The question: what to do with my NEF .22-250 Handi-Rifle? (Heavy Barrel)
A little info about myself: I get the opportunity every couple years or so to visit and hunt South Africa. I didn't grow up as a hunter, and my hunting experience is somewhat limited. After returning from a visit 3 years ago I knew I needed to work on my shooting skills, specifically shooting off of a bipod/monopod/hunters walking stick kind of thing. I gravitated towards varmiter sized rounds, long range... seemed like it would be slightly cheaper ammo than shooting deer sized cartridges (wrong) and would be good to practice with before going on next big hunt.
I chose the NEF rifle, because well it seemed idiot proof. I wasn't sure of what to look for in a rifle then... free-floating barrel, trigger characteristics, etc. My logic was that it looked simple enough, not much could go wrong with it. I purchased it a little shy of 2 years ago.
I have yet to shoot it. I've been visiting the indoor ranges in my area with some frequency since about November or so and shooting mostly handguns. Recently I purchased a nice S&W 19-5 I posted a little about in the revolver forum. I have plans to find an outdoor range, possibly getting a membership with a club. Public outdoor range options seem scarce in the Minnesota Twin Cities area, and from what I've heard busy/scary and mostly revolving around deer season.
I done some research on my handi-rifle since purchase (instead of getting out and using it), and well already I've had some buyer's remorse. Some of the stuff I've read and heard about these rifles is that the barrels are non-stressed relieved after the button rifling process, triggers are stiff, and dont group shots well enough. I've also heard handi rifles were designs converted from their shotguns, and are not optimal for the high pressures of this round.
On the other hand I hear about people who get a gunsmith to work their trigger, maybe get a spring kit and they get fairly decent economical rifle... even buying up a number of additional barrels. I would like to hunt deer in MN, so if this gun can be made to shoot nicely Id get a barrel I could hunt with... considering half of MN is shotgun/muzzleloader only maybe a rifled slug barrel would be a good choice? (I really don't have much shotgun exper.)
Do I:
1) go out use it, have gunsmith fix trigger and float barrel when I get dissappointed. Con: I heard the factory "fixes" any trigger jobs if you send in for additional barrels later.
2) go out use it, if it needs fixed I heard the factory will do a trigger job that isn't as light... but I guess it would give option to send in later for another barrel if I decide I really like it.
3) sell it without even trying it out, invest the cash into something classy. I've got plans to get a .17hmr... looking at CZ452/453 models, as well as Savage. I've also been eyeballing the 22 Ruger Charger in the gun shop as well.
I've never sold a gun, right now the rifle is new (no packaging however)... don't know what kind of value difference there would be if it were only lightly used... I know they aren't particularly expensive brand-new. The .17 would be able to do a lot of what the .22-250 should be capable of (no intention of shooting coyotes or fox size predators), and I could maybe use it once in a while at the 50 yd indoor range during the winter months. I haven't been using this gun for the reasons I intended, and the shooting drills I have done as far as standing shots/ bi-pod have been with the .22 rifles my uncle and my girlfriend's step dad own.
Am I looking at this gun all wrong? Am I making more bad buying decisions here? Tell me what you would do if you were me. Thanks for taking the time to read this long winded, indecisive post.
-Rmuzz
A little info about myself: I get the opportunity every couple years or so to visit and hunt South Africa. I didn't grow up as a hunter, and my hunting experience is somewhat limited. After returning from a visit 3 years ago I knew I needed to work on my shooting skills, specifically shooting off of a bipod/monopod/hunters walking stick kind of thing. I gravitated towards varmiter sized rounds, long range... seemed like it would be slightly cheaper ammo than shooting deer sized cartridges (wrong) and would be good to practice with before going on next big hunt.
I chose the NEF rifle, because well it seemed idiot proof. I wasn't sure of what to look for in a rifle then... free-floating barrel, trigger characteristics, etc. My logic was that it looked simple enough, not much could go wrong with it. I purchased it a little shy of 2 years ago.
I have yet to shoot it. I've been visiting the indoor ranges in my area with some frequency since about November or so and shooting mostly handguns. Recently I purchased a nice S&W 19-5 I posted a little about in the revolver forum. I have plans to find an outdoor range, possibly getting a membership with a club. Public outdoor range options seem scarce in the Minnesota Twin Cities area, and from what I've heard busy/scary and mostly revolving around deer season.
I done some research on my handi-rifle since purchase (instead of getting out and using it), and well already I've had some buyer's remorse. Some of the stuff I've read and heard about these rifles is that the barrels are non-stressed relieved after the button rifling process, triggers are stiff, and dont group shots well enough. I've also heard handi rifles were designs converted from their shotguns, and are not optimal for the high pressures of this round.
On the other hand I hear about people who get a gunsmith to work their trigger, maybe get a spring kit and they get fairly decent economical rifle... even buying up a number of additional barrels. I would like to hunt deer in MN, so if this gun can be made to shoot nicely Id get a barrel I could hunt with... considering half of MN is shotgun/muzzleloader only maybe a rifled slug barrel would be a good choice? (I really don't have much shotgun exper.)
Do I:
1) go out use it, have gunsmith fix trigger and float barrel when I get dissappointed. Con: I heard the factory "fixes" any trigger jobs if you send in for additional barrels later.
2) go out use it, if it needs fixed I heard the factory will do a trigger job that isn't as light... but I guess it would give option to send in later for another barrel if I decide I really like it.
3) sell it without even trying it out, invest the cash into something classy. I've got plans to get a .17hmr... looking at CZ452/453 models, as well as Savage. I've also been eyeballing the 22 Ruger Charger in the gun shop as well.
I've never sold a gun, right now the rifle is new (no packaging however)... don't know what kind of value difference there would be if it were only lightly used... I know they aren't particularly expensive brand-new. The .17 would be able to do a lot of what the .22-250 should be capable of (no intention of shooting coyotes or fox size predators), and I could maybe use it once in a while at the 50 yd indoor range during the winter months. I haven't been using this gun for the reasons I intended, and the shooting drills I have done as far as standing shots/ bi-pod have been with the .22 rifles my uncle and my girlfriend's step dad own.
Am I looking at this gun all wrong? Am I making more bad buying decisions here? Tell me what you would do if you were me. Thanks for taking the time to read this long winded, indecisive post.
-Rmuzz
