New England Firearms handi rifle found

[bikemutt]

I needed a break from the rain today so I took a drive in Oregon and ended up at a gun store, not really sure how that happened but it just worked out that way.

Anyway, there in the rifle rack I stumble across this NEF handi rifle in .223 that is in darn near perfect shape metal-wise, a few safe dings on the wood. Tight, crisp action, trigger is fine. Bore looks factory new with just a bore light. I don't know anything about these but I just wanted it.

$200 plus $10 for the background check I figure what the heck. The last one I'd run across was beat all to heck and they wanted $399 for it.

I figure if this rifle is reasonably accurate it would be a good one for the range I frequent where you can only have one round in the rifle at a time anyway.

Anyone know about these? Hopefully I didn't get taken too bad, I did notice the entire sales staff was smiling when I left

 

[ECVMatt]

That should be a fun little shooter!

 

[Jackal]

What gun store in WA charges for a background check??? I'd never go back, thats insane. I have never been to a shop that charges to make the call when purchasing a gun. Transfer, yes. Purchase, hell no. Thats just a secondary tax they are adding for doing their job! Nice gun btw.

 

[bikemutt]

I was in Oregon, they always charge for the BG check there, maybe just for non-residents, I'm not sure. I just figure $10 trumps 10% (sales tax) just about every time

 

[ADRskew]

Excellent find!!
I have one in 45-70 and it is my favorite rifle to shoot.

 

[Jackal]

I was in Oregon

Sorry, my bad. I misread, derps on me.

 

[Sun Tzu warrior]

You did ok on the price, should be a good shooter, just make sure you feed it the correct diet. .223 Rem is not interchangable with 5.56X45 NATO.
Also find out the rate of twist, then use the proper weight projectile for that twist.

 

[targetshooter22]

Mine seems to like 50 grain bullets under 4198. 55s fly OK (but not great), and mil surplus is worthless. It needs a trigger job too.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

.223 Rem is not interchangable with 5.56X45 NATO.

In a solidly build single shot like that one, there's absolutely no reason not to interchange them if you want.

 

[bandur60]

Many of the ones I've seen at our hunter sight-in days in past years will shoot right up to whatever sight or optic they carry, I've been impressed!

 

[Sun Tzu warrior]

Didn't say it wont shoot it, just may not group very well.

 

[HOOfan_1]

What gun store in WA charges for a background check??? I'd never go back, thats insane. I have never been to a shop that charges to make the call when purchasing a gun. Transfer, yes. Purchase, hell no. Thats just a secondary tax they are adding for doing their job! Nice gun btw.

all of them I have bought from charged for the call. I think they are charged for it.

 

[303tom]

I have a half dozen Handi-rifles & one is in .223 & it shoots relatively well with anything I feed it including the 5.56 NATO.....................

 

[doubleh]

Too many people like them for them to all be bad but I hope yours is better than the one I bought. I spent much more trying to develop a load that would shoot half way decently in it than it cost and never succeeded. I tried everything I know and most of what the internet experts said would do the job to no avail. Nothing helped.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Is it a sb1 or sb2 frame?

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Too many people like them for them to all be bad but I hope yours is better than the one I bought.

I had a similar experience as you. Found one factory ammo it liked, but couldn't find a handload for anything. Even tried to duplicate the factory load. I won't buy another, but I have a buddy who has like 4 of them and loves them.

If you ever have any issues or any questions, these guys love them and have lots of good tips for them.
http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The design of the gun lends itself to accuracy and most of those rifles are very accurate. I know an "old timer" who hunts every year with a Handi Rifle in 30-06 with a scope on top that cost him twice what the rifle did. He doesn't go hungry over the Winter I can tell you!

I had a H&R shotgun in 12 Ga like that rifle I wish I didn't sell off. (not that they can't be found for under $100 on the used market) Nice rifle IMO.

 

[bikemutt]

Is it a sb1 or sb2 frame?

I don't know how to tell.

On the left side of the receiver it says:
"New England Firearms"
"Manufactured in Gardener, MA U.S.A."
"Ser no. NW 325786"

On the bottom of the receiver is stamped the letter "P".

The left side of the barrel it says "Handi Rifle" "Cal. 223 REM."

On the right side of the barrel is the attorney billboard.

 

[dprice3844444]

great truck gun

 

[Jackal]

I had the heavy barrel H&R version in .223. Purchased it brand new and sold it at a loss, I hated that rifle. Best I could get it to shoot was about 2.5moa. Tried several loads, even tried a different scope, all to no avail.:banghead:

 

[bikemutt]

I had the heavy barrel H&R version in .223. Purchased it brand new and sold it at a loss, I hated that rifle. Best I could get it to shoot was about 2.5moa. Tried several loads, even tried a different scope, all to no avail.:banghead:

I feel your pain, and I may really feel your pain once I shoot the thing come Wednesday.

I'm holding out some hope that this one will shoot straight. It looked beat enough that someone kept it around more than 5 minutes, but not so beat to be unsafe or unusable.

Then again, maybe the reason for it's "beatness" is a lot of guys beat it and sold it.

I suppose I enjoy a mystery drama as much as the next person, and I've lost $200 in less than 15 seconds in Las Vegas before. I should have a range report later this week.

 

[303tom]

SB1 frames will originally have a shotgun barrel, .357 Mag or .44 Mag barrel and when you remove the stock from the frame there will be a single hole for the stock bolt and the back side of the receiver will be solid.

SB2 frames will have originally had a rifle caliber barrel and when you remove the stock from the frame there will be the hole for the stock bolt and there will also be "cut outs" at the top and bottom of frame.

 

[jaysouth]

I have one with barrel twist of 1:12". It is very accurate and likes 45 and 50 gr. bullets at around 3K fps. The trigger needs work. That may well be my next DIY project.

 

[limpingbear]

I got a heavy barreled varmint version. After a quick file job on the extractor to get it to fit the cartridge rims better, I never had another extraction problem. After trying many different loads in mine I found that it likes very light bullets going really fast. A 36 gr varmint grenade over 31 grains of ramshot TAC and it shot like a dream. it will NOT shoot anything over 40 gr worth a darn, so experiment and find it magic load. You will like the gun.

 

[doubleh]

Not only did I never get any handload to do good in my NEF, factory ammo was even worse except for Winchester white box that shot better than any other load. 2 1/2"-3" groups at 50 yards just don't get it for me and that is the best it ever did.

I traded it for a Stevens 200 which immediately put some of the leftover loads in .6"-.7" at 100 yards. Later I purchased a bull barreled TC G2 Contender rifle that will do a little less than .3"-.4" regularly with the same load. I still have both and use that particular Sierra-Varget load.