[Okiecruffler]

Took my money pit SKS to the gun show this weekend and finally got rid of it. Felt pretty good about having money in my pocket and ended up buying a used New England Handi-rifle in .223 with a Simmons 3-9X scope for $175. Took it to the range yesterday with 100 rds of wolf ammo, got 6 inch groups at 50yrds. Went into the office and picked up a couple of boxes of white box Winchester. Managed to get 4 inch groups at 100yrds. Not exactly what I was expecting. Easy enough to get my money back out of it and get that .223 Contender barrel I've had my eye on, but I wonder if it's an ammo problem rather than a rifle problem.

[.41Dude]

I purchased a used Ruger a few years a go that had a Weaver scope mounted. It wouldn't shoot worth a darn.
Two of the four screws on the scope base ended up being loose.:banghead:

This was of course the last thing I checked after burning up a few boxes of ammo.

And of course I felt like a dumb butt for not checking it before heading to the range.

Murphy, of Murphys law lives in my house:what:

[mtnbkr]

I don't own one, but I've heard good things about their accuracy. Did you check the scope mounting? I'd send it back to NEF and see what they can do. While they're at it, you can have them put other barrels on it.

Here's a list of what you can get:

http://www.hr1871.com/barrelAcc/index.htm

Chris

[Elkslayer]

Darn-it Mtnbkr don't tell him that!

I was just going to let him get real disgusted and then offer to buy it from him! Now that the cat is out of the bag, yeah, check the scope mounts. Every Handi-rifle I've heard of shoots well.

Good luck! :p

[Z_Infidel]

My Handi-rifle in .223 with an inexpensive scope is very accurate. Don't give up on the rifle too quickly.

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Another suggestion---after scope and mounts have been checked-----try using something better than the cheap ammo you have been using---and see what happens.

[Kaylee]

one last thing is check the muzzle crown.. see if there's any nicks or dings there. Should be an easy job to ream out if so.

My bet's on the scope being either loosely mounted or with a busted reticule though.

-K

(*sucks that the seller didn't TELL you accuracy stank.. prolly why he was selling it and didn't know how to fix it.. grrrrrrr*)

[foghornl]

I don't own one, but several folks I know have the "Handi-Rifle" in various calibres, and all seem very good accuracy wise...less than 2.0"@100yds.

Your issue is probably a scope/rings/mount kind of thing. Haven't experienced it firsthand, but 1 guy had the same sort of thing...100 target looked more like a "pattern" than a "group" He picked up his handi-rifle, and there was a rattling sound inside the scope.

After installing a new very inexpensive Tasco scope, and a few sighting shots, well lets say that any target closer than 250 yards was certainly in harms way.

I think his was a .243, but not sure.

[JShirley]

If you're using that "bulk white box" Winchester ammo (40 rounds?), all reports are that it is VERY accurate ammo.

John

[Mike Irwin]

The ones I've shot in the past have had decent accuracy.

The most likely culprit at this point is that Simmons scope.

Simmons would make a better scope if they stretched two pieces of saran wrap over an empty tin can.

[Okiecruffler]

I'm starting to suspect the scope is the culprit. The mount is nice and tight. I don't know much about Simmons, but I suspect this is one of the .22mag series that probably should have never been put on to begin with. I've got a Bushnell that I might try before I give up on it, but I need higher rings first. These things are downright silly when it comes to getting a scope to fit above that hammer. I'm kinda off all my rifles right now. I've always shot pistols better, and now that I have a few long range pistols, I wonder why I bother with rifles in the first place.

[Dr.Rob]

I'd try federal premium ammo, and when you are done 'adjusting' the scope, take a plastic handled screwdriver and "tap" the housing, sometimes the clicks don't 'set' at first.

Simmons is a cheap scope.

[Lancel]

NEF rifles can shoot very well. My .308 out of the box shot sub 2 MOA. If the suggestions here don't work for you, try a NEF forum such as nef-singleshot (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nef-singleshot/).

They talk about tuning NEF rifles to be tack drivers.

Larry

[JBP]

When in comes to the .223 NEF lighter bullets give better accuracy than heavier ones (the twist rate is 1 in 12"). If I go over 55gr with mine the groups really widen out. 55gr and under I normally group 1 1/2" and less at 100 yards

[Mike Irwin]

"take a plastic handled screwdriver and "tap" the housing, sometimes the clicks don't 'set' at first."


No.


Take a plastic handled hammer and beat the living hell out of the housing, and spend some money for a decent scope.

Doesn't have to be expensiv.

Weaver, Tasco, Swift, and Burris are all fairly inexpensive and a LOT better than Simmons.

I've bought two rifles with Simmons scopes. Both scopes had nasty coating problems. They both went right into the garbage.

[lee n. field]

Hey, I'll give you $50 for it. :D

Seriously, I can do 1.5" - 2" at 100 years w/ my brother's .223 Handi Rifle w/ cheap Tasco Pronghorn scope, and I don't consider myself a particularly good shooter.

[Big_R]

I like handi-rifles, however there are two primary issues with them. First off is the typically poor trigger which will be fixed by NEF when requested. Secondly is interference in the forestock. If all else fails, shoot it with the forestock removed. If it shoots well, you need to free float the forestock. First thing to do is try a thin washer between the stock and the barrel. Second is to remove some material from the rear of the stock where the curved part bolts on. Contact between the forestock and barrel does bad things. Kaylee's suggestion about the muzzle crown is also a good one.

With that said, my money's on the scope.

Ryan

[Brian Williams]

Put an O ring on the forend retaining screw between the fore-end and the barrel. Bed the scope mount in a little epoxy. Try another scope.

check out http://www.hr1871.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi

[David4516]

I've got an NEF "ultra" in .22 WMR, and it is the most accurate rilfe I own. I get 3/10 of an inch groups at 50 yards, and I'm not even a great shot. I get about 1 inch at 100 yards. I'm using a Bushnell 3-9X40 wide angle "Banner" scope. Been very impressed with it, it isn't bad for $70

Your problems are most likley scope related. Try a different scope and see if that helps...

[mtnbkr]

Geez, now you guys are making me want a Handi-Rifle.

Chris

[Redlg155]

I'm with the others.

You should get way better accuracy than that. Heck you'd get better accuracy than that if you junked the scope and just "shotgun" sighted it downrange!

Good luck on the scope. I figure it's either the scope or you've been shooting during a twister again. The last Okie wind guage I saw was a brick tied to a string. :D

Good Shooting
Red

[Okiecruffler]

That may be what was throwing it off:D

Still haven't decided what I want to do with it, in fact several of my rifles are in limbo. If the best I can expect is 2 inch groups I don't see the point. I have old military rifles that will do 2 inches with iron sights. Went looking for some see thru mounts so I could mount my Bushnell on it, but no one has any. I did buy a few boxes of Federal and some S&B, so I guess I ain't done with it yet.

[bogie]

1) is it a slow twist barrel that you're shooting fast twist bullets in?

2) how has it been cleaned?

2a) has it been cleaned?

2a1) is there a copper mine in the barrel?

[Okiecruffler]

Haven't shot anything in it except 55gr, but with a 1:12 twist I can't imagine that would be a problem. And she's clean as a whistle. But I can still get tighter groups at 100rds with my .357 Contender, my 22 Striker, or my Hungarian M44. That doesn't endear me to this rifle yet. I'll try a new scope and a few different types of ammo, but if that doesn't get em to at least 1 1/2 inches, off she goes.

[Okiecruffler]

Well, I bought a pair of see-thru Millet rings today which allowed me to mount my Bushnell Sportman 3-9X with room to spare. Also bought some silver bear, some american eagle and some S&B ammo. Hopefully I can get it to the range monday and give it a work out. But I've already found a 35rem barrel that would look really nice on my contender.

[chevrofreak]

i've heard of the .223 Handi-Rifles making a 5 shot group at 100 yards that could be covered with a dime

[Okiecruffler]

But I would like it to shoot groups that could be covered by at least a silver dollar.

[Okiecruffler]

Tried 7 different kinds of ammo today, best I could do was 3 shots into a little over 3 inches at 100yrds. Thought maybe it was just me, but then I managed to shoot several 2 inch groups with my Hungarian M44. That just isn't acceptable. Still might be a Handi-Rifle in my future, too many people out there swear by their's, but it won't be this one.

[Bruce H]

Anything built by man can be screwed up by man. Trade it for something else you might want. Considering NEF prices, is isn't that big of a deal. Did you think about having NEF rebarrel in another caliber you would like? Not very expensive.

[Badger Arms]

I would send it back to NEF and have them work on it. Explain the situation and ask them to help. They might change you, but you never know.

[Futo Inu]

"and now that I have a few long range pistols, I wonder why I bother with rifles in the first place."

OkieCruffler, I'm starting to think you may be onto something there. Seems to me, what a rifle is good for that a good accurate pistol is not, is shooting from a STANDING position. Rested, a long-barreled XP or striker or contender/encore is just as good and more handy to lug around. Of course, there may be times when one needs to be able to shoot standing, whether with or without a sling, not the least of which might include the dreaded SHTF scenario. Hence my lust for battle rifles.

Which scope this time with the 7 ammo types? Did you let the ring screws "settle in" by tightening them a little between shots several times before the final verdict-inspiring groups? And which range did you shoot at? I'm in SW OKC and a member of Tri-City club in Norman. I need to find out who you are so that I'm not the one upon whom you might unload that NEF onto, at the next gun show. :) I might also recommend sending it back to NEF - that's unacceptable - 3"+ groups - if it ain't got capacity, the one thing it oughta have is accuracy.

[Okiecruffler]

I tried everything I could think of, tested the screws, even borrowed my son's '06 to mount the Bushnell on afterwards to make sure it wasn't screwed up. Turns out that even the much put upon Simmons scope is just fine as well. I don't havce a bore scope, but my jewler's loop works pretty well to spot a bad crown, but I'm just not seeing anything. I even did the rubber washer under the forearm thing to no avail.

I thought about having a new barrel made, but by the time I pay UPS/FedX to ship and then pay $90 for a barrel, I'm into the thing for around 3 bills. I can get a new one around these parts for $187.

If the SHTF ever happens, I plan to run to the hills and any resistance I put up will come from deep cover. My freakzilla pistols will do just fine. But then again, I'm one of those guys who worries about that about as much as I worry about alien abduction.

I've been doing all of my shooting out at Canadian Valley out toward ElReno, nice range out there, but I do wish it would go out past 100yrds. And no worries, I'm not the kind of guy who would unload a dog on someone without telling them all about it. That's bad Karma, and I already have enough.

[bogie]

Don't be so quick to dump it...

Now, tell me exactly how you've cleaned it... What did you use? Hoppes, Break Free?

Do you have any Sweet's? Run a patch soaked with it, then let it set 10 minutes and patch it out? Does it show color? If so, you've got copper fouling, maybe extensively...

Also, when you brush it/patch it, do you feel different degrees of constriction?

[Redlg155]

And no worries, I'm not the kind of guy who would unload a dog on someone without telling them all about it. That's bad Karma, and I already have enough.

Ahhh, that's where a little creative advertising comes in.

For Sale: NEF HANDI RIFLE
Shoots 1" at 100 yards!



Just don't tell them it was a one bullet group. :D

Good Shooting
Red

[bogie]

back to top?

[GooseGestapo]

Okiecruffler:
My symphaties;
I went through the same thing 2 years ago with a .243 Handi-rifle.
Same sympthoms. I tried everything (all handloaded except for Win. 100gr P.P.) from 68gr to 105gr I had in my inventory. Best result was H4350 and 95gr B.T. for 4.5" 3 SHOT groups. Most went 6"-8" for 3 shot groups, if you could call them that.

(I had a 12ga Franchi M500 Auto in '80's that almost did that good with buckshot !!)

It wasn't the scope, as I tried 3
It wasn't the ammo
It wasn't fouling in the bore
It wasn't the trigger as it came with a 3.5lb 'crisp' trigger
It wasn't the crown

It WAS the barrel to frame lockup and a very rough throat on the chamber.

Like you, I was into it for only about $135.00, so I decided to let someone else send it back to NEF.

However, a companion NEF Sporster in .22mag was accurate, delivering 1.0" to 1.25" 5-shot groups at 100yds. with ammo it preferred. (several different 40gr HP's.

Both these went towards a Rem. 597mag. that now has a laminated Boyd's stock and 2lb trigger for a whopping additional $24.00 (including shipping!)
For what I use it for the additional firepower of two mags was very benificial !!

However, the idea of a .45/70 is intrigueing !!!!
(Have several moulds and dies left over from a fling with Marlin 1995- TOO MUCH GUN !!!!!! (Read Short-ACTION .458mag. ))

[Okiecruffler]

Well, she's gone now. I found a guy who has a coyote problem and was perfectly happy with 3 inch groups at 100yrds. Got $150 bucks for it, so I basically rented it for a few weeks for $25, so I'm happy. Still may buy another, too many people love theirs. A while back I had one in 45-70 that I was happy with, just found someone who wanted it more than the Stevens 311 shotgun that they had.