H&R Handi-rifles - any opinions?
- Thread starter rick_reno
- Start date
- Status
priv8ter
Member
Good Guns
I have decent amounts of experience with these. A buddy of mine has one in .223, and it's a tack-driver. I went out this summer, and bought one in .270 for my wife to use on deer this fall.
Using 130gr Federal Power-Shok's, I am able to get 2.5 inch groups, and I am 100% certain that the gun itself is more acurate than that.
For the price...I am very pleased. Heck...even throwing the price out the window, I am pleased.
It's is a fairly light gun though. In .270, the kick was sharper than I was used to, and it took a while to get used to. In .45/70, it may be a handful and then some...but...to satisfy my big-bore craving, I was planning on getting a .45/70 barrel for mine this spring, so post a review if he does get one.
greg
I have decent amounts of experience with these. A buddy of mine has one in .223, and it's a tack-driver. I went out this summer, and bought one in .270 for my wife to use on deer this fall.
Using 130gr Federal Power-Shok's, I am able to get 2.5 inch groups, and I am 100% certain that the gun itself is more acurate than that.
For the price...I am very pleased. Heck...even throwing the price out the window, I am pleased.
It's is a fairly light gun though. In .270, the kick was sharper than I was used to, and it took a while to get used to. In .45/70, it may be a handful and then some...but...to satisfy my big-bore craving, I was planning on getting a .45/70 barrel for mine this spring, so post a review if he does get one.
greg
I've been seeing a lot of these (used) at gun shows lately. Not sure why so many are showing up. I've never heard anyone say anything particularly bad about their quality. I've had one and got one for my daughter some years ago when she was learning to shoot. The only downside I've ever heard about them is that they can be picky about the ammo they like (but that's true of all guns, I suppose). The two I (and my daughter) had in .223 were not very accurate with the PMC plinking ammo I used at the time. That was before I reloaded.
For the money you can't beat them. I have a .223 heavy barrel and a .243. The .223 is a tack-driver out to 200 yards. The .243 isn't too shabby either. One of the range officers where I shoot has one in .17HMR and loves it. I'd like to pick one up in .204 Ruger.
Okiecruffler
Member
I've had 2
The first was a 45-70 the wife bought me. Ran about a box of shells thru it then traded it off. That's one light gun for that cartridge.
The other was a used .223 I got a gun show. Never could get a group under 3 inches no matter what I tried. So it had to go away.
But most people seem to have really good luck with them. I've been thinking of buying a 44 mag and having it rechambered to .444Marlin to go with my new contender barrel.
The first was a 45-70 the wife bought me. Ran about a box of shells thru it then traded it off. That's one light gun for that cartridge.
The other was a used .223 I got a gun show. Never could get a group under 3 inches no matter what I tried. So it had to go away.
But most people seem to have really good luck with them. I've been thinking of buying a 44 mag and having it rechambered to .444Marlin to go with my new contender barrel.
Grendelizer
Member
I've got an H & R rifled slug gun in 20-gauge that I'm happy with. Accurate for a shotgun. When I first got it, the hammer broke when dry-firing, but they replaced it with no hassle. Shot a doe with it.
John
John
I'm a BIG fan of Handi-Rifles and I own five of them. My whitetail gun is a .45-70 wearing 6x glass. My groups at 100 yards average about two-three inches (factory ammo) depending on the load with the accuracy edge going to lighter bullets. Both the Remington and Federal 405 grain softball get the three inch groups but holding awesome knockdown power.
I hand load everything from .458" diameter muzzle loader balls over pistol powder to the 405 grain hard cast bullets from Cast Precision. My favorite hunting load with great ballistics and accuracy is the Barnes pure copper 350 gr. hollow point X bullet, so named because when it expands, it opens into a Maltese Cross of about .80 caliber at 2000 f.p.s. The Barnes ballistician told me they would open reliably over 1750 f.p.s. I have shot five shot groups of 1-3/4" a few times over a rest. I use a shooting stick for hunting.
I also own Handis in .223 bull, .22 L.R., .30-30 and a Survivor in .45 Colt/.410 which has both rifling and a screw in choke.
I rework all the wood because I can't stand the wood/steel fit on the factory rifles. They are fine, sturdy inexpensive rifles and I've only ever owned one that was not too accurate. I gave it away. All of my current rifles are gems and the .223 bull is positively scary accurate, but heavy to tote after about two hours in the field.
The .30-06 synthetic stock Handi has really unpleasant recoil and I wouldn't own one for that reason.
Rabbi
I hand load everything from .458" diameter muzzle loader balls over pistol powder to the 405 grain hard cast bullets from Cast Precision. My favorite hunting load with great ballistics and accuracy is the Barnes pure copper 350 gr. hollow point X bullet, so named because when it expands, it opens into a Maltese Cross of about .80 caliber at 2000 f.p.s. The Barnes ballistician told me they would open reliably over 1750 f.p.s. I have shot five shot groups of 1-3/4" a few times over a rest. I use a shooting stick for hunting.
I also own Handis in .223 bull, .22 L.R., .30-30 and a Survivor in .45 Colt/.410 which has both rifling and a screw in choke.
I rework all the wood because I can't stand the wood/steel fit on the factory rifles. They are fine, sturdy inexpensive rifles and I've only ever owned one that was not too accurate. I gave it away. All of my current rifles are gems and the .223 bull is positively scary accurate, but heavy to tote after about two hours in the field.
The .30-06 synthetic stock Handi has really unpleasant recoil and I wouldn't own one for that reason.
Rabbi
Dionysusigma
Member
Are they modular enough that all one really needs to do to buy "another one in a different caliber" is just buy a new barrel assmebly?
If so, I think I've not given them enough credit...
If so, I think I've not given them enough credit...
NEF has a barrel program whereby you send the receiver and they put a new barrel on it. Shotgun frames take shotgun of black powder barrels and rifle frames take rifle barrels. Most barrels average $80-100 and when you send the receiver in, they will do a free trigger job. The Sportster model will only take rimfire barrels; .22 LR. .22 WMR and .17
Rabbi
Rabbi
- Status
