Some unpopular advice from me on this board, but take a hard look at the Stevens/Savage line of rifles. Handi's are great rifles, I have a few, and they are fun to shoot, I will buy more. If you are buying your first CF rifle and have no experience getting a handi to shoot then you really need to go with a bolt gun. You will have a much much better chance of getting a rifle that shoots well right out of the box with a Stevens than you will with the Handi, the price is the same within $15.00. Sort through the posts about getting a Handi to shoot straight and then look on the Savage/Stevens board and see what they say. Sorry guys, but someone with only one CF rifle and his first to boot deserves a little warning. Larry
Well...I agree folks should tell the truth about these rifles...but I also believe they should paint the whole picture...not just part of it...I don't agree with what many have said about the Savage/Stevens rifles...Perhaps when they first became available...but not now...When I was tempted by all of the talk of how "good" they were..I went looking here in the St.Louis area...I went thru 15 different guns at 1 time in 1 store...and handfuls of them at many different stores thru out the area...every single one of them had some type ofr defect that I know would give accuracy problems or functioning problems...or durability problems...I am Sorry...they just don't cut it with me for a bolt gun...
neither do most of the bargain basement rifles being offered of late.
The other issue I have in telling someone to buy a bolt gun over any break action single shot is obvious...They are breeds apart......The bolt guns don't carry the same...nor balance the same..nor do they inspire an individual to become a crack shot as what a single shot does... All of the single shots have unique peculiarities...and it is true one must learn how to shoot them from a bench if expecting precision accuracy ...but...if a person is drawn to the single shot center fires from most MZ's...they won't have near the problem of learning what it takes to shoot them properly as than one would who comes from repeater bolt gun to them...Another factor is since there are a ton of break action single shot MZ's on the market now...most of them are very similar to the Handi...they too share many of the Handi's traits...so it should be an easier transition...
That said...the Handi can be problematic as well...There has been lots of lemons produced...in most calibers..over that past few years...But the 1 saving grace thru all of their short comings has been one of the best customer service departments in getting most if not all of these problems taken care of in a very timely manner...not to mention one of the best support groups I have ever seen...(
All of us here 
)...even those of us (myself included) that dis-like some of Marlins decisions usually will offer a-lot of advise to help those that need it...and even those who feel there are better choices available will help if they can...That's just part of being a Handi-holic...Many of us want to see them evolve into something much more than they are now...while staying affordable to all...Are they the absolute best rifle on the market...quite frankly...no...they aren't...but...they have a lot going for them..
I have looked at and bought a bunch of other guns over the last year or 2...A bunch single shots...and about 6 bolt guns...not to mention a bunch of shotguns as well..Are there "better" rifles available....Yes...there are some very good alternative rifles that can give more strength...offer more calibers...offer more barrel lengths..offer more stock configurations...these being from Ruger... CVA...Thompson Center...and Knight....
but...none truly in the Handi's price range that has the good folks at the NEF C/S department...along with as many folks willing to help get your rifle to shoot good for you if you have any problems with it... as what you will find right here...Some come close with outstanding customer support like CVA and the strength of the rifle......but with out all the other amenities spoken of...like the support group...or the price of the rifle..
If a person can accept the rifles limitations..and its peculiarities...and is willing to invest a little elbow grease...it can indeed make a nice rifle to start off with as a center fire...A simple o-ring or a little more involved RTV bedding can and usually corrects the majority of problems associated with the accuracy issues... If a person is wanting a new rifle with those written guaranteed accuracy statements they should expect to pay from $450-$850 for a Weatherby or Tika...cause no-one else is backing up their claim in writing...Not Savage...Not Remington...Not CZ...Nor anyone else...not in this price range...Most of the gun writers that are pushing the Savages...are being very well compensted to do so...It is usually an easy thing to do with their higher priced models...most of them are good shooters...but...they are still being compensated for it...and to get a light trigger pull with them...you have to accept
their safety on the durn trigger...YUCK ...(sorry...personal dislike of mine slipping out...)
If I were going to tell some one to buy a bolt gun...I would tell them they are not all created equal as well...Each of them...have good & bad points to consider...Some like the high end
Savages are very good rifles...and some of the lower end ones can be excellent shooters as well...as with all of the major manufactures of bolt guns...but...most of the lower end rifles will have to be tweaked to 1 degree or another (more money) to achieve perfection...and this may require different stocks and bedding to make it so...or different triggers to smooth out all of the creep or over travel to them...All of this adds significantly to their cost...Yes...doing this does indeed make a great rifle to own and shoot...but folks don't factor in the whole picture again....
Depending on which brand you do this to..
if you ever want to trade it in..you will most likely loose your extra money invested on it...especially on the Savage rifles...If your going to buy a bolt gun...buy a good one...one that will hold it's value... What about the Handi in this regard...well...I saw a used 30-30 /22 Hornet combo today...both barrels had really cheap Bushnell 3x9 scopes on them... They were asking $360 for it...I've seen used (new model) Stevens with the same scopes on them for as little as $180...Around here...the Handi's hold their value more...My like new used Savage Model 10 FP 308 with scope bases I bought for $300.00...I have bought used Ultra's for $250.00... This is something to take into consideration...Winchester Model 70's...(non WSM's) and Remington model 700's (any caliber or model) are selling used for what they were new a few years ago...Buy what you won't lose on...
Other than that...Good Luck with your decision...and what you ultimately purchase...GBO has many different forums...and your welcome on all of them...
Mac
