Looks like Cerebus killed off H&R1871 Firearms

[bearcreek]

Am I missing something here? If H&R is finished, why is their website still up and running as normal? Nothing on there in the news section or anywhere else about them ceasing production. http://www.hr1871.com/News/pressreleases.asp

 

[R.W.Dale]

Woah.

Nobody is saying your gun is worthless

But it's not worth more than a new entry level bolt action to enough people to keep the company in business

 

[DPris]

Bear,
Yes, you are.

In an email I got from a company rep on 11-22, H&R is NOT closing, just has ceased production of the breaktops & will continue on with the Pardner pump & Excell auto.

Denis

 

[Armor Snail]

So they basically will only import now.
They aren't going to build any guns anymore.

 

[DPris]

That's what I said in #19.
Denis

 

[lxd55]

Woah.

Nobody is saying your gun is worthless

But it's not worth more than a new entry level bolt action to enough people to keep the company in business

POS H&R. post #10. you may be right about the worth, but what was said in 10 need not be said. The High Road and all that..........I myself wonder of the mindset of this forum sometimes.

 

[R.W.Dale]

POS H&R. post #10. you may be right about the worth, but what was said in 10 need not be said. The High Road and all that..........I myself wonder of the mindset of this forum sometimes.

After owning probably a dozen handis and twice as many bbls I tend to agree with post 10

I find that much less offensive than the "one hole groups all day long" descriptions of the gun

 

[CornCod]

Sorry to see the corporate suits ruining some gun companies. Still, I think there are glimmers of hope. If you would have told me 30 years ago that there would be hundreds of US companies making AR-15 pattern rifles, I would have recommended you start on psychotropic medication. I am no expert on industrial processes but I perceive that small machine shops can do some very sophisticated work nowadays due to computers and CNC machines and such. Maybe small gun companies run by guys that like guns will be the wave of the future.

 

[Cee Zee]

Thank you for informing me that, what I really have is, in fact, is worthless.

Who said that? I certainly don't think those guns are worthless. I think I said they were a victim of their own reliability. Their biggest competition is their own guns that were built a while back. They still work good as new and probably will for another couple hundred years. It just doesn't make sense to buy a new one when there are so many used examples around. I've owned a bunch of them over the years. I have seen one or two that were nearly worn out but I think it was more a case of abuse than actually just wearing out. The only problem I ever see them have and the one thing that causes some to be discarded as scrap is the break down carrier gets worn eventually and the gun won't lock back into firing position right. It can even become dangerous. I've seen may be 2 or 3 guns that had that problem. I did have one that had the stock broken and it would fly off every time I fired the gun. It cost me a whole $30 for that gun which I bought more for the laughs than anything else. It was still safe to shoot it. It's just the stock came apart every time I shot it. I sold it for $30 too. it was a hoot. Pieces would fly off in every direction but not fast or hard. Just enough to make it funny.

 

[Jason_W]

Does anyone have a link to an official statement on this?

 

[DPris]

All I have is the email, but it contains what it refers to as the "company communication" stating what I've said here.
It's from a rep for the Remington umbrella.
Denis

 

[.455_Hunter]

Well, I went to Sportsman's in Thornton (84th & I-25) today and picked-up the last .45-70 Handi-Rifle and a full size .410. As noon, Dec. 11, they still had a full size 12 gauge, if any Denver folks are looking.

Too bad...

 

[Jason_W]

All I have is the email, but it contains what it refers to as the "company communication" stating what I've said here.
It's from a rep for the Remington umbrella.
Denis

I believe you. I was just hoping there was a linkable announcement so I could post it on one of my sites. Some of the 5 people who visit it might be interested

 

[DPris]

I'd expect something on their site fairly soon.
Till then- buy now if you were planning to someday.
Denis

 

[Duckdog]

I have several of these and probably 10 additional barrels in different calibers and I am wondering if those of you having troubles hitting the targets with these rifles maybe have other issues that are not the responsibility of the rifle. I shoot mostly cast out of mine and they are all very accurate with a couple being outstanding. The 45/70 cloverleafs at 100 yards with 405 gr LFN handloads.

I put down my autos, pumps, and bolts years ago and went to hunting with single shots exclusively for deer and small game, with the exception of waterfowl. I still have all of those firearms, but rarely shoot them any more. I guess I am wondering why it seems most guys with strong opinions on the issue of these fine firearms feel it is necessary to use a firearm with multiple shots, when their choice of a more expensive firearms are perceivably more accurate and better quality.

In fact, I wonder how many guys on here actually own one and are just doing the old "gun snob" routine to make themselves feel better for dropping a lot of money on a rifle that in most people's hands is just MOA of deer.

115grfmj, I am also upset to see this line of firearms go, as should all of us gun owners, whether you use one or not.

 

[BigBore45]

H&Rs ARE POS, and I own one in .223
Minute of pie plate is not a great indicator, nor is it trying to open upon firing
Too bad if you think that commenting on the lack of quality is not High Road

As long as folks only consider guns at the cheapest price, then we will get exactly what we ask for. Too many won't buy a Remington, but will save a few bucks buying the Chinese knockoff

I have one in .223 and with hand loads it will shot 3/4" groups at 100 yards. Also have a barrel for the receiver in .243 win and it shoots 1" groups at 100 yards. maybe the one or 2 you tried had bad throat erosion or were mistreated from people thinking they were junk.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

If this is true, then it is sad. I have never owned, but always appreciated the single shot rifles, especially from H&R. However, I feel like the will be back, in one form or another, maybe on a small scale, as markets change and money can be made again.

On a side note, this is just how the world is going: America is a place of cheap products. Look at WalMart... people want cheap, cheaper, and cheapest. Then people will yell about foreign economies and foreign products and less quality... but they still go shop at WalMart. I am the same way. I buy depending on my wallet. I love cheap guns that offer decent quality for basement prices. I don't care where it's from (normally it's a Ruger though...) or who made it or what kind of morals the company has. I shop the bottom line because I like the Free Market and if you want my dollars, then compete for them. And yes, this will probably get alot of flak on this thread

 

[Mman]

i liked the look of the handi rifle over the contender but without the ability to swap barrels without special fitting from the factory it was fireseeable the handi rifle would be discontinued. In a limited market already it cannot compete with the competiton that doesnt require any fitting at all.

 

[Elkins45]

My experience with the guns has been mixed at best. The first one I ever owned was a .223 that was a gift for my father. It had an interesting 'feature' that would cause it to unlock upon firing and fling the empty over your shoulder, landing 15 feet away.

I bought one this year in 300 blackout and results so far have been mixed. I can't get it to shoot cast as well as my AR, but I haven't tried jacketed yet. At $300 including tax it wasn't much cheaper than a good barrel+upper for an AR, so I'm having a hard time thinking of it as a bargain for someone who already owns an AR lower.

Still, it's never great when an option is taken off the market. The Handi was one of the few rifles on the market available in 35 Whelen or 444 Marlin.

 

[CraigC]

The cold hard truth of life is that money is tough to make and even tougher to hold on to (life is expensive). There are a lot of people who consider themselves lucky if they even have $500 a year to spend on guns and gun stuff after all the other bills have been paid. People buy the best they can afford.

That's part of it but the biggest factor is the cheap mentality. People would rather pay less for cheap junk so they can have more of it. Quality is taking a backseat to quantity. In reality, the word "won't" should inserted most the time someone says they "can't afford something". Most people want instant gratification, cheap thrills. "Good" has been replaced by "good enough".

 

[B!ngoFuelUSN]

Why, in a country dominated by Walmart buyers would you expect the gun world not to follow suit? That is, high volume low price low quality goods that need to be replaced often because they are not worth having fixed. This is the Walmart model and more and more people in the U.S. subscribe to it, whether they know that explicitly or not.
And many on this forum use Walmart as their benchmark for ammo pricing and gun pricing. So why should the manufacturers buck that trend?
FWIW, I've written numerous times that I think Walmart and all it stands for is a blight on our country. And to be fair, there is still room at the high end for quality goods, but they won't sell in volume and only to the wealthy generally speaking.
You reap what you sew and H&R and company's like it are just another example.
I should add that I am further disappointed because I always wanted to own one. Or rather, own a simple single shot rifle. Kind of reminds me of learning to shoot on a single shot .22LR bolt gun. But there are other low- or mid-priced single shots out there.
B

 

[B!ngoFuelUSN]

When a low end bolt gun from Ruger or Savage is more accurate and no more expensive - it's time to either find a way to make the break-action cheaper or simply let it fade away. That's just market economics, as much as I personally like the H&R guns.

And this is probably what those evil 'suits' (as someone called them) figured out. Such terrible people.
I'm actually not a fan of what some IB (investment bankers) do to company's but in this case, this is likely a straightforward business decision. It allows them to direct money to some of their healthier company's rather than keep H&R on life support in a shrinking market.
B

 

[B!ngoFuelUSN]

Freedom Group should sell the H&R line to Kahr or Mossberg.

You don't think they tried? I don't know that they did, but any reasonable business owner with a failing asset would first try to recoup as much as possible before just shutting it down. Shopping it around, either whole or in parts is SOP when choosing to wind down a failing asset. And just because it is not working for the current owner doesn't mean it wouldn't fit better in to the portfolio of some other company and thus would have value to both parties.
I'm sure they tried and no one was sufficiently interested.
B

 

[R.W.Dale]

I'm sorry guys but a savage axis or ruger American is NOT a low quality firearm compared to a handi rifle made in 1999 or. 2014.

The reverse is true and I don't know where you guys got on the tangent that a fine high craftsmanship gun maker went out of business.

H&R were LAZY they banked everything on one design from 125 years ago that was difficult and complex to manufacture that in terms of features per price got left at the dock a long time ago.

You guys are surprised they went out of business. I'm surprised it took this long.

 

[Biohazard1993]

My hope is that companies will wise up to the fact that the working man wants quality, but usually can't afford it all on one shot. Budget firearms with reliable guts and a lot quality aftermarket parts might be an answer.

For example, you could spend $500 on a base platform to get yourself shooting. Maybe the stock isn't great and the trigger leaves a bit to be desired, but maybe in a few months you can afford to replace the trigger and a few months after that you can afford to replace the stock.

Yeah that is what the ar-15/10 series is for. Broke; buy a lower for now. Get a little money; buy the upper you want. Can't stand the trigger; replace it. Want to replace furniture; your in luck cause they are loaded with options. Or just buy a budget one then change it later on like the S&W MP-15 or the new RUGER 556. Pistols are slowly getting to this point, look at GLOCKs and the new SIG P320. your right people do want budget, especially me, but the truth is minus wanting some of the hunting rounds not available to the platform the ar-15 and ar-10 have the market beat due to the fact of what Johnny Cash sung about "One Piece At A Time". I love old wooden guns and revolvers, have a few myself, but a firearm is a tool no matter what it is used for and with most people polymer lightweight firearms have a lot less hassle to them than wooden guns and are therefore the most efficient tool. Honestly if I had to go back to age 18 when my mother bought me my rifle for graduation I would have went AR-15 and prob not bothered with my other 20 or so guns I bought and sold, they were fun but that was it. When my dad got me my pistol at 21 I should have opted for the GLOCK 32 but that sp101 he had looked so cool (I do love it and well never get rid of it). Back to the H&R thing I will deeply miss them. I have my Grandfathers 20 gauge youth model he bought for my mother (Another I will always keep) from SEARS back in the day and no other shotgun I have shot touches it. R.I.P. H&R