Thoughts/experience with a JC Higgins model 20 12 ga w/ Power Pak choke system?

rjm6120

rjm6120

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An LGS near me recently got in an excellent condition JC Higgins model 20 12 gauge shotgun with a complete PowerPak choke system and vent rib barrel. I have never seen one of these before and tend to be partial to older/unusual firearms.

IIRC the tag had $419 on it. I didn't ask for it to be taken out of the case lest I would be immediately smitten. That being said it's a great looking shotgun with a certain quasi-historical cool factor going for it.

Does anyone here on the forum own/have any experience with this gun and more importantly, thoughts on the price for this? Seems a touch high to me but what do I know?
 
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It was our "family" shotgun when I was growing up. It was a very solid and well-made gun. Front heavy. It shot low for me. When I took possession of it I had to stick several layers of moleskin on the stock in order to raise the point of impact.
Harvested a lot of small game with that gun. It fed me through college. Later, I sold it off to a co-worker. Stocks were some kind of heavy, light colored wood. It was nice to be able to change chokes. A friend took a deer with it. He shot low, too.
Kind of over-engineered by todays standards.
That choke system got comments from my non-gun friends like "Is that a silencer"?

It would be an excellent gun for someone who is into unusual guns. The guy I sold it to said it worked real good on quail. I remember getting a triple with it. IIRC it had two beads and one was ivory. Having two beads helped with shooting slugs.

I'd like to see a picture.
 
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I have a JC Higgins model 20 made by High Standard. Mine was a 28'' plain barrel until I cut it off. If that's what your gun is it is sort of a simplified non take down Winchester model 12 and will slam fire. Old fashion design with bolt locking lnto a recess in the receiver. They are good guns but not high $. These old choke systems are not popular these days. Pay $419 and don't expect to be able to get your money back in my opinion. My experience with poly chokes and similar is as above. The added weight makes them shoot low, exactly what you don't want for hunting.
 
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alwslate said:
My experience with poly chokes and similar is as above. The added weight makes them shoot low, exactly what you don't want for hunting.
Click to expand...

I'm a small person. It seemed to shoot better for bigger, more muscular people. I took the recoil pad off to shorten the pull.
 
If the gun is in good condition it is likely twice the gun any modern shotgun in that price range will be. If the adjustable choke was properly installed it will work as well as modern screw chokes.

One of my favorite bird guns is a Remington 31 with a factory nstalled Poly Choke. It is much handier than screw in chokes.
 
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I’ve got one in great shape (at least for its age—there’s a speck of rust on it here and there) with a full choke, plain 28” barrel. Haven’t shot it yet but it’s on my list to do so. I think I paid $220 out the door a year ago.

I got one because it reminds me of my 90 year old grandpa. One setup just like the one you describe has been his only shotgun his whole life. Killed lots of game with it, and even I’ve killed at least one squirrel with it myself. No telling how much game dad killed with it when he was younger…probably a boat load of squirrels and quail.
I’m a bit jealous…wish mine had the power pac system. Overall it’s a heavy, all steel shotgun with the only weak link being occasionally some will break the action bar, or so I have read. But if you don’t work it super aggressive all the time that probably won’t ever be an issue.
$419 is probably max retail, but I’d buy it without a second thought personally. They don’t make them like that anymore….
 
The JC Higgins SG is a basic line made to their spec's by High Standard. They are plane Jane guns and have basic finishes and accoutrements. That said, they do work and can usually be bought at low prices. They will get the job done.
 
Nice slick operating shotguns. Designed by Fred Humeston(sp?), one of the designers of the M1 Carbine when he worked for Winchester during WW2.
He went over to H/Stdr'd after the war as a designer and R&D.

The Sears JCHiggins Mod 20 was made by H/S but made and marked for Sears sales only the first several years after introduction.
The H/S Mod 200,,the same shotgun, didn't appear in the H/S lineup till several yrs later.

These are post WW2, late 40's/early 50's introductions. They came before the popular High Standard 'Flite-King' model shotguns.

All steel and walnut.

The Power=Pac Choke is/was designed for the older card and fiber wad shot shells if that time.
The payload of shot and wads actually jumps an open gap inside the cage in the choke. It's there that the gas is vented off and directed to the side and back to lower recoil.
he choke tube is in front of course and is replaceable so different chokes can be used.

Sometimes when using 'modern' shells with plastic petal wads, the wads start to open in that gap and the petals get stripped off and stuck in the vents.

More of an annoyance than anything else, but should be picked out of there as they appear.

Extra choke tubes are out there , Ebay being a source.
There is/was one company still mfg'g replacements the last I knew.
That was Carlson's Choke Tubes.
Choke Tube dot com - Choke Tubes for Benelli, Beretta, Remington, Winchester, Mossberg and More! | Long Beard, TSS, Turkey, Waterfowl, Sporting Clays, Magazine Extensions and More! | Carlson's Choke Tubes Official Web Site | The Proof is in the Pattern™
 
We had one just as you described for years. It was a good dependable pump shotgun, though a little on the heavy side. The screw in choke tubes were marked as long, medium and short range. One of them was much shorter than the other two, leaving a wider gap. Recoil did seem less, but it was a heavy gun too, and louder!
Never had a problem with modern plastic wads and we shot lots of reloads with it using them.
They come up for sale often at gun auctions around here and the ones in very good condition sell for around $150. Never over $200. The GS is way overpriced.

John
 
Thanks for the responses, all. This one might have to marinate with me for a few days. I'll advise if I decide to pick it up.
 
I misread the price in the OP as $149 and was about to say "jump on it". I have one my dad won on a ten-cent raffle ticket 60 some years ago. Solid working man's shotgun. Mine has a fixed full choke plain barrel. One feature I appreciate is the magazine cutoff. Makes crossing ditches and fences simpler. Don't know that I'd pay $419 for a replacement.
 
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