My new Handi Hornet

[Woodchuck Sniper]

Brought home the value package yesterday.  Put a Bushnell 4-12x40 on a Weaver rail.Millet rings,Claw sling.  It's stock, just cleaned up,tung oil coated the inside of the forearm.  I have put about 100 rounds of factory Hornady V-Max 35 gr and 50 rounds of Winny 46gr H.P.'s.

It's averageing a smidge over MOA.  I am sure a better higher power scope and a trigger adjustment would bring it to just under............as more rounds likely will.

No copper fouling..........zero.  Tried some Wipe Out foam in it too.

Messed around quite a bit with the front action screw/forearm screw.  Big changes seen there.  Tried the "O" ring float a few ways including two rings.  It did not like it.  What it liked time again was having the forearm action screw cranked down. 

5 shot 100 yard rod & gun club range / Caldwell bags front & rear / takes some getting use to, Handis don't ride bags well,  I am also use to 1#-2# triggers.  The trigger is crisp though.........and I have seen much worst on higher price guns.

Time to go hunt this evening woodchucks 



]

Our new pup.........."Bailey".



Thanks for the help,
Bill

[myarmor]

Great pics there, Bill. Looks like you are getting that Hornet tuned in. Should prove true with the little critters running around. Thanks for sharing.
-Aaron

[pascalp]

Nice shots !.

Did you plan to get some help from your doggy, like bring the target forth and back ?.

That make me thinking that I've one in my safe, don't use it for a while, the only one that wasn't a oneholer with cast bullets (and jacketed) from the begining without special effort !. Challenge is still running.

I own 3 Handi . Triggers were heavy but "clean" and crisp  nothing that a gunsmith or a "FAQ reader" can't tweak easily.

[Woodchuck Sniper]

Update

That did not take long.  Went for a hike in the hay fields this evening for Woodchucks.

Shot this one at 111 yards from a hay bail, in the head. (not my shooting sticks)

As found



Big One



Handy Hornet / Hornady 35 gr. V- Max

[Dave Allen]

wood chuck- i agree i don't like how my handi rides the bags...i use the caldwell bags also...however i'm getting used to it i felt very scrunched up...but it seems to be getting better...good luck.

[quickdtoo]

I love it when a plan comes together!!! Good shootin, Bill!!!

I don't use bags when bench shooting my Handis and Ultras, I use a Cabela's Premier shooting rest, spendy but works great. They don't usually like to be supported under the forend, the adjustable front rest can be positioned under the hinge for best bench shooting.

Tim

[Woodchuck Sniper]

Ohhh 

So thats the "cammo" laminate stock from H&R huh?  The one the nice service lady at H&R told me about?  Must have for the Hornet..............the "Green Hornet"   

Nice looking rifle BTW.............

Yea,  that rest seems a better fit.  Off the caldwell bags it was about like trying to bench rest a cowboy gun 

 

[quickdtoo]

Yes, that's a camo laminate, they come checkered and uncheckered, so if ya order a set, be sure to order the one ya want. Here's an uncheckered set.



While I'm at it, the gray laminated...



And red laminated...

[Woodchuck Sniper]

Thanks,

A thought would be to add that to the sticky above.  I could not find pictures on the manufactures website and "pictures are worth a thousand words".   Those stocks really make them look nice and I am sure function better from a swelling view of the forearm.

Likely order one in the future now that I see them.  They all look good. 

Regards,
Bill

[Busta]

Tim,

You forgot Cinnimon and the old yellow and black Hornet. Haven't seen any Y&B ones in quite awhile, but somebody on here posted a picture at one time.

Congratulations Woodchuck Sniper! Looks like you got a fine little rifle for snipe'n them chucks. I had one come up on my front deck the other day, by the time I got the rifle out of the safe and snuck outside he had already boogied. Don't know where he came from or where he went but I am going to have to do a little investigating and find out. Let both dogs out to see if they would lead me to him but evidently he had been all over the place and neither one could lead me to him.

Nice to see the pics, thanks for posting.

Almost forgot, my daughter got one of those cute little chocolate puppies a couple years ago, they don't stay small and cute long and turn into eating machines. I thought our German Shorthaired Pointer was hyper, until we got that lab, don't know where he gets all that energy?

[quickdtoo]

Heh heh, I don't have a Y&B and the cinnamon are shown on the H&R web site. I posted the Y&B pic for someone, but I don't have it any more.  I suppose I shouldn't have tempted anyone with the gray and red since they're no longer available from H&R, although the uncheckered red might still be available from The Gunsource with a complete rifle if anyone is interested in em.

Tim

[Big Moe]

Nice rifle Wood Chuck Sniper! I'll bet you are going to be real happy with that one. Bunch of guys at work are ordering the hornet, quiet, good range and just right for night time fox hunting. What about the blond wood? I bought a .223 ultra at the gun show last week for $160.00, 1996 year I think. It has the blond laminated stock, very light color? What do they call that one? Like it a lot and yes, it's a shooter. It has a case hardened reciever, not the solid color metal as my newer ones do, Is that something they don't do any more?
                                         Thanks if you can answer these questions,
                                                                                    Moe

[Woodchuck Sniper]

Hi Moe,

I am not a NEF guru.  I am sure some on here can answer your questions though.  I bought one of the Turkey shotguns last spring and liked the value.  I have some really nice bolt action rifles.  For the Hornet,  I thought I would give them a try in a value package.

I am having some vertical string issues now.  Gonna shoot again this morning with the "O" rings in and a foam pressure pad.  I am also learning they "like dirty" and tend to vertical when "warming up".  I read a neat clip last night on another site about "make sure you pull the trigger copletely through on them and not just enough to go bang".  I think part of my vertical string issue is from cleaning it every 15-20 rounds like I do my Tikka 22-250 Varmint.  It likes that............the Handi don't..........which is fine by me

They carry nice and I really like it, no regrets.  I am very happy that they make a Hornet which can be had for $219.00 from a local gun shop.  The forearm action screws are very touchy.  I have never owned a rifle that groups size and POI changed so much, by changeing the tork on the action screw.

I really like them.  A little simple fiddleing and there good shooters.  Some do nothing.  My trigger is fine for field hunting.  The "blond wood" on mine.  It's just the stain color I guess?  The stock is cheap.  You can not get a laminate in 22 Hornet.  The laminates really make them look great.  I have NO DOUBT they shoot as good or better than many of the high end single shots break opens(Ruger,Browning,etc.)  CZ makes a Hornet but it's $500.00 and has the old twist and bore.  I did not want to spend 500 bucks on a Hornet.  The NEF is unique with it's fast 1-12 Twist.  In my experiance on varmints faster twist help blow up varmints (expand & frag bullets better) which was an issue in past with Hornets.  With the 3100 FPS 35g. v-max ammo and a faster twist ...........don't see any concerns there.  For those that want heavier Hornet grain bullets.  From what I seen,  the NEF Hornet is the fastest twist on the market.

Be sure to get a hammer spur as they don't come with the iron sighted Hornet.  I can see many people buying a NEF Hornet.  It's one of those calibers many want but, don't want to spend 500-600 bucks on either.  I do mostly walking Woodchuck hunting rather than set long distance these days...................it's just more fun.  Along with some fox and coyote hunting in swamps.  I have steered away from the big boom 22-250 for Woodchucks and taken about 40 this year mostly with a 17HMR.  The Hornet will likely see much field action too.  Hoenst 200 yard Woodchuck rifle and easy to carry...............high "fun factor" like the 17hmr.

Good luck,

Bill / W.S. 

[quickdtoo]

Moe, the case colored frames are available on the BC and Target currently, and have been on the SB1 Pardner, I have one made in '91 that's case colored. Yours may be a special purchase or someone may have put it together from parts, the only way to know for sure about yours is contact H&R and ask, they'll need the serial number, they may be able to tell you what it was when they made it. One thing they will tell you is they won't put a high pressure barrel on it, it's too old, cutoff was '98.

Tim

[Big Moe]

Thank you Quickdtoo for the info. Is .223 a high pressure? I got a handi from a pawn shop {sb-2} with a 30-30 barrel and put a .223 fluted barrel on it. It is a tight fit, I checked the head space with the Q&A instructions.

Thanks for the reply Bill, Great minds think alike! I wacked about 1/2 of the ground hogs this year with my savage .17. Longest shot 150 yards. The others were with my .223 and .204 both handis with heavy fluted  barrels. Into the walking also, see more and shoot more. It's been hot in Virginia this summer so I carry a small back pack with: range finder, binoculars, single pole shooting stick, water and nabs! Sometimes I have my folding W-Mart camo seat with shoulder strap. Got spotted a few times and they ran in the hole, set up sit down and wait. About 15 to 30 minutes they are back out. The 204 is loud and very destructive. I save the 204 for 150 yards plus. I'm waiting for the farmers to cut the corn and I'll be back at it. Two weeks ago I wacked one at 175 yards resting the 204 on the back of the truck bed, could only see his head when he stood up. The only thing left was his hide and 2 teeth! The schull and everything else was gone. Never seen anything like it, no suffering here! I can see a hornet in the future. Problem is I shoot too many rifles and never get good with one.
                                       Have a blessed Sunday,
                                                                       Moe

[Woodchuck Sniper]

moe.............isn't that funny    ditto on the "walking" rather than set thoughts.  I am in the low 40's now this year.  Upper 30's of them have been with a 17hmr, most of them head shots from my shooting sticks.  My 22-250 has hardly seen action.  I get more action walking too and find it sporting just as a 300-400 yard shot with the 22-250 is sporting.  I have shot at least 1/2 dozen off hand at 50-75 yards which to me is like a 400 yard shot with the heavy barrel 22-250 from prone with a bi-pod.

Less boom (muzzle blast) is a big plus here.  And I really like the non recoil  sight picture.  I just wear a fanny pack,tan or green t-shirt,carry my shooting sticks (varmint al specs/luv em) and sporter weight rifle with no bi-pod.  I am 45 years old and on cholesteral medicine so the walking,stalking,sneaking does me good.

Live amongst hay fields here on the Southwestern NY Northwestern Pa. border.

The Hornet will be used for the same................very pleased with it. 

[quickdtoo]

Moe, pressure is relative to case head thrust which on the .223 is small, but it has a SAAMI MAP of 55kpsi. The .30-30 is considered a low pressure caliber at 42kpsi, tho.

Tim

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/saami_pressures.htm

[Big Moe]

Thanks, Appriciate the good help.
                                              Moe