Author Topic: QUESTION ON GUN LOCK UP OF NEF HANDI-RIFLE (Read 2437 times)

huntsalot · « **on:** March 05, 2004, 03:44:25 AM »

Unfortunately i read a thread on the forum where a guy described his groups doing similiar things as mine has done ( shooting tight and then opening up for some reason). His was discovered to rattle where the barrel and breeche face lock up as if to have become loose.
Well, in light of that info, I went to check mine out. I do not have a rattle. But, upon trying to move it up and down as if I were breaking it open but without pushing the latch, I can feel a very slight detectable amount of play. It is very slight and you really have to feel for it as you can't really see it moving. Do you think that my rifle has this problem or is this normal and my rifle is fine there? Thanks for the help.

Whitey

Mac11700 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 05, 2004, 05:51:53 AM »

Hello Huntsalot:

Welcome Aboard....

It's possible that this might cause your problems.Have you checked everything else like,the scopebase.. if it's loose or not,is the rings tight,,,is the forearm making contact with the barrel when it heats up.Have you tried the o-ring on the forearm screw to free float it,or relieved the wood in the channel to free float it?

I did the o-ring trick on my 308 Suvivor and it seemed to help a-lot...when I shot it enough to heat the barrel up my groups would open up some,also I have had the scope base become loose before and do the same thing.

If you can detect movement or play and it's not the forearm just moving,then I would call H&R and talk to customer service and see about shipping it back to them.You definatly don't want any movement between the barrel and frame.

Mac

Brett · « **Reply #2 on:** March 05, 2004, 08:49:35 AM »

Your bound to get some slight movement between the barrel & breech. If the gun were that tight you would have other problems like not getting it to close completely or lock up. Do your groups come back to 'normal' after the barrel has had a chance to cool down? Are you starting with a clean or fouled barrel? Check those scope base and scope ring screws again.

Brett

handirifle · « **Reply #3 on:** March 05, 2004, 08:54:13 AM »

Might be worth a call to NEF to find out how many thousands of clearance between the barrel and breach they consider normal and check it against their specs.

dpastor · « **Reply #4 on:** March 05, 2004, 09:20:00 AM »

Huntsalot

When I go to the range, I usually take 2 or 3 rifles. When I discover that my handi groups have opened up, I discover that ALL of my rifles have joined the conspiracy and won't shoot well.

This is called, as they said in the Air Force, "cockpit error" :-D

Check out the things said here about improving groups, but, before you undertake a major change, make sure that your concentration is what it should be. Only make one hardware change at a time to be able to evaluate it properly.

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #5 on:** March 05, 2004, 10:37:54 AM »

My feeler ain't that good. Be awful hard to tell a few thous play from your finger compressing.

If you really do have play, it has to come from somewhere in the action/locking bolt/locking ledge fit or the barrel/hinge pin fit. Likeliest cause is a grease or oil build up on the locking surfaces. That can compress a bit under pressure. Clean those surfaces and make sure you have metal to metal contact.

If your problem is the hinge pin fit, it's a factory job, but that's unlikely unless your gun has had a great deal of wear.

huntsalot · « **Reply #6 on:** March 06, 2004, 03:26:47 AM »

Well Im going to go for the gusto and run with Bretts comments. He said that there bounds to be a slight amount of movement. If there wasn't then you wouldn't be able to break it open and or get it closed because of it catching. Since I have no rattle I am assuming that is what I have is just the amount of tolerance needed to open and shut. Not to mention as some of you advised, there was alot of oil on those locking surfaces. Also, I took my scope off to mount another just to see if the Leupold may have packed it in and when I started to take apart, I found that two of the four ring screws were not snug, or somewhat loose. I would totally blame it all on that if I knew that is what was causing it but the the loosed ones was one on the back and one on the front on oppposite sides and the other screws were snug good still. So I figure that how could it be moving if the other ones were snug. Is that possible? Thanks again for all your help.
Whitey

Brett · « **Reply #7 on:** March 06, 2004, 06:08:17 AM »

It doesn't take too many loose screws to foul things up (just look at Washington DC). :lol:

Like someone mentioned before make sure the screws are not bottoming out before getting snug. I had to take a fine toothed metal file to mine. I held the screws with a pair of needle nosed pliers with padded jaws. A coarse howning stone would be even better. You don't need to remove much material Then reasemble with a dab of Loctite blue not red in case you ever want or need to remove the screws) Also, don't go crazy with the gun oil. Too much will only attracked and hold dirt & dust as well as cause other problems.

Brett

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #8 on:** March 06, 2004, 06:26:10 AM »

Brett, I drilled and tapped a bit of 1/8" steel scrap for the common gun screws. When I need to shorten a screw or radius the end, I just run the screw through that. Took maybe 15 minutes to make and it's saved me hours over the years. Maybe days considering the time it takes to find a screw that has scooted out of pliers.

Brett · « **Reply #9 on:** March 06, 2004, 02:18:38 PM »

Excellent tip DJ, thanks.

Brett