Need chokes for a JC Higgins model 20 12 ga.

[BCshooterFMJ]

Yeah, need chokes for this beauty , I believe its the powerpac choke system . I suppose the real question is, should I bother ordering the chokes? Maybe just a good choke for skeet? OR wait for another one of these scatter guns to pop up in my local gun store or on the EE?

 

[3macs1]

From memory which is not good any more unfortunately not going to be that simple to buy tubes. From what I can see of the choke it is indeed a Pachmayr PowerPac brake and choke tube system made under license by High Stadanrd for Sears shotguns.. There was no skeet tube just a short, medium and long range and I have not seen new ones since the 60's. You might fluke some used in the US on gun broker etc
They were also designed for the fiber and cardboard shotgun shell wads and not todays plastic.
With the original fiber wads they would also from time to time toss a pellet or two out the side so make sure no one is ever standing along side of you if using some old shells
On the plastic modern wad style it seems to depend on how much gap between the end of barrel and tube determines if you will just get plastic build up or total stripping of petals which can remaing behind and be dangerous thus has to be checked and cleaned on a regular basis if mild build up but me I would not fire it if removing petals wthout replacing the entire unit with a modern thread in design
Google the issue and many dicussions will come up on shotgun sites.
I collect my shotguns in sets and have two of these the 28ga and 20ga and still searching for mint examples of the others. They were not an expensive gun back in the day so many were very heavily used and abused
here is a link for a manual which you may already have
Cheers
bhttp://www.highstandard.info/manuals/sears/pashotguns/index.html

 

[BCshooterFMJ]

Sweet action, I dont reload my own stuff, but I am glad to get this info from you. And this falls into the catagory of heavily used and abused Though inherited from a hell of a hunter who ,no doubt, kept it running . SO, should I just make a wall hanger out of it? Or just fire rifled slugs?

 

[3macs1]

I'm not sure what difference it would make if one reloads or not since with today's components reload or factory rounds you are still dealing with a plastic wad.
Slugs would be the last thing I would fire out of it knowing they have choke issues.
If you want to use it have your gun checked out by a qualified gunsmith with focus on the fit of the choke assembly, plastic build up etc and ask him about the cost of removal and what options he suggests.
Cheers

 

[BCshooterFMJ]

Yeah, I was thinking with no choke in at all, I would be able to just shoot it as is. Just not sure how safe that actually is, I am totally unfamiliar with this firearm.

But yeah, I will take it to a smith when I get my rossi done and see what he thinks can be done, its far from collectable, but has some sentimental value, I will never sell it but wouldnt mind putting some rounds through it.

Thanks for the help brother!

 

[3macs1]

Yeah, I was thinking with no choke in at all, I would be able to just shoot it as is. Just not sure how safe that actually is, I am totally unfamiliar with this firearm.

But yeah, I will take it to a smith when I get my rossi done and see what he thinks can be done, its far from collectable, but has some sentimental value, I will never sell it but wouldnt mind putting some rounds through it.

Thanks for the help brother!

No problem until he sees it you could also look around for a box or two of the old paper hulls if you want to fire just a few rounds many old farts like me still have those in their stash and I am sure would help you out.
All the best