Author Topic: Cheapest NEF plinker. (Read 978 times)

Dirty Tiger · « **on:** July 30, 2005, 08:28:26 PM »

I have an NEF .308 Survivor, I pinked the .308 because it is a respected big-game caliber. I liked the idea of shooting 7.62 mil-surp but it seems that my rifle dislikes 7.62x51 NATO.

I am looking for a centerfire caliber that will allow me to shoot cheap factory ammo. I don't reload.

It seems like my options are:

1) .223, How well does this bbl shoot 5.56 mil-surp?

2) 7.62x39. From what I've read this bbl dislikes the mil-surp. Correct?

3) 44mag not bad on price.

4) .357, I am leaning towards this caliber. How is the accuracy? How does it like .38spl?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** July 30, 2005, 08:53:48 PM »

H&R states in their owners manuals not to shoot milsurp ammo and no one has ever posted that it performs well in any of the NEF/H&R rifles that I've seen. Even the new 7.62x39 Handi does not shoot milsurp ammo due to the hard primers. The .223 Handis and Ultras come with a warning note stating not to shoot 5.56 NATO ammo in it, it is not the same cartridge as the .223 Rem.

The cheapest shooting rifle caliber that I'm aware of is the .223 rem, winchester whitebox 45gr JHP ammo is $13 for 40 rounds, $15 for 50 or UMC 55gr FMJ ammo at $5 a box of 20.....the WWB usually shoots best, but some have found the 55gr UMC to shoot ok.

I don't know how cheap 44mag ammo is, but I know 357mag ammo is real cheap, it would be the best pistol caliber that I know of if you can find a 357mag rifle, they don't make it anymore, but H&R has 357mag barrels available now if you want to send your frame in for it to be fitted.

Tim

knight0334 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 31, 2005, 03:32:40 AM »

Cabelas has some .38spl, .357mag, .44mag, .223Rem and .308Win in bulk with nice prices per shot. These aren't mil-surp loads either(I do believe they carry mil-surp too), but cheap production cartridges.

You can get a 1000 rounds of .223 FMJ for $200 or so. 200rd of 308 BTSP for $105.

In the pistol cartridges, .38spl SWC 1200 for $169.99, 1200rd of .357 JHP for $210, 44mag SWC $399.99 for 1200rds.

Dirty Tiger · « **Reply #3 on:** July 31, 2005, 03:59:46 AM »

Knight, Thanx for the price info.

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #4 on:** July 31, 2005, 04:38:14 AM »

Some .357 barrels shoot .38 Special very well. The ones that don't are usually helped by rethroating or rechambering to .357 Max. I can pretty much count on one inch 50 yard groups with .38 Special ammo and wadcutters do better. Past 50 yards, WC groups open rapidly, though. Round nose deliver beer can accuracy to at least a hundred yards. Past that, holdover gets to be a problem.

myarmor · « **Reply #5 on:** July 31, 2005, 07:30:15 AM »

I have yet to actually shoot true Mil. Surplus through my Ultra 223, but I have shot several boxes of Wolf ammo. A lot of people are totally against Wolf ammo, being that it's cheap and metal cased-sometimes ending up in stuck cases. Wolf ammo also is on the dirty side...but I don't mind cleaning it up, and I only had one stuck case from them (actualy it was a Winchester shell that got stuck after I had shot 2 boxes of Wolf, so I guess I didn't really have any stuck shells from it :-) )
I never tried to group it, but the Wolf 55gr shot decent in my Ultra. Hitting cans at 100+yards.
The 62gr was sparatic, with 2 shots hitting my target and the next being about 4" away.
I say go with the 223.
Ever try Wolf 308 ammo?

JPH45 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 31, 2005, 10:35:02 AM »

You need to start reloading. I cast my own, so my cost is quite low compared to buying components, about 6 or 7 cents a pop. even buying your components, you can shoot for less than 20 cents a pop.

But since you don't reload, I would highly reccomend the 44 Mag. It will shoot 44 Special as well, and there are a lorge number of load available for the 44 so that you can tailor your ammo suppy to your shooting needs.

I believe Federal or perhaps Remington offers a reduced power loading for 308, but that is still 30-30 level and can be a bit much after 20 rounds or so.

44 Special you can shoot all day without recoil fatigue. The same is true of the 357 or the 223.

stimpylu32 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 31, 2005, 01:45:46 PM »

For just general plunking i'd say go with the .357 , Ammo is dirt cheap , around here most of the small local gun shops sale reloads for about $ 5.00 a box

Alot of people like it as a deer round , I personally think it is just to small for the deer here in N.W. Ohio they tend to run 200 lbs and up .

tallyho · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2005, 03:07:15 PM »

My vote is for the 357mag barrel as an inexpensive plinker. (..though I have shot two deer with 357 mag - one with a Handi, one with a Rossi lever gun.)

Cheap 38 spl ammo is readily available and my Handi with the 357mag barrel, shooting cast 38 spl (cheapest) has zip, zero, nada, for recoil.

And without working up any specific handload for it, it has been accurate with whatever 38spl ammo I have shot.

Offhand, I can hit clay birds on the berm at 50 yds all day with it... (Confession: I do have a peep sight on it!)
... except of course, I wouldn't actually want to stand up on my hind legs all day! :grin: Especially here in New Mexico in the summer!

If primarily for plinking I'd go with this one.... only thing cheaper for plinking would be 22LR... and you could consider one of those too in a NEF Sportster.

Cheers
Kerry

Dirty Tiger · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2005, 03:09:51 PM »

I think I will go with the .357. Something about cheap pistol ammo appeals to me. I might set it up with a red-dot.

I'll most likely get the .223 down the road.

Dirty Tiger · « **Reply #10 on:** August 02, 2005, 02:18:42 AM »

JPH45, Does the .44mag barrel come with iron sights?

Dirty Tiger · « **Reply #11 on:** August 02, 2005, 08:07:47 AM »

Nevermind, I just learned that they do come with iron sights.

Do the .357 bbls come with iron sights?

Varminter · « **Reply #12 on:** August 02, 2005, 08:48:12 AM »

i think you can ask for either when you order the barrel from the factory. Some here have ordered a barrel that was supposed to have rifle sights and got it with the scope base if you ask. But other wise the 357 mag comes with iron sights