20ga Pardner bbl on Topper frame

[rdlange]

Will my 20ga Pardner barrel work on a Topper frame?  Of course it has to fitup tight.

Thanks.

[jpshaw]

Sometimes they will.  Sometimes they won't.  I have a SB1 Partner frame and an SB2 Handi frame and every shotgun barrel and rifle barrel I have will fit fine on either.  The only rifle barrels I will actually fire on the shotgun frame is the .357 with normal to mild loads though.  With the 10,000 or so psi pressure levels of a shotgun, if it fits tight without any play and opens and shuts easily enough you should be OK.

[32 Magnum]

The answer is NO.  The earlier topper barrel has the screw lug in a different postion (closer to the muzzle) than the later SB1 Pardner so the forearms are different also and the screw pitch was changed from the two models.  Older screw will have a single slot and later will have cross slot

[quickdtoo]

I'll give you an answer in the middle!! It depends on when the Topper frame was made, I have a Topper 158 30-30 barrel that has the ¼"-28 threaded forend stud, slim barrel with dovetailed rear sight, it works fine on a modern SB2 frame with modern forend(so it will work on an SB1 too). Toppers were made for a very long time, including modern Toppers made 1987-2011. Unfortunately, H&R has chosen to end production of modern Toppers this year. 

Tim

[32 Magnum]

Tim,
Thanks for update.  I have an SB1, originally .410, tried a 12 ga barrel from a 158 - wouldn't work.  Ended up buying barrels off the internet - ended up with rifled 12, 16, 20 and 28ga barrels that worked on the SB1 and one 20 ga that wouldn't work on my SB1 but worked on the 12 gauge 158.  I was happy all the way around.  That's my only experience with swapping barrels. 

[rdlange]

OK, didn't work.  Would have to do major mods.  AND my 'new' Topper 20ga didn't fit either, but it fit an SB1.  Was hoping to have a 30-30, 20ga Topper combo.

Thanks for the input.

Tom

[quickdtoo]

That's the way it is with any H&R/NEF single shot barrel made in the last 30yrs or so, some will fit fine with little or no work, others will require a lot of fitting at the pivot, latch shelf and barrel face, they aren't one size fits all unfortunately, even in the same model year production, with over 50 frames, I've been there, tried it! 

I had a 1972 Topper 158 for a while, it wouldn't come close to fitting any of the 20 some frames I had at the time, mostly SB2, would have taken a lot file work at the pivot to even get it close.

Tim

[tscott]

This is my back pack gun... Topper 158 20, 3", on a sb1 frame. Full choke cut off to 22", fire sights glued on with auto radiator epoxy, the forend screw is kinda cross threaded, with washer = very secure... Puts cheap Remy sluggers in a 3" circle at 50yds! Also good on squirrel and turkey magnum patterned loads at 25 yards...  Seems less than 5lbs...  I guess If I wanted to make it perfect I could go over to Home Depot, and get the right front screw!!!

[quickdtoo]

This is my back pack gun... Topper 158 20, 3", on a sb1 frame. Full choke cut off to 22", fire sights glued on with auto radiator epoxy, the forend screw is kinda cross threaded, with washer = very secure... Puts cheap Remy sluggers in a 3" circle at 50yds! Also good on squirrel and turkey magnum patterned loads at 25 yards...  Seems less than 5lbs...  I guess If I wanted to make it perfect I could go over to Home Depot, and get the right front screw!!!

Get a ¼"x28 fine thread screw or metric 6-16, many older H&R Inc M158 barrels had fine threads instead of the standard ¼"x20 on modern barrels. This info is in the FAQs btw. 

Tim