Author Topic: hello all! advice on new handi (Read 622 times)

smoknbbl · « **on:** December 05, 2005, 05:59:12 PM »

hello everyone, I am a new member. I found this site resurching the hand r handi. I dont know much about them, but I am reading as much as I can. I am looking for a rifle below $350 for target bench shooting out to about 600 yards, and also to hunt with from time to time. so i will use the 30-06 cartridge. the handi rifle apeals to me because I heard they can be real acurate. i reload my own ammo, so I like to go out on the weekend and poke holes in paper, and accuracy is important to me.

my other otion is the savage 110. what is your advice?

thanks James

myarmor · « **Reply #1 on:** December 05, 2005, 06:31:23 PM »

Welcome to Graybeards James. It's always nice to have another join in.
These are great rifles, no doubt about it. And they are capable of great accuracy. But a warning:
They can be finicky...can be.
You are wanting to go for long ranges out to 600 Yards. The 30-06 is a great cartridge, no doubt about it. However at those distances the short 22" barrels offered by NEF/H&R will cut down you velocity quite a bit. Not saying they won't reach out there, just a cut in performance. Might I suggest the 280? It comes in a 26" barrel and has a pretty good track record for accuracy among Handis.
Also too most of these humble little rifles are pressure senstive as to the forearm, so Bi-Pod's on the regular point can be frusterating. I moved mine back as far to the receiver as I could. These rifles seem to shoot better with the support all under the receiver. And then too the trigger pull through-all the way, and need for consistancy makes moving the rifle every shot to reload, a bit of a task to get it all back the way it was last shot. In the end it will make you a better marksman, if you have the patience and determination.
I'm just giving you a heads up as to what to expect..or at least what I went through. I was strickly a bolt action man and this was new territory to me. So take it with a little salt. They all can shoot great, but the shooter has to do his/her part to make it that way.

-Aaron

bladerunner · « **Reply #2 on:** December 05, 2005, 06:54:36 PM »

Smokinbbl,WELCOME TO THE FORUM

I'd just like to add....read the stickys and the FAQ's at the top,they are very useful and will give you an idea what you are getting yourself into :grin: they CAN soot very well,but as Myarmor pointed out,they can be finicky (and a royal pain,too ) I love mine,but I just hunt with it,I'm not a benchreast shooter,so others will give better advice than I on that subject again,welcome aboard :grin:

Duce · « **Reply #3 on:** December 06, 2005, 01:22:54 AM »

Smokinbbl: Take all these warning to heart and check this post: Tacshooter authur, subject "All My Handi's Are Gone". It's not that these rifles won't shoot, it's whether you have the ability and patience to make them shoot. You're looking at a gun that used can be bought for $150 or less, new around $200. their popularity caused Savage to bring out their 200 series a little over $300 retail, and Mossberg their ATR $244.95 @ Wal-Mart. All these rifles are fine firearms but it's just plain truth "you get what you pay for"!!! Handi's are trucks, not the finest accuracy, not the finest finish, you must wrench them occasionally, what they are are good solid firearm that will get you there!! Welcome To The Addiction: :-D :-D Duce:

Norseman112 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 06, 2005, 03:20:26 AM »

James welcome to GB,

I have to agree with the others here. The Handi Rifle is a good rifle and they can be very accurate. I had to work at making mine accurate, but for me that was the fun of it. Oh I had my frustrations at times, but once I got them where I needed them they are a joy to shoot. I also like that with handi rifles you can get more barrels and enjoy more calibers without breaking the bank. So you want to go 600 yards eh? Yep get the 26" .280

John

MSP Ret · « **Reply #5 on:** December 06, 2005, 04:30:04 AM »

26" .280!!! Yep, that's the one you want!!! One thing for sure, there is an addiction associated with these fine little "fun guns" and they are named correctly, they sure are handy "Handi Rifles"!!!....<><.... :grin:

safetysheriff · « **Reply #6 on:** December 06, 2005, 12:33:21 PM »

Quote from: smoknbbl

hello everyone, I am a new member. I found this site resurching the hand r handi. I dont know much about them, but I am reading as much as I can. I am looking for a rifle below $350 for target bench shooting out to about 600 yards, and also to hunt with from time to time. so i will use the 30-06 cartridge.

my other otion is the savage 110. what is your advice?

thanks James

james'

please, 'brother', do not consider the sssssssss :shock: ssssssssssaaaaaa :shock: ssssssssssaaaaaaaaaaaaaaavvvv :eek: :eek: please don't consider those 'things' to be an option or an alternative to a real rifle. if you're going to settle for anything less than a "real" rifle, let it be a Crossman or maybe a Daisy

you'll be money ahead and you'll never have to re-barrel it!

for targets out to maybe 600 yds' i'd go with the .280 Rem' -- or the .308 with an Improved chamber -- to get the velocity and accuracy that you will hopefully be happy with. for hunting either one of those will be 'the berries' on anything up through the size of elk to maybe 300 yds or a little more with the right projectile. (but i would get the .308 Improved for that.....).

the NEF Handi' is more rifle than sssssssssaaaavvvvvv

ever thought about being -- for the money.

take care and welcome aboard,

ss'

JPH45 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 06, 2005, 02:44:43 PM »

smoknbbl....These are OK rifles, but they ain't no 600 yard bench rifle, and neither is the Savage for that matter. The Savage would come closer to becoming one then the Handi ever thought about. But it'll cost more than $350 to do it. 600 yards? You're talking a tad over 1/3 mile. You ain't gonna get a competitive rifle for $350, probably won't for 3 times that. You can hardly buy a scope that will let you be competitive for that money. If you want an exellent 250 yard deer and elk slayer, the Handi is as good as can be expected, But a target rifle? Not happenin'. Not even close. I've fired right at 8000 rounds through 5 Handis over the last 3 years. My best 100 yard groups hover at 1". Great deer medicine, But target quality? Nuthin' doin'. Whatever the Handi may be, it will never be confused with a target rifle, but it will probably teach you as much or more about good tuning, good handloading and good shooting techniques than any other rifle out there.

mitchell · « **Reply #8 on:** December 07, 2005, 02:46:02 AM »

i have some awesome shooting handis and some that i would (and do) shoot at 600 yards but a handi is not bench rest gun .if you really want a good shooting handi your best bet is to get Mac's 270 ultra comp in the classifieds right now.

but if i where you i would go out now and get a savage 110 in 270 or 30-06 (hunting season is just about over everybody gona sell them) sell the barrel sell the stock switch the barrel out with a pac barrel get a mcmillan stock and a keep your accutrigger. and for the ranges you talked about i would use the 6mmbr not the old 30-06.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 07, 2005, 05:50:31 AM »

smokinbbl

Welcome

If your wanting to be competitive..and shoot regularly in matches..A bolt rifle will serve your purposes far better than the Handi's....that's not to say I couldn't with some of the ones I have and have had with them....it's just that they certainly wouldn't be my first choice.Finding a 1/4" shooter isn't the norm with the Handi's..although I have have a couple of them that would do it....most will be more in the 1/2"-1" catagory if you do your part...and to be really serious at competing in matches..you certainly will need something that lends its self to heavy bench work better ...Now...if your just wanting one for informal type matches and one that you can pop some targets at 600 yards..or a coyote ...then by all means most Handi's are up for that with out a hitch..Sourdough up in Alaska has taken wolves at those distances and Cariboo too..so they will work good for you..You just need to be aware of how to get the most accuracy from the bench with them ...and experiment with it's position will be in the bags..most handi's tend to groupd better settled over the hinge pin area..and the trigger pulled all the way thru to the stop..not just till it breaks...these 2 thiungs give folks fits at times...especially the trigger...

Whichever way you go...Good Luck to you..

Mac

safetysheriff · « **Reply #10 on:** December 07, 2005, 12:53:33 PM »

by "target bench shooting" if you mean competition then i'd agree with the guys. i'm not sure that's what you have in mind since many people punch-paper at long ranges without shooting competition. but if you're tryin' for a trophy out of a factory rifle then i'd try a Rem' Model 700 Tactical-type with synthetic stock and 26" heavy barrel in .308 or .223. you'll get excellent competitive accuracy out of the .308 at the 600 yd' distance with a little bit of work, but it'll be heavy for hunting in most instances. the .223 in that rifle might be too slow of a twist for competition-grade accuracy at 600 yds', however. with a .223 caliber you'll need fairly heavy bullets to be competitive......

ss'

try www.long-range.com for some further input. But, stay away from those miserable Ssssssssssaaaaaavvvv :eek: :eek: :eek: You know....!

mitchell · « **Reply #11 on:** December 07, 2005, 01:09:30 PM »

man ss some times i just don't get you. them darn savages (the two i've had) have shot well for me.