Just Purchase New H&R Youth Handi

[PrairieDog]

I just bought my 9 year old a 7mm-08 youth Handi Rifle.

Before I sight in the scope, any suggestions on gun prep before I shoot the first bullet?

Thanks.

[quickdtoo]

Welcome to the forum!! Check out the FAQs and Help sticky, there are tips on new gun prep, basically just clean it good, inside and out, make sure the scope base is mounted securely with thread locker on the screws, and the rings are tight, shoot it and see how it does, a good break in may be required before you see the best accuracy, but it may also shoot very good just like it is.

Tim

[MTGlass]

I may have gone to some extremes prepping my daughter's youth model 7mm-08, but here's what I did.

Removed the scope base.  Deburred the bottom of the screw holes in the base and the screw holes on top of the chamber with a 6 flute HSS countersink turned by hand.  Cleaned out the screw holes & removed all factory bedding gunk.

Lapped the base to fit the barrel better.  Procedure is in the FAQs.  Bedded the base & screws to the barrel with blue loctite.

I've actually done two 7mm-08 barrels this way because the one that originally came with the gun was dimensionally challenged.

Cleaned out excess powder fouling with Hoppes.  Filled the bore with Wipe-Out foaming bore cleaner.  Let it sit overnight or 6-8 hours.  If there was any blue on the patches, I repeated with the foam.

My Lohman Sight Vice comes in real handy, especially when working on hot Handi barrels in the kitchen.  Heavy rubber gloves and a small funnel helped a lot too.

In the kitchen I poured boiling water down the bore; half a teapot worth, then three dry patches to push out water & dry the bore.  I repeated this through two full teapots of boiling water.  Came to expect black & brown gunk on the patches.  Not all of it came out.

Clamped the Lohman vice into a bench vise to polish the bore with J-B.

I polished from the muzzel carefully and with a bore guide.  I wrapped a patch around a .22 brush making a tight bob and slathered it with J-B.  In & out ten times.  Changed patches & repeated at least four more times for a total of at least 50 complete strokes.  Sometimes I reapplied J-B after five strokes.

I then cleaned the bore good with patches & Kroil.  Back in the kitchen I repeated the boiling water & patch drill; two more pots.  While the barrel was still quite warm I lubed it well with Ballistol.

After cleaning, I slugged the bores to get a feel of their internal surfaces and take measurements of inside diameters.  The very first slug started me down the path toward a replacement barrel.

For seasoning/break-in at the range, at a minimum I did the fire one & clean for ten, fire three & clean for 30 before tapering off that regimen.  I haven't cleaned it since the initial break-in session.

Over the last three weekends, my daughter and I have put at least 150 rounds through the new barrel and it's looking promising.

Did someone say extreme?

Reading and re-reading the FAQs & tips was invaluable.

[PartsMan]

CLEAN IT!
Barrel and action.
Then oil it well.
Expect some break in time before you get good groups.

There are as many theories as people on this site as far as barrel break in goes.
Just pick one that makes sense too you.

[Jimbo47]

That's one extreme, now here is another.

I received my barrel in the mail after buying it from the classifieds.

The original owner said he fired about twelve shots through the barrel, and I have to believe that because he sent a box of twenty plus eight loose cartridges.

I cleaned the barrel with an oiled patch since it was clean when I got it.

I fired about ten cartridges through it to sight it in to my scope on my receiver, and it shoots 1" to 1 1/2" at one hundred yards, with the factory ammo he sent me, which was Winchester Super X in 140 grains.

I guess I might have got a good one, but then again I don't believe in breaking in a barrel other than just shooting it!

[LaOtto222]

Welcome aboard. You have just asked a question to the most knowledgeable people on the Internet when it comes to Handi rifles. There are tons of information in the FAQ and help sections. Unfortunately or fortunately  (depends on how you look at it) we do not all feel the same on all things. There are the basic things when getting a new rifle as Quick pointed out, through cleaning inside and out. If you follow MTGlass advice, you will definitely have it cleaned. I have not gone to those extremes, but I am sure he did no harm. Make sure the mounts and rings are tight and I use the blue Loctite just to make sure they will not shoot loose over time. Before I shoot mine, I really polish the bore well (after the cleaning). If after a shooting session and I find it copper fouled, I polish again. I will repeat this until it does not copper foul or fouls very little. It may take 4 - 5  or even more heavy polishing sessions to smooth the bore. I have found it does no harm as far as accuracy is concerned and some times improves it (especially after a few shots). It definitely makes the bore easier to clean. Some will tell you to just shoot it to smooth out the bore, and it will given long enough, but I am a little impatient and do not want to put up with the fouling until it is shot smooth. Just my 2 cents.

[myarmor]

I suppose I can't add much here are I don't own a 7mm-08 and what has been said and pointed too are about all I could say if I did But Welcome to GBO and I look forward to hearing how it performs for you.




-Aaron

[Jimbo47]

If there is one thing I've taken from this forum it would be that there is a ton of helpful advise, and some good people who want to help in any way they can.

Not everyone will agree all the time, but there is enough valuable information given that holds a lot of fact, and you can then use your own educated judgment as to "what might just work!"

Like Partsman said which I tend to agree, is just clean it good, and shoot it!

If you are having problems getting a group you then follow the steps listed in the FAQ's until it's shooting the way you want, and if that fails you can post again for help, and someone will come up with the answer to your questions.

I've had good luck with the two Handi barrels I've owned, so I'm sure if they weren't to my liking I'd be doing a lot more than just shooting it.

Ammo isn't cheap nowadays, so that is something to consider.

Hope it's going to be a good one, and keep us updated as to how it goes!