The bitterness of poor quality...

[DC]

I worked at one time for the man whose father coined the phrase.."The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten".  After reading about barrel fitting, accuracy issues, really poor customer service etc. I have all but decided not to get a 45/70 BC.   I really wanted another 45/70 and I could accually afford one.  However, if it doesn't shoot, doesn't work etc I can't afford to send it back and forth to God knows where and hope that it will get fixed in 2-3 months. 

I was really hoping to read better stuff here.  I had my heart set on the long barrel BC but now, I don't know.

[stimpylu32]

DC

Don't let all you read here turn you off from a overall great product , for everyone here that has a problem , there are 100s or maybe 1000s that have not had the even the slightest hic-up .

I personly have not once had a major issue with any of the many H&Rs that I have or have had . Yet your are right , for some the Bitterness will NEVER go away .

stimpy

[kevinsmith5]

My BC shot great straight out of the box. All I've had to do to it is smooth the sharp edges on the butt plate and I did ream the throat out to allow me to load 550 gr flat nosers (I have date in November with a very large bear).  Please keep in mind that this is THE PLACE people come to to ask for help IF there is a problem.  Plenty of people without problems don't post here and a lot of the "tweaking" that folks do here is just rying to get eh very best they can out of what they have.  All the tweaks I've done to my BC were to make it better than when I got it, it was pretty dang good to start with.  Inside 300 yds my $370 BC can hang with a Shiloh Sharps that I'm pretty sure came in at somewhere north of $4000 (and to be honest with you the difference at longer ranges may be my fault, not the BC's).  Get one, 99% chance it will be the best gun you ever own .

[petemi]

I've said before, my Handi .45-70 is the last rifle I'll ever give up.  I own some really good rifles, and that is well up among them.  I never had to adjust a thing on it.  It shot true from the begining.  Don't be afraid of it, if you don't like it, one of us will snatch it up.

[tn_junk]

I sold all of my Encores just to buy Handi's.
My $200 dollar Handi Rifles shoot just as good, and have just as few problems, as my $600 Encores did.
And I can buy a complete rifle for what an Encore barrel cost.

alan

[PHATINJUN]

I don't know what you consider poor quality I don't consider H&R NEF's POOR quality. Compared to what? Does and are there things that could be done to make them fit better? more smooth? better blued? YES...but that all costs more money so if ya can't look past some of that then they are not for you .But they do shoot good and there are some issues with accuracy but there are really very few things that can not be taken care of yourself.Unless you are not that type of a guy then again they are not for you. All this complaining about the customer service is only because of the move and some of it is well desearved. But what was there before the move was... although a little unortadox at times it was considered very good CS. I see no reason yet to think that it will not be that way again. Ya just got to remember they moved a more than 100 yr old operation and took very few folks with them. It did not go to a place that has no idea what a gun is it's just a different gun and there will be growing pains .I for one am still optimistic that all will eventually smooth out . I did the same thing that TN junk did and now own 27 Handi's My T/C's had a lot of the same issues as my handi's for about 1/2 the price. Kurt

[quickdtoo]

Even with all the problems Kevinsmith5 has had with the new H&R CS having had more problems with H&R Customer Service than any 10 others here, he still loves his BC like most everyone does, but all recent bad reports from CS are due to the closing of the Gardner plant in June and Remington trying to take up the slack and step into the shoes of a company staff that's been doing the same thing for the last 60yrs!! I wouldn't condemn the BC or any other H&R firearm based on the few reports of poor quality/service of late, I have forty-four H&Rs including two BCs and have had no problems with 99% of them, what little issues I've had have been quickly resolved by myself or H&R. The BC is one of the most popular models they offer and the 45-70 itself is considered one of the must-have chamberings, whether in a 22" Handi or the 32" BC, and now the 24" SS Ultra, get one....or two....or four and have fun!  

Tim

[Smokin Joe]

I had my heart set on the long barrel BC but now, I don't know.

What's this 200 yd paper plate do for your heart?

[PHATINJUN]

Problem with that plate smokinjoe is being how ya put 45/70 holes in it .now it won't hold your baked beans.  Kurt

[Troyboy]

  Amen!!!!!!!!

[mattt]

Today was my second day at the range with my BC.The first time I brought a couple guns and didn't spend enough time with my BC.All i can say is it was on of my best trips to the range in a long time. I only shot the 4570 and got in sighted in pretty good. It is a real joy to shoot. I was shooting low fps loads from Amerc and shot pretty good groups for my eyes. I had more people come up and ask about the gun then when I have brought my high dollar pistols or rifles . It is a great rifle and I think people are drawn to the old style buffalo guns when they see them . The range was full of Ar this and kel tac that assult rifles and they all look the same.It is nice to be different

[petemi]

I had my heart set on the long barrel BC but now, I don't know.

What's this 200 yd paper plate do for your heart?

That's strange, my cheap junk does the same thing.  We'd better call CS about it first thing in the morning.

[DC]

Ok, to save the $100 plus over the Marlin, I will give it a go.  I only found one 45/70 BC however.  It is a 32" barrel BC for $379.  Do most of you shoot the longer barrel version or what I think is the 20 or 22?  I have owned long barrel rifles and the extra length / weight really helps with the hotter loads.  I was looking at the Garrett ammo site.  Holy cow, if the BC can handle them, I guess I will never be under gunned.

[lonewolf5348]

I for one did own a B.C> 45-70 and found it to be a great shooter : I only did part with it because of the recoil otherwise the gun shot excellent.The gentleman who own it loves it and it shoot excellent
I did run into some small problems with the new and old H@R but were all resolved.
I do own a 38-55 B.C> and have no complaint:iron peep sight
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/lonewolf5347/38-55002.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/lonewolf5347/38-55004.jpg
My other handi in my 30-06 scoped and at the 100 yard target
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/lonewolf5347/30-06target001.jpg
I now am working on a 7MM-08 barrel that I think will also print some excellent groups.

[Smokin Joe]

Problem with that plate smokinjoe is being how ya put 45/70 holes in it .now it won't hold your baked beans.  Kurt

So THAT'S what's all over the front of my Realtree t-shirt!

(Thought it was Levi Garrett)
 

[headoftheholler]

I worked at one time for the man whose father coined the phrase.."The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten".  After reading about barrel fitting, accuracy issues, really poor customer service etc. I have all but decided not to get a 45/70 BC.   I really wanted another 45/70 and I could accually afford one.  However, if it doesn't shoot, doesn't work etc I can't afford to send it back and forth to God knows where and hope that it will get fixed in 2-3 months. 

I was really hoping to read better stuff here.  I had my heart set on the long barrel BC but now, I don't know.

Keep in mind that this site is considered the "go to" place for handis.  This is where people research and also where they go when something isnt right.  Same thing happened when I was looking to buy a new truck, I searched several dodge, ford and chevy truck forums and noticed they all had tons of questions from people having problems but that is where people go to get answers.

[Swampman]

I've owned a lot of NEF/H&R firearms.  I have had 2 issues (that were caused by previous owners) and NEF repaired them both promptly for free.

I've found that most companies respond well, if you act like an adult.

I prefer the 22" barrel.

[kevinsmith5]

Joe, you can't post a pic like that without telling me what you loaded up to shoot the group.

[Smokin Joe]

Joe, you can't post a pic like that without telling me what you loaded up to shoot the group.

First, it's a nonstandard bullet; I had Lee cut a mold like the 457-450-F except that it drops at .460 in 25:1 alloy. The powder is Swiss 1 1/2.......enough to get about .125" compression when used with a .060 veggie wad and with the slug in contact with the lands. The lube is SPG.....primer is Federal 215.....brass is Winchester. I also lube the bore-ride section of the bullet and wipe between shots. I did add an 11 degree crown to the B/C muzzle.
 The group is about 2.4+ inches.


** I also mount the forearm with 2 Sorbothane pads, one in front, one in the rear to kill vibration/shock.

http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp?pn=3037000&bhcd2=1221590133