The Decline of the Handi Rifle

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R.W.Dale said:
The forend spacer on a handi. A part that's critical for function is made from GASP! plastic

Is a tikka t3 in your opinion a cheap rifle?

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Fore end spacers don't get dropped and stepped on!

I would not own a rifle with a detachable magazine made of plastic. Nothing is going to change my mind on that.

Have you even seem the Mosin Nagant Sporter kits in person? The whole kit for $199 looks pretty good. I do not like synthetic stocks, but I could live with it.
 
click clack said:
Ive been drooling over one in .500S&W...
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With the exception of a 460s&w encore carbine my 500 handi was the hardest kicking firearm I'd ever pulled the trigger on. These things kick so hard those little slip on Butler creek flip open scope covers will actually fly off.

That and there's the ever present popping open on firing problem the 500handis suffer from

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Boo-Radley said:
Fore end spacers don't get dropped and stepped on!

I would not own a rifle with a detachable magazine made of plastic. Nothing is going to change my mind on that.

Have you even seem the Mosin Nagant Sporter kits in person? The whole kit for $199 looks pretty good. I do not like synthetic stocks, but I could live with it.
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But they do wear, split apart and out and fall out none the less. I've replaced and shimmed more than one myself.

Ask yourself this whhen you drop a loaded metal mag on its feed lips what happens? That's right its trash after that.

Do the same w a p-mag and you can keep rocking and rolling

Ruger has some great torture test vids of their new plastic gsr mags getting ran over and such

Why on earth would you invest over $300 sporterizing a mosin instead of buying any number of the actual quality firearms we've been recommending


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Wow, guess I got lucky. I have been quite pleased with my .35 whelen Handy-Rifle that I bought last year for primitive weapon season. Checking my zero this year, one 3 round group, less than 2 inch grouping with a bull's eye at 100yrds and called it good. Propping on a sandbag, so I figure the gun is limited by the shooter. But like I said maybe I got lucky, cause I am definitely not an expert.
 
You guys arent helping me with this
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=589093
;)

I wanted one do-all gun which it certainly is;
22hornet for groundhogs
243 for more explosive effect on groundhogs/open field deer
45-70 for fun/ woodland deer hunting

I had good luck with the 22hornet around 2.5" at 100 and 45-70 just larger but as mentioned the 243 didnt eject 100% i heard honing the chamber really helps

I used it for all that and more but now i have multiple bolt/semi/lever guns that fill each role better but none of them can shoot three calibers!


Honestly i think the real strength of the handi is the superlight at 5.3 lbs and take down to 20". No scope just a 22"x6"/5.3lbs in a light cloth case would be great for some situations! How much over 267$ shipped is the next 20" 5.3lb carbine? Outside of that i dont think a handi meets anyother needs for me anymore.
 
Shotgun receivers should not be fitted with rifle barrels. They are not heat treated to take the punishment, and H&R will not do it.
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The H&R Handi Gun receivers are made for rifle barrels. The older shotguns were often only made for shotgun pressures. On H&R's barrel installation program, they would not sell barrels: you had to send your receiver and forearm to have a rifle barrel installed by the factory. H&R would tell you by serial number if your receiver was suitable for a rifle barrel. Older shotgun receivers before the SB2 series were not made to handle rifle pressures and H&R would not install rifle barrels on them for owners. H&R would fit a rifle barrel to an owner's receiver if it was made to handle rifle pressures and would inspect the receiver before fitting a barrel.
 
Personally I haven't a use for 'em. They're clumsy, far too light in any medium-bore or larger chambering, inaccurate, and generally exhibit poor craftsmanship. For the same money I would rather pick up an used Marlin 336, or Winchester '94, or even an old Enfield or Mauser 98...or better yet a Marlin XL-7 for a little more.

If I get a hankerin' for another single shot rifle you can bet it'll be another falling block of some flavor...IME those can shoot, and have the side benefit of looking good doing it...of course they come with a price to match.

:)
 
I never bought one because I don't like the action release. I like side swing top levers for break action guns. Just a quirk for me. Or, I like under levers like Ruger No 1 or CBC. Had the Handi been built in either one of those forms I'd have safe full of them :)
 
I looked up some other forums, and found quite a number of people who really like the Handi Rifle in spite of its warts and wrinkles. Over all it looks like the Handi Rifle has more friends than foes.

I've seen the Marlin 336 suggested on this thread a few times. Love that rifle personally. However, as mentioned, I hunted with a 30-30 for many, many years. Here in Northwestern Oregon the 30-30 has one glaring weakness; trajectory! This is brush country freckled with huge clear-cuts. You simply never know how far you will be shooting; 30 feet down a cat trail, or 200 yards across a clear-cut. My father and I put a lot of meat on the table with the 30-30 Winchester cartridge, so I have a real fondness for it, but it ain't exactly a flat shooter.

Now, why Sporterize a Mosin as Dale asked? First, There is no doubt about it. I am an eccentric, and I like odd things. Second, and more important, in my opinion a Mosin Nagant in good shape is a better quality rifle than a cheap Remington or Savage. The local Walmart has those Savages and Remingtons for around $300.00 all the time. I think they're bird rifles. I hear them chirping every time I pass; cheap, cheap, cheap.

However, I should probably try to be more open-minded about modern plastics on firearms. I've had a couple of motorcycles that had some plastics that were down right amazing.
 
Yea one with a solid reputation and following.. I have no experience with single shot or handi rifles

thanks
 
I would urge you to AVOID the Handi in .243.

For whatever reason, they tend to NOT extract the fired case more often than not.
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Again,I seem to possess the only example of the subject of the day that actually works as intended. My wife's .243 handi-rifle is consistantly accurate ( 2'',for hunting purposes w/100grn bullets)and never fails to fire,extract and eject. As usual every brand/model/caliber gun I have is a POS except the for the one I have. I don't gamble but with my track record maybe I should check out the lottery.
 
R.W.Dale said:
I went through my handi rifle and later encore phase.

To make a long story short after dozens of bbls on several frames a break action single shot will never again be welcome inside of my safe. I call them lightning rifles as they have the most annoying propensity to never strike in the same place twice.

Sure like any platform you have your group/forum of hardcore fanbos willing to overlook the most absymal performance. But the fact of the matter is there are just as many of us out there who are grossly dissatisfied.

With the latest generation of entry level bolt actions there's no reason for an inaccurate poorly made $280 single shot to exist
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This was my experience with break open single shots as well.
Maddening. 2 shots would group and then no idea where the 3rd would go. Shims, forearm floating...blah blah blah. IF you haven't tried one of these be aware that there is an entire aftermarket economy dedicated to trying to make these things consistent.

But some people, maybe even the majority, do get satisfactory performance out of these things but never again for me.

Gonna put a +1 for the 30-30 idea and then get yourself some Leverevolution ammo.
I have a Mosin and have toyed witht he idea of sporterizing it but once you spend all that money (don't forget your time is worth something as well) and cut it down and stick a scout scope on it you've got a 150-200 yard gun max and well, thats what my 30-30 with Leverevolution does. Plus, the projectile on that new 30-30 ammo is devestating. Unless you reload, the best your gonna do for a hunting projectile with 7.62x54R is soft point.
 
It all comes down to...

Mercedes, and Fords......if your the type of guy who needs to drive a BMW or Mercedes, that nothing but the highest dollar rifle will suit, if however your the type of guy who would rather drive a ford and keep the extra coin in your pocket, than the handi is the perfect rifle. I recognize it for what it is: a plain jane no frills rifle that will not win any bench rest comp., but is, and has been carried in the field by scores of hunters, having accounted for herds of deer over the years.
 
I bought my wife a Handi-rifle in .243 for deer hunting. It is the ONLY rifle in a suitable caliber that she is comfortable with. It fits her,is light enough for her to carry and is more than accurate enough for hunting situations. Groups mean nothing for a hunting rifle if you make the first (and hopefully only) shot count. All people are not the same. What works poorly for one may be the perfect option for another.
 
wrangler708 said:
This was my experience with break open single shots as well.
Maddening. 2 shots would group and then no idea where the 3rd would go. Shims, forearm floating...blah blah blah. IF you haven't tried one of these be aware that there is an entire aftermarket economy dedicated to trying to make these things consistent.

But some people, maybe even the majority, do get satisfactory performance out of these things but never again for me.

Gonna put a +1 for the 30-30 idea and then get yourself some Leverevolution ammo.
I have a Mosin and have toyed witht he idea of sporterizing it but once you spend all that money (don't forget your time is worth something as well) and cut it down and stick a scout scope on it you've got a 150-200 yard gun max and well, thats what my 30-30 with Leverevolution does. Plus, the projectile on that new 30-30 ammo is devestating. Unless you reload, the best your gonna do for a hunting projectile with 7.62x54R is soft point.
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Somebody lead you astray: FAR ASTRAY! The Mosin Nagant was once one of the foremost sniper rifles in the world. There is video on You Tube of a guy making a 1000 (one-thousand!) yard shot with one. i cannot imagine where you came up with this 150-200 yard idea. Anyone who read a single article, or fired even a few rounds ought to know better.
 
It's a tool for a job. Handi rifles and Topper type single shot shotguns are fantastic pieces for stowing in a cabin or cache. The snake charmer is an excellent salt water fish killer. You don't have to cry tears of sorrow if any of them get a little rusty or banged up.

I've heard of some that can really shoot well, but I think those are the exception. Single shot break open rifles and handguns can be made to shoot exceptionally well. I've got an Encore with a custom .357 Max barrel that will put bullets through the same hole over and over again at fifty yards. But I would not expect that of a factory Handi. Nor would it be necessary.

As far as the surplus, there are hundreds of threads about the problems of sporterizing. If you really want to go down that road, buy one already cut up. Otherwise you'll invest hundreds and decrease the value of the rifle in the end. But of course you don't have to "sporterize" to hunt.
 
Dunno. I think that in handgun calibers, they fill a niche that the savage/mossbergs don't. Try getting into a .44 mag rifle that isn't a handi (or Rossi) single shot and you're looking at spending double or more in most cases. I'd be pleasantly surprised if there was another option.
 
you don't have to "sporterize" to hunt
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Agree with Cosmoline. Instead of a Mosin 91/30, get an M38 or a 91/59, add ammo, and you're good. My M38 was as accurate as my 91/30 and the reviews I've read on the 91/59's seem to be more accurate, due to cutting and recrowning the barrel.
RT
 
420Stainless said:
It is quite a hammer. The barrel is pretty heavy, but it still hits quite hard. I don't run more than a few rounds through it at a time. I'll be hunting with it in a couple of weeks and can't wait to take a deer with one. Mine is the only one I've ever shot, so I don't know if it is typical for accuracy or not.
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I hunt in MS and have similar experiences. .45-70 is my poison too.

BTW, the law is that it must be .35 Cal or larger, single shot, breach loading, with an exposed hammer.
 
I think I remember seeing of these at a gun show about a year ago. The price: $500. I was thinking "$500 for something that looks like the rifles they had at summer camp?" If you really want a cheap hunting rifle, a Mosin is the way to go if you're counting on killing medium to large game.
 
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