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They started using J.C. Higgens in 1908, but I don't know when they started having guns made in that name, but know rifles made prior to WW II had that name. In the 1960s, Ted Williams' name was on Sears guns and other sporting equipment.

Mine is a Stevens 5100, marked on the left side. Stevens changed that gun to the Model 311 in 1942, which is what made me think it was pre-WW II. 311 versions of the JC were marked 311 on the right side, so I've read.

I always thought Higgins was used on firearms post 1945, Ranger and Aubrey being used before that.

You may be right. I never knew Ranger was a Sears brand.

According to a couple of articles I have seen, 'Josephine Clementine Higgins' was an employee of Sears when the company was looking for a name that sounded prestigious. Good thing they chose the intials 'J.C.'! This was info supposedly provided by Colonel Charles Askins. He also stated that Higgins was post WW II. I have a reprint of an ancient Sears catalog that shows 'Aubrey' shotguns in the early 20th century. Cheers!

The info I got (from Sears' archives) the guy's name was John Higgins. He was an accountant for them, and Sears added the "C" although John had no middle name. The archived section doesn't mention guns, but says in the 1940s the name included fishing, camping, boating, etc. Guess they're a bit gunsensitive. After WW II, they incorporated all sporting goods, which may confirm that guns before then were not listed.

http://www.searsarchives.com/brands/jchiggins.htm

Hmmmm....methinks the good Colonel was pulling someone's leg! Thanks for the good info, Genelang.

J.C. Higgins: 1908-1964
J.C.Higgins 1909 baseball.
J.C.Higgins Basketball 1920.
J.C.Higgins 1946 Bowling.
J.C.Higgins Football 1957.
J.C.Higgins Golf 1961.
Many people ask if there was a real "J.C. Higgins" who worked for Sears. There certainly was. John Higgins began working for Sears in 1898 as the manager of the headquarters' office bookkeepers and retired as company comptroller in 1930.

"John Higgins" the employee became "J.C. Higgins" the brand name during a discussion in 1908 among Sears' executives of possible names for a new line of sporting goods. At this point, the story gets a bit murky, but Higgins' name was suggested and John Higgins consented to Sears use his name. Since he did not have a middle initial, Sears added the "C."

In 1908, the Western Sporting Goods Company in Chicago began putting J.C. Higgins on baseballs and baseball gloves sold in Sears catalogs. By 1910, the J.C. Higgins trademark was extended to cover footballs and basketballs. Later, the popularity of the Higgins brand—combined with the wider participation of American youth in sports—led Sears to place tennis equipment, soccer balls, volleyballs, boxing equipment and baseball uniforms in the J.C. Higgins line.

By the 1940s, J.C. Higgins represented all Sears fishing, boating and camping equipment. After the Second World War, Sears consolidated all sporting goods under the J.C. Higgins brand name and added it to a line of luggage.

The J.C. Higgins brand disappeared shortly after Sears introduced the Ted Williams brand of sporting and recreation goods in 1961.

A single (at the time, along with me) lady on our work trap league/beer drinking team had a flat out mint 16 gauge 311 that her Dad bought her, second hand. She couldn't hit squat with it, but, I could, and I always hoped she would see fit to send it my way.
Alas, that never happened.
I suppose the Silver Snipe 12 that came from my Dad qualifies as a cheap thrill. Haven't seen many of these sell for more than $500, and, they are worth more than that, easily, in a good, reliable, no nonsense gun. A few break firing pins on occasion, Ahlman's has them on the shelf.


Best,
Ted

Picked up this 16ga Husky for under $200 a few years ago and spent this summer refinishing her. Lots of bag for my buck and a good education.

tunes

Husqvarnas are WAY underpriced for what you get. That's a fine looking gun. I've got a couple of the underlever hammer guns and they're great.