Soundnin

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 2:33 pm

I just recieved a 12 ga for Christmas from my wife's grandfather, here is what is stamped on it
LEFT SIDE, On Barrel
J.C. HIGGINS MODEL 20-12 GA.
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND C0 583 200
It also has a 'P' stamped near this lettering
RIGHT SIDE, On Barrel
PROOF TESTED-12GA-MOD
2 3/4' CHAMBER
Granpa did not remember when he bought it, but he guessed in the 50's.
I'm looking to use it as a field gun, and maybe shoot a little skeet with it (non-competitive, more as practice)
Any known problems with this model.
I am going to give it a real thorough cleaning before anything else, then swing by the local gunsmith to have it safety checked. (has not been fired since the 60's)

Post subject: Re: JC HIGGINS/SEARS Model 20

The JC Higgins Model 20 was made by High Standard, and is the same thing as the High Standard Model 200 and more-or-less the same as the HS Flite-King. The Flite-King was made in the '60s, but the Sears version was made before that. Numrich has parts for the JCH version http://www.e-gunparts.com/products.asp? ... 780z20&MC= and for the various versions of the HS Flite-King, such as this one http://www.e-gunparts.com/productschem. ... NG%20K-120

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 8:42 pm

they are very well made shotguns a little on the heavy side but great shooters. if you have the one with choke tubes all the better. i take mine out every chance i get ..tony

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 10:28 pm

Quick Question(s)
I have stripped it down to give it a good cleaning and re-blue the reciever & Barrel.
1- How do you remove the barrel (I am darn sure it is threaded)
2- How do you remove the stock?
Thanks.
I am a tad confuddled. I think it is just stuck, but I will ask before I do something stupid.
Thanks
Casey Bates

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 10:43 pm

I think this High Standard owner's manual will cover your JC Higgins gun. http://www.histandard.info/manuals/hpas ... 6D150R.pdf
The HS Flite King is covered in the Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/disassembly Part V Shotguns. I scanned it and didn't see any mention of removing the barrel. I don't think it can be removed except by a gunsmith.
However, this web site http://www.histandard.info/manuals/hpashotguns/
lists a separate version of the Flite King called the 'removable barrel series'. I don't think the JC Higgins is one of that series.

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 10:59 pm

mrben has started you in the right direction,but under no conditions try to remove your barrel it's not made to come off. i have heard horror stories of people trying to remove barrels and ended up with monster tool marks that can't be removed and that's such a waste of a nice shotgun....tony

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:24 pm

Can't remember the site that I found this on months ago, but jotted down the jch m20 rollmarks and the corresponding years of manufacture in order to date my own model 20. Says your 583.200 was built in 1955. mine is a 52. All steel and as someone posted, a bit heavy,but has an uncommonly smooth action. Cycles as if there were no bolt in the reciever. I see one at every gun show for $100 to $125. at that price everyone should have one for a spare beater.

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:33 pm

Almost forgot, does anyone know where to find a left hand safety for a higgins model 20?

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:59 pm

try here http://www.histandard.info/manuals/sear ... index.html

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 12:51 am

Just finished cleaning and reblueing it.
Cycles smooooth.
A little too late to test it though. I checked the feed/eject with dummy shells, and it works fine.

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 12:30 am

My first shotgun, which i purchased in 1958 and still have! They are VERY ROBUST. Simply clean, visually inspect for any cracks, function test and fire. I seriously doubt that you need a gunsmith to do that.
BTW, how can anyone date this gun from the roll marks? The # is not a serial number as these guns were before the GCA and is not a serial # but Model #? -Dick

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 2:41 am

The rollmark does not appear to refer directly to the date of manufacture, but rather to the particular lot of guns that was shipped to sears. Each mass order shipped seems to have been assigned a single number. For example, the first 3 digits (583) identify the manufacturer as high standard. While the remaining #s would refer to the shipment lot. Thus, the 4 shipments of model 20s sent to sears in 1955 were rollmarked 583.87, 583.88, 583.89, 583.200 No idea where they pulled these numbers from, but the site I found this on listed the rollmarks for shipments from 1947,till 1956.

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:51 am

Please supply the URL for the referenced site. Thanks. -Dick

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:24 am

Just click on the action style you want Budrichard... http://www.histandard.info/models/private/index.html 37featherlite nailed it.

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:03 pm

Budrichard Your discription of the higgins m20 as (very robust) does kind of hit it right on the nose, don't it? Just meant to add that I've always wanted to find a 20ga version of this gun. However, every higgins m20 in 20ga, as well as every High Standard marked pump in 20ga that I've run across seems to have had a significant redesign (for the worse). Maybe a cost cutting move, I dunno, as this was the general period when milling intensive designs were being dropped in favor of designs utilizing more stamped parts. At any rate, the 20 guage is just not the same gun as the 12

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 12:06 pm

Thanks for the URL!
My Model 20 spent many years hunting ducks and pheasant, squirrels and rabbits until retired about 1980. While I was in graduate school. my best friend had it for a number of years using it duck hunting on the Mississppi. It still is in 96% condition. Since it was my first shotgun, it will be retired with me. -Dick

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:39 pm

I know this is an ancient thread, but just found it doing a search. The roll numbers date my dad's JCHiggins shotgun the same as year of my birth. Sort of made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. It's in excellent shape, guess I'll have to take it out bird hunting this week.

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:24 pm

Hope this helps,
Sears Pump Action Shotguns
Ident. No. Model Gauge Roll Mark Date
583.53 20 12 8/26/47
583.54 20 12 2/17/48
583.55 20 12 11/29/48
583.56 20 12 11/29/48
583.55 20 12 11/01/49
583.56 20 12 11/09/49
583.57 20 12 9/10/51
583.58 20 12 9/10/51
583.59 20 12 5/17/52
583.60 20 12 5/17/52
583.61 20 12 4/22/54
.
583.87 20 12 _/3/55
583.88 20 12 2/3/55
583.89 20 12 2/3/55
.
583.200 20 12 2/21/55
583.2001 20 12 11/06/56
583.2002 20 12
583.2003 20 12
583.2004 20 12
583.2005 20 12
583.2006 20 12
583.2025 21 12
583.2050 20 16
583.2051 20 16
.
583.2075 21 20
583.2076 21 20
583.2078 21 20
583.2079 21 20
583.2080 21 20
583.2085 21 .410
583.2086 21 .410
583.2087 21 .410
A typical roll mark will read:
J. C. HIGGINS, MODEL 20, 12 GA. SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO. 583.88
and is usually rolled on the left side of the barrel just forward of the receiver.
Taken from data on sheet 2 of 5 compiled by J. J. Reardon _ 1/28/77
Transcribed by John J. Stimson, Jr. _ 6 April, 2002
Released ___ 6 April, 2002, Revised ___ 28 December, 2003
© John J. Stimson, Jr. 2002, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For questions about High Standard products, use the forum of this website
For questions about or problems with this website, contact: John Stimson, Jr.

Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 1:08 pm

My grandfather passed down to me a J.C. Higgins model 20-12ga and the barrel is 2 3/4 inches, so i got the shells that would fit it. When i went to shoot it, the shells fit into the chamber and would shoot, however they would not fit into the magazine because of the shoulder on the shell. The shells are standard regular shells. Do I need special shells?, or is there something i have to do with the gun to allow them to fit into the magazine?

Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 6:20 pm

Cleaning tip for these guns.... Always clean the inside of the receiver waaaaay up in the top. Junk builds up in a recess up in there. For example if you shoot a lot of clays or go to turkey shoots in the fall with this gun. Mine with the long range choke installed in South Carolina turkey shoots won pick-up truck loads of hams and turkeys. The build up (above part #9 the bolt) eventually clogs up the top of the receiver body and allows the bolt to open when firing. I.e. buildup prevents the bolt from locking completely. wow ! Scary when flames shoot out the right side... K W I M ? Any one else see this?