NEF Revolver

[TimboKhan]

Call me uninformed, but I ran across an NEF revolver in .32 the other day and was completely in the dark that NEF even made a revolver. To be honest, I kind of liked it, although I have no particular use for a .32. If they made one in .22 (and maybe they do), it seems like it would be a great little camp gun because they look to be quite rugged. Anyway, anyone ever had any experience with these guns? Good, bad, indifferent? Do they make a .22?

 

[smokeater201]

I believe that they also made a 9-shot 22.

 

[spooney]

I own the nine shot .22 it is the model R93, pretty cool little pistol.

 

[fiVe]

I have an NEF R92 9-shot .22 LR

 

[TimboKhan]

Huh. That is a neat pistol. Can you find them with a longer barrel?

 

[seed]

I guess you never ran track or cross country. Just about every starter pistol was N.E.F. Of course, the barrel was solid. I have one somewhere. It was made for .22 blanks, although official starter pistols are supposed to be in .32, if I remember correctly.

I can't comment on the actual guns themselves, although the starter pistols are the same with the exception of the barrel and cylinder. Personally, I would not pay more than $100 for a real one (probably less, actually). Without looking, I would bet that you can get them on gunbroker or gunsamerica for less than that.

P.S. I remember this one official who was a starter at a lot of meets. I kid you not, he used .38 blanks out of a S&W real revolver! A lot louder than what we were used to and scared the hell out of everyone both at the start and the gun (final) lap.

 

[seed]

I was looking at the pictures and noticed the cylinder swings out on a crane (?) (don't know revolver part names well at all). The starter pistols did not have that. The cylinder just came out when you pulled the pin and was not attached.

I should also mention that I once saw and helped clean a starter gun that was stainless. I am not sure, but I believe it was an N.E.F.

 

[sm]

Neat guns indeed!

.32 Starter Pistols were the norm around here, I ran cross country.

.32 cal center-fire at one time was the caliber most suggested for a Trail Gun back in the day.
More reliable than rim-fire, more punch for small game for filling the pot, like rabbits and such.

.22 rim-fire - just too darn handy to not have one.

fiVe thanks for sharing that photo. Lots of folks , including ladies, carried that gun. Out in the garden, run across a pest, and out of the apron often a NEF .22 like that one was used.

Hardware Stores had these, and folks bought these on Lay-a-way.

Neat guns indeed with some neat history.

Funniest cross country start I had, they used a 8 ga shotgun to be sure we heard it as we were starting off in the woods.

Needless to say -some folks balked at the start while many of us were on down the trail...

 

[ArmedBear]

I have a solid-frame version (ejector rod like a SA). It's only 6 shots, but the grip is bigger, the barrel is around 7" long, and it has a .22LR and a .22WMR cylinder. It's a DA, but it looks like a long .22 single action.

They made a good number of the things, but the Single Six ruled the day and I think they quit making them 20 years ago.

They still make the starter pistol.

http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/dogRevolvers/nef.aspx

 

[TimboKhan]

haha, no, I never ran track or cross-country. I had no idea that NEF had the market on starter pistols cornered....

 

[seed]

Yeah, besides the meets I've also seen them in track and field equipment catalogs. I don't think there were any other companies represented for starter pistols.

sm, an 8 gauge shotgun for a starter gun?! Damn... Was the School for the Deaf running in the meet (yes, they had track and cross country teams)? Maybe they couldn't hear it, but they would definitely feel the percussion of the blast!

I think I already mentioned how the starter guns would also be used for the final lap (gun lap) of distance and relay races. It was even worse than the start, because the .38 starter guy would be standing right next to lane one and fire that thing right when the lead runners were running by next to him. Going into the final lap, you'd forget about that thing and how loud it was until it went off. I swear that everyone who was in or near the lead of every race flinched when he did that. Later in the meet, some runners would learn their lesson and cover their left ear as they ran by. Thankfully, eventually all the meet venues eventually sprung for bells for the final (bell lap), as how it is done in world class events.

Sorry for the drift.

Anyway, one thing you might like to know is that the starter pistols were prone to rusting. Granted, they weren't babied and the blanks they used were corrosive and designed to create a big blast and smoke plume (stop-watch timers look for the blast, rather than listen for it), but it's something to think about.

 

[Moonclip]

five how do you like that revolver? How does it function and shoot?

 

[sm]

http://www.gundogsupply.com/-326-.html

 

[Steelcore]

Harrington&Richardson made a lineup of inexpensive revolvers that were very durable and accurate.Trigger pulls were usually heavy tho.Shortly before ending manufacture the name was changed to NEF.Google H&R revolvers for more info.

 

[Working Man]

That takes me back. I love those little 9 shot .22s. It is a shame they don't make them any more.
I had a lot of fun with those as a kid.

 

[fiVe]

Moonclip: I can't confidently say about its accuracy simply because it has been shot very little. I bought it 17 years ago at a hardware store, and it has been in a gun rug in a closet most of that time--thus its condition is pristine. (Am I detecting some interest here?)

Courting PM's(?),
fiVe

 

[TimboKhan]

Now, I do have a Harrington and Richardson Sportsman 999, a revolver that is hands down my favorite .22 revolver. Why these guns aren't still made and in demand, I don't know. This NEF thing is pretty interesting to me. I am one of those guys that has been around a little bit, and I always love finding out stuff I hadn't even ever heard of. I guess that means I haven't been around enough, lol...

 

[Moonclip]

I have a 1941 production sportsman, good gun but misfires occasionally, probably need a new mainspring. The late swing out H&R/NEFs sem rough but I'd like one for cheap like yours. I passed a 22mag at $140 at auction. The 999 I think waqs the top of the line model, I never see them in 4"though and a local range has an anib example but they wanted $350. I stupidly passed another at $179 2 years ago. My cheap 22lr revolver needs are currently fil;ed by the High Standard Sentinel series.

 

[ogivemeplat]

Run, don't walk away!

They're crap, and NEF are bastards to deal with.
They're not like the H&R 999's, which are well regarded.
I bought an NEF 93, and it went about a brick before part of the trigger mechanism broke.
Very heavy double action trigger, putting a lot of strain on a part that was poorly redesigned to accomodate a transfer bar, without thought to it's structural integrity.
Perhaps if shot single action only they might last longer.
Parts readily available, but gunsmiths won't touch them since they're not worth much.
They're a bit of a bugger to fix yourself, but it can be done.

I sent mine off to NEF, since it came with a "lifetime" warranty.
They basically told me to F#@$%%##@, sent it back to me.
Without the original box and papers, bastards.
"We don't support these anymore", or some such horse puckey.

Miffed, because I liked it before that. Basically structurally sound apart from the innards, but didn't trust it not to break again after I fixed it, so traded it.

If you want a nine shot .22, spend the extra for a Taurus, or try to find an old Astra, or get a Smith 8 or 10 shot. (Did I miss any?)

You might be able to tell that I am a little bitter towards NEF after that experience!

 

[tuna]

I've had mine for a couple years now. It goes with me whenever I go in the woods or fishing and think it might get dinged (because, who cares, that's what I bought the gun for). It is pretty accurate, but as noted has a stiff DA trigger.
I somehow got it jammed once, and the trigger wouldn't pull all the way back. I tried to fix it myself, accidently dropped it, and the thing straightened itself out. (Definately NOT my self defense firearm, but good enough for the woods).
I got it cheap, and kick myself for not getting the .32 as well. One of these days.

 

[wnycollector]

I just picked up an unfired NEF r92 with the 4" barrel for $120. I have run ~500 rounds through it w/o a hiccup! the DA pull on mine is not that bad...but then again I have low expectations at this price range