Need help with my new NEF Handi Rifle .223 cal

[durwood]

Need some help and think I've found the right place and folks...  I have a new Handi in .223 cal.  Not positive, but I think the twist is 1:12.  Not sure how to find out if that is correct or not.  I've put all 5 grits of the Tubbs bore polish rounds through it and have cleaned the barrel...well!  My first attempt at the range didn't produce the results I wanted.  I shot sierra 50 grain blitz kings, cci 450, 27.7 grains 748 powder.  The gun is scoped with a Leupold 4X12X40.  Shots were all over the place.  My local gunsmith said that after three shots the barrel heats up and that explains the randomness of the shots (obviously not a Handi-fan).  I've read comments about the fore stock screw and how over-tightening may cause this problem.  Not sure what to believe!  I have other rounds, powders and primers at my disposal (55gr Sierra HPBT #1390, 50gr Sierra spitzers #1330 and the blitz kings, Varget, IMR 4895, and 748 powders, and cci450 and fed 205 primers).  Can anyone offer any insight?  Load recommendations?  I don't need to shoot the wings off a gnat at  100 yards but, I do enjoy the confidence of an accurate gun.  Thanks in advance!

[quickdtoo]

Welcome! If it has a 20" barrel, it's a Superlight, 22" or 24" will be a standard or bull barrel. Keep the Superlight barrel cool by shooting 3-shot groups and then waiting for it to cool before shooting anymore. You can check the twist rate by following the instructions listed below the twist rates listed in the FAQs. But I have real bad news for you on the Tubbs treatment, the last fella that tried that pretty much made a smooth bore out of it, H&R 223 barrels have .002" deep rifling, so it doesn't take much to remove most of the rifling by fire lapping, specially with the coarse grit Tubbs bullets.

Other than that, read the Handi Basics 101 first and cover all the bases there, then move on to the accurizing tips in the FAQs, make one change at time until you find the right combination, the 1:12" barrel should shoot up to 55gr just fine.

Tim

[spikehorn]

First of all welcome to GBO. Second read the FAQS. Third go buy a couple boxes of winchester white box 45gr hollow points. There are a few of use here that don't even reload for 223 because these shoot so good. Fourth let the barrel cool for at least a minute between shots. Fifth if shooting from a bag put the bag right up against the trigger gaurd. Sixth read the FAQs. Seventh Read the FAQs. Eighth read the FAQs. and so on there is a ton of info in the FAQs

[Bob_VT]

Have you tried any factory 55 grain ammo?  My .223 bull barrel loves 55 grain and I am confident out to 250 yards with it and at 100 yards it shoots just fine.

I never did anything to my barrel except doing a standard break in with cleaning between the early shots.

I will tell you that the H&R Gurus live in this forum.  You found the right place to come to.

[Spanky]

I'd say you probably did a pretty good job of turning a good 223 barrel into a smoothbore shotgun barrel. Did you even shoot it before you started zinging all those Tubbs bullets out of it?   That barrel sounds like a grape stake now... it's too bad... 223 handi's are usually great shooters.



Spanky

[wganz]

May be able to sell that barrel for someone to use for a project. Rebore it to 6x45 is an option but pricey.
My niece took my .223 since she enjoyed shooting it and picking off coke cans at 150 meters with a Bushnell 3-9X scope and Remington .45 grain SP. Now, I've got to get two more for each of her sisters. 
Now have a .223 youth model for myself and am wanting another bull barrel. Great shooters. 

I'd say you probably did a pretty good job of turning a good 223 barrel into a smoothbore shotgun barrel. Did you even shoot it before you started zinging all those Tubbs bullets out of it?   That barrel sounds like a grape stake now... it's too bad... 223 handi's are usually great shooters.

[bagdadjoe]

If you have an empty feeling in the pit of you stomach after being Tubb-i-fied by the crew..maybe it would be worth slugging the barrel to see what kind of rifling you have if a visual inspection doesn't do it. Or firing a reduced load with a fmj into a line of waterfilled milk jugs and capturing said bullet.  If the rifling is in fact all gone...sell it to a mafia type as a hit gun that leaves no marks on the bullet.   Sorry you started off with a less than stellar intro to Handi's. Don't get discouraged, it's worth the effort to get one that shoots or getting one to shoot.  Seriously, if it's "ruined", you might be able to sell it for a donor barrel to "stub".

[gendoc]

durwood..... before you sh....stuff can it, try bout 24gr of imr-4895 underneef that
sierra 1390. an them 450 primers/2.260-col
thats very close to my load. ifin it'll do good wif that, then there's hope.
but remember.... no 2 barrels are tha same.
i hope it works out for you.
good luck 

[Mike38]

My .223 Bull barrel 1-12 twist Handi hates 50 grain bullets. I tried no less then 5 bullet brands, and countless combinations of powder types and charges. I could not get that thing to shoot worth a darn using 50 grain bullets.

Now on the other hand, it will shoot just about any 55 grain bullet out there, and shoot it well. 23.0 grains of IMR3031 powder under a 55 grain bullet, and I have a winner.

Mine also shoots 40 grain bullets well, with the Nosler Ballistic Tip being the best.

But no 50 grain bullets at all.

I bought a box of Hornady A-Max in 52 grain to try this spring. I have a feeling they may not work being so close to that 50 grain mark, but maybe they will work good?

[durwood]

OK, in hindsight maybe the Tubbs was a bad move!  That having been said I did a visual inspection of the barrel and the rifling still looks good.  Not prepared to give up so easily!!!
Mike38 - I've heard the same thing from some range friends.  Thanks for you experiences.
gendoc - By random chance I loaded 20 rounds to damn near your exact specs this morning - not having checked the postings!  Will hit the range on Friday to give them a try!  I intend to pick up a box of the winchesters in 45 and 55 gr as alternates for Friday.  Thanks to all for the advice!  I have two other barrels (30-06 and 50 cal muzz) for my handi and have taken more game in the past three years with them than all my other guns combined!  Which only strengthens my resolve (or brings out some good 'ol stubbornness) to not give up so quickly on the .223.  Will know more Friday!
Cheers,
D

[marine]

  Mine always loved the 45gr winchesters and 40gr vmax.  It would put 55gr pmc into a 1" group.  After cutting the barrel back to 18", It shoots the 55gr into a nice tight group and the lighter bullets are all over. 
   I think as the others have said you just need to try differant ammo configurations and you will find what it likes.  The trigger can be the downfall of a great rifle.  BTW mine has a 1-12 twist.  Good luck shooting.