NEF Pardner goes *click* instead of *bang* -- worth fixing?

[MatthewVanitas]

I picked up (2) NEF 12ga Pardners at a pawnshop recently, $75 OTD for the pair.

Both looked around 90% on the outside. One was pristine inside, the other literally had dead bugs, dirt, and caked rust in the chamber and all over the breechface.

I took the non-rusted one out to shoot skeet, thinking I'd shoot just one stage w/ it before switching to my friend's 1100. First shot: *click*.

The hammer cocks, the trigger releases it, the open button opens, the extractor extracts. The gun only has so many moving parts, does this mean that the firing pin is broken, or is there any other explanation? Is this thing user-serviceable at all? I just see pins on it, no screws.

Should I buy and somehow replace the firing pin, or just sell it at the gunshow (with clear warning as to brokenness) for $35?

-MV

(PS: the rusted one cleaned up just fine. Provided _this_ one works, I'm planning to cut it down to 18.5", and decorate the stock with brass tacks. Make it a "trade musket" type of shotgun)

[greg531mi]

NEF Partners are made in China, I would go after NEF, and get them to fix it. They only been importing them for a couple of years, and if they put their name on it, they should back it up fixing it, in my opinion....

[MatthewVanitas]

NEF Partners are made in China, I would go after NEF, and get them to fix it. They only been importing them for a couple of years, and if they put their name on it, they should back it up fixing it, in my opinion....


Nah nah, you're thinking of those cheap pump-actions that they import now.

This is the single-shot they've been making for 100 years. The "Pardner" is just the variant with a shorter barrel. It's got "Manufactured in Gardner, MA" engraved in huge letters on the frame.

-MV

[sm]

NEF Partners are made in China,

The Pardner PUMP guns are imported.

H&R / NEF Pardner Single Shot Shotguns , and Topper Single Shots have always been and still are made in USA.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/nef_rifles.htm
Whether marked NEF or H&R, these rifles come out of the same factory in Gardner, Massachusetts and are functionally identical. The Harrington & Richardson name, of course, is probably better known to the older generation of shooters, but guns bearing the NEF trademark seem to be more widely distributed today.

http://www.hr1871.com/About/default.aspx
In November of 2000, the Marlin Firearms Company purchased the assets of H&R 1871, Inc. Marketing its products under the brand names of Harrington & Richardson® and New England Firearms®, H&R 1871, LLC is currently the largest manufacturer of single shot shotguns and rifles in the world.


Needed to clarify the Spelling, The Confusion of the The Names used on these shotguns.
Why in the hell the same name is used in the single shot and pump line is beyond me.

Matthew-

Now to answer your question. I would take a fired hull, put tape over primer, dryfire and see if Firing pin hits. This will assist. If a light strike, take the metal off the wood and soak in mineral spirits, very possible that FP is just gunked up and the soaking, and even using Brake Cleaner will clean it up.

Seen this too many times and a good cleaning to get gunk out works.

If not, I would call H&R/NEF, and just ask them. It may surprise you how nice these folks are.




Steve

--
Just too easy with similar names to get guns confused and mis-information and Internet rumors started.

[MatthewVanitas]

Okay, just hosed down the firing pin channel of both with One Shot. I'll find some expended 12ga hulls and do the tape trick (learn something new every day here).

If that doesn't work, I'll try brake cleaner.

Failing that, will call NEF.


I like these shotguns, but I'm just antsy to cut one down to 18.5", and I've always, always wanted an excuse to brass-tack a stock.

-MV

[sm]

Gives whole new meaning to Getting Down to Brass Tacks don't it?

:)

I like some choke in a gun, PM me sometime when you get the itch on just having a bone stock one, for walking the property and having handy. These will spoil a person rotten.

Some great patterns and slug groups out of these fixed choked guns...
I only recommend the 20ga, 28ga and .410 ones. Rule of 96 [weight of gun to payload and recoil] is the reason I do not recommend the 12 ga - except for some special reasons.

Have fun

[MatthewVanitas]

the reason I do not recommend the 12 ga - except for some special reasons.


I would nominate "because it cost me $35" as a sufficient reason.

They're both chokeless anyway, so I don't think I'm losing much by shortening.

Might end up selling one, make enough so that the one I keep is "free". Then I can mutilate it happily, play with it until bored, and then trade it for a few cases of Shiner Bock.

-MV

[sm]

MV-

You are different.

Wait that sounds wrong don't it? :p

Quite a few folks buy the 12 ga, get the whomper stomper loads, and knock the fire out of themselves with it.
Some think it is funny to pull this on a buddy, and worse, on a new shooter , like the wife or girlfriend and laugh at the results.

Needless to say I get a wee bit upset with all this. Been known when I find out, and the hurt lady asks me "what should I tell him to do with that gun?" I suggest they hand them KY, or Vaseline and tell the guy where to store it. I have actually handed the guys KY or Vaseline and suggested it myself.
Like I said, I do not see the humor on someone getting hurt, and others laughing about it.

12 gauge with the right fit, recoil pad, correct basics are not that bad with the correct loadings. 2 3/4" are all I use anyway.

These 7/8 oz loads are great, for what most need anyway around the property. Practice with these light loads are great.

PAST recoil pad on shoulder, or wearing a PAST vest, and shooting heavier loads, like buckshot, slugs to know what loads it like are recommended.

Some reload popcorn kernals, instead of lead pellets, for use in the barn, sheds, gardens, to get rid of pests.

If the need arises to use heavy load , including buckshot, or slugs, with the reason needing to used, number of rounds fired, recoil is not going to be noticed - by most anyway, until the situation handled.

Too many folks go about shotguns / firearms the wrong way. They get the whomper stomper loads and shoot first.
Better to start with light loads.

Too many new shooters have been turned off guns, hunting and sports, by knuckleheads pulling pranks to get a cheap laugh.

It would be like introducing someone to your pistol team by handing them full house .357 loads in a light J frame , and them deciding the pistol is not what they want to do...

Broken Single Shots, bought for a few dollars? I/we have fixed the crack in the stock, made sure it could not shoot, taped over the crack in the barrel...whatever...painted it baby blue and let folks to practice correct mounting gun to face.
Adult or Kid sized, and these folks have something they do 10, 20, 30 ...correct mounting to gun face repetitions a day.
Builds stamina, ingrains correct basic fundamentals, and all that.

Couple of old pitiful .410 single shots, done up this way, patched up, chamber plugged so a shell cannot even be inserted...and a kid, using a kid sized one, can learn how to use a shotgun, even if not big enough yet.
Kid can stand next to adult while the adult does these drills and do them with the adult.

Get a pc of scrap wood, heavy mat...draw an outline of kids feet, in the proper stance, , and a kid can get feet in correct position, and learn.
I have used the outline of feet for adults too...

Slip on recoil pads work nice for these as well.

I get chided, I get fussed at...I do not care. Responsible firearm owners are suppose to lead by example...

I have started a LOT of folks out with nothing but a Primer only - reloaded shotshell. First time actually putting a shell into a shotgun, with all the safety and everything they are supposed to do and remember, the gun actually going of and all ...Primer only works great.

I may be old school, but I care about folks getting off on the right foot, being safe, knowing I am going to keep them safe, and having fun.

Why I will have you know a H&R single shot in 12, using Primer only reloaded shotshells, have felled a "bazillion" dragonflies in a row, taken a limit of "Harvey the Six foot Rabbits", and moved an approaching T-Storm out of the county.

Really.

;)

[Lee Lapin]

MV,

Great deal on the two single shots. Keep 'em both, they are perfect for giveaway guns, sentry guns or other uses if times get hard.

I have seen single shots with broken firing pins, and even missing firing pins- some folks are just born to tinker, and sometimes they don't un-tinker too well. Take a look at your nonfunctional NEF to make sure the firing pin is still there at all, or if it's broken.

Best way is to take off the barrel first. Then cock the hammer- the back end of the firing pin should be visible between the transfer bar and the receiver, if it's there at all.

If you see the back of the firing pin, hold the hammer, pull the trigger all the way back and while holding back the trigger, e a s e the hammer down and look at the firing pin hole in the breech face. If the firing pin is intact and free to move the business end of it should protrude from the breech face. And it should stay there until you release the trigger.

If it's broken my own tendency would be to let the factory elves fix it, IIRC the receiver pins are pressed in and most do more than one job. If you do send one back, note you should be able to get a different gauge barrel installed for a bit over $40 while it's there- might as well kill two birds with one stone for your postage. See the H&R/NEF website for details.

As to cutting one down- measure twice, cut once...

lpl/nc

[MatthewVanitas]

UPDATE

Hosed down both guns with OneShot, and tried sm's tape-over-primer trick.

Broken NEF: nary a mark on the primer, ejects the empty about six feet with a thunderous *BLOOOOOOP*.

Rusty NEF: nice solid dent on the tape, won't even extract the shell. Also really stiff on closing.


I took the barrel off the rusty one, scraped out some rust and gunk. Breechface is heavily pitted, rest is more or less okay. Closes only slightly stiff now, but extractor only extracts (slightly) 1/3 of the time, and never ejects the shell. Suggestions? Any way to adjust the extractor/ejector on these guns?


I'm not willing to monkey w/ the one w/ broken firing pin, so will take to gunshow and sell it to a hopeful gunsmith for $35 if I can.

Funny thing is, both of these looked 90% on the outside, and the other (2) NEF Pardners I bought from that pawnshop worked fine.

-MV

[OEF_VET]

MV,

If you're going to part with them, I might be interested........:evil:

What is the serial number prefix on the broken one? Depending on the age of the gun, NEF can manufacture new barrels for it. If the serial number range fits, I'd take it off your hands. I'll send it back to NEF for repairs and a couple new barrels. Which I'll promptly cut back to amazingly short lengths and make whomper-stompers out of them. :evil:

Don't worry, anyone who even looks at it will know full-well that it's going to kick like an old mule. If they're still willing to fire it, they've no room to gripe about their bruised shoulder.:evil:

[____hoot____]

hee heee hee You guys made me remember one of my eeeevil uncles handing me a Browning recoil operated automatic with heavy 12 gauge loads to shoot straight up at a treed squirrel when I was ten. That was uncle Lawrance, it was uncle Abe that had me pee on an electric fence when I was six. Never ever have I been a trusting soul since.

[gp911]

re: hoot

Now that's just f'ed up right there... :scrutiny:


Had friends like that growing up though... :cuss:

gp911

[MatthewVanitas]

I spend far too much time trying to get folks to shoot, so I'm not interested in turning them away from shooting through dumb pranks. As I've often said, my buddy played a prank on his girlfriend the very first time he took her rock climbing (his favorite hobby). She was traumatised, so he's been climbing alone for the last seven years, rather than having an automatic buddy every trip.


Anyway, sold off the broken one. Have kept cleaning and scraping the rusty one, and now it at least extracts .5" almost every time, and pops it most of the way out the rest. I'll just keep applying OneShot and poking away at it.

Is the extractor/ejector supposed to be adjustable on the NEF? Should I go and polish the chamber or something?


-MV

[OEF_VET]

And I bet most folks can figure out what I'm going to attempt to do to that old shotgun......hehehe :evil: :D

I truly am a sadistic son-of-a-gun.

[razorburn]

MV-

You are different.

Wait that sounds wrong don't it?

Quite a few folks buy the 12 ga, get the whomper stomper loads, and knock the fire out of themselves with it.
Some think it is funny to pull this on a buddy, and worse, on a new shooter , like the wife or girlfriend and laugh at the results.

Needless to say I get a wee bit upset with all this. Been known when I find out, and the hurt lady asks me "what should I tell him to do with that gun?" I suggest they hand them KY, or Vaseline and tell the guy where to store it. I have actually handed the guys KY or Vaseline and suggested it myself.

sm, you carry around a sexual lubricant jelly for mean guys so you can use it as a prop? You are also quite different. :D

[MatthewVanitas]

Okay, one shotgun taken care of.


On to the rusty but functioning one. Still failing to extract/eject. Taking OneShot spray and toothpicks

*squirt* *squirt* *scrape* *scrape*

Now it jets the empty hull off over my should when I break the action. I'll break it down again and scrape out any more junk I find, polish the breechface and chamber w/ Flitz, and then call it good.

Will go read the THR writeups on hacking the barrel. Will measure many, many times, mark carefully, and cut. Will ask around and see if anyone has a tap I can borrow, to move the bead back. Otherwise might have to epoxy a bead.

-MV

[Zero_DgZ]

I was gonna suggest taking the barrel off of the one that doesn't fire and sticking it on the rusty one that does. But I guess it's too late now.

[MatthewVanitas]

I tried that, and there are slightly different tolerances between barrels, which is why NEF wants you to send the receiver back to the factory to get extra barrels "fitted". Otherwise they'd just sell extras like T/C does.

But after some lubing and scrubbing, the rusty one will be fine, so I'll stick with that one. Just got to go read all the "how to cut down a shotgun barrel" threads.

And then go buy some ornamental brass tacks.

-MV

[Zero_DgZ]

The heck are the brass tacks for? Measuring the barrel?

[MatthewVanitas]

The heck are the brass tacks for? Measuring the barrel?

To pound into the wood in a decorative pattern. Thing only cost me $35, might as well have fun with it.

http://www.vintageweaponry.com/040211b_2.jpg

-MV

[MatthewVanitas]

UPDATE:


Just can't bring myself to cut it down or tamper with the wood. Wood is 95%, and has that great Schnabel forend. Exterior metal has only a little freckling I'm polishing out, and I'll do some more polishing on the bore/breechface to make up for the bug-nest that resided there. Now that it's lubed-up and running right, $35 OTD wasn't too bad for it.

The Pardner barrel swings well, tried a little 18" .410 and it was too short, this 12ga Pardner is a good length. Will try it out on clays with light target loads, maybe a recoil pad (sitting around in the dresser drawer) and see what I think. I'm just a sucker for a Schnabel.

-MV

[spooney]

I can't resist a nice Schnabel either. Pictures if its not to much trouble?

[Zero_DgZ]

In your fiddling with these things, have you learned anything about tuning the lockup? I have a 12 ga. Pardner that I got in a similar situation as you (I paid 50 bucks, but it was in better shape...) that seems to have a finicky lockup. If you really slam the barrel home it locks up fine and releases when you hit the latch, but if you don't snap the thing shut hard it seems to lock halfway, or worse - feel like it's locked, but shake it hard enough and it pops unlocked! Probably something to do with wear on the locking wedge or the finger it engages, but I'll be danged if I can get the thing apart to look at the wedge.

I cleaned it real good and it still does it (but the trigger and hammer feel better with all the grit blasted out of them)...

[DaleCooper51]

theres a sticky under the NEF centerfire rifle forums at graybeard's outdoor forums that goes into detail on fitting a barrel. I used those instructions for the one I did recently and it worked great.

[Brad Johnson]

I'm just a sucker for a Schnabel

Me, too, especially with a little mustard and some hot rye rolls.

Brad