NEF Handi Stock work.

[Donaldo]

Have a 223 Ultra Varm on order.  Need info on glass bedding the forearm or free floating if possible.  Also the butt stock, what about the lousy fit to the receiver?  Can anything be done about this.  Has anyone restocked a Handi.  Would like to see something like the stock on the TC Encore.  Any ideas.....

[Mac11700]

Bedding the forearm and stock should be a straight foreward approch.It shouldn't take to much to accomplish this since your only talking a few inches  of bedding on the stock and depending how much beeding you do on the forearm...basicly you need follow the instructions with the bedding material for your prep work...I plan on removing any of the the wood in the barrel channel on the forearm that is touching the barrel and apply the bedding material in the indent area where the barrel stud fits and a little bit on either side and then resealing any exposed wood...you have to apply a release agent to any metal or once the bedding has dried it will be stuck on it.....For the butt stock...unless there is a reason to ...I wouldn't remove any wood...mearly apply a thin coat of bedding to the wood and retork the butt stock till dry...I know this is a simplified way of explaining it..but it really shouldn't be that hard to do...my main reason for doing this is to get away from the o-ring quick fix in hopes of improving the over all consistancy of my groups...

edited....

There's one other possiblity that I'm researching to accompish this...that would be fitting and epoxying one of the various bedding sleeves or bedding blocks into the forearm...provided I can find the correct I.D. for the forearm stud ( the forearm screw I may wind up replacing with a stainless steel one anyway)...this coupled with free floating the barrel may be the best way to go...that way you can't crush the stock in by over tightening the forearm and it will remain constent with the barrel heating up.I thought about just enlarging the forearm hole and putting a sleeve in but I want a more permenant  solution...


There are a few stock companies you can get a custom stock from...they aren't cheap by no-means...most of them just have drop in replacements...I know of one that has and can make stocks for our Handi's and they are some beautiful  furniture...that would be Wenig coustom gun stocks   they are in Lincoln Missouri (660) 547-3334 and there web site is at   www.wenig.com ...it too is something I've thought about  having done...there is always a way of spending a-lot of money...but justifying it when there is so many other things to buy is a little difficult...


Mac

[Longcruise]

I tried the O ring and then the O ring with the forearm sanded to a complete free float and got no improvement.  Also tried a series of soft plastic spacers under the forearm lug to give the same effect as an O ring but with a firmer fit.  No help there either!  Next I tried taking a strip of bicycle inner tube and using it as filler between the wood and barrel with an opening for the mounting stud.  No help there either.

All in all after each and every one of the modifications above, the rifle shot, for all practical purposes, the same as it did out of the box.

Many shooters here report major improvements with one of the above changes (except the inner tube which I may be the only one dumb enough to have tried).  OTOH, consider doing some extensive shooting before you make any changes.  Might turn out to be a fine shooter without modification!

[Mac11700]

OTOH, consider doing some extensive shooting before you make any changes. Might turn out to be a fine shooter without modification!

This is very true...going to all this trouble...will be after I try out various loads...if it's a shooter out of the box...like my dear ole pop always told me" if it ain't broke...don't go trying to fix it" :wink:

Mac

[Longcruise]

Has anyone restocked a Handi. Would like to see something like the stock on the TC Encore. Any ideas.....

Maybe Boyd's or Richards Microfit has something.  If not, with enough requests they might add it to their inventory.

Also, it would not be out of the question to make your own from a shotgun blank.  Stock making is not nearly as difficult as many seem to think. :grin:

[perklo]

Longcruise,

The most info on bedding the 'Handi comes from M.L. McPherson's "Accurizing the Factory Rifle" in which he devotes a whole long illustrated chapter to the subject. He glass beds the foreend and the area where the buttstock meets the receiver.

It is an expensive book ($45-55) but Midway USA had it on special in this month's catalog for a bunch off that...

I've never done his bedding job, but he swears by it, and he is quite an authority.

I for one never expect ANY break open rifle, (Handi, Rossi or T/C), to be better than a "pie-plate" gun out past 250 yards. It is just not in their nature. Past that range, get a bolt-action. That having been said, about 1-in-10 of the handi's I've shot wouldn't group at all at 100 yards, even after tightening, trigger, scope, mount, ammo and rest were eliminated. Often, the "Superlight" barrels have this problem, but some users get the rare one of those that's a shooter as well...

My best is a used and abused 25.06 Ultra that I got from a Pawn Shop for $125.00. After a trigger job, good handloads and a Simmons 2.8x10x44 Aetec scope were added, it shoots about 2.5" groups @250 yards.

My advice, put a little more effort into getting your gun to shoot well, but once you try it all and if you still don't get the results you want, sell it and try again!

Good luck - perklo   :wink:

[Longcruise]

He glass beds the foreend and the area where the buttstock meets the receiver.

That's exactly what I had in mind to do next.  It's low priority though since I needed (wanted?) a good 223 and went ahead and sprung for a Tikka T3 that shoots wonderfully right out of the box.  Any further messing about with the NEF is purely for entertainment.  I sorta wonder what is gained by glassbedding the buttstock receiver joint though?

My advice, put a little more effort into getting your gun to shoot well, but once you try it all and if you still don't get the results you want, sell it and try again!

I had planned to sell it but it's worth so little that it is not worth selling IMO.  If I net 160 on an internet sale it's costing the buyer about the price of a new one.  Could take it to the gun show and probably get 150 or 175 for it but for that I'll keep it and use it occasionally at least.

Thanks for the Mcpherson tip.  I'll look into it.

My approach to glassbedding was going to be to use some automotive fiberglass weave and some Smooth On epoxy that I have on hand for building bows.  the smooth on is sorta like acra gel and is probably exactly what acra gell is for that matter

[perklo]

Book is under "Accessories" in "This month's Specials"...

http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/573735

- perklo    :-)