22" Handi in .38-55

[Mike Britton]

OK guys,
I want opinions here. At the risk of starting another pis%^ng match  (some of the threads here are getting kind of vicious) I'd like different ideas on how to come up with a REGULAR, iron sighted 22" Handi in either .38-55, or .375 Winchester, which is basically the same cartridge.
I've read all the horror stories on H&R's .38-55's not being the correct bores. Maybe the smart move would be to begin with a regular SB2 barrel and rebore it. Maybe stubbing?
How about a liner? I have a couple of rifles with liners that are most accurate.
  I think an octagon barrel would look cool on a Handi.
Let's see if we can come up with some ideas without beating each other up too badly. Mike

[quickdtoo]

I'm shooting 375 Win loads in my 38-55 Target, 220gr jacketed at 2400fps and 325gr cast at 1800fps, the only issue with making it a 22" barrel is it would be a real bull barrel with a muzzle diameter of ~.850" unless you had it turned down. As a rifle, it was discontinued this year, last year of production was 2007 which are good shooters with good bores and chamber necks, it's still listed as an accessory barrel tho. Haywire Haywood had a 223 barrel(IIRC) rechambered and bored to .375 Win by Wayne York, use the search to find his posts. Wayne just started stubbing doing my 6.5x55 as his first which he did an excellent job, but his 6 groove cut rifling in a rebore is sure SWEEEET, I've had two of those done also. Either way will cost about $300 for his work, but the stub will require a barrel blank and a donor stub on top of that cost.

Tim

http://home.earthlink.net/~oregunsmithing/

[stimpylu32]

OK guys,
I want opinions here. At the risk of starting another pis%^ng match  (some of the threads here are getting kind of vicious) I'd like different ideas on how to come up with a REGULAR, iron sighted 22" Handi in either .38-55, or .375 Winchester, which is basically the same cartridge.
I've read all the horror stories on H&R's .38-55's not being the correct bores. Maybe the smart move would be to begin with a regular SB2 barrel and rebore it. Maybe stubbing?
How about a liner? I have a couple of rifles with liners that are most accurate.
  I think an octagon barrel would look cool on a Handi.
Let's see if we can come up with some ideas without beating each other up too badly. Mike

I like the way you think , an octagon barrel would look cool , start with a 223 Bull Barrel , have it bored and then have it milled to an octagon . That way you can have the proper chamber & bore specs along with the barrel length and look you want .

All it takes is money . 

stimpy

[Mike Britton]

Thanks, guys. Tim, thanks for the heads up on this Wayne York.
I have a .30-30 Handi that I haven't had a chance to try yet. If the barrel turns out to be plumbing pipe I'll consider having him poke it out to .375.
Here in Texas, used Handi's can still be had on occasion for less than $ 200. Another $300, and maybe new wood would make for a pricey Handi, but wow, what hard slugging little pack gun!
Too bad we can't talk Remington into this chambering.
They already have the machine tools left over from the B.C., it wouldn't be stretch to make standard Handi barrels in.38-55.

[quickdtoo]

Mike,

Many of us have had Wayne York do work for us, he's very popular here for rebores and rechambers, he's done a 338-06 A-Square from a 25-06 for myself and Mac11700, and also a 405 Winchester from a 38-55 Target for me as well as the 6.5-55 stub and several rechambers. He's doing a 6mm Rem Improved on two of my 243 barrels as I type!!

You'd have to be reeeeally unlucky to have a 30-30 Handi that doesn't shoot good, it's one of the most reliable H&Rs ever made. I have two of em, one has been improved, they both shoot very well.

Tim

[Mike Britton]

Hmmm, so I guess that means I have to look for another Handi. Dang the bad luck!! A .357 would be a good choice. There are a lot of Hornets around here, but I'm afraid the muzzle size may be too small, or are all the standard barrels the same size?
.405, always wanted to touch a few rounds off in one of those big rascals.

[Mike Britton]

I'm shooting 375 Win loads in my 38-55 Target, 220gr jacketed at 2400fps and 325gr cast at 1800fps, the only issue with making it a 22" barrel is it would be a real bull barrel with a muzzle diameter of ~.850" unless you had it turned down. As a rifle, it was discontinued this year, last year of production was 2007 which are good shooters with good bores and chamber necks, it's still listed as an accessory barrel tho. Haywire Haywood had a 223 barrel(IIRC) rechambered and bored to .375 Win by Wayne York, use the search to find his posts. Wayne just started stubbing doing my 6.5x55 as his first which he did an excellent job, but his 6 groove cut rifling in a rebore is sure SWEEEET, I've had two of those done also. Either way will cost about $300 for his work, but the stub will require a barrel blank and a donor stub on top of that cost.

Tim

 You know Tim, a BC with the barrel cut down to 22" and iron sights would be kinda cool. Like a Hawken, short, chunky, with that muzzle heavy balance that makes a good carbine.
Do they have any collector value? I'd hate to cut up a rare rifle.

[quickdtoo]

The 357mag would work fine, they have a ~.750" muzzle, Wayne has told me he'd do a .375-06 for me from a .25-06 or 280 barrel that has a muzzle of ~.650 or so, no problems.  

My 405 Win is a sweet shooter, it shoots the 300gr Hornady SP into less than 1" at about 2450fps with a case full of Benchmark.

The 38-55s aren't collectors as long as acc barrels are still available.

Tim

[Mike Britton]

OOOHHH! I could send my action back to Rem. and get a BC barrel fitted to it!!!

[quickdtoo]

Call first and make sure the barrel you want is available, then get in line if they do!! 

toll free (866)776-9292

Tim

[Mike Britton]

I think I'm going to wait until the dust settles at big green before I send my stuff in. It looks as if they are wading in it right now.

[quickdtoo]

Since the 38-55 is discontinued, you might want to check to see if it will continue to be available in the acc barrel program, if they totally do away with it, you might miss out on it if they run out of the existing stock by waiting.

Tim