Mixed Report on Handi's

[Chicken Man]

Well guys, I know I told you all about the long awaited .44 mag that I got about a month ago,Ive added a couple of others (all new) to replace the one my son took over from me (.243) and a new 30.30 to replace the one a gunsmith botched up when he tried to put a new hammer spring in for me.
 Well here goes,the .44 mag is GREAT good lock up great feel and shooting groups the size of a golf ball at 85yds with factory Win white box 240's,Im very impressed.
 Now the very bad part the new .243 when I could get it to shoot ( 19 out of 40 would not) it was more like a shotgun pattern than a group,but the part that was really freaking me out was that it popped open on every shot,now I followed all the advice in FAQ cleaning the latch, and making sure the trigger was pulled all the way back and so forth, and the 30.30 was not a whole lot better. Im just starting to wonder if there is any QC at H&R anymore since Remington took over, the .243 that my son took from me purchased 7years ago never a single problem, my .280 9 years old no problem,my 30.30 until the hammer spring incident 19 years old and not a problem, it just seems to me that since the take over and the move there have been alot of problems ( more than normal) like the ones Im having. Ive bought 3 new guns in the last month and only have a 33% sucess rate of them functioning as them should.
 Sorry for the rant fella's, but I had to get that off my chest, Im debating on sending them back or just getting rid of them and saying solong to H&R, I just don't know because I use to really like them.
   Thanks again
    Steve aka Chicken Man

 

[quickdtoo]

Steve,

Did ya read the Handi Basics 101, particularly #2 concerning the pop opens?  If all those bases are covered, it likely needs to go back to H&R unless there's a problem with the ammo, was it factory or handloaded? Bad hammer springs are a known issue, seems to be a lot of them lately, from your previous posts you've dealt with them before. Is it a 20" Superlight or compact? I see you bought them over a year ago, are they indeed made in Ilion or Gardner?

Tim

[gcrank1]

At this point they are oddly shaped expensive tomato stakes. Make the company do you right and you then have something to at least sell. Odds are, once fixed, you will be satisfied, if not you can sell in good conscience.

[Chicken Man]

Thanks Tim and gcrank1, Tim I did use quite a hard force for the lockup but still had 100% pop opens, I think im going to go ahead and send them back for repairs and see what happens, Thanks alot guys for listening to my ranting and raving, I tell ya you guys here on this forum are the most helpful and nicest bunch.
  On the bright side of this I have a .44mag that is a keeper.

    Thanks
       Steve aka Chicken Man

[zoner]

send em back...make them make it right!