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mosinmaster
CGN frequent flyer
I think the sub-gauges by High Standard were a completely different design, at least the 20 gauge was. And not for the better.
No idea. I never got into them that deep and just saved one because it was a 28ga
Just remember a few in the the old man's gun shop in the 60's and 70's and believe me the high standard 200's or JC 20's were not hot sellers or seen as a higher end pumps like a wingmaster, 31, 12 or ithaca 37
If anything seen as a step down from a wingmaster justified or not
I look at it if they were at the top range of the pump pile like the others why so few around today or so few stashed one
When us old guys start the debate on the smoothest pump ever it is almost 99% the 31 vs model 12 and never is an old JC 20 mentioned
Cheers
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mosinmaster
CGN frequent flyer
So just to clarify on my research. JC Higgins was made by High Standard for Sears and Roebuck Co. from 1948 to 1960. By 1960, Sears changed store brands from JC Higgins to Ted Williams and dropped High Standard as a maker for Winchester who made the Model 1200 pump for them.
High Standard then evolved the Model 20 into the Model 200 Flite-King. Over the next couple of decades, the design was cheapened so there was eventual bad rep on the guns in the late 60s-70s. The design lives on in the Mossberg 500 series which is still around today.
The 1948-1960 JC Higgins Model 20 (by High Standard) is a good utilitarian pump with a lot of deluxe features for the price with some economizing of the Remington Model 31 design. I like my '67 Wingmaster and it does everything well since it was originally designed to be inexpensive, reliable, modular, and versatile.
My last research item (anecdotal, although I don't have a source yet), shows that the High-Standard model lost to the Remington 870 in US military shotgun trials because of its non-removable barrel.
High Standard then evolved the Model 20 into the Model 200 Flite-King. Over the next couple of decades, the design was cheapened so there was eventual bad rep on the guns in the late 60s-70s. The design lives on in the Mossberg 500 series which is still around today.
The 1948-1960 JC Higgins Model 20 (by High Standard) is a good utilitarian pump with a lot of deluxe features for the price with some economizing of the Remington Model 31 design. I like my '67 Wingmaster and it does everything well since it was originally designed to be inexpensive, reliable, modular, and versatile.
My last research item (anecdotal, although I don't have a source yet), shows that the High-Standard model lost to the Remington 870 in US military shotgun trials because of its non-removable barrel.
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mosinmaster
CGN frequent flyer
I didn't see the broken slide arm cited but that may because by then, High Standard removed the coil spring on the magazine tube. Definitely an issue on the earlier ones though. 870 had twin-action bars, although given the history of the US military using single-action bar shotguns, not sure how much it played in their assessment back then.
Any experience with the even older Stevens 520/620 series? JMB design.
Any experience with the even older Stevens 520/620 series? JMB design.
I seem to recall reading it was an issue only because they were breaking. Sorry no examples nor do I recall working on the old stevens or john browning design
. I have 870 stamped on my head since 1965 after my first new one LOL and have examples still of most pumps in my collection including the 31, 12 and 37 most in complete gauge sets but only one in the high flight series and don't know why since 20 and 12 were around and cheapIt was just the way I saved my shotguns but small gauge are my favorites for sure with 28 topping the list
Cheers
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Not shocking
The original mossberg 500 was a remake of the high standard flight king
Cheers
Just to add some comments I found made by others
The High Standard had but one flaw, and it's a bad one. The action slides (the part that "pumps" the bolt) was made of some kind of alloy steel, had a bend in it for some reason, and the things tend to break right at that bend,,,in which case the gun is worthless, the slides are unavailable, and nobody I've ever heard of can weld one and it work. So if you buy one, don't play Rambo with the slide, and stay right with Jesus.''
''The Savage 520/620 was a successful design, but the worst shotgun that John Moses Browning ever made. They occasionally will not function, but the worst thing about them is that cool looking "artillery bolt" takedown system. All those grooves look like they would wear forever, but they simply do not, and when they get shaky all the gunsmiths that knew how to tighten them by peening the lugs back are long dead. Avoid paying over a hundred dollars for one.
