Author Topic: Picked up a 357 Handi Today (Pictures) (Read 1734 times)

Lazermule · « **on:** November 06, 2009, 03:55:06 PM »

So I picked up a new 357 Handi today at Gander mountain. Did a bit of calling around trying to located a SB2. This one says SB2 on the barrel, but the receiver has the warning to only use 357, 44 and shotgun barrels only on it. Oh well, I think it will be a fun little gun and I plan to ream it to a Max as well. I mounted up a cheap Tasco I had laying around until I decide what optics I want on it...red dot, 1x-4x, illuminated crosshairs...don't know yet. Probably get an idea how it shoots before I spend too much on optics. Polished the bore and put a strap on it as well.

Here are some pictures, one of the gun and one with my 4 yr old holding it. The could quite possibly be my 4 yr old's first deer rifle...he is already a gun nut and can tell you what just about every one is out of the 40+ that I now have in the safe. Can't wait to try it out in the morning. I have some light 38 special wad cutter I'll let the little guy shoot tomorrow as well.

LAZER

45north · « **Reply #1 on:** November 06, 2009, 04:19:54 PM »

Which GM store and do they have any more of the same, they are hard to find right now.

You watch pretty soon the boy will start calling it his rifle, and if he takes his first buck with it dad can say good by to that rifle. Money well spent if you ask me.

Good hunting

Lazermule · « **Reply #2 on:** November 06, 2009, 04:38:39 PM »

GM store in Forest Lake, MN. $249 Not sure if they have anymore. Usually they can check stock across the country in all of their stores and have them shipped in as they have done it for me before. They didn't know the difference between what was a sb1 or sb2 by the numbers so I didn't even attempt that and just bought this one cause it was there.

It is the boy's b-day next week and mine is Sunday so I figured I'd treat "us" to a new gun.

Looks like it fits right in with its other NEF/H&R safemates (shhhh the wife will never know):
NEF Pardner 12ga
NEF Tracker II Rifled 12 ga
204 Ruger Ultra
New one (357)
45/70 with the Boyd's Bargain stock

Lazer

quickdtoo · « **Reply #3 on:** November 06, 2009, 06:08:33 PM »

Congrats!! SB2s have an SB2 model number prefix.

Tim

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 07, 2009, 01:34:32 AM »

Your little man will love the 38 wadcutters, perfect for any kid to shoot.

Swampman · « **Reply #5 on:** November 07, 2009, 02:47:21 AM »

Mine should be here on Monday. They can be fitted with an extra .44 Mag barrel at the factory. I'm going to find a second hand .30-30 barrel for mine in the near future. I already had a .20 gauge youth barrel added.

shaner · « **Reply #6 on:** November 07, 2009, 03:50:08 AM »

looks like a winning combo there a 357 and a willing young man yu have with a gleam in his eyes!!!!

Lazermule · « **Reply #7 on:** November 07, 2009, 04:44:16 AM »

Quote from: shaner on November 07, 2009, 03:50:08 AM

looks like a winning combo there a 357 and a willing young man yu have with a gleam in his eyes!!!!

He is definitely willing when it comes to hunting. When he was 3 he decided that he would watch Ted Nugent in Spirit of the Wild instead of Go Diego Go and Dora as his morning tv programming. Now that he has figured our the DVR we have it now full with Spirit of the Wild, American Rifleman, Shooting USA, and Impossible shots.....yep, he's a full fledged "gun nut"...

Having no idea when he was born that he would even like hunting, we named him Bo (first name) Hunter (middle name), he gets a lot of compliments on his name.

The fun has begun....

LAZER

bigvarmnt · « **Reply #8 on:** November 07, 2009, 05:02:17 AM »

Way to go! I remember that same look on my boys face, 25 years ago

Enjoy it as much as you can. Hard to believe how fast time goes by.

Lazermule · « **Reply #9 on:** November 07, 2009, 06:18:28 AM »

Quote from: bigvarmnt on November 07, 2009, 05:02:17 AM

Way to go! I remember that same look on my boys face, 25 years ago Enjoy it as much as you can. Hard to believe how fast time goes by.

Thanks, Yes I cherish every moment that I have with the little guy. He was a bit of a "surprise", as there are 9 years between him and the next oldest but he has truly been a blessing and I'm sure will be my hunting partner when I'm old and more gray than I already am. I remember being as excited about guns as he is, but my dad was never able to feed my passion for guns as he was in to them but not real serious. I know it is an exciting time for my little guy, so I will take this time to teach him the right way and the safe way to handle weapons and take game in an ethical manner in hopes that he too will pass it on down some day.

I just got in from shooting the new 357. Wow, what a neat little gun. I started with the slow 38 special wadcutters at 30 yards and got the scope settled in and on. I was easily printing 1" groups. I then moved out to 75 yards and shot some factory Hornady 158's, made a few scope adjustments and left it printing a little smaller than an inch 1" high so that should be good. I did shoot the wadcutters out at 75, but they keyholed and I could see them flying in the scope. Although they were keyholing, the did stay within about 3".

Fun Gun......

LAZER

zoner · « **Reply #10 on:** November 08, 2009, 12:42:14 AM »

looks to me like you need another 357 Handi....the one in the picture looks like it has been claimed by your son

Lazermule · « **Reply #11 on:** November 13, 2009, 03:03:03 PM »

So I already replaced the scope on it just inside of a week of ownership. Nothing too special, I mounted up a Barska "Huntmaster Pro" with the lighted cross hairs. I got it all boresighted and will see how it shoots tomorrow. The scope was rather inexpensive, but looked to have some decent reviews and the glass seems pretty clear. The Tasco Pronghorn that I had on it is just a CHEAP extra I keep around. I had another but it went south on my Hi-Point 9mm carbine...and didn't want that to happen when "Mr. Mossy Horns" presents me a shot with this 357....

Now all I need is the reamer and this thing will be a MAX.

BTW: Has anyone ever tried these bullets in the 357 Max in the Handi?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=246091

LM

Swampman · « **Reply #12 on:** November 13, 2009, 03:29:01 PM »

I had one of those Barska.

Lazermule · « **Reply #13 on:** November 14, 2009, 04:26:23 AM »

Quote from: Swampman on November 13, 2009, 03:29:01 PM

I had one of those Barska.

So with the "had" in your reply, I gather that it was not up to yours expectations? What caliber gun did you have it on??

Heading out to shoot right now....

LM

Lazermule · « **Reply #14 on:** November 14, 2009, 05:01:37 AM »

Sighted in the scope, ran 30 rounds through it. All went well, scope works well so far...

LM

harley berry · « **Reply #15 on:** November 14, 2009, 05:33:50 AM »

that is too cool, my sons b-day is sunday also he will be 5 and is a serious gun nut like his dad his name is same as his daddy's (harley) middle (david), so he is my little harley david(son) and loves,guns,hunting,motorcycles,and girls, in that order, but with age interest's will change. But like most men some things don't change hopefully these will stay the same

Swampman · « **Reply #16 on:** November 14, 2009, 08:22:52 AM »

Quote from: Lazermule on November 14, 2009, 04:26:23 AM

Quote from: Swampman on November 13, 2009, 03:29:01 PM
I had one of those Barska.

So with the "had" in your reply, I gather that it was not up to yours expectations? What caliber gun did you have it on??

Heading out to shoot right now....

LM

It was on a .22 Mag. It worked ok.

gendoc · « **Reply #17 on:** November 14, 2009, 09:08:59 AM »

i took a trade-in on a new savage varminteer,
the used gun had a new barska 8-32x50/AO tacticle varmit on it.
so i took it out back to test.... @150yrds it clovered 4 shots..
the glass was clear as a vx-III... it did a very nice job
i was very suprized !!!! good scope........
the used gun belongs to someone else now, i kept the glass!!!

Lazermule · « **Reply #18 on:** November 14, 2009, 12:47:51 PM »

Harley,

That's cool...I like the name. Sounds like you better head out and locate the little guy a Handi in 357??? My little guy shot this one today, and loved. My older son got a video with his phone and we're trying to figure out how to get it off there so I can post it. He had a blast, and also helped me reload the ammo before we shot and we went and reloaded it again after shooting. The length of pull doesn't fit him but with 163 grn LSWC's running at less than 1000 there was literally no recoil and he shot it with the butt under his arm. He was well on the paper at 75 yards and 5 for 5 dinging the gong at 30 yards. Wow was that fun! For me and him. His b-day party is tomorrow at our local Cabela's so I wonder what he'll talk me into there. G'ma and G'pa will be there as well and he seems to have the power over them to get some pretty neat things as well

.

The gun seemed to really like the 163 grn LSWC's running just under to 1000 fps mark. I also had some 125 Grn JHP's loaded up pretty hot that didn't group nearly as well.

Gendoc, Thanks for your input on the scope. I would have to agree on the quality of the glass, it is very clear and the scope held zero real good. I'm not sure if I would go so far as to mount it up on a high recoil rifle, but for this application it seems very well matched....

LM

gendoc · « **Reply #19 on:** November 15, 2009, 08:07:00 AM »

LM,
the used gun the scope came from was a rem 700 lite weight in .308, it packed a good punch
with rem 180gr corelokt's. he gave me the remaining 2 rounds with the box.
he said he shot 18 rounds at the range..the scope held up nicely,
but then he shot a varminteer.
"i got ta have one of them savages" he said,..... and thats the end of the story....

Lazermule · « **Reply #20 on:** November 15, 2009, 11:55:56 AM »

Quote from: gendoc on November 15, 2009, 08:07:00 AM

"i got ta have one of them savages" and thats the end of the story....

I love my "Saveeges" too!

LM

Lazermule · « **Reply #21 on:** November 19, 2009, 04:02:07 PM »

Getting ready for the WI season to start this weekend and loading up some ammo for the 357 Handi. I figured I'd take it with and use it if I get the urge and I'm on one of my shorter range stands. Loaded some 158 XTP's over some H110 that it seems to like. Take a look at the helper that I had to do the job tonight. I think he's an all out "Handiholic"... He does well cleaning primer pockets and can pull the lever on the press with the best of then. I got a good video of him shooting it this past weekend and he did real well. I do need to find a youth butt stock for him though and probably cut that down as well. If anyone has one, even if its beat up and wants to part with it let me know. I think this kid taking a liking to one of my favorite hobbies is gonna get expensive...

LM

petemi · « **Reply #22 on:** November 20, 2009, 04:04:49 AM »

You've got the little guy bitten. That's wonderful. I hope you share many long years hunting and fishing together.

Pete