I'm on the fence with this!

[JimG]

I've looked at the Apexs from CVA. Looks real nice. I hear the accuracy with the Apexs and the Scouts are excellent. I'm real tempted to not order a Huntsman barrel and just go the CVA route. And I mean ML's, and rifles! But part of me says not to. I've had a love hate relationship with my H-Rs. Some have taken a whole bunch of tinkering to shoot well. And some simply will not fire correctly like my .204. Nothing but misfires. There is a whole bunch of aftermarket stuff for Handis and there is virtually none for the Scouts/Apexs. I just don't know which direction to go. Could use some prodding in one direction or another.

[JimG]

I should add that my .22lr VersaPack is the most accurate rimfire I've ever shot or seen shot. And my 20 gauge UltraSlug is very accurate as well. Also my 12, 20, and .410 shotguns perform well too. So not all my H-R's are troublesome.

[bikerbeans]

Jim,

I traded for a used Huntsman barrel on on the GBO classifeds.  I installed the breech plug that can't be name and use BH209 powder.  This gun, from a rest, is a legitimate 1 MOA @ 100 yards with two different bullets.   Plus you can buy fancy laminate or walnut furniture for your Huntsman from GSI (Gunstocks, Inc).  I had a Rossi MZ that would shoot almost as well as my Huntsman but I let it go,  I just like the "feel" of the huntsman a lot more. 

Maybe look at resale and decide which way to go.  It seems to me that used Handi don't loose much of their value and some of them tend to go up in price.  Resale on a Rossi, I don't know about. 

Another option would be don't ask don't tell method.  Own both Handis and Rossi and just don't admit it anyone.

BB   

[Ditchdigger]

I still have 2 Handi's,but I've also got the CVA's also. I have a Optima elite with 5 barrels,and a Scout in 44 mag.I'm really tempted to buy one of the Stalker's at Acadamy for $159 for the blue,and $199 for the stainless.
The CVA's are just as accurate as the Handi's and maybe a little more accurate,They have a very good recoil pad also. And I've never had to tinker with any of them.  Digger

[carbineman]

Jim I have purchased two of the Sidekicks and really like them. Both of mine are the stainless versions. I would strongly recommend the stainless version if you could find any available. Otherwise the Stalker in stainless like Ditchdigger suggested.

[petemi]

I had a CVA ,32 cal. Muzzle loader years ago.  It was a piece of crap and I gave it away....tubular steel ram rod and all..  I haven't been back to CVA since.  I replaced it with a .32 Cal. T/C Cherokee that was superb.  I won't be looking for anything out of CVA.

Pete

[JimG]

The odds are I'm just going to send in a frame and get a Huntsman barrel. I really liked the Apex I looked at but I've got this nagging concern over the real build quality of the CVA's. I don't mean what you can easily see, but the important HIDDEN things like heat treating, metal porisity, proof testing, an absolute lack of support/parts outside of the factory/CS (no forum like this one for CVA's! and no parts!), made in Spain (sorry guys but made in the USA still means something to me), etc. There is just no info on the CVA guns. I don't buy into what Wakeman has to say but CVA has had some problems with QC and safety besides the obvious Apollo rifle issue. I will not call CVA's junk like some do. They are not but at least I know what I'm getting myself into with H-R/NEF.

[carbineman]

I had a CVA ,32 cal. Muzzle loader years ago.  It was a piece of crap and I gave it away....tubular steel ram rod and all..  I haven't been back to CVA since.  I replaced it with a .32 Cal. T/C Cherokee that was superb.  I won't be looking for anything out of CVA.

Pete

Pete, there were lots of unsatisfied CVA owners years ago, enough to make the place go into receivership.  BPI is now the owner and the line-up revamped. Several acquaintances have the new BPI guns and short of confused customer service reps (reminds me of another company at times) the new offerings are like a handi without the tinkering. my 7mm-08 Stainless Scout ($308) is way better out of the box than any handi I've ever owned. Don't know if they are all that way though. That being said I like my Handi's/Toppers but everyone has needed tinkering to get it to shoot better.

Wonder what you would be writing here if your first handi was a real piece of crap?

[Ditchdigger]

The CVA's have mostly Begara barrels on them,and all of mine slug out exactly like they are supposed to be.The Optima Elites have match grade barrels that Ed Shileen had a hand in the making and setting the factory up. Of all my Handi's (9 barrels for 1 ) only 1 shot factory ammo less than 1". It was a fluted 22 250 that would shoot a honest 1/2" at 100 yds with handloads.After 80 rds. is became so loose that it would'nt fire anymore. The original barrel that came with my Optima elite in 243 will shoot .3"on a normal day and less than that on a good day.The CVA's have less felt recoil,less muzzle climb,and a better trigger than any of my stock Handi's.
I still like my Handi's,just don't shoot them anymore.   Digger

[gcrank1]

Just dont shoot them anymore? Sell 'em here Digger  , we want MORE 

[Ditchdigger]

As soon asI get around to fitting the 22 250 barrel,I probably will sell them. I've sold all the frames but 2,but I some other things for Handi's if I hav'nt given them away already. Phatinjun has 3 of my frames from the praire dog shoot days,and some hammer extensions.  I'm in no hurry until summer time anyway.(I deliever them on my cycle if within 200 miles)   Digger

[JimG]

Ditchdigger's experience is what bothers me. Too many Handi owners have reported similar problems although 80 shots is much quicker than what's usually reported. Frames or underlugs should not stretch under normal conditions.

[JimG]

Let me rephrase that, frames should not stretch and underlugs should not COMPRESS under normal conditions.

[quickdtoo]

SB2 Frames don't stretch! I think that's a myth carried over from TC Contenders, I had a 300WSM barrel that was rechambered from 308Win, to give you an idea of the breech force created by short mags, no one currently offers any short mag barrels for the Encore which is a stronger platform than an SB2 H&R frame. My mid level 300WSM loads caused the action itself to flex as evident by the gap between the top of the barrel and frame after each shot, it never did get loose tho, I had also improved the underlug per the FAQs to avoid the loose barrel issue since underlugs can be too soft, I've done the same to several barrels I have including my 500S&W.  You can see the same gap shooting hot loads from most any high pressure chambering like 30-06 and 270 Win if you look for the gap prior to opening the action, the barrel release will also be hard to press when that happens, but it doesn't stretch the frame.  The frame pin that the latch pivots on flexes IMO, it needs to be bigger with less space on each side of the latch so it has better support.

Further evidence that frames don't stretch is pretty obvious from the 7.62x39 round fired in a 243 barrel here, I don't know what pressure was involved, but a .310" bullet forced thru a .243" must have created considerable breech force, and the frame was undamaged, H&R inspected it and fitted a new barrel to it for the owner.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,70638.msg433117.html#msg433117

[ihookem]

  That's called a polish re bore.

[bikerbeans]

Further evidence that frames don't stretch is pretty obvious from the 7.62x39 round fired in a 243 barrel

I am was a little worried about shooting .358 jacketed instead of .357 in my Maxi.

BB