Centerfire results from the last postal match:
Shooter Rifle Caliber Group
Jeff223 Handi .223Rem .336"
Jeff223 Handi 30-30Win .524"
Wlscott Ultra .223Rem .543"
Mac11700 Survivor .308 .552"
Student Handi .223 .645"
Mitchell Ultra .223 .682"
Student Handi .243 1.255"
Student Handi .308 1.991"
Naedlen Handi .223 2.661"
If you do some searching on this forum about accurizing you'll find that resting the rifle under the reciever dramatically improves group sizes. Resting the rifle on the forearm as the barrel heats up from shooting does cause "walking" because the forearm is attached to the barrel and puts pressure on the barrel that changes harmonics shot to shot as the barrel heats up. Resting the rifle on the reciever eliminates this pressure.
Also, another common thing we do is put an oring between the forearm lug and the forearm, which floats the barrel/forearm. Others have removed wood with sandpaper to float the barrel. About the thickness of a dollar bill is all that is necessary.
And, like every rifle, a trigger job always helps.
Most barrels also take 100 to 200 rounds through them to "shoot in". The barrels are a little rough out of the factory and need to have the burs shot off of them.
If, after 200 rounds, the barrel has not come around, you like the trigger, you're resting on the reciever, you've tried the forearm floated, not floated (some barrel like floated, some don't), tried different loads to find what bullet weight, charge, the barrel likes, have the crown inspected. Like any rifle brand a few bad crowns make it out the door.
These guns are so simple that after you know how to bench shoot them, they typically shoot good. Does every NEF shoot good? Does every gun of any brand shoot good, no. There's lemons of every brand. NEF's don't seem to be any worse than any other brand when it comes to that.
So go get one, shoot it, read information on this board, tweak it a little if necessary, and enjoy!
later,
scruffy