Monday, September 22, 2008

J.C. Higgins Model 80

This is another of the 'store brand' firearms, made by one company with another company's name on it. In this case the pistol is the High Standard Model 101 under the Higgins name. And it as a couple of interesting features. One is a cocking indicator that sticks out the back of the frame.

Unlike the High Standard Sport King I shot a while back, this one does have a slide lock. The safety is a left-right button near the back of the receiver just below the slide. Push left, safety on, it also locks the slide closed. Push right, safety off. Pull the slide back, push the button left, slide is locked open. This is not a last-round hold-open, manual use only. So lock the slide back, unscrew the knurled wheel just ahead of the trigger guard and the barrel comes off.
Pull the slide back a touch and release the safety and the slide(you'd better not turn loose of it) slides forward off the frame, field-stripped for cleaning.

The really unusual thing about this is the grip. At the back of the magazine well is a bolt; unscrew it and you get this:
The rear trigger guard and mag well are the grip; there's no lower receiver. The magazine release is a lever just above the trigger on the left side, so the mag locks at the top.

It's a BIG target-type grip with a wide thumb rest on the left, so left-handed people are out of luck with this one.

How'd it shoot? Like a High Standard: light, clean trigger and good accuracy, no complaints. Like almost any .22 autoloader, a bit picky about ammo; didn't always cycle fully with some standard velocity stuff, always did with high. At ten yards it would keep all shots(offhand) in a tight group, about an inch or so, which is about as tight as I can hold with anything. That grip did require getting your hand in the right position to properly press the trigger.

Overall, not a bad little pistol at all. And thanks to the owner who let me try it out and shoot the pictures.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That grip is odd.