Start of your gunsmithing "career" on your favorite rifle?

[Land_Owner]

I am about to embark on Handi FAQ's and Help (Sticky Post) modifications to my favorite Handi-rifle, a bull barrel 223 with off center firing pin strike, stiff extractor, VERY heavy trigger, and STIFF forearm "welded" to hinge (going to need some doweled sanding here).   I am assured to be successful across "selected" basics although I am not certain about the rifle's inner workings.  I have never taken one apart.  Reading the Sticky first, and probably rereading it second, seems in order.  Certainly the adage that "everything is impossible the first time" has a ring to it to go cautiously when so advised and to prepare for the worst when parts are under tension or spring loaded. 

Many of you have taken Handi's apart, modified parts, and put them back together again; finding after-the-fact that they STILL WORK; sometimes even better than before.   However, did you start your Handi-gunsmithing "career" with your favorite rifle?

[gcrank1]

Mine started at about age 9 with a malfunctioning capgun. I had parts left over and it didnt work either.........finally got it and it has been impossible to keep me out of stuff since  .

[jeepmann1948]

A very daunting project you are embarking on .Proceed as you have described, work slowly, if an unanswered question arises feel free to ask here.
 Before you know it you will have not only your favorite Handi but your most proud of Handi.
 Now to answer your question:
 Yes I did. I started "modifying" a 22 Hornet and it is still my favorite along with the 30 something complete Handi rifle & shotguns . I am not an addict and need no help with my so called addiction.......................
Happy Trails
George

[YRUpunting?]

Hit the pawn shops and pick up an older shotgun.

[quickdtoo]

My Handi career started before I knew I was one when I was about 8-10 or so and the family model 1908 12ga was a bit loose when locked up, added a brass shim to the hinge to tighten it up, still have it!  Go for it, internals are pretty simple once you get in there, Perko's download covers pretty much everything in detail sans firing pin R&R IIRC, go slow and it's not bad even the first time, my first took about 2hrs, now ~20 min start to finish if not much honing/polishing is needed, perfect practice makes perfect ya know. 

Tim

[JamesIII]

Land_Owner, what you are really saying is you may have a .233 bull barrel, a nice stock set and a box of parts for sale!!!    Go for it, but tell us what problems or mis-understandings of the instruction you run into. Best of luck, JamesIII

[gcrank1]

I forgot to mention the two words of prime importance:
Slave Pins

[yukondog]

Yep slave pins are you very good friends, I went to the local hardwear store and got brass rods,easy to work with and wont mar the finish. As already said go slowly and Preko's instructions are really good.

[quickdtoo]

As is Fred's hammer wedge(search word wedge in the FAQs), it makes installation of the trigger group seem like you have three hands!! 

Tim

[keith44]

be extremely careful with the trigger pull, too light and you may have failure to fire issues due to the transfer bar not being held in the proper position.


Other than that and the wedge and slave pins they are very simple mechanisms and easy to work on once you can see how it all interacts.


Careful as you go, and you'll be fine.

[nanuk-O-dah-Nort]

instead of sanding the inside concave on the forearm, would it be better to remove the "Forearm/Receiver Interface" (can't remember what that piece of plastic is called) and sand flat face of the forearm?

the above is moot if it is a tupperware stock.

[theratdog]

go for it buddy you can do it . getting started is the hardest.

[PowPow]

How about "only rifle".
My Handi 30/30 was having some FTF's, so Mr. Engineer takes it apart (this was pre-GBO surfing), optimizes some parts, orders replacements for same parts, plus some spares because I was convinced it needed standard spares on hand. Fortunately, NEF did not ask for a gunsmsith license to sell me parts. Several years down the road, I believe my problem was not holding down the trigger to keep the transfer bar up.

[Dinny]

You can do it! If I had it all to do over again, I would.


Thanks, Dinny

[OldSchoolRanger]

I am about to embark on Handi FAQ's and Help (Sticky Post) modifications to my favorite Handi-rifle, a bull barrel 223 with off center firing pin strike, stiff extractor, VERY heavy trigger, and STIFF forearm "welded" to hinge (going to need some doweled sanding here).   I am assured to be successful across "selected" basics although I am not certain about the rifle's inner workings.  I have never taken one apart.  Reading the Sticky first, and probably rereading it second, seems in order.  Certainly the adage that "everything is impossible the first time" has a ring to it to go cautiously when so advised and to prepare for the worst when parts are under tension or spring loaded. 

Many of you have taken Handi's apart, modified parts, and put them back together again; finding after-the-fact that they STILL WORK; sometimes even better than before.   However, did you start your Handi-gunsmithing "career" with your favorite rifle?

The answer to that question is an honest no.  But looking after back at the first time I took a Handi apart, it wouldn't have made a difference.  My only advice to you is go slow, and make a slave pin.

I also took pictures of the way the parts went in as I took the gun apart, so I wouldn't put them back in "backwards".  Then I down loaded them onto the computer and referred to them when I forgot how the parts went in.

[Land_Owner]

I also took pictures of the way the parts went in as I took the gun apart, so I wouldn't put them back in "backwards".  Then I down loaded them onto the computer and referred to them when I forgot how the parts went in.

That is good advice.  An excellent suggestion.  Thanks!

[hoytcanon]

I am about to embark on Handi FAQ's and Help (Sticky Post) modifications to my favorite Handi-rifle, a bull barrel 223 with off center firing pin strike, stiff extractor, VERY heavy trigger, and STIFF forearm "welded" to hinge (going to need some doweled sanding here).   
However, did you start your Handi-gunsmithing "career" with your favorite rifle?

Given the above... how did it become your "favorite?" Family heirloom, gift from favorite "ex", retirement gift???

[Land_Owner]

hoyt,  The 1 in 9 twist 223 Bull Barrel Handi-rifle is one that I have WANTED for a long time (I'm a Handi-holic).  After purchasing the components from GBO Members here I assembled the rifle, made some 55 grain Zombie Apocalypse AR-15 grade rounds (plinkers that go bang with every trigger pull), and have been shooting it quite a bit, mostly fire forming cases, but enough to break in the barrel.  Its accuracy isn't much to write home about - yet, say 1.5" diameter at 100 yards.  However, resolving the "issues" outlined above, through "softening" of parts, lightening the trigger pull, some shims for alignment (maybe), and a little stock sanding, I hope to achieve a sub-0.5 MOA action and barrel combination, provided I do my part with 60 grain Nosler Partitions, Win 748 and/or IMR 4227 powder, preparation of cases and patience at the range.  I have never had a "Tack Driver" and I would like this one to be The One.  The rifle is one tiny little hole in the middle of a huge circular hunk of steel barrel.  Besides, it LOOKS and CARRIES bad-a$$ed and I LIKE IT!!!

[gcrank1]

Problem with fulfilling a dream is that another one comes..........

[Ranger99]

cap gun!!!
that's funny! !
cap guns and daisies and crosmans
here too! !
what a long strange trip it's been. . .


if i can fix an h&r, anyone can too.
this last one, my topper, i couldn't
figure where my slave pins had migrated
to. so i boogied down to the hardware
store and got some rod stock and made
some pins. i put the rest of the rod
in my box and maybe i'll be able to find
the rod next time instead of trying to find
some stealth-coated little pins. i also
had to polish on them a bit to make them
slim enough to slide on through easily.


easy-easy to fix