Heyday of bolt action shotguns is long gone. Unpopular, uncollectable, and forgotten. You can find them everywhere and if you pay more than $100 for one you paid too much. So why not have some fun. Except for one that needed new extractors all that was necessary was to disassemble clean and safety check. I cut down the barrels to 18 ½” take 2” of the stocks, add a Limb Saver butt pad and epoxy on a Hi-Viz sight. All work perfectly and fun to shoot. Three of them don’t even have serial numbers. Top to bottom…J.C. Higgins 583.1100 12ga, Marlin model 50 20ga, Mossberg 395KB 12ga, Mossberg 185KB 20ga and the infamous J.C. Higgins 583.16 recall special in 12ga.

That is pretty awesome....and they seem like they could be a fun project for next to nothing...

 

The bottom one is magazine tube fed, right?  If I get a bolt shotgun, I'd prefer that...I never liked the idea of magazine-fed bolt shotguns, so I always discounted them...but a tube-fed bolt makes me much more interested...

 

Where do you find these?  I've got to imagine gunbroker, with shipping and FFL fees, would be well over $100 overall...

That is pretty awesome....and they seem like they could be a fun project for next to nothing...

 

The bottom one is magazine tube fed, right?  If I get a bolt shotgun, I'd prefer that...I never liked the idea of magazine-fed bolt shotguns, so I always discounted them...but a tube-fed bolt makes me much more interested...

 

Where do you find these?  I've got to imagine gunbroker, with shipping and FFL fees, would be well over $100 overall...

The top one is tube feed 2 rounds + one in chamber. Bottom one also tube 4 + 1 rounds. The tube feeds are better. Only one came from Gun Broker $75 before fees, one from a guy at the range and 3 from local dealers.

Heyday of bolt action shotguns is long gone. Unpopular, uncollectable, and forgotten. You can find them everywhere and if you pay more than $100 for one you paid too much. So why not have some fun. Except for one that needed new extractors all that was necessary was to disassemble clean and safety check. I cut down the barrels to 18 ½” take 2” of the stocks, add a Limb Saver butt pad and epoxy on a Hi-Viz sight. All work perfectly and fun to shoot. Three of them don’t even have serial numbers. Top to bottom…J.C. Higgins 583.1100 12ga, Marlin model 50 20ga, Mossberg 395KB 12ga, Mossberg 185KB 20ga and the infamous J.C. Higgins 583.16 recall special in 12ga.

you should sell me one!  I'm serious

OK, so I'm looking for a budget slug gun for deer - these look ideal. Any downside? What chokes are typical on these?

OK, so I'm looking for a budget slug gun for deer - these look ideal. Any downside? What chokes are typical on these?

If you're pruning the barrels like the original poster, no choke at all.

What's the deal with the recalled 583 Higgins. Are they safe to shoot. I have the 583.17

I once had a Higgins I chopped up like the $2 whore she was.

 

Might get another per your suggestion.

What's the deal with the recalled 583 Higgins. Are they safe to shoot. I have the 583.17

Yes they are safe to shoot. Their is a screw in the bolt that you remove to take the bolt out of the gun. If the screw is too loose or missing the bolt will come out when you when you when you move the bolt handle up and back to eject spent shell. Some idiot hit himself in the face with the bolt, sued and won. For years you could sent the bolt back to Sears. They would keep it and send you something like $65. True story

Yes they are safe to shoot. Their is a screw in the bolt that you remove to take the bolt out of the gun. If the screw is too loose or missing the bolt will come out when you when you when you move the bolt handle up and back to eject spent shell. Some idiot hit himself in the face with the bolt, sued and won. For years you could sent the bolt back to Sears. They would keep it and send you something like $65. True story

I was reading that, you could get 160 back. Now i think its just a 50 dollar gift card. Numrich sells the screw. Might not he a bad idea to keep a few handy

 

I was reading that, you could get 160 back. Now i think its just a 50 dollar gift card. Numrich sells the screw. Might not he a bad idea to keep a few handy

 

 

You'll never catch me lacking a couple handy screws on speed dial.