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Author Topic: Talk to me about the sportster....  (Read 1115 times)

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Offline Mad Dog

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Talk to me about the sportster....
« on: January 15, 2012, 05:21:57 AM »
First post in quite a while.  I'm definately acquainted with NEF/H&R rifles and shotguns.  Raised my son on them, and he's 30 now.  I have a 20 ga. pardner, that I've used on squirrels.  I  also have a Marlin 39a that I bought new in 1974, that I've probably shot over 500 squirrels with. 
 
Well in the last 2 yrs. I've gotten enamored with more single shots.  Matter of fact, took a Ruger no. 1 to Africa last summer and shot an elephant and a cape buffalo with it.  Been hunting deer with a CVA scout, 44 mag.
 
Well, I have a hankering to go back to more squirrel hunting, as I get older[60 yo. now].  The .22 sportster has caught my eye.  I'd like to set it up with a 2-7x/3-9x scope and use it for early season squirrel hunting.  I've not been able to handle one at any gun shop, close to me, so, even after going through the archives here, I still have some questions.  Especially since the Rem takeover of Marlin/H&R.  How are the trigger pulls, out of the box?  Is the lockup and finish on the guns good?  I don't mind some tinkering, but I had enough of some of that on a couple of my son's rifles.  Particularly a 30-06 he took to Africa, in 2008.
 
So, any insight about the 22 sportster would be appreciated.  Thanks!
 
 
Mad Dog
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Offline quasne.inc

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Re: Talk to me about the sportster....
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2012, 09:38:07 AM »
I love my .22 mag sportster.  I bought it new a couple of months ago.  I am far from an expert, but I think the trigger pull is quite crisp and the lockup is very tight. 
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: Talk to me about the sportster....
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2012, 09:38:57 AM »
I have a Sportster in .17HMR.  The only things I have done was to put an O-ring under the forearm, and mount a scope.  I reset the base plate and used Loc-tite on the screws. 

I then mounted the BSA Sweet-17.  Scope dial is dead on out to 150 yards.  Then the scope is lower than the bullet out to 250 yards,  There they come back togeather.  At 300 yards the maximum for the scope, it is dead on.  The differance between the scope and bullepath is not enough to cause me to miss a fox if I hold center mass say at 180 or 210 yards.  It's only about an inch or two.  Since I've hit almost everything I've aimed at, I'm happy.  The miss was a little red squerrill at 200 yards.  Their body is only about inch and a half to two inches thick anyway.
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Offline hoytcanon

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Re: Talk to me about the sportster....
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2012, 12:40:34 PM »
Sportster's are great little guns... very well built and very accurate... probably the best buy out there considering the value:dollar ratio... I have a .22 and two 17 HMR's... I am looking for a 17 M2 barrel... I missed them when NEF was producing them... saw the M2's on sale for $120 and waffled too long... I've been kicking myself for four years over that one. We did some mods to ours... I have one 17 Hummer set up with the Choate Predator stock/foreend set and the .22 and other Hummer have the Boyd's Sterling stock sets and all barrels have been cut down to 16", recorwned and threaded... then we installed Ross Schuler muzzle brakes... they are terrrific guns, and I don't ever plan on parting with them.
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Hoyt Handi's; Ultra Black .22 K-Hornet Shorty, Black Synthetic K-Hornet Shorty & Nickel .410 Combo (sons), Ultra Granite Grey .22 BR Rem, Ultra Nutmeg .223 & .30/30 Shorty Combo (sons), Ultra Forest .223/7mm-08 Shorty Combo, Ultra Forest .243/.308 Combo, Ultra Nutmeg .243/.308 Combo (sons),  Jacaranda/Cocobolo .30/30 & 7.62X39 Shorty Combo, Ultra Black/Stainless .260 Rem Stub, Ultra Black/Stainless .338 Federal Stub,  Ultra Grey .358 Win, Ultra Grey .35 Whelen, Walnut/Cocobolo Mannlicher .357 MAX, Buffalo Classic Mannlicher .44 Mag Shorties w/NDS-38 peeps (X2; Sons & mine), Ultra Grey Stainless .45/70 & .243 & 20 Gauge Combo, Buffalo Classic 26" .45/70, 9.3X74R Mannlicher, Synthetic Nickel .410 & .30/30 & Versa Pak .22 LR Shorty Combo, Ultra Forest/Cocobolo 12 Gauge 3.5" Turkey; Most scoped with DNZ or Dura Sight one-piece bases and Mueller, Hawke or Nikon scopes... several with Skinner Peeps and Williams Fire Sight ramps.

Offline mechanic

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Re: Talk to me about the sportster....
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2012, 01:19:39 PM »
I have a versa pack 22 barrel on a centerfire receiver, and just traded/bought a Sportster 22 mag., and a 17 hmr.  Both are excellent out of the box...no tinkering whatsoever.
 
Ben
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Offline unclemike

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Re: Talk to me about the sportster....
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2012, 04:58:55 AM »
I had a Sportster in 17HMR that I traded in on something else and have regretted, because it was accurate. But I thought the ammo was too expensive so I decided to go with a Sportster in 17m2 instead. It was one of that last ones available in the wild, I guess. That turned out to be a good choice. Handy and accurate. Locks up tight. Wish the trigger pull were lighter, more like my modified Ruger 10/22, but it gets the job done. I've made some other mods (detailed elsewhere on this forum) that were not strictly necessary, but which were fun. In my opinion, these guns can't be beat in the $150-$200 range.
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Offline moose

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Re: Talk to me about the sportster....
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2012, 02:14:29 AM »
i really like my sportster....in 22 mag....
the squirrels well...let's just say they are not to crazy about it.... ;D
 

 
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Offline MSP Ret

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Re: Talk to me about the sportster....
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2012, 03:59:03 AM »
Great picture Tim (Moose), those squirrels will look even better in the stew pot. It looks as if your new scope setup on the .22 Mag is "dead" on...congratulations, and when you get a chance lets see some coyotes and armidillos, perhaps even a big rattler, that it accounts for in the future.
These H&R Sportsters are really great little guns. I have then in .22 LR, .22 Mag, .17 Mach2, and .17 HMR and each and every one is accurate beyond my expectations. Try one, you will like it!!....<><.... :) 
 
By the way Tim, great shooting, no wasted meat there...
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Offline Ramrod48

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Re: Talk to me about the sportster....
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2012, 05:25:48 AM »
Haven't hunted with it yet but my 17hmr will shoot quarter sized groups at 100 yards and not broke in well yet.  Would make an excellent long range squirrel hunter.
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Offline Mad Dog

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Re: Talk to me about the sportster....
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2012, 01:22:04 AM »
Well, went out yesterday and ordered a sportster.  They must be somewhat scarce.  Went to 2 different shops that tried to find me one, and nada.  Went to a third one, and got the order placed.  Should be in late next week.  We'll see what happens.  I'll report back later.
 
 
Mad Dog
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