Author Topic: About to Purchase First Handi or Ultra (Read 878 times)

Mainer · « **on:** December 12, 2004, 03:46:56 PM »

I'm about to purchase either my first Handi or Ultra rifle. It will be in .223 Rem. I plan on doing a substantial amount of shooting at the range (and thus want a light recoiling and inexpensive to shoot centerfire rifle). I also want a barrel that is somewhat heavy so that accuracy doesn't drop off as rapidly after a few rounds.

My choices are: (a) Ultra Hunter; (b) Ultra Varmint; (c) Survivor (bull barrel, pistol grip synthetic stock); or (d) SB2-323 (bull barrel handi).

This purchase will likely be sight unseen as I will probably special order the rifle.

Here are my questions:

Can H&R fit any centerfire Handi barrel on the SB2-323 or the Survivor (e.g., 7mm-08, .308)?

Does H&R put more fit and finish work into their ultra rifles v. the handis?

Shoud I expect trigger pull to be about the same between the two lines?

Are the barrels on the Ultra Hunters heavier than those on the regular handis (I know the Ultra Varmits have bull barrels)?

MSP Ret · « **Reply #1 on:** December 13, 2004, 03:32:45 AM »

, Welcome aboard Mainer, All good questions, I hope I can help a bit, I am sure others here have more info and opinions. I first bought a standard 45-70 (at the True-Value in Milo), then send it in for additional barrels, later bought a used Bull Barrelled "Limited Edition" through this site. It appears to me it is a Standard 22" bull barrelled Handi with special Laminated stocks. It shoots great. I have always felt the Ultra series may have had a bit better polish job before being blued, the barrels only, the receivers all appear the same to me. Most of the new guns coming out have great triggers as is. The only difference between the Ultra Varmit (24")and Ultra Hunter (22") series in .223 is barrel length, a personal decision. The Survivor and standard handi in Bull barrelled .223 differ only in stocks, again a personal thing. If I were you I would wait just a bit and order one of the new heavy fluted barrelled Handi's I have heard others here talk about and are reported to be out soon. I think someone here said they are listed on the Sportsouth website already. They may even be available fluted, bull, stainless if your so inclined. Don't rush into it and perhaps look around here for a used Handi in .223. If your only going to use it for target work (and perhaps the occasional coyote!!), I can really see a blued, fluted, 24", heavy or bull barrelled .223 with a nice camo laminated Monte Carlo stock, you could always buy yourself a set of Synthetic Survivor stocks for to it later to try, they are not to expensive right from H&R, and yes, I believe H&R can fit any other barrel with the excetion of the 10 gauge shotgun and the Ultra 12 gauge rifled barrel to the survivor frame. You may prefer the Stainless or 22" barrel but there are many options to think about, perhaps someone else will jump in here with more facts and/or opinions to make the decision a bit easier. By the way, what part of Maine are you from?....<><.... :grin:

Merry CHRISTmas!!!!

Mainer · « **Reply #2 on:** December 13, 2004, 07:06:18 AM »

MSP Ret:

Thanks for the informative reply. I was not aware that fluted barrels are on their way. I just checked, and the Sports South website does list at least 2 H&R rifles with the designation "FL." One is in .223 (in stock). The other is in .204 (not in stock). Unfortunately, the website does not give a detailed description of those rifles, so I can't confirm that "FL" means fluted, but that's my guess.

In answer to your question, I was born and raised in Augusta. My wife and I now live in New Gloucester, a rural town in the southern part of the State about 30 mi north of Portland (close enough to Portland for convenience, far enough away to be part of the "real Maine").

quickdtoo · « **Reply #3 on:** December 13, 2004, 07:49:46 AM »

The FL code does indeed mean fluted barrel and it is a heavy barrel to boot! This is from RSR Group's wholesale web site...to get to the firearms you must use the search for Firearms-long guns and H&R 1871 The fluted barrels are available in .204, .223 and .22-250 and only in blued/synthetic!
http://www.rsrgroup.com/cgi-bin/cgirpcux/WTM-002O

Quote

HRSB2-F20 H&R ULTRA VARM 204RUG 24" FL HB BL

Product Specifications
Manufacturer H&R 1871
Model Ultra Varmint
Action Single Shot
Caliber 204RUG
Barrel Length 24"
Finish/Color Blue
Grips/Stock Synthetic
Accessories w/Scp Mnt Rail
Type of Barrel Heavy Barrel Fluted

Mainer · « **Reply #4 on:** December 13, 2004, 02:37:07 PM »

That's great to know about the fluted barrels!!

I'm going to Wal-Mart tomorrow to order a Topper DLX Classic shotgun. While I'm there I might see if they can order me a fluted barrel .223 H&R Ultra.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #5 on:** December 13, 2004, 03:10:14 PM »

Go to it Mainer, bring the item number from Sportssouth to help you along with the ordering. What some have done here is printed out the order page with the price on it from the Wal Mart special order catalog (its been listed here, if you need it someone here could help you find it I'm sure) and then printed out the page from the Sportssouth on-line catalog showing the item number and the fact thats it's in stock. These 2 items have helped to ordering process at Wal Mart just in case you get the clerk from hell who does not know how to order a gun or lives in Portland and hates guns and hunting( :wink: )..... Portland, isn't that where they have that socialist police chief transplanted from PA. who thinks no one should have a gun???!!!:shock:

...Merry Christmas and good luck, let us all know how you made out, and get ready for an experience if you have never ordered a gun from Wal Mart before. Perhaps Dicks Sporting Goods in Portland might be worth a try also, I always wanted to stop there but never did....<><.... :grin:

quickdtoo · « **Reply #6 on:** December 13, 2004, 03:34:37 PM »

Unfortunetly, the fluted barrel rifles are on the Walmart site yet. :cry:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=170080&path=0%3A4125%3A4155%3A170080

MSP Ret · « **Reply #7 on:** December 13, 2004, 03:56:28 PM »

OK Quick and Mainer it's on to plan #2.

Some here have been successful by bringing in the page from Sportssouth's online catalog with all the info on it into thier local Wal Mart. If you can get a knowledgable clerk and he calls Sportssouth he can order the gun you want, as long as Sportssouth has it in stock. It takes a bit more luck this way, you not only have to find a clerk but you have to find one that knows what he is doing...It sometimes helps to go in during the day and ask for the sporting goods manager. If he says it can't be done, drive (or call, but a face to face is better) to another Wal Mart and ask the manager there, they just might order it for you, it's worked for me!!!....<><.... :grin:

quickdtoo · « **Reply #8 on:** December 13, 2004, 04:08:17 PM »

The fluted barrel .223 with synthetic stock is shown in stock at Sports South.

http://www.internetguncatalog.com/details.asp?ItemNum=14138

bluebayou · « **Reply #9 on:** December 13, 2004, 04:10:25 PM »

One sticking point when ordering guns at Wal Mart: sometimes a gun is too new to have a Wal Mart item number assigned to it. If there isn't a Wal Mart item number assigned by the corporate office they can't (won't) order the gun even if you have the Sports South stock number AND the UPC code. You should give it a crack though either way.

Also, as others have said before, the Wal Mart special order guns and ammo website is not the entire special order catalog. They are required to have the paper catalog at the Sporting Goods counter.

Somebody has to help Wal Marts image on the internet, so it might as well be me.

270Handiman · « **Reply #10 on:** December 13, 2004, 04:37:53 PM »

I don't mean to butt in here, but can he put a 223 barrel on a shotgun frame? I thought that because of the pressures, you could put a shotgun barrel on a rifle frame but NOT the other way around. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, because it happens alot, lol. Anyway, I was all excited about Mainer getting his new handi, and then I realized what he said. :?

MSP Ret · « **Reply #11 on:** December 13, 2004, 04:44:06 PM »

bluebayou, it's brave and commendable of you to try to help Wal Marts reputation on the internet. However someone should really try to help thier reputaion on the sales floor. No disresect meant towards you but they really seem to go out of thier way to NOT sell you a gun. I know some pretty nice people that used to work there, so I know it's not everyone that works there. I must be just the ones that seem to wait on me, if I can find one that is. The trouble is the one I find either knows not but tries (usually a nice young person) or knows not and dosen't give a rat$ a$$ (usually a surly old person)....<><....

Merry Christmas to you, brave soul you are too.... :grin:

MSP Ret · « **Reply #12 on:** December 13, 2004, 04:47:44 PM »

270Handiman, I do believe Mainer stated he was going to order a shotgun AND see about ordering a fluted barrelled .223 ALSO, not just a barrel to add to the shotgun (you are correct in what can be put on what though)....<><.... :grin:

Mainer · « **Reply #13 on:** December 13, 2004, 06:13:30 PM »

RE City of Portland: Yes, MSP Ret, the Police Chief in Portland is a anti-gun, self-promoting despot, but if that's what the good people of Portland want, they can have him (as long as they keep him confined within the city limits; otherwise he should be deported back to PA so the folks down there can deal with him (I think the people in PA exiled him to Maine thinking it was the next best thing to Siberia.)).

RE: .223 barrel on shotgun receiver: I plan to buy both a complete H&R shotgun and a complete H&R .223 rifle. (So far my wife only knows about the shotgun. I'll have to bribe her with jewelry at Christmas to quiet the complaining.)

RE: Wal-Mart: Yes, the clerks there can be clueless and do everything possible to avoid selling you a firearm. I followed the Wal-Mart website instructions exactly, including printing the page from the Wal-Mart website showing the special order firearm I wanted to purchase. (I also checked the Sports South (Wal-Mart's firearms distributor) website to confirm they had the gun in stock.)

On Saturday, my wife and I went to the sporting goods counter at our local Wal-Mart. I showed the clerk (a gentleman in his late 50s) the printout and told him that I wanted to special order the H&R Topper DLX Classic shotgun shown on it. He looked at me as if I were the vilage idiot. (These are the folks whose few guns on display include a .338 Mag (I guess in case some customer is afraid of a gizzly wandering into Maine from Montana or Western Canada), but no .308, no .223, etc.).

I told him the printout was from the Wal-Mart website and that the website stated that I could special order the gun in person at my local Wal-Mart. The clerk put on his glasses, picked up the printout with both hands, and frowned at it. He said he'd never heard of that before. At that point my wife pointed to a large sign at the front of the counter which stated: "We special order guns and ammunition." He said the only one at the store who might be able to do that had left. I asked "left for the weekend or for good?" He replied "Left for good, to work at another store."

I politely persisted. The clerk informed me that I would have to call the store during the week and speak with Tim, the sporting goods manager. He said Tim only worked "til about 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon." "Great," I thought, "Tim will probably want an in-person appearance from me before he'll order the gun, and that will mean fighting Christmas-shopping-traffic to reach Wal-Mart mid-day on a work day."

This noontime I called the store from my office and asked to speak with Tim. I explained that I wanted to special order a shotgun shown on the Wal-Mart website. As I expected, he said I'd need to come to the store. I told him I went there on Saturday but the clerk I had spoken with had been doubtful that they could order the gun for me. Tim said they special order guns "all the time"; that "all of the clerks know how to do it"; that I must have spoken to "a new guy."

Well, guys, wish me luck.

I'm off to Wal-Mart tomorrow during the middle of the workday. I hope it won't be a wasted trip. The more I think about it the more I'd rather pay a local gun shop owner 20% more than what Wal-Mart charges just to avoid the hassle (but some of them can be just as unhelpful).