forgive me brothers for i have sinned

[mitchell]

well it started out i took a shotgun to a gunshow to try to sell and get some cash but after all day of trying to sell it the best bid i could get was half it value. so i got a trade from a guy for a custom 1903 springfield in 30-06 plus $50 (i did good). well i made some reloads last night  and shot them today after work. well the good news is the rifle shoots like a dream every load i made shot good even some 150gr corelokt ammo shot right at MOA. the bad news is that two of the groups i shot could be covered by a nickel almost a dime and even worst my favorite bullet (SST). why is this so bad you ask ??caz i'm thinking about using this gun instead of my handis this year.  i have a 308 that shoots just as good/almost as good (with the same bullet) and i'll soon have a 30-06 that i know shoots great. boy what am i going to do guys i'll have three great shooters and only two rifle buck tags. i know everybody has been selling out on handi's and i don't want to join them but man i like this rifle.

[Datil]

Mitchell if that is the worst you every do, you'll be alright.
 Take care Enjoy that D--- ol' 03
 Marv.

[myarmor]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...I love of all firearms. Be it single shot, bolt, semi auto, pump, Mil-Surplus, etc...
It's all in the sport. To enjoy shooting.
Handi's are great guns, and so are 03 Springfields :grin:
Nothing to be ashamed of my friend, have fun with it.

[Haywire Haywood]

I'll have three great shooters and only two rifle buck tags.

Shoot a Doe..  Bucks are for them trophy hunter types :wink: I don't know how it is where you are but they're begging us to shoot does here.  They eat better anyway, and mounting the trophy consists of pulling the tailbone out of her "flag" and packing the vacuum with salt.  Thumbtack it up in the garage/workshop/barn and you got a conversation piece to point at while you're chewing your stick of deer jerky.

Ian

[mitchell]

oh i kill many of doe each year but with a bow . ohio isn't a rifle state  so the only times i'll use a rifle this year is in Kentucky and West Virginia and i'm not going to pay more to kill them there when i can kill does here for free.

[stimpylu32]

Mitchell

No one said that you could not have a bolt , That is the beauty of shooting .

Just remember that with the hammer ex. on the HANDI,s kinda look like a bolt gun  :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D

[mitchell]

i never thought of it that way.

actually stimpylu32 you may of saw this gun , did you go to the show last weekend??? the gun was i the middle building guy was set up next to the door in the left row its the 03 he had with the deer scroll work on it.

[218Bee]

Mitchell,

Funny you mention SST's. I've got a box sitting in front of me in 6.5, for my old Swede.

This is the first year I can hunt deer with a rifle and I was getting a lil antsy about using this bullet on deer sized game as I've read about some BT's cratering on deer. I was going to use plain old Hornady SP's but out here in the sticks (as Mick would say) "you can't always get what you want". The local shop got me 140 gr SST's.

Seeing as how they are your favorite, I take it you've good luck/performance from them? The Hornady website mentions they are specifically for medium sized game, so I sure they will work fine. Besides they look awesome

Rick

[mitchell]

do get me started one the sst's i've killed going on 20 deer with them and they have never once let me down from ranges of 15 yards to 512 just this past summer .  if you shoot behind the shoulder the deer will drop most of the time and you'll still have all the meat. but if you shoot the shoulder you'll probably loose one shoulder. with the 150 grainer (30cal) i have even gut shot deer and it still dropped and couldn't get back up i walked all the way to it and finished it with a 9mm, it was still very alive it just couldn't move (still in shock from the bullet). if your going to shoot real long range sacerfise one shoulder and the deer will still drop i have many kills in the 400+ yard ranges and i shoot through the shoulder and drop them all. the farthest i've ever had on go on me is 35 yards . she was just over 200 yards away i shot her behind the shoulder she dropped at the shot but got back up ran the 35 yards and dropped again.i've shot two deer angling away with this bullet. first on went from just infront of the back left ham and out the front right shoulder. same shot on the second but this time the bullet stopped in the shoulder (ONLY BULLET I HAVE RECOVERED IN 18 DEER with this bullet) it was  a 150 grain sst shot out of a 30-06 and it weighed 95 grains when i found it.

all in all its a darn good bullet

[Fred M]

Mitchell.
For reliability. accuracy and trouble free service there are very few systems that can compete with a good bolt action. Went out the other day with my 257 R Handi  to do some bullet testing with new to me bullets.

The first 4 cartridges did not fire, good primer indent but no spark. So quit with the testing. It was cold -4 to -6C Maybe the hammer spring got a chill :shock: I had three other rifles along, two Rem 700 and a my Ruger#1, with the same primers no problem.

By the way the two Rem 700 still have their original accuracy the 25Hunter shoots into a 1/4" and 7mm-08AI into 3/8. nothing changed since they were build. The Ruger #1 is the same since I tuned I put on a different scope got it 1-1/2" high at 100 and fired a 3 shot 5/16 group. Almost identical from the group on my web site.

What do you think which rifle stays home during hunting season. Once I get it fixed I might change my mind, and this is not funny anymore.

So when I got home I stripped the Handi action down, to find out what in dickens is wrong. It is no surprise why people turn their nose up at the Handi's. With all the hype on this forum why do I have nothing but grieve of one sort or another  :cry:  :cry: . But I will fix what ever is the cause.

I cursed that rifle ones before when it developed a gap and I am cursing it again. I hope it gets tired of my verbal abuse and starts performing.

[Mac11700]

It will Fred...it eventually will. I have seen a pattern develope with these rifles.It seems that if they had problems starting out...they continue to....I think yours has given you more grief than most anyones so far...It's almost like the automobiles that were built on Monday morning and Friday afternoon... :cry:

I do know what your going thru...my 25-06 starting giving me fits at the range to day...I finnally figured out the scope moved on me...but I'm going a different routed for deer season now because of it...I've been on first name basis with Mr.Murphey for a long time...and I'm not going to chance having him show up this year...My 338-06 is getting the nod...and I'll go ahead and get all the bedding done and change scopes for the late doe season here for the 25-06...then it's off to Oregungunsmithing for the rebore to 270...

Mac

[NONYA]

I know 2 people who own handis and the only time they talk about them is when they are telling me about the problems they are having with them and how frustrated they are.I think Ill keep my distance,they sound like a headache!

[Fred M]

Monya

Perhaps I am one of the two people that talk about Handi,s only when they have trouble with them, since you seam to make a point of what I had to say. Otherwise why the insinuative remarks.

I will tell people of the problems I have, but more so I will tell them what I found and what to do to fix the trouble or problem. That is more than most people do who squawk about the Handi's. I am wondering if you ever thought about why Handi's need fixing ?

Or should I quietly fix my own problems and refrain from telling my findings. Is that what you are telling me?

[RemingtonMagnum]

Anyone who wants to dispose of the NEF Handi Rifles I will pay the shipping this way.

I had an 03A3 for 30 years before I even knew what one was. Between myself and my Father-In-Law we have taken a truck load of deer with the rifle.

"Have never meat a gun I did not like"

Don Jackson Remington Magnum

[Mac11700]

I know 2 people who own handis and the only time they talk about them is when they are telling me about the problems they are having with them and how frustrated they are.I think Ill keep my distance,they sound like a headache!

That's a real shame if you do that...while our Handi's may be problematic in a few cases...most of the time they aren't.I gennerally don't have scope problems...99% of the time I use Leupolds or Burris...and almost always Leupold rings...this time I didn't.and got in a hurry when I shouldn't have...I should have taken Quickdtoo's tip on putting a single drop of locktite inside the plastic sleeve...next time I will if I keep the scope and rings...

Mac

[Fred M]

Mac
That gap I fixed with the Devcon Putty has since fired more than a hundred rounds and it still as tight as before. So I am on pretty solid ground saying the fix is working well. This misfire deal has been going on for a bit. Even missed a nice shot at a coyote no fire in the hole.

I have done a visual inspection but nothing conclusive. I am in the goose hunting mode at present and don't feel like working on the Handi.

One thing I found that is surprising. The firing pin has 45oz resistance that the hammer and spring has to over come. An easy fix. I know Handrifle has talked about the hammer extension is to heavy for the spring. That extension weight does not nearly come up to that much resistance.
 
Once I get at it I will report on what I did.

[Mac11700]

Thanks Fred:

I'll be looking forward to hearing about it.In the mean time...I gotta deceide if I'm goning to keep it a 25-06...or ship it off to become a 270...I might even do something totally crazy with it...since it would only take rechambering and about a 1/2" free bore :-D maybe...just maybe.........

Mac

[Mac11700]

mitchell:

Looks like you made a pretty good deal to me...those Sprinfields are still good rifles... :agree:

Mac

[mitchell]

just wait until i get her all cleaned up and post a pic. she's going to be beautiful