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I have a chance to purchase a J.C. Higgins pump shotgun, which I believe was actually made by High Standard. It's a Model 20, 12 gauge. Since 12 gauge sporting ammo is about the only type that there is no real reported shortage of, I thought that it wouldn't hurt to lay in a couple extra shotguns (hence the recent "boomstick"). Call it part of my shotguns and canned goods approach to investment strategy.
Are these a fairly solid/workmanlike gun in general? |
I have a chance to purchase a J.C. Higgins pump shotgun, which I believe was actually made by High Standard. It's a Model 20, 12 gauge. Since 12 gauge sporting ammo is about the only type that there is no real reported shortage of, I thought that it wouldn't hurt to lay in a couple extra shotguns (hence the recent "boomstick"). Call it part of my shotguns and canned goods approach to investment strategy.
Are these a fairly solid/workmanlike gun in general? |
A couple generations ago, the High Standard shotgun was one of the perenial police favorites for "riot gun" use. It, the Remington 870, and the Ithaca 37 Featherweight were nose-to-nose police choices. Since then, of course, with the demise of HS and Ithaca, only Remington 870 remains as the classic police shotgun. It is a good, sturdy, reliable design.
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My son has one.
It shoots well and he likes it. |
I had a J.C. Higgins pump 12 guage. Belive they were made by High Standard. Bought mine from Sears in about 1954 when I was 13. Shot a bunch of deer with slugs and the usual pheasants and rabbits. It got stolen about 5 years ago with many more.
Through the years the safety wore loose where it moved too easy and I had to watch it. Otherwise it was a fine shotgun. |
I've got two. They seem as well made as any contemporary Ithaca, Remington or Winchester I've handled.
The ex-police beater on top is my house gun. It's always been reliable. The bottom one is unfired. I inherited it from an Uncle's estate. He bought it for home defense during the Newark riots but never shot it. The only odd thing is the positions of the slide release and safety are reversed compared to a Remington 870. http://www.fototime.com/47CD95D2A4F6EB6/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/F35F7D8B1953C01/standard.jpg |
I bought one new years ago. It was a very good shotgun. Wish I had never let it go.
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I have one laying right next to me now, sold originally by Sears. Some previous owner cut the barrel down to 20", didn't do a good job of it... so I finished the job properly. Slickest shotgun I've ever handled...
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Dad has a Higgins bolt 16ga. It's the Sears store brand of shotguns, back when Sears was still a guy-friendly store. They contracted out the manufacture to a few different companies over the course of years, but I think they were always regarded as functional "working man's" guns. I know the 16ga handles very nicely.
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I have a police trade in beater that has served me well. It is a High Standard "Riot 7."
I recently paid $60 at a gun show for an old JC Higgins 12 gauge pump. It is the same gun as the Model 20. Mine turned out to be a single shot. The action will eject the spent shell, but it will not pick up shells from the tube. My gun smith has it now, trying to find a part. I guess I'll pick it up and fool with it myself trying to make it work. If not, I guess $60 isn't too bad for a single shot 12 gauge. I think you have a good idea about stocking up on the 12 gauge. Even 12 gauge #8 bird shot is pretty devastating out to about 15 yards. At bedroom ranges, it is as lethal as a 10 megaton bomb. I started buying 12 gauge ammo eight or ten years back. I don't shoot a whole lot of 12, and I would just usually buy four boxes if I thought I would need two for a dove shoot. If I saw some of the promo loads at wally world in late August, I would pick up a case. I got to checking a couple of weeks back and found 12s squirreled away in a half-dozen different places. |
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The first shotgun I purchased for myself was a High Standard 20g pump in 1971. At the time, real hunters used 12g and I really wanted a Remington 870, but could not afford one. It was a reliable, troublefree shotgun and I traded for a 12g at the first chance I got.
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Actually, I've been curious as to when mine was made, given that it has Sears Roebuck & Co. on it, along with the "Model 20" designation.
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Thank you, sar4937...
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