How happy are you with your H&R NEF Handi rifles?

[DalesCarpentry]

I was just over at the Rossi site and there are not a lot of good things said there about the Rossi Rifles. I was wondering how people feel on this forum about the H&R NEF rifles. I have given you a lot of choices on how to vote and you can chose two. This is your chance to vote on how you really feel about your experience with H&R NEF rifles with no one knowing how you voted.   Dale

[Swampman]

Very happy, mine shoot great right out of the box.

Would have been my first choice.

"would not trade them for anything."

Seemed a little too extreme.  There are things I would trade them for;)

[DalesCarpentry]

I have added an option. Mine shoots great out of the box. This will affect the votes and if you have already voted you can go back and change it. There have only been a few that voted to this point but I think because the way I added that option that your vote will regester as don't like them at all. So please go back and change your vote.          Dale

[DalesCarpentry]

I must have messed up some where. My votes are also wrong. At this point only 9 people have voted and I think it would be best to reset it. This way everyone can vote again. Sorry guy's I reset the votes to zero. My fault go ahead and yell at me. Things are straight now though.   Dale

[Jimbo47]

Mine shoots good out of the box, but with all I've spent so far, I could have bought a bolt gun.

That's really not a complaint though, just a fact.

I started out with a youth model .243 which I found at a gunshop at a good price, which was less than what a new NEF cost.

I then decided to go with a walnut stock set, and then after doing a lot of reading I got the bug, and wanted to get a slightly larger caliber barrel.

I grew up shooting a .243, but over the years I've used larger calibers and recently a 7 mag.

My shoulder problem caused me to want to change over to a lighter caliber.

I just felt slightly under gunned for where I hunt with the .243, and wanted either a .25-06 or a 7mm-08.

I ended up getting the 7-08, so I'm all set now for the season to open.

It shoots great, and I love the way the rifle feels and shoots, so I couldn't be happier.

Had I not bought the Handi I would have ended up with a .243 bolt gun, and would have had that doubt in my mind that I should have bought the bigger caliber.

This way I can have my cake and eat it too!

[Bob A]

I'm not sure how to vote.
I really like mine, but I didn't shoot great until it got a trigger job.
I don't really mind the trigger job, kinda expected it but it would have been nice if it wasn't necessary.
There are plenty of things I would trade it for, but they all cost much more - like a bolt action rifle that doesn't need
a trigger job.

Bob A

[MnMike]

I have a love/hate relationship with my Handis. I mostly shoot Handis and Contender pistols. I like to reload and tune a gun for paper punching accuracy.

I love the price of the gun and the price of new barrels.
    I hate sending my action in to get them. (In the Contender they are a drop in)
    I hate the fact that some of them just don't shoot.

I love that the Handi is a challenge to tune.
    I hate that even at the best I can do, the Contender pistol out shoots it.
   (.223 Contender 3/8" @100yds: .204 Handi 1" @ 100yds.
    7-30 Waters Contender 7/8", .243 Handi 1.5")

JMHO

mike

[myarmor]

I'm game. I like them and enjoy tuning them to shoot. But I understand that many hate this. It's the same with all rifles, there will be shooters out of the box and some will need a little tuning be it a Handi or anything for that matter. It can be a love hate relationship, but I like the reward




-Aaron

[quickdtoo]

I love em, don't plan on selling any of em, but have more coming, 38(I think!! ) and counting!!

Tim

[Swampman]

My relationship has been better than some, due to the fact that I don't buy the problematic calibers.

[burntmuch]

I luv them. Ive made the mistake of selling a couple of good shooters, looking to try differnt calibers. Happy with what Ive got right now. 30-06 ultra comp, 243 ultra, 45/70 , 12 guage tracker II. got a 357 max & 44mag on the way.

[45/70fan]

I love my 45/70, in my humble opinion it's among the best calibers in a Handi. I've had two 308's and could get neither one to shoot with factory or handloads. I have a 25-06 that appears to be promising, tho I've only shot about half a box thru it. I really wish it was an ejector barrel like my 45/70. A 30/30 and 357 mag are on my must have list.     Dave

[plumberroy]

I have 2 center fires  one is an old H&R 157 ond the other is a handi rilfe in 45-70 with a cheap $39 simmons 3x9x32  scope  when it was bought [early 92] it  was a need not a toy we lived back in the sticks and had  livestock and poultry and feral dogs were common and  a bear was not out of the question. The rifle has shot great from the start 1.5" with the factory loads I bought to get the brass and now shoots clover leafs at 1oo yards with 300gr. seirra's and a heathy dose of imr3031 It has sent several feral dogs to the great beyond and put meat on the table often, in the early  90's this rifle kept food on the table during some tough times. When I bought it I wanted a ruger #1 so bad I could taste it but could only afford  a handi rifle and had to buy that out of the tax check. now that I can afford the ruger I decided to stick with  my handi. Since I have moved to a state that doesn't allow deer hunting with rifles She doesn't get used much any more. I  get her out and ruin a groundhogs day once in a while. you will have to wait for my estate sell to get a chance to buy her since it Ain't going no where while I still breathing!!!! only gun I have that has a name "Thumper"
Roy
Did I mention I like my 45-70 handi rifle

[just bill]

Handis are often compared to other bolt action rifles.  They really shouldn't be as it is "apples to pears" comparison.  Both have pros and cons be it field hunting or bench shooting.  Break actions are shorter,quicker,"Handi" handeling pcs that ballance well between the hands,etc.  Bolt action,  as a whole will be more accurate and bolt action single shots more accurate than repeaters.  Why do you think Cooper likes to push bolt action single shots rather than repeaters      It may not be so much Coppers quality in regards to accuracy as the platform they push.

Regardless of price.  I can put my Handi Hornet up against any other break action Hornet out there and feel confidant in regards to accuracy that it will be in the upper half rather than the lower for accuracy.

Last on value rifles we tend to mount value scopes.  From experiance,  a high quality, higher power scope will improve "bench" accuracy as much as a good trigger will. 

[cwlongshot]

 ..... Other than that, Mrs Lincoln. How did you like the play?...

 Its a Handi Forum, I seriously your gonna find a whole lot of people that DONT Like 'em.  If you dont like them, your not gonna be spending much time here would ya?

JMHO
 CW

[OR-E-Gun Bill]

Dale, are you having Handi withdrawals ?
Maybe trying to convince yourself you need to have Handi's in the house again? 

Bill

[DalesCarpentry]

Dale, are you having Handi withdrawals ?
Maybe trying to convince yourself you need to have Handi's in the house again? 

Bill

Maybe I am sure I will own another one someday. I like the Idea of a 25-06    Dale

[Mac11700]

..... Other than that, Mrs Lincoln. How did you like the play?...

 Its a Handi Forum, I seriously your gonna find a whole lot of people that DONT Like 'em.  If you dont like them, your not gonna be spending much time here would ya?

JMHO
 CW

I wouldn't say that CW...there has been a lot of folks that say they dislike them and post bad about them...but...they don't last too long around here when they start it..

Mac

[Ireload2]

Dale, are you having Handi withdrawals ?
Maybe trying to convince yourself you need to have Handi's in the house again? 

Bill

Maybe I am sure I will own another one someday. I like the Idea of a 25-06    Dale

Dale,
I think a 25/06 might be a poor choice in a Handi if you shoot factory ammo. So would a 6MM Remington. I shoot both in bolt guns and never buy factory ammo. I have bought a lot of once fired factory brass for many calibers from a local indoor range, guns shows, gun shops and off of the internet. Of all the brass I have bought I have never found blown primers except in 3 calibers. One blown primer was a single Norma factory round in 7X57. All the rest of the blown primers were in 25/06 and 6MM Remington. Probably about 1/2 dozen each. The factory ammo for both of these rounds is loaded pretty hot.

[Pharmboy]

I have to pick like to toy with them because I have only bought a couple out of the box and they were both shotguns and the rest either here or E-bay which is no longer an option. I have had 13 different calibers and anyone with obsessive  behavior (Handi-holic) is in hog heaven without losing the farm.  I currently only have 3 barrels (10 gauge, muzzle loader and 20 USH)  in my inventory and have gone off to other endeavors, I really have these rigs tricked up and shooting good. They are my specialty guns. The rest of the collection left but will not be forgotten.

In Therapy,
Pharmboy

[PartsMan]

Most 25-06 handis and ultras are good shooters.
Mine was.
BTW, I love these little guns.

[PHATINJUN]

17MII
17HMR
22LR
204Ruger
223
7.62X39
357mag
45/70
2 410
20USH
20Tracker
2 R73 32H&R Mag revolvers
225 rebore 25/06 45Carbine waiting in the on deck circle nuf said. Kurt

[glwenzl]

I am still learning about em but here is my take FWIW (not much)

I think the NEF is the best bang for the buck although I have not shot a Rossi. My take is based on having Contenders in both carbine and handguns with a bunch of barrels and they have nice custom wood by Bullberry. I also have a Ruger #1 that I really enjoy but has been just a tad tricky to get to shoot really well.

The NEF barrel program has sent me a barrel rougher than some of our county roads but the darn thing shot pretty well and didn't copper foul very bad at all??? Then I have one that was smooth but didn't like the bullets I wanted to feed it. The free trigger job was a joke back when I sent it in but a very nice thought of em do offer such a thing....

It would be better (for me) if they had it set up like a contender to where a guy does not have to ship the frame in but hey look at the cost difference between the two.

Hope I don't get kicked off but as much as I luv the SS's I also enjoy cranking a nice bolt too and for me it has been easier to get a blot to shoot more accurate at longer ranges (400-500 yards) than a single shot but some of that may be due to the stock size???

I am really interested in the NEFs and am looking forward to doing my first trigger job soon as well as completing my first homemade stock. I can see peep sights in the near future and eventually a buffalo riffle. I also plan on a 218 Bee soon and if I ever save up any X-$ (ha-ha) for a custom job I would luv to have a rimmed 257 Roberts, maybe a 7-30 Waters and man how I would like to start making some neat 17 and 20 calibers….

The Thompson Center TCR is by far the neatest SS riffle I have and has made me the most happiest out of all SS. Wish NEF made a high end single-shot just like it with set triggers and all since T/C won't.

[DalesCarpentry]

First off I am sure you won't get kicked off for your opion. Second that sure is a pretty rifle. People get offended around here on the regular basis but that is no different than arguing with your brother. If you think about it we are all brothers and we will get over it!!!!!! I think there are things H&R NEF could do much better but if they did they would not be so affordable. The thing is you can buy a basic Handi and trans form it into a Swan over time because most parts are interchangeable. Most people are attracted by the price and can build on the basic Handi as they can afford it.         Dale