New .223

[ajshoots]

After ordering a New England .22 Hornet that hasn't showed up yet, I ran across a .223. I have wanted one for awhile, so I had to buy it. Tore it all apart, floated the forend, lapped the barrel and did a trigger job. Went alittle to far with the trigger job and ended up with 12 ounces! Changed springs and got back to about 19 ounces. I have never been able to safely get below 1 lb on any NEF trigger but this one I did and it was safe. I didn't want it that light, and luckily by changing the trigger spring it made it better. Didn't think that would do a whole lot but I was wrong. Hope it shoots. Going to try the Win white box 45's and Hornady 40 v-max to start with then go from there. I hope it will shoot the lighter stuff well as that is what I would prefer to shoot.

[bigjeepman]

It looks good ... got one of the .223's with the bull barrel and one with standard contour. I know you will like it.

Good shooting ...

[quickdtoo]

Congrats, but keep an eye on the trigger, I had one that was a little over 3lbs when I quit honing, but now is at 21oz just from shooting it!!

Tim

[backstrap]

What kinda scope is on that rifle??

[ajshoots]

Its a BSA 4-16X40 AO mil-dot. Quick I understand your point, but I have yet to see a change in any of my NEF's. I have been waiting for the triggers to lighten up but out of the 5 other NEF's I have, none have changed! If one does start to wear and get light, I have three new hammers and triggers. I have stocked up on trigger parts just for that instance but it hasn't happened yet. Don't know if it is making a difference or not, but I grease all trigger parts before I reassemble? The most shot out of the five would probably be my Mach 2 and it has well over 1000 through it. with no change. Honed and polished to a fuzz under 2lbs still the same. Just put the Lyman dig scale on it. How many rounds did it take to notice a difference on yours?

[greyling]

I may be asking for a flaming here, but ajshoots, why do you have 5 NEF's? isn't one of their main advantages the multiple barrel thing?

[quickdtoo]

AJ,

Just so you're aware of the possibiliity that the triggers can go south on ya, that's why Perklo warns about it. I've got about 500 rounds on the 45-120 BC, I think the trigger got real light on one range trip, at least that's when I noticed it cuz it went off before I was ready once!! Checked it on the Lyman digital trigger scale when I got home from the range.


Greyling,

heheh , 5 is a nice number to start with,  lots of us have a frame for each barrel, like it that way much better, I've got 27 complete H&R/NEF rifles with another frame coming next week to put the one loose barrel I have on.

Tim

[ajshoots]

Greyling, I am sure that some people like one frame and multiple barrels. That is one of the nice features of a Handi, hence the name "handi". For me on the other hand. I hate switching barrels. I like to setup a gun sight it in and thats it. If I want a certain gun, I grab it and go shoot. I swap nothing. I have 3 870 12 gauges for the same reason. One with a slug barrel, another with a short 20" vent rib for rabbits and a full camo 26" vent rib for birds. Its just how I am. I have 8 varmint rifles all have their own scopes, bipods and slings. Another reason is that I take multiple guns varmint hunting. Sometimes I take 3 or 4 guns out groundhog hunting. There isn't any time to be swapping barrels. I am a firm believer in checking a gun on paper before hunting after changing things. If I leave em alone, I can pickup a gun that hasn't been shot in months with full confidence that it will still be on target. And I actually now have 6 with one more on the way  

[ajshoots]

Quick, I'm sure my time will come on the trigger problem as I have been fully aware of the possibility of them lightening up! I have been spoiled with excellent triggers and can't cope with anything over 2lbs for varmint hunting. I would prefer under 1lb as are all of my bolt guns, but I don't think a NEF is trustworthy below 1lb. I am the only one who shoots any of my guns so I am not worried about someone else making a mistake and having two guns with triggers 7-8 ounces, the bolt doesn't lock or the hammer cocked till I'm on target! Light triggers aren't for evryone, but I have trouble shooting past 400yds with heavy triggers. I tend to pull my shots to the right with triggers to heavy for my taste.

[greyling]

27, wow. I just checked the HR website and only come up with count of about 18 calibers. add in 4 shotgun guages and slug barrels and you still haven't hit 27. apparently I am way behind. I'm just going to have to buy a bigger gun safe and that is all there is to it. I suppose it is easier to store a complete rifle than a scoped barrel anyway.

[quickdtoo]

You're right about storing barrels, specially if they're scoped. This pic is several months old, but you can see what I had some of my extra barrels in. I have several duplicate calibers and one that's no longer made, plus custom calibers that aren't made at all. I also have a couple shotguns in addition to the 29 rifles, I forgot I have a 22mag barrel that's not on a frame, so I still need another SS1 frame for it.

Sorry AJ, gettin a little off your topic.

Tim

[flitz]

aj

good luck with your 223.i have one and it is by far my best shooting rifle
i have ever had.and there have been some good ones.keep me posted
on how that bsa works for you.i have a 6x24x44 preimer.

latter flitz

[ajshoots]

Nice collection Quick! Hope to have that nice a collection one day! What Caliber has the mannilicher stock? Flitz this is my first mil-dot BSA but I have 14 other BSA scopes and have never had the slightest problem with any of them.

[quickdtoo]

Thanks, that's a .45-70 BC, did a little stock swapping a while back.

Tim

[mookster79]

AJ, it sounds like you may know it already, but that gun will love the lower grain bullets.  The WWB in 45 gr shot great out of mine but I was unable to find them anymore around me.  I have moved on to the hornaday 50 gr vmax and the nosler bt 50gr.  I don't want to shoot over 50 gr in my .223 and they have given me the best results.  Mine is a stainless/ synthetic.  I went with the Burris 4.5-16x42 with the ballistic plex recticle.  This rifle is definitely the ground hogs worst nightmare.  I also agree with keeping rifles set for what you want to shoot.  I know that any of mine can be picked up and shot when I am ready to use it.  I have only one handi, but could see more coming in the near future.  I have my eye on a 204.  Don't really need it, but I want it .