H&R vs Rossi single shots

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jon_in_wv

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2006
Messages
3,816
Recently I bought a Rossi 22lr/410 combo for my daughter to help her learn to shoot. After taking her to the range I love that little gun. It is so fun to shoot! I am planning on getting a similar weapon for me in a more serious caliber. The problem is I've read some negative things about the Rossi's, and about the H&Rs for that matter. The H&Rs seem to have a slightly better reputation and they also have the option of sending in the receiver to have a trigger job and replacement barrel fitted. Are there any cons to the H&Rs?
What experience do you guys have with either of them?

I KNOW the Thompson's are the cat's meow but honestly for what I'm planning on using this for the extra price probably isn't justified. The Rossi and H&R are much more economical.
 
Knight has also started making single shot rifles. I love my H&R and it has been sub-MOA with everything I have put through it so far.
DSCF0031.jpg
 
I have three H&Rs rifles (heavy-barrels in 223, 308, and 30-30) and love them. They are not indestructable, but they are reliable and accurate. They are far better fitted than the Rossi's I've handled. They are flexible in use, compact to carry, and naturally ambidextrous.

Production of the H&Rs is leaving Gartner, MA by the end of 2008 and will most likely wind up in China. If you want a genuine US-made H&R single-shot with a pedigree that dates back more than a hundred years, you better buy it soon. After the end of 2008, who knows WHAT will be stamped on the side of 'em as a location of manufacture...

:(
 
Good info. I like my daughters Rossi but I know I can't judge the fullsize based on the performance of the 22 so I'm leaning more towards the H&R. I didn't know Knight was making them. I'll have to check that one out too. How is the quality on them?
 
Yeah. I checked into it a little. They are REALLY nice and seem sturdy. Much more so than the NEF or Rossi. If course it should be for double the price. They run about 600+. I can find NEF's all day for under 300. I don't think the extra 300 spent is really going to pay off for me.
 
There is a big fan group of the Handi Rifles on GBO forums.

I have owned a few and I can not recommend the Superlight models. Go with a heavy barrel and I think you will be happy.
 
The Knight is neat looking, but if I'm going to drop much more than the cost of a Handi Rifle I'm going to buy a Ruger #1. Those are just plaing purdy.
 
the h#r, nef is nice, becuase you can send them in your receiver, and get a hole new caliber bbl made for it, for about 100 bucks or so.
generally the h/r is the nicer of the two, but both can be modded and tweaked for excellent accuracy. There use to be a dude over on rimfirecentral, that made stub bbls for them, then threaded your bbl and the new stub, for a bbl, and action/receiver, that is so stiff and tight, it is amazing accurate.
 
I think I'm leaning towards the NEF due to the Barrel program but I've heard some grumblings about plastic parts in the NEF. How big of a deal is that anyhow?
 
"Production of the H&Rs is leaving Gartner, MA by the end of 2008 and will most likely wind up in China."

GO Cerberus GO! Run Marlin and Remington straight in to the ground! Yea, I have to buy one before the end of the year, because I will absolutely NOT buy one from an unfriendly communist country. How could you possibly make such a great gun any cheaper? Oh well..........
 
1. I love my 223 handirifle. I would definetely recommend them over the Rossi rifles.
2. They are not moving production out of the country. The production was moved to Ilion, N.Y.
 
The H&R handi rifles are like $220 NIB everywhere.

I want one of the heavy BBL 357 magnum handi rifles for deer hunting, sice PCC are now legal kit in Indiana . :)
 
They are not moving production out of the country. The production was moved to Ilion, N.Y.
Click to expand...
Excellent news, but I have to ask - how do you know? I searched Remington's and H&Rs web sites and could find no data on this.
 
Rossi: Less expensive. Better hammer style (swept back, for lower scope). Manual safety. Better trigger. Better/more reliable extraction system. Lighter. Foreign-made.

NEF: More expensive. Worse (high) hammer. Worse trigger, usually. No manual safety. Known for brass sticking in chambers and not ejecting. Heavier. American made. Some are capable of excellent accuracy, though that can be a hit or miss proposition.

I have some of each. Both are reasonably accurate, good hunting guns. The Rossi is a much better value, if you don't require American-made.

There are lots of other single shot centerfires, past and present. Mossberg had the SSi One or whatever it was called, which ended up being closed out at CDNN. Then there's:
-T/C Encore & Contender
-NEF/H&R
-Rossi
-CVA Optima Pro
-that new Knight KP1
-Ruger #1 & #3
-Baikal
-Blaser
-Replica Sharps rifles, and other replicas of old falling blocks and rolling blocks (High-Walls, etc.)
-Actual old but shootable rifles like the trapdoor Springfield
-several others, I'm sure
 
I'm not too happy yet with my .223 Handi Rifle's accuracy. I can't seem to manage better than 2 MOA no matter what I do. I have an el cheapo scope on it, though. I need to try a decent quality scope one of these days.
 
I have owned both and they are both fine rifle's/shotguns, and great bargain's.

The Rossi (12ga/22mag) had a safety and the stock dropped a little more, allowing it to fit me (my big head) a little better. The hammer was a bit lower and allow me to work it better, which I did not notice until I used my NEF. It locked up tight and never gave me a problem. No clay, rabbit or squirrel was safe with it my hands. I foolishly traded it and have regretted it ever since. The 22mag barrel was accurate with the iron sights out to about 75yards but was only limited by me.

The NEF (12ga) is what I have now and I have not for one second regretted buying it. It locks up tight and has not given me any problems. The fit of the wood is "slightly" better than the Rossi and had better looking wood grain and finish. The blueing seems to last a bit longer as well, as the Rossi showed a little wear on the frame near the trigger guard where my finger rubbed.

I have put many thousands of rounds through both and in my biased opinion I like the Rossi better,......... because it fits me better. I plan to buy another Rossi combo in 12ga/22lr soon to replace my NEF. But I will keep the NEF, as it has grown on me over the years.
 
the rossi does have all those things mentioned above, if also has 'softer' metal, it scratches and rusts if you stare at it too much. also, if you are doing a little bench shooting, it will heat up way much after 3 shots. they also have practically no finish on them whatsoever. so if you want a true beater, with one or two shot capability, then I agree with the rossi.
ALEMONKEY!!!! To get better accuracy with your single shot, you must do a couple of things; your front rest must be in the exact same place every time. I try to put my front rest or bag , right up against the front of the trigger guard, right under the break at least; if your rest is forward of the break, you are putting horrendous amount of upward bending pressure, on the front of the bbl. Lastly, the front take down screw; you must adjust it for looseness or tightness, while shooting. I had one once, that like the front screw so loose, that you could free spin it like a top, then I would put it on the bag, and it would shoot lights out.
 
That's a good idea to try on the screw tightness. I do make sure the rest is right up against the trigger guard as I've heard that makes a difference on these, but I haven't tried messing with the forearm screw.
 
Excellent news, but I have to ask - how do you know? I searched Remington's and H&Rs web sites and could find no data on this.
Click to expand...

I hand out at the H&R forums on Greybeard Outdoors (http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php). The forum moderators have a close relationship with H&R. We were getting frequent status updates on the move of the machinery, since this affected the barrel accessory program.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

D
  • Locked
Rossi Single Shot Rifles?
Replies
5
Views
860
rbernie
rbernie
Elkins45
  • Locked
Economy single shot: CVA, H&R or Rossi?
Replies
8
Views
2K
gp911
G
G
  • Locked
Anyone have a Rossi single shot?
Replies
12
Views
854
bigalexe
B
cluttonfred
  • Locked
H&R Handi Rifle/Survivor as poor man's scout rifle?
Replies
7
Views
5K
alemonkey
A
evan price
  • Locked
Rossi single-shot shotguns: Can you get different barrels?
Replies
3
Views
406
Deltaboy1984
Deltaboy1984
Back
Top