Husqvarna Sporting Rifles #### - ALL MODELS!!!

Supercub,

I gave one of those to Roger Y's son-in-law. Small world, eh?

They are basically the same rifle as their Model 50. The only real differences are they use the 1640 Husqvarna action instead of the FN, different barrel contour, rear sight base, and the banded ramp front sight.

Ted
 
OK, i'm back home.
J. C. Higgins name was a Sears-Roebuck and Co. tradename, the 51-L rifles were built by High-Standard using a HVA receiver (50 and 51 used FN M/98 actions) Molybdenum steel barrels, easy to recognize with the large "bump" at the rear sight level. They were also sold under the High-Standard brand name ('64 catalog pictured below).
Production of the 51-L started around september 1962 and lasted at least 'til '64, their last appearance in H-S catalog being 1965. By 1966, H-S was out of high power centerfire rifles. The production of the Model 50 started end of '50s and lasted 'til spring '56 when the Model 51 was launched, delivered in summer '56.
The rifles can be dated with the two-letters code stamped on the barrel.
There was two grades of 51-L, the De Luxe version and the "standard" or "field" one.
The J. C. Higgins rifles were going by the following code names;

583.5100 - 30-06 Sprgd
583.5101 - .270 Win
583.5102 - .308 Win
583.5103 - .243 Win
583.5104 - 30-06 Sprgd
583.5105 - .270 Win
583.5106 - .308 Win
583.5107 - .243 Win

The one you pictured is the De Luxe version (which is the same as below H-S Model 8507).

H-S-JCHiggins51L_zps9ce98ac5.jpg


As for fixing / refinishing if, I think they used some kind of shellac over a linseed rubbed stock. A oïl finish, like Tru-Oil would be nice. When I have to deal with such cracks, I like using liquid epoxy glue injected in the cracks. But sometimes it's impossible to make the cracks vanish and a nose cap is then a necessity...
 
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So 2 of my Husqvarnas got back from having their stocks refinished, Kik-eeze recoil pads installed to my pitch & LOP measurements, glass-bedded & being balanced. I think they look quite acceptable now that all of that old pine tar has been removed, the chequering refreshed & oil finished. Not quite the shade of English red I prefer, but oh well, I'm still quite proud of them.

I apologize for the poor quality of the photos, which just not do the grain of the wood justice.

Top is a Model 46 in 9.3x57 from 1937, which has 2 scopes, a Kahles Helia 2.5x20 & a spare Kahles 1.5-4.5x20, both 26mm models with #4 reticles, perfect for the Canadian Shield where I hunt, in EAW-style roll-off side mounts, while the bottom is a Model 46B in 6.5x55 from 1942, which wears a Swarovski Habicht Nova A in 3-9x36, for those reach out & touch me shots, which we don't have in the Shield, except along Hydro cut lines.

The 9.3x57 is pretty well stock, except I added a trigger-stop inside the sear spring & stoned the sides of the trigger where it fits inside the sear and inside the sear where the trigger pivots, while the 6.5x55 wears a Boyd trigger & an original Buehler low-scope safety.

The 9.3 loves the PRVI 285 grain bullets in front of Alliant RL-15 or WC-735, while the 6.5 is partial to the PRVI 139 grain boat-tails in front of either RL-22 or RL-25.



 
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Nice rifles, James,

The 46B must have got a replacement stock somewhere in it's life, as it carries a M/46 stock. The M/46B stock have a pistol grip cap and a Schnabel fore end.
 
Baribal:

Thank you.

Good eyes. I wondered how long it was going to take before someone picked up on that. It was a replacement from Tradex. I saw the grain, even under all of the pine tar goop & figured it had socially redeeming qualities & since I don't much care for schnabel fore-ends, had it installed when it was being bedded & finished.
 
Help dating Husqvarna from Tradeex

Hi Baribal,

Reading this thread made me seal the deal and get a Husqvarna 1600 from Tradeex. I received it yesterday and now have it apart for a good cleaning. If you could help, I would like to know the model and year it was made.

It has an alloy floorplate, slide safety, and the serial number is 2402XXA. It is in 30-06. It is stamped "Nitro" with the crown stamp. Thanks.
 
Can't say, my friend, I need to see the trim, means the whole rifle to tell the model....

Only thing I can say it's that it was built in 1960 and have an alloy floorplate / trigger guard...
 
Hi Baribal,

Thank you for the kind reply and the information. Once I finish with the clean, I will post some pictures. I have the bolt and stock to go. The rifle had a fair amount of grease and oil in it, especially in the action, a good thing, no rust on it. My first time taking apart a centrefire bolt. I am using Bolt Action Rifles 4th Ed by Frank de Haas as a guide to help with the bolt dissassembly. I have a feeling it will be a more "interesting" take down than my shotgun bolt whcih I clean, so reading and rereading the instructions.
 
Baribal:

Yes, I know. I first got into Swedish Mausers ~30 years ago when I collected milsurps & belonged to Century International's "Gun of the Month Club", whereby you could have a standing order to receive a different military rifle once a month, on approval. While I liked the caliber & how accurate they were / are (I had Model 96's by all 3 makers, a Husqvarna 38, a 96/38 & an AG42B), I still preferred sporting rifles, which is probably why I sold off my collection of ~300 military rifles before I left Grande Prairie back in '84 & got strictly back into sporting arms. In the 90's, I had a 6.5 sporter made up by installing a Ram-Line synthetic stock, a Timney trigger, drilling & tapping the receiver & having a custom bolt handle welded on to a Turkish Mauser 98 action (large ring / small thread) that I had a new Swede barrel installed on that I picked up at a gun show, but it was too heavy & clunky for my tastes, so it got sold. I thought I was done for .256 Gibbs sporters, given their price at the English auction houses, until I noticed the 46's being imported. Bought the first one & I was again hooked, given their prices, compared to the Gibbs & Fraser sporting rifles, which are, of course, nothing but nicely-engraved, sighted & stocked sporting rifles built on the Mauser 96 actions.

It is quite interesting that the DAC & DAH & LOP (Drop at Comb, Drop at Heel & Length of Pull) on the Model 46's & 146's are pretty much exactly the same as on the similarly aged English sporting rifles, compared to how different newly-manufactured (say 1970's & newer) North American produced arms are., that don't fit me worth a darn.
 
James,
I too, started with military, mainly Lee-Enfield, Ross and Mausers and even SKS (I paid 79.00 $ for a brand new (well made) Chinese SKS - from Century) but fast got interest for civilian Lee-Enfield and Ross, then, I bought my first civilian HVA rifle, a 3000 Crown Grade and it started everything - in those days, they were not very common.
Fresh imports made them widely available and I took advantage of it.
In the meantime, I sold all those L-E but one and kept some Rosses... but I have a pretty handfull of HVA shotguns and rifles... plus many others I ended up stacking :)
BTW, you are correct in pointing the English connection. Sweden shared a lot with them.
 
Here's my collection of Husqvarna H5000's all three are 30-06's



The rifle below is our family rifle that was passed down and I just put the Swarovski scope on it as it's very accurate with Federal Premium 165gr Nosler Partitions.





 
Been looking at these in 8x57 for quite some time. The 1600 would be nice, but I am going for the FN 98 actions.

Should a rifle with a crack behind the rear tang be avoided with these rifles?
 
I have a very nice 3000 crown grade in 270.
For my type of whitetail hunting, I find the 23.58 inch barrel and soldered on front sight a bit bothersome.
What would you Husqvarna experts think about about making it into say a 20 inch mannlicher stocked 3000 crown grade?
Or a reblued 22 inch without the front sights , but retaining stock as is ?
Has anyone ever done something similar?
 
Been looking at these in 8x57 for quite some time. The 1600 would be nice, but I am going for the FN 98 actions.
Should a rifle with a crack behind the rear tang be avoided with these rifles?

Most all of the 640 series FN98 Commercial rifles that i've seen/looked at, have had walnut stained whitewood (beech?) stocks.
Tradeex did eventually get a walnut snobbled fore-end original stock in one of their large shipments a while back, which I snapped up for the 9.3x62 :D, ... but those beauties are few and far between.

Many Husq. '98's are cracked at the tang. Seems the factory tang/wood fit was very tight, cracking as the B/A set back under recoil battering.
Mostly cosmetic IMO, not pretty, or easy to repair/hide, but if the gun gets the glass bedding job it deserves, with clearance at the tang ... the crack stays put and causes no problem to function.
 
You're correct, Vviking, the 640 series have beech stocks (some "pale" some stained - some even lookin' like "real" walnut)). The walnut stokc for the 640 series were either aftermarket or special orders. Same goes for the early exports in the '50s, the models "1950" and "Hi-Power" had beech stocks, while the later model 1000/1100 have walnut stocks.

Cracked tang - and even more often - cracked inner webs are a very common issue with the Mauser desing, and for most rifles using staggered column magazines, and that's even more common with beech stocks.
. It's usually not too hard to repair and afterward needs a bedding job and tang relief.
Anyways, unless one wants get a real collector rifle, which most aren't, in fact, it's also very easy to swap the stock for a freshly made one.
A 1600 in 8X57 is not very common but there are some 1640 floating around.

Pete, there not such an animal as a 3000 full stocked. There are full stock models (called hellstock, or 1600H in Europe) named 456/458 in America.
If you want to only swap barrels, then you need to know that a short HVA barrel (520mm) does not have the same profile as the one in standard lenght (600mm).
I personally think you may find you'll spend a lot of money in modifying your 3000... and unless it's very well made and exeptionally well executed, the value will decrease. Maybe it's more easy to sell it and get a 1600 or a 4000/4100 series or even better the real thing, a 458 or 456...
 
Baribal,
I suspect that you are correct about modifying my 3000.....probably not being most dollar effective way to get what I think I need !!!
My 3000 is a very nice one.......if anyone has a mannlicher or 4000 ....perhaps a trade might be discussed......my favourite caliber is 270 !!
 
Pete,

While they do exist, the short versions (i.e. 1600Std/H, 4000/4100, 456/458) are not that common in .270 Win. Maybe the muzzle blast from a 20 1/2 inches barrel may be the cause.
You may want to look at Trade Ex site for a 1600but they usually go pretty fast... EE is another possibility, you may find what you're looking for, but again, you need to be really fast!
Good luck in your quest and let us know if you get ahold of another HVA rfile!
 
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