Weird sight on FN JC Higgins

SuperCub

SuperCub

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Got this FN JC Higgins Model 50 today. Check out the rear sight. Any thoughts?

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Hard to believe that is factory, rear looks way too low for that front , OMG that actually milled a dovetail for that.

Edit: there was probably a folding Marbles in there and got replaced with something scrounged off a single shot rimfire.
 
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That looks a lot like the factory rear sight that came on my '50's vintage Husqvarnas... except its backwards... and the dovetail should be about 4" farther forward. Definitely not factory original.
 
That is different.
Can't say I've seen before.
First thought was the sight leaf may be positioned farther forward on the barrel, to give added fore and aft clearance to a low mounted scope's objective ...
But, that leaf's location, it is not much, if any, farther forward than normal.

Nice .270 Mauser that one is. Does it have a hard chromed bore?.
 
It could of been done by a gunsmith in it's time of purchase?
There was some great talent in times of yore.



h ttp://www.gunauction.com/Search/DisplayItem.cfm?ItemNum=9869269

You can expand the photo in the top left.

Another one that was on another site.

ht tp://www.gunsamerica.com/957622445/JC_Higgins_FN_model_50.htm
 
Probably done by a gunsmith who didn`t want to cut a dovetail into the barrel for fear of weakening it where there was less metal so he cut the shank where it is heavier. looks like the receiver is drilled for scope mounts so it may have come from factory without sights which may be why the front sight is soldered on
 
That is original, weird as it is. Most had the same sight mounted in a small boss soldered on the barrel. Kind of an odd place to cut costs.

Does it have the oddball rear base hole spacing?
 
rgv said:
That is original, weird as it is. Most had the same sight mounted in a small boss soldered on the barrel. Kind of an odd place to cut costs.

Does it have the oddball rear base hole spacing?
Click to expand...
Does have the oddball rear base holes. Does anyone know the Weaver bases to fit?
 
SuperCub said:
Does have the oddball rear base holes. Does anyone know the Weaver bases to fit?
Click to expand...

I have the equipment so I ended up just drilling one more hole in the rear bridge of mine to use the stander #46 and 45 bases for a M98. Might be an option if you can't find a base with the correct hole spacing and height.

As to the rear sight, that is very interesting. Mine has the sight mounted on the soldered on base further up the barrel.

You should be able to tell if the bore is chromed by looking at the crown. You should be able to see the silver color where the chrome is.

These are great rifles. Mine probably has the slickest M98 action I've ever felt and shoots right around an inch with my handloads and 130gr Accubonds. It's one of my favorite rifles and I used it to take a nice double main beam whitetail several years ago.
 
That's the stock sight. I had a model 50 and it was just like that... I hunted a few years with just the irons, then put a Bushnell scope on it. The barrels were chrome lined by High Standard. Check the Weaver list, I believe these were small ring Mauser actions.
 
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west250 said:
That's the stock sight. I had a model 50 and it was just like that... I hunted a few years with just the irons, then put a Bushnell scope on it. The barrels were chrome lined by High Standard. Check the Weaver list, I believe these were small ring Mauser actions.
Click to expand...
The model 50 was built on a Belgian FN commercial 98 action, which is a large ring Mauser.
 
As weird as it looks and as previously stated, it's original for the models 50 and 51.

The later 51-L have a hump or, if you want, a large bump made on the barrel, to be used as a ramp for the rear sight (see drawing below).

Only the model 50 and 51 had the chromed-lined molybdenum steel barrels. The 51-L "only" have a Moly-steel barrel.

Model 50 and 51 rear sight (from M 50 exploded view)
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Model 51-L rear sight (usual set-up)
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Both Models 50 and 51 were made on FN 98 actions, the 51-L used the 1640 action.
The FN actions are post '49, or if you better like, '50s "High Power" actions predating the Supreme (or "300") action.
These FN actions were supplied to H-S by both FN (for the Model 50) and Sako (for the Model 51, which at the time ('51 to '60), worked closely with FN).

These guns were offered as "kits" with bases scopes and rings and High-Standard used their own bases so as previously proposed, you will need a new hole to install a Weaver #45 on the rear bridge and # 46 at front ring.

From H-S records, model # vs Sears product code #;

Model 50 .30-06 / 583.90
Model 50 .270 / 583.91
Model 50 / 583.92
Model 50 / 583.93
Model 50 / 583.94
Model 50 / 583.95
Model 50 / 583.96
Model 50 / 583.97
Model 50 / 583.98
Model 51 .270 / 583.99
Model 51 .30-06 / 583.100
Model 52 .222 / 583.126
Model 51-L .30.06 / 583.5100
Model 51-L .270 / 583.5101
Model 51-L .308 / 583.5102
Model 51-L .243 / 583.5103
Model 51-L .30.06 / 583.5104
Model 51-L .270 / 583.5105
Model 51-L .308 / 583.5106
Model 51-L .243 / 583.5107
 
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