Has anyone else had trouble with a Handi in 7mm- 08?

[wilcoxr1]

Background     Bought one for my grandson to hunt deer with.  I thought it was slightly more flexible than a 243.  We would have to work on the recoil since his is not big.  But i can't get it to shoot worth a dime.  It's been back to the factory once because it wouldn't open properly.  The service was speedy, but the communication was awful.  I mentioned about the apparent lack of accuracy and the rough condition of the barrel in a letter that accompanied the rifle and was mailed separately. But no note, no phone call.  I haven't given up on it but i bought a 357 Handi for him to hunt deer with this year and it is a real shooter. I put a 2X7 Redfield on it.  With in three shots I had it shooting in the black at 100yds.  I haven't fine tuned it yet, but I have played with the armor steel gongs and it is a hoot.  The smallest gong is 4"x3" it is no problem at 100yds.  I am very pleased with the accuracy of the 357.   ---

Issue develops  I brought a friends rifle to our local gunsmith because someone put a scope on his daughter's Rem 700 out of vertical and buggered up the screws so bad I couldn't loosen them to straighten it out. While on that unrelated mission, I mentioned the the difference in my experience with the 7mm and the 357 to the Gunsmith.  The smith thought that (in his experience) Handis generally did a lot better with rimmed cartridges.  He thought that it was difficult to head space a break open rifle.  Small variation can cause a whole cavalcade of problems including accuracy issues.  Also, I thought I had read something about the rimmed vs non-rimmed on this forum.   

Here's the question   

Now, I have a idea. 
Has any body tried
1. re-chambering  a 7mm-08 Handi to 7mm-07.  I think a knowledgeable gunsmith should be able to figure out the particulars of making it head space on the rim
2. reforming 307 brass to accept 7mm(.284) bullets and
3. turning the necks so they conform to the existing 7mm-08 chambers upfront profile.
4. Starting with much reduced recipes develop suitable loads that may not be very different form the 7mm-08, except there is less internal capacity in 307 than exist in 308.  So caution would be necessary.
if this is correct would this not be effectively a 7mm-08R or a 7mm-07 that can head space on the rim thereby taking advantage of the Handi's apparent preference for rimmed cartridges? (if thats true)
If this is a really Bad Idea, This is an opportunity for you to save a fellow handiholic from a journey of folly.   

oh crap! I sure hope that some one else has tried this.  I posted on another forum a couple of months ago that I thought all these wildcat cartridges and particularly the new magnums were a pitiful waste of time and money creating false demand and spreading wasted venison all over the country's woodland.  I may have to eat a few of those words javascript:void(0);

[necchi]

I've had really good luck with my 7-08, it's a barrel I got from a member here and fit myself,,it wouldn't shoot factory ammo well, best I could get was 3" at 100. Matter of fact, buying all that ammo for that thing trying to find something that shot well was the final push for me to jump into loading.

It was a big deal bedding the forearm that finally dialed it in, it took more than just the "0-ring" fix to get it right. I can get near MOA at 200 with it now,, 2--2 1/2"s if I do my part. 

I know a local buddy and member here "the janitor" couldn't get his shooting well either,  Do ya load? What have ya tried?

[zoner]

try shooting the 7mm08 with the forend off

[spikehorn]

I couldn't get better than 3-4" at 100 yards with just about any factory ammo I put in it. I don't reload so I sold it. Bought a 308 ultra varmint at Dick's SG and was shooting 1 1/2" out the box with factory rem green box and recoil seems less than the 7-08.

[petemi]

I probably shouldn't be posting this here, but mine doesn't shoot worth didly squat.  BUT...I havent' done anything to correct it.  It's had over a hundred rounds of factory ammo through it, but it just doesn't do it.  I'm not reloading for it yet, and I guess I'm sorry to say, that particular rifle hasn't captured my imagination as others have and it is not getting the work it needs.

Pete

[quickdtoo]

Mine shoots fine as do all 40+ of my H&R rifles, read the Handi Basics 101 sticky and the accurizing tips in the FAQs, take two aspirin and calll.....er....oops, that's for something else!!!  99.9% of Handi accuracy problems are due to lack of knowledge about them, little things like oil on the latch/shelf or not closing the action with some force are at the top of the list of common mistakes made by newbie H&R owners, the high pressure chamberings are more critical of these issues, rimmed or rimless has nothing to do with it, if H&R has had it twice, there's nothing wrong with headspace. Since you're probably handloading, you need to full length resize so the round chambers properly with zero headspace or as close as you can get it, if you neck size, you likely have negative headspace and the action won't lock up completely and accuracy will go out the window.  

Tim

[petemi]

Hey, Tim!!  Were you injected with this stuff, born with it, or learned it the hard way??  All I can say is "Thank You".......about once a day.

Pete

[quickdtoo]

I dunno about being born with it Pete, but after seeing the same type of Handi complaints over and over again for the last 6yrs, ya kinda know what the answers are as do most others here that have had issues with their Handis. 

Tim

[necchi]

Wow! And he says it so well too,,That's my troubles, I ain't a good explainer,,I can show ya good, but this type writn stuff is tuff 

[Spanky]

I'm not sure what the problems are with yours but mine shoots great... I've never had a problem with it.
Maybe you should sell it and get something out of it.



Spanky

[thejanitor]

Did I hear my name mentioned here someplace? Yeah I have the 7-08 and I do have it shooting better, but still 1.5" on a good day at the range. (which I can live with) It had play side to side, that is the rifle I added the "removable" shim stock to and it made a difference on the groups.
I saw another one at Gander last week with a pallet wood lam youth stock and would have traded the .270 for it in a heart beat, but they are selling the used ones for 299.00  Figure I will wait for a barrel around here and get it a little more affordable.
I have to mention the 7-08 is all set for the Jan hog hunt Some Barnes 120 TSX and some speer 130, all set to go play with the pigs.
Killed my farthest deer with this gun, 250+ yds.  Also shot my heaviest buck with the 7-08 It is a very functional gun, and lighter than some of my bolt guns which makes it nice to carry all day. Sorry your having trouble but try the faq, and if you get it dialed in it is a very user friendly round in my opinion.  thejanitor

[Big Blue]

I had a 7mm-08 Handi years ago and never did get it to shoot decent groups. I tried many different handloads and factory loads, but no good. In frustration I ended up selling it. Since then I believe I made a big mistake in selling it. I had, at that time, thought the problem to be ammo related, but I now believe the problem could have been solved simply by bedding the forend or relieving some of the pressure on the hinge by removing some wood from behind the spacer. I've had many Handis since and they all have responded well to the accuracy tuning tips found in the FAQs.
Don