Anyone ever shot a New England Arms break-action rifle?

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Looking at the price and it is unbeatable. Just wondering how it would compare to a TC rifle since both are break action single shot.

Course, the TC has a better trigger..........(I think)

Never heard from anyone who has fired the NEA.

Thinking of .223
 
I think you mean New England Firearms (NEF) (aka H&R 1871) which is now owned by Marlin. I have a heavy barrel .223, a .243, and just picked up but yet to fire a heavy barrel .204 Ruger. You will find a number of posts complaining about the trigger pull on the NEFs but I find them to be about the same as my T/C Contender. Before they were bought out by Marlin, NEF would adjust the trigger pull (it should be set at 5lbs or less) but I don't think they will do it now.

The biggest difference between NEF & T/C is barrel swapping. With a T/C (Contender or Encore) you can swap any barrel that is for your model. With the NEF the forend and frame has to be sent back to H&R for barrel fitting (instructions here) which takes 4 - 6 weeks.

IMHO I don't think you can beat them for the price. My .223 almost matches my Ruger M77 Mark II Varmint 22-250 (which I paid almost three times as much for) in accuracy at 200 yards. One of the range officers has one in .17 HMR and loves it.
 
I had the .223 a while back, was very accurate. It had a tight chamber and would not handle the wolf laquer stuff at all. Regarding toughness, while cleaning it a brush detatched from the rod and stuck in the barrel. I didn't realize it until the next time I took it shooting. KaBoom! It shattered the trigger guard, busted every spring, and blew the ejector through the bill of my hat. But the gun stayed locked up and the barrel didn't bust. Except for a few stitches in my trigger finger and ears ringing no damage was done. The rifle regretfully was not salvageable.

rk
 
I like mine

I bought one in .270 for my wife this spring. It's topped with a Nikon 2-7 variable scope, and I like it. Well worth the money. I shoot 2-2.5 inch groups through it, and I feel quite sure that it is capable of better than that in other hands.

The only problem I have with the gun is it was probably too light of a .270 to start my wife out on. In fact I'm thinking of sending it out for Christmas to get either a .243 or a 7mm-08 barrel put on it for her use, and a .45-70 barrel put on it for my use.

Now, that's going to a thumper....45-70 in a Handi-Rifle.

I'm afraid I can't give a direct comparison with the Thompson, but I have had ZERO issues with trigger pull on my rifle.

greg
 
Oops, now I have a question...

I always thought that while you had to mail off the stock, forend and frame for intial barrel fit-up, once you got it back, you could swap the barrels out at home. Am I misunderstanding thongs?

greg
 
priv8ter said:
I always thought that while you had to mail off the stock, forend and frame for intial barrel fit-up, once you got it back, you could swap the barrels out at home.

greg
Click to expand...
correct.
 
My dad has one in .223. I bought it for him a couple years ago. He uses it to hunt deer (head shots only) because his old 300 Savage is getting to be hard on his shoulder (he has degenerative arthritis).
The trigger pull was terrible before but he had a local smith lighten it up. Shoots great now.
 
My cousin has one in 45-70. I like it a lot. In fact I want one and if I come across one I'm going to buy it. Trigger felt fine to me.
 
I've had 2, a 45-70 that I got rid of pretty quick, and a .223 that was a dog. Wouldn't shoot under 2 inches with anything I tried. But too many people have had good experiences with them for me to put them down. Several people are doing interesting rechambers and custom barrels for them, so you aren't even stuck with the factory chamberings. I've been thinking about getting a 44 mag and reaming it to 444 Marlin.
 
:You can't beat 'em for the money.I had a 45-70 awhile back and really had fun with it.I did learn to download for plinking.them 405's can thump on both ends. :)
I got bored with it and sold it,but now want another one..I have the reload stuff but no rifle.he** of a situtation!!:)
 
I know a guy who had one in .243..... scoped it with a decent Leupold, gave it a minor trigger polish, and it shot under 1" off the bench at 100 yards. Coyotes fear this gun. :)
 
chevro, have you ever shot a survivor? especially in 308. there is no recoil pad, and the narrow, hard plastic stock is not comforting.

their stocks have a love/hate relationship with owners. a shooting buddy had one I shot on ocassion.

you might look at the Handi

handiR223_T.jpg



or the prettier, and bull barreled, Ultra

ultrahunt_T.jpg



Topgun, I have a 223 Handi, regular barrel that is one of my favorite rifles. it goes to the range every time. ;)

also have one in 30-06.
both are very accurate and reliable. :D

bought the 30-06 used 2 years ago. it was built in 94. I sent it in to the factory for a 'once-over'. the put a new crown on the muzzle, put new internals in the action, and charged me $0. :D

good company.

bought the 223 new 1 1/2 years ago.
 
Nope, havent even seen one locally. I figure that if I dislike the stock, I could easily find somebody who would trade me.

Looks like they have a really heavy barrel, which appeals to me. I'd prefer stainless, but they dont have any .308 models in stainless :(
 
Check out David White on this board http://www.bellmtcs.com/forum . He did my 444 contender barrel and has done some amazing handi rifle work. His Maximizer break works better than any break I've ever used and at the same time is louder than any break I've ever used. :evil: Very reasonable prices and quick turn around. An all around good guy to work with.
 
Quote:
_________________________________________________________________
You will find a number of posts complaining about the trigger pull on the NEFs but I find them to be about the same as my T/C Contender.
_________________________________________________________________

Your contender is broken, Mine came with a 3lb trigger pull per a lyman gauge, adjusting the overtravel screw, The trigger has no take up no creep and breaks like a glass rod with no discenable movement. For $50 a local smith tunes them to 12 ounces and flash chromes the contact surfaces.
There is a reason folks who compete in metallic sillouhette use contenders.

The last NEF I handled at dicks had an 8-10 lb trigger pull and lots of creep and grit.
 
I've got an "Ultra" Handi-Rifle in .22WMR that I got as a Christmas gift a few years ago. I really love this thing, it's very accurate (0.3 inch groups at 50 yards), with the Winchester ammo in particular. I think the gun can do better, I let a friend try it out, hes a better shot than I am, and he had some impressive 100 yard groups with it.

I have a Bushnell 3-9X40 wide angle scope on it... seems to be a good combo...
 
I have a NEF Handi hifle in 223. I bought some Russian steel cased ammo for plinking and found that there was an ejection problem with it . When I took it to a gunsmith to get it repaired he told me that it was the steel cased ammo that I was using , I switched to brass cased and have had no more problems.
I would like to see them offer it in a 7.62 x 39 .
Spot
 
I'm debating the same thing. I don't have anything in .223, so when I get something I'd like it to be quite accurate, and a single shot is fine. It's probably going to be a range queen, but would be a varmint rifle if I needed one.

I've really only thought about the NEF, but should I also consider the T/C? Does it basically boil down to which one fits me best? Can you fix the trigger (replace the sear?) on the NEF?

I've got a scope, I need an accurate rifle. :confused:
Thanks,
RT
 
I bought an NEF Ultra in .223 about a month ago. Trigger is great. I tried 3 in the store, and there was significant variation. I got the best of the 3, and its pretty darn good.

It shoots about MOA with factory ammo, and sub-MOA with handloads it likes.
 
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