Gifts from a distant past
Howdy!
Out of the clear blue, my father gave me a brand new, J.C.Higgins, Model 31, .22cal, tube feed, semi-automatic rifle, complete with a red, built-in recoiling sling and a J.C/ Higgins scope.
That was in 1956, when I was in the eighth grade.
Since my previous armament was a Daisy lever action carbine, the step up was much appreciated by me.
The rifle would handle shorts, longs, and/or long rifle rounds, even mixed in the same magazine, with no problems at all,,,,,for a while.
It was this rifle that taught me the importance of PROPER cleaning and PROPER(meaning the right amount of the RIGHT lube) lubrication.
I can still remember the first disassembly, on our kitchen table. I learned quickly, to use extreme care when tearing it down, or I would be on my hands and knees for an hour, hunting for tiny springs, pins and other parts.
As mentioned by other "31 Clubmembers", this design has lots of places for dirt, grit, unburned powder and gummy/hardened lubricant, to hide. The only way to keep this gun working properly, is to take out the trigger assembly, then the bolt assembly and take them apart to allow brushes, toothpicks and wooden scrapers access to all the gunk. I found that automotive spray brake cleaner works, but the stocks must be removed, or the finish and/or wood could be damaged.
Once cleaned, only light, high-grade lubricant will allow it to work in all weather. Use too thick a lube and the bolt will not always close fully, especially in the winter.
Failure to clean out the drive spring channel will have the same result.
When the rifle was only a year old(1957), we had to order a new firing pin from Sears. It has been in there ever since.
That's the only part ever replaced.
I agree with other writers that the foreend shape is both stylish and comfortable to handle.
I've shot thousands of every type of ammo through it, but only one box of shorts, because my Dad taught me that this could wear out the rifling adjacent to the chamber.
I used it for hunting squirrels, in river-bottom timber, but actually shot one quail, on the wing, over open sights and with a good backstop.
I had no trouble getting consistant head-shots on the squirrels, to save meat damage, but I can tell you that there wasn't much left of that quail.
While still a teenager, I took it upon myself to steam out all the little dents I had inflicted on the rifle, up until then.
I was careful to block sand all the old finish off, to prevent any "saucering" around holes and edges. "Linspeed Oil" was used to refinish it, and it's still on there now and looks better than new, although I'm getting the itch to spruce it up again, now that I'm retired.
It's been a very dependable firearm, as long as you clean it right and don't overdo the lubrication.
I can understand why so many folks have joined this group.
Thanks for your time.
