JC Higgins Model 30 and 33

The JC Higgins pump action Model 33 was the first .22 I ever bought, and it remains my favorite small borer shooter. When it comes to good shooting the question lies with how well do you know your gun. I have shot several guns that are supposedly more accurate than my Model 33, but I have consistently shot with my Model 33 for years and I can shoot more accurately with it than any other.
I bought the JC Higgins semi auto Model 30, because I liked the Model 33 so well, they both have the same length barrel (24") the same basic action, the only difference being that the model has a blowback system rather than a pump action. The Model 30 has several features that are not found on any other .22, for instance the shoulder strap that retracts into the stock, using a spring to coil it neatly into the butt. And the cocking lever is on the left side, while the action is on the right, I personally love this feature, it enables me to hold the gun in a good position to fire while cocking the gun.
I bought the model 30 on Gunbroker.com, and got an extremely good deal, what the seller never mentioned was a huge problem with the trigger pull, it took about 15 lbs of pressure on the trigger to get it to go off, and the weird part was I had to pull the trigger to the right to get it to go off at all. That obviously did not sit well with me. but since I got a good deal on it I didn't give up and return it. I took apart the trigger mechanism and analyzed the problem and found that a little lever on the piece that held the hammer back was bent a little from gradual wear. While trying to bend it back I snapped the little lever off! Well this had me down for a few days, I felt like I couldn't send the gun back now for sure. But while looking at the broken piece that was left I figured it couldn't hurt the try to fix it. So I got out my dremel tool and created a new lever by cutting off the projecting pin hinge (upper right piece in the photo), using a metal grinder until it was flush with the projecting metal. Then I used the dremel tool to cut into the metal, starting at the base of the pin hinge and cut up to 1/8 in" away from the end where the piece had broken off. Basically I recreated the piece only it was slightly smaller in width. From there I just needed to custom tool the piece that tripped the lever so it would fit my lever. The result was much better than I expected! the trigger pull is down to about 4 lbs pull, and I am able to adjust that easily to whatever I want it, I like 4 lbs though. Being able to do this has been a huge confidence boost for me, and although it did not start out a good buying experience, I learned a lot and I am very happy.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Jon,
Many years ago my mother bought my father a Model 30 (-583-70, 1950/51) for Christmas. MY brother had seen it and I hadn't. At the dinner table Mom said she was going to wrap presants that night. I blurted out that I wouldn't get to see Dad's gun. Well, we all saw it that night. A few years later when I was 12 and my brother was 13, Dad ordered two 22 rifles from Sears. The ones he ordered were bolt action single shot. It was all he could afford. Good old Sears, they sent the wrong rifles. Would you beleive the sent the Model 29? (583-85, 1955) What a Christmas. The 29 and the 30 a basically the same gun. Made by Hi-Standard for Sears. The 30 has a strap, about 3/4" wide that pulls out of the stock and fastens to a cleat just ahead of the forstock. Misconseption: it wasn't to carry the gun but rather to wrap around the fore-arm and steady the rifle when shootiong. The 30 also had the charger on the left side and the ejector on the right. The 29 doesn't have the sling, the ejector, and the charger are on the right side. My father and brother have passed on and I inhereted their rifles. All three are mint and are true "tack drivers". Happy Shooting. Robert

AdamVC said...

Ya, using a sling to steady your aim was first done during WWI with the mauser's and the Springfield 1903. It serves a good dual purpose.

Anonymous said...

Robert do you have an interest to sell the model 30. I have a friend that has a 28,29 and 31 but not a 30. 507 421 2864

Thanks

Jim

Anonymous said...

I HAVE A JC HIGGINS MODEL 30 WITH ORIGINAL JC HIGGINS SCOPE, MINT CONDITION. CONTACT IF INTERESTED @ 304 617 6447 OR STEWKREW20@AOL.COM