.16 GA. Question?????
 

I have inherited a .16 gauge, bolt action J.C. Higgins from my father the other day. I have never heard of such a gun, or even its worth, though I realize it may not be worth that much except for memories for my father. It is chambered in 2 -3/4" with a 26" full choke barrel, and is in excellent shape, no marks, blemishes, etc.

Does anyone have any information on this weapon??
Would it make a good turkey gun?? Slug gun??

Can I buy any shells for it anymore??


Thanks,

Rich

RE: .16 GA. Question?????
 

Hi Rich, I believe that these guns were sold by Sears&Roebuck. Good guns, but probably not worth a whole lot.

RE: .16 GA. Question?????
 

I agree, it' s not worth much unless you find the right man to sell it to. I' ve had one of them in both .410 and in 12ga, a 16 would be a great gun though. J.C. HIggins are great guns, I still have my first one, a model 20 12ga pump, couldn' t be better.

It should make a great turkey gun, I don' t know how well it will slug though, my .410 slugged straighter than most rifles, while my 12ga only liked federal rifled slugs, everyone elses were all over the map (if they were even on it!!). You get a great advantage because it is already a hunting platform though, I' m used to hunting with bolt action rifles, so when I took it out, I didn' t find myself swinging it like a shotgun, I didn' t treat it like a shotgun because it wasn' t like one, one thing people oft have problems with when picking up a slugger after shooting a rifle.

RE: .16 GA. Question?????
 

You can still get 16 ga shells. you may need to check with a shop and order them.
I have my grandfathers browning sweet sixteen but i don' t shoot it anymore . just sentimental . hope to pass it down to one of my son' s someday.

RE: .16 GA. Question?????
 

richie3, I dont know if it would make a good turkey gun, I have always used a 12ga. But this is a suggestion. I would not shoot slugs through that 26 inch FULL CHOKE barrel. I once had a black prince single barrel [excellent shotgun] FULL CHOKE 32 inch barrel, and decided to shoot slugs through it and ruined the barrel. Shot the choke right out of it. maybe this was just a fluke but I will never shoot another slug unless the gun is made for them. Remember this, your shotgun is a family heirloom. dont take the chance. DAKOTA NUT 5.

RE: .16 GA. Question?????
 

dakota nut i also have a black prince in 20 ga that was my grandfathers. he killed his first deer ever with it. used buckshot back in the 30 or 40' s i think.
I don' t shoot it either but i used to . killed lots of tree rats, coons and varmits of all kinds.
Honestly they don' t build them like that anymore. my boys .410 is nowhere near the quality of those old single shot guns.

RE: .16 GA. Question?????
 

A friend of mine had a jc higgins bolt-action in 12 gauge, and I still to this day have not seen a 12 gauge that would pattern 00 buckshot like that one would.

RE: .16 GA. Question?????
 

I have my dad' s Sears and Robuck Ranger. Its a 16 gauge bolt gun with a full choke I don' t shoot this gun very much but I will have to agree that they aren' t worth much untill the sentimental value added and then they are priceless. 16 gauge shells are getting more commen and are not hard to find at all. I have a 16 gauge Stevens 311E double also.

RE: .16 GA. Question?????
 

RICHIE3,
I' ll bet your J.C. higgins is made by High Standard for Sears....look for the Model #.
I' ll bet it is 583.something
Not worth much when selling but as someone else has said, I' ll bet it patterns well....especially with that full choke 26 inch tube.
I have one very much like you describe....also in 16 gauge and 2 3/4 inch, but mine is an improved cylinder choke. It throws standard Forter slugs better than any other shotgun I have. I have some others shotguns that shoot sabots better, but nothing touches that old bolt shotgun with standard slugs. Out to 75 yards with the after market iron sights I put on it....it is great.

RE: .16 GA. Question?????
 

You can certainly still buy 16 guage ammunition for it. You won' t find nearly the variety of loads and don' t shoot steel or other hard shot through the full choke barrel. It' s not recommended, since it could damage the barrel.

But lead shot can still be used in full chokes, if the the shotgun is in good operating condition. A good gunsmith can check that part out for you.

I have Browning " sweet 16" auto with a full and a mod. barrel I picked up about 30 years ago used when I was in the service for very little. I loved to shoot it. It was the most accurate shotgun with slugs I' ve used for deer hunting.

Can' t tell you about this particular shotgun though.

MinnFinn