J.C. Higgins Model 31 rifle & scope mount?

[indyblue]

I have this inherited J.C Higgins Model 31 .22lr rifle in nice shape. The M36 scope needs some attention/restoration but I see at vintagegunscopes.com want over $350 to restore, more than the rifle is worth.
Is this rifle worth anything more, my research seems to indicate it's fairly common and not worth much as a collector item.

What options do I have to mount a new scope on it? Are there any adapters that would let me put a more modern scope on it? It has what appears to be a small dovetail groove in the receiver.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

I'm no expert but I would say any rimfire scope of the same outside diameter would get you shooting. I have one on the bench you can have if you're ever in Anderson

 

[indyblue]

Wow, mighty kind of you sir! I'll PM you my on next trip to FCVCC.

I still wish it were rebuild-able for less $$, I'd love to keep the original on it, even if not valuable.

 

[Born2vette]

No harm in watching these and giving it a try

 

[indyblue]

No harm in watching these and giving it a try

Ty
Yeah, I saw those.
I’ve taken it apart once before but it when it got down to the lenses inside I wasn’t sure what to do to get them out without some special tool.

I’ll watch those and see if there’s any DIY techniques I can utilize.

 

[jzwhts]

My Grandfather had one of those rifles when I was a kid. The rifle, a trash pile and a box of shells. Those were the days!!

 

[PappyD]

I have that rifle. Looks like you have the "JC Higgins" scope that was an option at the time. Lots of history about the rifle. Made by High Standard for Sears. JC Higgins was a famous Sears employee that ran their Sporting Goods department.

My grandpa gave me the rifle (dad approved) for my 13th birthday. Grandpa ran a coal yard business in downtown Indy around Massachusetts Ave and Beville. The property sold when I70 went through. My dad said the rifle was traded for $40 bucks worth of coal. I spent a lot of time sitting in the coal office. Grandma let me run the old-time scale. Customer would pull onto the scale, get weighed, then go around back and load up. Then, back on the scale. Pay by the ton. Had to do some simple math. (This was before calculators). Good old days...back in the late 60's.

You also have the deluxe version I think because I see the built-in red sling.

Yes, any 7/8" tip-off mount will work for any scope. That rifle is a shooter. Nice stock, too. Enjoy!

I'm 66 now and my 3 sons will be flipping coins for "who gets what" some day!

 

[indyblue]

It was my late FIL’s from his teens.

The whole FCG was caked with carbon, I did a full diassemble, clean and reassemble. It shoots well but can’t get a good zero. Something in the scope is off (maybe a shifted lens from being dropped or other shock).

I might remove the scope and see how it does with the irons.

 

[indyblue]

So, I got this free air rifle scope while at a NWI meet & eat last year, it has pic rail mount rings on it.


Would a dovetail to pic rail adapter like this work to mount this to replace the original Higgins/Weaver scope?

 

[MrSmitty]

The rifle, a trash pile and a box of shells. Those were the days!!
That was a lot of Saturday afternoons with my dad, and my brother!!

 

[Bstarkey_46947]

I have two of these rifles. Actually good shooters with the built in sling. I used to pick them up for $70-90/ each. I have a JC Higgins collection of sorts.

 

[indyblue]

Mine cleaned up really well using the trick of rubbing the rust spots with a copper penny, made the rust disappear.

 

[indyblue]

So I wrote Vintagegunscopes an email, here's their reply:

Dear Larry,

Sounds like you have done what you can. We have hundreds of similar problem scopes here which simply become parts scopes.

Cheers,

James Brion Owner 406.369.0160 | jamesbrion@summit360.guru Create your own email signature

On Fri, May 12, 2023 at 11:23 AM Aquarius Computer Tech. LLC wrote:

I have this M36 scope on my J.C. Higgins Model 31 22lr rifle. It is not in pristine condition so your cost to service/refurb is much more than the rifle is worth.

Something inside is off, the site picture is off a little to the side. I'd like to open it up to see what I can do for it and clean it up but am having trouble removing the eyepiece end.

Do you have any advice how to get it to break free? I've tried heating it with a heat gun to expand the threads and loosen any threadlocker but it won't budge. I wrapped the eyepiece and tube with tape to prevent gouging and give a good hold on it, but still stuck and I could mount in a vise but am afraid to crush or distort the tube with too much pressure.

 

[mmpsteve]

So, I got this free air rifle scope while at a NWI meet & eat last year, it has pic rail mount rings on it.
View attachment 275561

Would a dovetail to pic rail adapter like this work to mount this to replace the original Higgins/Weaver scope?
View attachment 275562

You might could go that route, but a proper set of rings might mount directly to your receivers dovetail grooves for a little cleaner look and possibly lower mounting position. Like this:



.

 

[indyblue]

OK, I've purchased two ring/mounting systems now and none of them fit. What the hell kind of rail does my Higgins have? I cannot seem to find any mount that fits this rifle.

I just received supposedly 1" rings for a 9.5mm weaver dovetail but none fit, all too big. I'm stumped and stuck with a bunch of junk.

Luckily, these last ones only cost $9.95.


Rifle

Original J.C.Higgins M36 scope

 

[DoggyDaddy]

OK, I've purchased two ring/mounting systems now and none of them fit. What the hell kind of rail does my Higgins have? I cannot seem to find any mount that fits this rifle.

I just received supposedly 1" rings for a 9.5mm weaver dovetail but none fit, all too big. I'm stumped and stuck with a bunch of junk.

Luckily, these last ones only cost $9.95.

View attachment 280289
Rifle
View attachment 280290
Original J.C.Higgins M36 scope
View attachment 280293

I've always heard them referred to as 3/8" dovetails (on the rifle). Never heard them referred to metrically. That's what I've always looked for when shopping for rings for mine.

 

[indyblue]

And that's what I bought; 3/8" or 9.5-11mm mount. None fit, they're too wide. And mine does not measure 3/8".

 

[DoggyDaddy]

And that's what I bought; 3/8" or 9.5-11mm mount. None fit, they're too wide. And mine does not measure 3/8".

I went back and looked at your pics and now I see. That's weird!

 

[Bstarkey_46947]

I have two but they are in my secondary storage location. I'll grab one and check it this weekend. I know my FIL put a nice Bushnell on one of them. My old Remington 512-x has skinny rails too, it is still original from when I inherited that 39 yrs. ago. Great .22 also.

 

[Born2vette]

Here are a couple of ideas.

read post #2

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/jc-higgins-model-31-scope-grooves.1063906/

And again, post #2

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/jc-higgins-dovetail-size.594848/