J.C. Higgins Mod. 31

[Gaffer]

Trying to ID the original manufacturer of this J.C. Higgins Mod. 31. The Blue Book indicates J.C. Higgins was the manuf. Does anyone know if some other company was the vendor? This one also has a Sears number 583.75 on it. Am trying to get it repaired for a jamming problem and am trying to see if all the parts are there and in the right places.

Thanks, Gaffer

 

[Jim Watson]

J.C. Higgins Model 31 WHAT?

J.C. Higgins didn't manufacture anything, that was just the Sears brand name for sporting goods, obtained from a number of factories.

I can't find JCH M31 or 583.75 in BB or Numrich, but there are several 583.xx made by High Standard.

 

[JohnBT]

I found some info on the Numrich moderated forum.

https://198.65.239.172/forum/readit.asp?qt=40089&cat=4

"VanO - It has the operating handle on the left side? The forearm wood extends over the receiver? It has a retractable sling on the buttstock?
If yes to all of the above, I don't know what it is either other than it was made by High Standard for Sears. I've run across two of them. Our host had them listed in previous catalogs (#19-page 297/#20-page 327/#21-page 374) - not listed in # 24-25-26. I don't know about 22 and 23. You might inquire from DB on the other side of this forum if the schematic is still available along with parts.
I do know it was a good design with no problems that I was aware of. Nice wood and accurate. Seems to be a mystery gun of sorts.
Good luck"

"Their catalog #26 has, on page 373, and Illustrated Parts Breakdown. There is a high lighted note that makes note of some parts deviations. Primarily that some take the JC firing pin and others the High Standard fp with the difference being in the direction the retaining pin goes, up and down or left and right,but doesn't say which is which. It also notes that parts from the JC Higg. models 28,29&30 will interchange. I believe that the 583 code indicates a firearm of High Standard origin. It may be a version of the HS model 34 which has the JCH designation of 583.3403"

"Van, I have one just like it,I bought it at an auction.After a lot of research I found it to be a High Standard Sportking model Dave"

 

[BADUNAME7]

Blue Book got its cross reference from Numrich and that reference is neither complete nor accurate for The Sears Guns made by High Standard.

The Sears reference numbers combine a vendor code and a specific model and variation code in one number separated by the period.

583 is the High Standard vendor code and the 75 defines it as one of the model 31 variations. 75, 76, 82 and 3100 were all variations of the model 31.

For an original Sears manual and parts list see this page on my website. http://www.histandard.info/manuals/sears/rfrifles/index.html

 

[Gaffer]

Thank you, Jim Watson, John BT and Jim Stimson, Jr. You guys are the best!

Thanks again,
Gaffer