20 Ga. Pardner

[Coveyrise64]

I got my first NEF Pardner from Wal-mart last week and was excited until I broke it down to give it a good cleaning.  I was disappointed to see the trigger guard and the forend hinge were plastic.  The trigger guard didn't bother me as much but I have concerns about how the plastic forend hinge will hold up.  Also the alignment of the hinge was way off when I re-assembled.  It looks like there is a lot of knowledge here on the NEF shotguns so I thought I would ask a few questions.  Are there any options to the plastic forend piece and trigger guard?  Is the synthetic forend constructed the same?

Thanks....

Coveyrise64

[MSP Ret]

, Welcome aboard Coveyrise64!!! The trigger guard has never given anyone any problems and neither has the plastic forearm spacer you refer to as the forend hinge. That piece is merely a spacer and is not even needed to fire the gun. It is held on by 2 small phillips head screws and can become misaligned but if so just loosen the screws and re position it. There are steel replacements available from H&R but they are pricey at a combined price of about $80 if my memory serves me right, and they have to be carefully fitted, not difficult but it takes patience.
The hinge area of the gun is all steel and about as trouble free and long wearing as you can find. Your great grandchildren could be using that same gun!!! The problem with the plastic trigger guard and forearm spacer is astethic only and for the price and funtionality of these fine little guns those pieces work GREAT!!!....<><.... :grin:

(the synthetic forearm is injection molded in one piece with no attached spacer)

[offhand35]

Congratulations on your [we all know it will only be the] 1st  Pardner purchase! :lol:

MSP Ret is correct, the use of  plastic is not important to the function of the gun.
You will find the triggerguard is not fragile, I expect that it would only break if you dropped it directly on concrete, and even then, it might not. Certainly not the way a pot-metal guard would.

Many of us have been taking these guns out in the field for years, with no problems with the plastic.

The bushing on the forearm does not seem to wear, as it only holds the bbl in place on the hinge pin when the action is open. I use 3 different bbls on my Tracker II slug gun: the Tracker II 12ga rifled bore bbl, a 28" mod 12ga, and a 32" full choke for trap.

In the past 2 years I'm guessing that I've put about 900-1400 rounds through the gun using the same fore end......this includes 100-150 rounds a week during Eastern Daylight time at the trap range....slug sight in and work-up, and rounds fired while hunting squirrel and deer.  ....The fore end bushing carries no weight, and is easliy replaced if needed.....

Just walk into any number of local gun shops, and look at the used rack....chances are you will see  at least one if not more older H&R or NEF standing there with plastic trigger guard and fore end bushing.....25-30 years old or older, and still working and looking just fine! :grin: