gunsmith and misfire on Handi Rifle?

[anweis]

I don't have a Handi, but i want one in 45-70. Before i buy one, i have two questions:

Since i don't trust the factory to adjust to trigger (and i don't want to send it for extra barrels because i want none), is there a good gunsmith familiar with these rifles that can clean up the trigger and bring it down to a crisp 3 lbs. pull? I would appreciate a name and phone number or address. My only local gunsmith would not work on these, especially not on trigger.

These rifles fire when the hammer is cocked and the trigger is pulled. How about this: the hammer is not cocked, the trigger is not pulled, but the rifle is bumped hard or dropped from a tree stand. Would it fire accidentally?

I need a rifle for rainy wheather that is inexpensive, easy to dry and clean, and kills deer on the spot, because i hunt a very small property and i cannot have deer run more than 50 yards. And there is alot of brush and twigs.
Thanks

[Cottonwood]

I have never had a Handi Rifle misfire or accidently go off,  I think the concern is moot.

As far as killing deer on the spot, that is every hunters dream to see their deer drop on the shot.  Some deer take off with their heart/lungs completely blown out, and yet others drop very close to where they were shot.  I've had only 3 deer drop at the shot, and that was because of my shot placement.  2 of those deer were dead drops because of where the bullet was placed, and going in right under the spine.

If your good enough as some hunters are that are head shooters, and they usually drop on the spot with a head shot. 

[BrianB]

Handi's use a transfer bar, which makes it pretty much impossible to fire unless it is cocked and the trigger is pulled. Same type system used by a lot of revolver manufacturers. I've never heard of an accidental discharge with a gun using this system, and it has been around for many years.

Sounds like the perfect rifle for your needs. I originally went to the 45-70 because I don't enjoy looking for downed deer.  I later went to Handi's because I can drag them through mud, swamps and rain and not really worry about beating up the gun.   

BTW, the most recent Handi I purchased has a surprisingly nice trigger.  Not exactly what you described, but it is way better than two other Handi's we purchased four or five years ago.

[quickdtoo]

Download the owner's manual, it explains the transfer bar in detail with pics. You can do your own trigger job, hundreds of members here have done their very first trigger job, it's not hard, detailed instructions are in the FAQs, but any competent gunsmith can do a trigger job, many ignorant gunsmiths won't work on them tho. 

Tim

http://www.hr1871.com/documents/manuals/HR_NEF_HANDI_RIFLE_MANUAL.pdf

[petemi]

Lyle McGregor at Dick Williams Gun Shop, Saginaw, MI will do anything you need done.  989 777-1240.  He's been my friend and gunsmith for 20 years.  A great guy, reasonably priced.  "THIS IS NOT A COMMERCIAL".

Pete

[Spanky]

Pete, does the shop have a website or a pricelist for services? It never hurts to know a good gunsmith.



Spanky

[petemi]

Spanky, not that I know of.  I'd just give him a call.  He reamed my max for 35.00.  I'm a friend, so he may charge you more.  I guess the bottom line is it is perfect.

Pete

[guns-o-fun]

I have never had even a hint of trouble with the transfer bar system.  As far as DRT goes, that depends on you.  I think it was a branch of the University of Georgia that did a study of how far deer travel after being shot.  The most critical factor was shot placement (suprise, suprise), and this was far more important than caliber.  They found that if you destroy the brachial plexus (the bunch of nerves that sits on top of the scapula (shoulder blade), the deer will go down within a short distance every time.  The brachial plexus controls breathing and other critical functions.  So it's up to you as a shooter, not your gun.

[anweis]

I know that it is a question of shot placement more than of caliber. I have experienced that myself a few times.
Thanks for the reccomendations.
 

[Tallwalker]

I have also heard that DRT depends a little bit on just where the heart is in it's pumping cycle when the animal is hit. If the hit immediatly shuts off the blood flow to the brain, for example the animal isn't going anywhere, but if a hit in the same place occurs just after blood has been pumped to vital organs the game may be able to go a ways........ I found that interesting though I have no way of confirming it.