New Sportster .22lr

[garfish]

I ordered two Sportsters, one Youth and one Standard.  The Std arrived with the front sight snapped off.  My dealer sent it back and I am to get a new gun next week.   I was bothered that the Owners Manual with both guns was for a Handi-Rifle, which is different for the sights.  Seems like a small thing that H&R could do right with little overhead to have the right manual.  Sportster manual is not online either.  

Took the Youth model out this morning and it grouped nicely.  Is a little heavy for a 9 year old, but on a bench he did fine.  The dovetail/elevator sights are not my favorite.  He is right-handed, but left-eye dominant, so I started him off shooting from his left shoulder and in 50 rounds he was doing great.   I bought this model b/c he could easily shoot left.  Opening the action and cocking is a little hard for him still, but it will come w/ practice.   Starting him on the left side means he'll be able to shoot a shotgun better down the road.  

Overall it is a serviceable gun, adequately finished (it is not a Weatherby), appears strong, it is all black which appealed to him, tapped for a scope base later.

[jdinil]

Please post back when you get the standard length rifle and have a chance to shoot it some. I'm considering buying one and would be interested in your opinions of the rifle. It sounds like you are generally pleased with the youth model. I'd be interested in anyone else's opinion too!

[Doublebass73]

My Sportster shoots decent even with the crappy elevator sights. I installed a Williams FP series peep sight on it but haven't had the chance to shoot it yet. I'll do a range report when I get the time to shoot it again.

A Williams WGRS peep sight is less than 20 dollars and will be a big upgrade accuracy wise. It mounts right to the 2 rear scope mounting holes.

[cwlongshot]

I was very disappointed in the accuracy of mine when I first shot it. 2"+ groups at 25 yards.  I can do half that with my single-six revolver!! 

Later at home, after a good cleaning and relieving a couple pressure points on the for-end. Then later at the range, a conscious effort in opening/closing the action made ALL the difference!! Now it shoots one hole at 25 and about an inch at 50, so I am very happy. its no MRII mind you, but I am happy with the accuracy.

 Good luck with yours,
 CW

[kevinsmith5]

A rubber washer on the stock bolt in the forend and a BSA scope and mine enlarges the same hole at 50 yds.  I was stunned.  I used to own a Marlin 440 with a match grade barrel that was not as accurate. I am using Moderator subsonics, but it is the same ammo I shot out of my Marlin. I think my BC has made my technique better (if a heavy load in 45-70 won't take the flinch out of you, what will?), but this is still impressive.

[garfish]

A followup on the youth Sportster 22lr.  Haven't been out to the range for a long time, and when we did, my 9yo was pulling every shot to the right.  The trigger felt a little stiff, but I have big ham hands and don't handle finer guns often enuf to have a feel for things.  I borrowed a gauge and the trigger was coming in around 13 lbs.  Had someone else double check me.

Talked with 2 gun smiths and neither wanted to work on it, and said send it back to the factory.   Said it was too much work to open it up, hone some, reassemble, test, maybe reopen, and the pins would not stand up to the removal/replacement repetition. 

Disappointing overall for a kid's first gun.  Nothing here to treasure and pass along down the generations it appears.  Fit and finish are okay, but how did it get out of the factory at 6+ pounds trigger pull.   Trying to decide whether to sell to someone for a beater truck-gun or send back to the factory.

[quickdtoo]

A lot of smiths are ignorant about H&R single shots and make all kinds of excuses not to work on them, the triggers are easy to work on, I've had some apart several times with no problems with the pins becoming loose, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how to align the splines with existing engraving in the pin holes each time they're installed and new pins are available from H&R or Brownell's, but I've never had to replace any for being loose yet. If you're the DIY type, download and read the trigger hone info in the FAQs and Help sticky by Perklo and do your own trigger job, or send it to H&R for a factory trigger job, current production firearms come with ~4lb triggers out of the box usually, they used to be considerably heavier tho.

Tim

[MSP Ret]

If you are not the DIY type and since you bought the guns new just recently I suggest you call the "new" H&R and explain the problem just as you have stated it here. The old customer service at Gardner were great at fielding things like this and fixing them at no charge. A 13 pound trigger is unacceptable, if you ask they may even issue a "call tag" like the old place did so you don't have to pay shipping and hopefully if you don't want to work on the trigger yourself they will fix it for you, for free of course....<><....

[loner5667]

 The dovetail/elevator sights are not my favorite.  

I ordered one of these awhile back for one of my 'boys rifles', haven't tried it yet, but it seems to work well just when shouldering the rifle. I ordered the red fiber optic front with it.

http://www.marblearms.com/bullseyeSights.html

[Rustyinfla]

  Loner,
     That's a neat looking sight. Let us know how it works when you get it.

[SM Bob]

A followup on the youth Sportster 22lr.  Haven't been out to the range for a long time, and when we did, my 9yo was pulling every shot to the right.  The trigger felt a little stiff, but I have big ham hands and don't handle finer guns often enuf to have a feel for things.  I borrowed a gauge and the trigger was coming in around 13 lbs.  Had someone else double check me.

Talked with 2 gun smiths and neither wanted to work on it, and said send it back to the factory.   Said it was too much work to open it up, hone some, reassemble, test, maybe reopen, and the pins would not stand up to the removal/replacement repetition. 

Disappointing overall for a kid's first gun.  Nothing here to treasure and pass along down the generations it appears.  Fit and finish are okay, but how did it get out of the factory at 13+ pounds trigger pull.   Trying to decide whether to sell to someone for a beater truck-gun or send back to the factory.

Garfish,
Doing a trigger job on these H&R's is super easy. Just follow the Perklo
method in the FAQ's. I have 2 Handi's and 1 Sportster and have done
a trigger job on all 3. The first time it took me about 1 hour from start
to finish. The last one took me 30 minutes. They all have excellent
triggers now! I have had my share of run ins with these so called
"gunsmiths" over the years. Unfortunately in this day and age a good
gunsmith is a real rarity in my opinion. The ones in my area are a bunch
of shysters that want nothing what so ever to do with you unless they
can make an absolute killing dollar wise on the work you need done.
The good news is you and your son can do the work on your Sportsters
yourselves real easily. It's fun to do and I'll bet it will be real rewarding
for both of you.

                                    Robert
 

[garfish]

Gents,  Thanks for the encouraging words about doing the trigger job.  I am no machinist, but have fixed many a old VW bug in the day, so I am probably up to the task.  I looked at the pdf, and it looks doable. 

[quickdtoo]

The first one is the toughest, trigger jobs get easy after that, I've done close to 30 of em so far, it's like brushing my teeth now, just something you do!! 

Tim