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Author Topic: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?  (Read 2584 times)

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Offline kevinsmith5

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #30 on: March 11, 2009, 05:12:28 PM »
dad bought me a .410 in 1972 (I was born in '71). Used it on squirrels and other small game starting when I was 7. Got to where I could drop 4 squirrels so fast dad thought they were shooting back at me.  Picked up a 12 ga when I went off to college.  Hunted with it for years until I decided to get a Huntsman and Tracker barrel for it. The Pardner is still my most likely to pick-up gun if I have to head out the door (its like a part of my arm). Also picked up  .22 rimfire.

Then I saw an ad for the BC and figured that was the gun for me.
Then 44 mag (some places only allow pistol cartridges).
Next came the 30-30 (shorter barrel than the BC and it doesn't do quite the damage to our local tiny eastern NC white-tails).

I can still shoot 4 shots accurately faster with a single shot than anybody in the hunt club can with a semi-auto (some can beat me for raw speed, but not speed and accuracy). I'm pretty sure it is the fact that I almost always am shooting on the same platform from age 7 to 38.  Have a semi-auto 12 ga mossberg that someone gave me in '97 that I haven't fired since '97. Have a 30-30 lever action that I haven't ever taken hunting. Both just feel WRONG when I pick them up and fire them.
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Offline bigdaddyd

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #31 on: March 11, 2009, 08:58:50 PM »
Well my love affair with the single shot started back in the early 70's with an H & R Topper model 158 in 30-30.The salesman said for another $20 you can get a 20ga shotgun barrel for this gun.I said sure.Well I hunted with that combo for many years and killed a lot of game but as thing work out i decided i had to have a repeating rifle and traded it for a marlin 30-30. What a big mistake. The first deer i shot, i fired three rounds  before hitting it.Over the years i have owned many other firearms but none holds a place in my heart like that old  topper.In the H&R and NEF i have owned 223,243,25/06.7mm/08,280,17HMR and 20ga.Like a dummy i traded the 243 and 25/06 but still have the rest.At times it has been a love hate relationship but i keep coming back.
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Offline John R.

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #32 on: March 12, 2009, 04:32:39 AM »
I bought a 500 S&W, when Mississippi changed our primitive weapon laws.
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Offline fish280

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #33 on: March 12, 2009, 04:38:25 AM »
Bought an H&R topper 16-gauge when i cwas 11, back in 1962, because I couild afford it. $69 IIRC.
I slew tons of doves with that rascal. Got 13 with 12 shots once (yes, all were flying).
I reckon that's what poshed the button. Maintained an interest for 46 years now ...
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Offline Double 30

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #34 on: March 12, 2009, 06:28:53 AM »
Total of about 4 years.Had a Handi 10 years ago with a  .223 , .30-30 , .45-70 , 12ga shot and 20 ga rifled slug barrels. Fantastic gun, killed a ton of game large and small with her, but sold her when I started shooting Yankees ( Confederate reenactor 1st Texas volunteers).Just got a .223 and am getting very warm and fuzzy with her.Gonna get more barrels as soon as finances permit.Why? Multiple caliber capability on a single frame and hopefully the Yankee govt. wont see a single shot rifle as a threat to their new eutopia ( God help us all).You can't go far wrong with a Handi as your only weapon.
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #35 on: March 12, 2009, 06:41:13 AM »
Every year I took my TCR in as a spare gun for Moose camp.  I would carry the shotgun barrel on it till someone needed a rifle then change barrels.  A spare barrel was easier to carry than a whole gun.  Seems someone either loses his shells, breaks his gun, or something where we need a spare gun, plus the shotgun was used to shoot grouse, rabbits, ducks, and geese for dinner.  One year a guy got a little rough with my TCR so I decided to get something I would not care if it got a little beat up.

So in 1995 I bought a Handi at Wal-Mart for $167.00, and a cheap Simmons scope.  Sent it in and had a 20ga barrel fitted. 

I was surprised with my groups from such a cheap gun.  The next spring we were out on a snowmachine ride.  Along towards evening we had seen nothing and Chuck decided to shoot his gun, a Remington 600 in 222 mag.  He was shooting at a little 3" pod hanging from a limb, 50 yards away.  Three shots and he missed all three.  We really was giving him a hard time.  Chuck got irratated and turned and looked at me and said lets see you do better.  Being in the right mood to be a real smartaleck  I said "I'm not going to shoot the pod, I'm going to shoot the stem holding it on".  To be honest I never really believed I'd hit anything myself, I was just being a wiseacre, to rib Chuck for the moment.  I threw the gun up and from a standing position took the shot.  Pod disappeared.  Carlos ran over and brought the pod back, the pod was intact, the stem had been cut.  They could not believe it, poor Chuck's ego was totally crushed.  Me, I know better than to question good fortune.  I quietly put the gun away, totally in shock and disbelief.

The following day we were riding up in the upper end of the valley above the cabin.  I spotted two wolves stalking a cow and calf Caribou, 80 yards out.  I shot first and hit the one on the left, chuck missed the one on the right.  Chuck took three more shots as it ran through the brush, but was not able to connect.  When the Wolf got to the top of the hill it stopped and turned around and looked at us.  The wolf stretched, yawned, then sat down looking down on us.  I chided Chuck, about how the wolf was making fun of him.  Chuck got mad.  Chuck grabbed my rifle out of my hands, saying "The Army trained me to kill a man at 1000 yards with an 06, I'm going to shoot that Son of a _____".  Chuck sat down using my snow machine seat as a rest.  I hit it with my range finder and told him it was just under 900 yards.  Chuck took the shot and the wolf went over backwards.

From that point on the handi is generally the gun I grab anytime I go into the woods.  That little Handi in 30-06 has brought down many Moose, and Caribou.  Look at my avatar.  Two Black Bears, and somewhere between 15 and 20 Wolves and Coyotes. And with the 20 ga barrel, unknowen Grouse and Ptarmigan.  It's got it's fifth scope and second barrel on it as well.  I've also got six more since I bought that one.  .35 Whelen, 45-70, 2 ea 12 ga, .50 cal, and .223.  I quite doing the extra barrel thing, rather have the complete gun instead. OOps I forgot the .17 HMR.
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Offline MrJames680

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #36 on: March 12, 2009, 09:55:48 AM »
I inherited my Handi in 1998. It came with .223, .243, .30-06, and I will be getting a .45-70 as soon as I can. Never knew about them when I got it and didnt think to highly of them. Boy has my attitude changed. Aside from my 10/22 (cheaper to shoot) I dont know of a better rifle. Unless I am doing something tricky, one shot is all I really need for all I do.
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #37 on: March 12, 2009, 09:58:46 AM »
Thanks Rog, that was a great story! I have one kinda like it, but it was with the old sidelever 12ga I was using at the time, my uncle asked how good I was with it an challenged me to hit his Efrem crusher he was wearing, but  I had to do it in the air, so he picked up a rock and stuck in in the hat and thru it up in the air, he and everyone else watched me blow a nice bunch of holes it it, wasn't much of hat afterwards, more of a red wool rag!! ;D

Tim
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Offline NMUltra

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #38 on: March 12, 2009, 05:22:40 PM »
My first Handi is a .223 UltraVarmint - I was looking for a PD gun, having found a ranch owner that had a supply of varmints he wanted some help to eliminate.  My first trip to the town showed me that my 10/22 wasn't going to be up to the task...
I googled for a varmint gun, and found a picture of a UV on the old NEF forum, it was love at first sight.  It took me almost a year to realize that the UV was so similar to my first shotgun, a youth Ithaca 20 gauge single shot, it was scary - cinnamon lam stocks, exposed hammer, overall look & feel are very, very close.  The best part was the first trip back to the town with the .223 - I held my own with my buddy shooting a .22-250 bolt, and the rancher shooting an AR clone, especially when the AR clone developed a terminal jam. 
I've since added a .17 HMR for smaller towns / shorter shots, a .204 because I wanted one (and it's got the green lams) and a .25-06 Ultra barrel that will see some action in OK in June and hopefully take a speed goat later in the year. 
I like having a complete set up (rifle, scope, sling & ammo) for less $$ than some folks spend on the scope alone, especially when my rifle shoots better than their cubic dollar one.
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #39 on: March 12, 2009, 05:47:13 PM »
Tim, to be honest Chuck did not hit that wolf.  He actually hit the slab rock 15 feet in front of the wolf.  The wolf was killed by the ricochet.  But we skinned the wolf.
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #40 on: March 12, 2009, 05:54:33 PM »
Sounds like barking a squirrel....er wolf...Alaskan style!! ;D

Tim
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Offline jw83

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #41 on: March 12, 2009, 06:22:19 PM »
The first handi I got was about 12 years ago, got a .410. Have since added more models and love them all. I have other guns in all kinds of actions but almost always take the handi's when I hunt because of the size/weight, they handle very nicely and they shoot great. If I scratch up the stock who cares. They are cheap, reliable guns and I have run into few hunting situations where I need an extremely fast follow up shot. I always cary a pistol with me when I hunt anyways so with the handi's what's not to like?
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Offline dk17hmr

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #42 on: March 12, 2009, 07:34:11 PM »
My uncle bought me the 410 when I passed hunters saftey at age 12.  Bought my first handi at age 16 from a friend and 6 years later I have 3 rifle with 4 extra barrels, 2 shotguns with 2 extra barrels, and a 58 caliber Huntsman.  So I have had a H&R/NEF for about 10 years now.

I dont think I will ever be without one.  My 22 hornet goes with me when I am out and about on state land.  The big bores are just fun to play with.
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Offline PigBoy Crabshaw

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #43 on: March 12, 2009, 08:26:21 PM »
I got my first handi late last year, a 308win ultra cinn lam. After lurking on Paco Kelly's lever site and here for a while and liking the tone of the discussions, I got interested in the levers and Handi's. I own a little of everything, bolts, semi's, pumps, and collect Mil Sup's. Up until about two years ago, the thought of owning a levers or single shot never crossed my mind. My thinking was they were hold over’s from a bye gone era akin to a muzzle loaders, that had a nitch with a small crowd of folks that refused to die out.
Boy was I wrong, thinking owning one was below me.
I’m scaling back my collection and learning a lot here. Maybe a pain in the backside to a few members here by asking a lot of reloading questions of late, as I want to learn to roll my own and get back to the basic's of taking more time with each shot and really getting to know what a single gun can do after spending a lot of range time with it. All the positive help here on GB is great and everyone chiming in to help out on a problem someone posts is outstanding.
Oh yea I almost forgot. Another thing I like is the look on a lot of people’s faces when I can clean there plow at the range with one of these cheap pieces of crap
I guess our tastes change as we age. -gary
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Offline dannytoro

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #44 on: March 13, 2009, 04:41:41 AM »
I bought my first Handi, actually an Ultra Hunter in .280, back in the mid eighties. I actually picked it up as I needed an economical fast rifle pick up. Most everything I had back then was black and evil, not hunting oriented at all. I used it four times, having great results three times, not getting any shot opportunities the fourth. The little rifle made great dependable groups. I sold it almost as an after thought. In retrospect I would have been better served keeping it. But in those heady pre-AWB days, I was too immersed in Military firearms to properly evaluate it.

My latest Handi is based on a desire to replicate shooting of the 1880 era. A 500 S&W I hope to tinker with utilizing heavy bullets. I just got it in late November, and missed last season since the Saiga was already well equipped for last year. Next Season I hope to have a good selection of heavy thumpers ready to go. If all works out, hopefully for a great hunt on my family lands in Labrador. Which should be interesting since a large supply of plus 500 lb Black Bears are currently available. And with any luck, I can skidoo to Goose Bay and catch the George River Caribou herd with my brothers. That should be a great chance to test out long range shooting with the big lumbering rounds.
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Offline AtlLaw

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #45 on: March 13, 2009, 04:47:43 AM »
I got my first one sometime around '88 I think it was...  :-\  A 30/30.  Sent it off to H&R for a 45/70 barrel.  Played with that one for years.  Still do.   ;D  The 30/30 barrel - now 30/40 - is long gone but the 45/70 is still used a lot!  And the frame is the one I use for my 45-120!   ;)
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Offline kennyd

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #46 on: March 13, 2009, 03:19:26 PM »
Found one at a gunshow around 10 years ago.  .243, 3-9 Banner.  Gave it to my brother finally.  Then I went to SW and got a .45-70.  After that I was looking at 30-06, and asked about the chances of .25-06; they had the Ultra, so that came home.  This year I found another .243 on auction and got it.  Also had a 3 1/2 barrel put on the .45-70.  Also on the want list is .280, 7-08, 30-06 and hopefully something in one of the bigger than .30 bottlenecks if one come up.  Still wish they would bring back the ejector.
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Offline Jimbo47

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #47 on: March 13, 2009, 04:36:40 PM »
Not exactly new to single shots, as that's what I learned to hunt with years ago with my Dad's old 16 guage.

Bought my first Handi about two years ago in .243, now I've got a .223, 7MM-08, .270, and my two favorites a .357 mag. reamed to max, (little brother) and my 45-70 (big brother) that I just can't leave either one of the brothers at home when I take off for the woods.
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My culled down Handi's are the 45-70, and then I have a few others to keep it company...357 Mag/Max. .45 LC/.454 Casull Carbine, .243 Ultra, and 20 gauge Tracker II.

Offline NH Yankee

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #48 on: March 13, 2009, 09:31:12 PM »
I must be the oldest newbie to Handi's.  I grew up in the 50's and 60's, had to have the fastest, the biggest and the baddest.  Single shots and black powder were for the OLD men.  I bought a used Handi about 2 months ago in 45-70.  I could not believe the grouping with 350 grain bullets.  Less than MOA.  It was my back up for hog hunting and on the next trip it will be the primary.  LOVE IT LOVE IT.  I am going to gussy it up some and am looking for another in almost any caliber, though 38-55 sounds great.  By the way, I am now into black powder and do take my grandfather's '72 trapdoor to the range.  Now I have to keep the ammo segregated.

NH Yankee
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Offline mauser98us

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Re: How long have you had a Handi ? And Why ?
« Reply #49 on: March 14, 2009, 02:03:58 PM »
It started in1999,when I bought an ought-six. Fun,cheap to buy and pretty darn accurate.Now I've got eight of those rascals. Wish I never started. My name is Mike,and I am a handiholic. :D
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