

Congratulations OP on a great purchase!

 

Thank you!

 

Also, start off with birdshot/ trap/ clay loads, the recoil is considerably less, so you will be able to focus on learning the gun , as well as being able to shoot more rounds. You can move to buckshot after that, in small measures.

When you shoulder that gun, pull it TIGHT into your shoulder ( most people like the " pocket" of the shoulder, that crease where your arm and torso meet) .....the biggest mistalke I see less experienced shotgun people make is holding the gun too loosely to their shoulder; this intensifies the recoil, don't do it.

Also, if you find the recoil too stout, you can pick up a Limbsaver slip-on recoil pad, they help quite a bit.

 

Also, start off with birdshot/ trap/ clay loads, the recoil is considerably less, so you will be able to focus on learning the gun , as well as being able to shoot more rounds. You can move to buckshot after that, in small measures.

When you shoulder that gun, pull it TIGHT into your shoulder ( most people like the " pocket" of the shoulder, that crease where your arm and torso meet) .....the biggest mistalke I see less experienced shotgun people make is holding the gun too loosely to their shoulder; this intensifies the recoil, don't do it.

Also, if you find the recoil too stout, you can pick up a Limbsaver slip-on recoil pad, they help quite a bit.

Thanks for the good insights. The first five shells I shot were bird shot. I have a box of 25 #6 shells so I’ll try those out. I also have 00 buck, #4 buck, slugs, and reduced recoil slugs. I’ll try to ease into it with the bird shot. I bought some mini shell slugs in a box of 20, which are also supposed to have less recoil, but I read they don’t cycle well.