H&R handi rifles good or junk?

[onondaga]

The "O" ring size is not critical. I like one that has the inside hole similar to the screw size but I have also used a cut slice from Neoprene or soft plastic tubing. 1/16 inch thick is fine, just enough to keep the barrel out of contact with the stock.

Gary

[Catshooter]

I like Handi's, my brother loves them.

He wanted a bear defense gun. So what we ended up with is a Handi rifle action and one of their Ultra Slug Hunter barrels in 20 gauge.

Using Mag-Tec all brass shells we send three .626 balls out the tube at just about 1,000 fps. Prints a lovely inch and a quarter to inch and a half triangle at 25 yards. Recoil isn't bad as the rifle weighs about eleven and a half pounds. Closest thing to a .600 Nitro that he could afford.


Cat

[NickSS]

I have several and extra barrels for a couple of frames and I think that they are excellent for the buck. My first one was a 223 bull barrel ultra hunter and I was so pleased with its accuracy that I bought more of them. I have one in 45-70 and picked up a 357 mag barrel fro the same frame. My ultra hunter also has a 308 bull barrel fiit to it. Besides those I have one in 243 and a target rifle Buffalo classic in 38-55. The only one that had less than exceptable accuracy at first was the feather weight 243 that came in a plastic stock. I got it shooting acceptabley by puttling rubber washers under the fore end at the attachment screw. Now it shoots into under an inch at 100 Yards.

[nanuk]

Where would you find a .626 ball mould?

I"ve got a Handi 20ga barrel coming, and would like to try something like that.

[Catshooter]

nanuk,

I bought it here. Never seen another, and I've been looking too.

The bore of his rifle is .626. But the inside diameter of the Mag-Tec brass is .646 so we had to make a paper wrap to keep the balls centered.

Worked fine, but it was just another step to the process. So when I found a .646 mould on ebay I snapped it up. Eliminates that step and the balls just size down nicely when fired.

Is your Handi barrel an Ultra Slug Hunter barrel? That's what we are using, it's danged heavy. But he's glad as there is a bit of recoil. His total payload out the muzzle is just about three ounces as each ball is 392 grains.

You should see his smile every time he fires it.


Cat

[curiousgeorge]

I have owned several rifles and even more barrels. Traded several off but kept the old set of .22 Jet, .30-30, .410, and 20 guage made for the snap on forearm.

I also have a .357 Maximum and yes I have had to replace the transfer bar. A buddy picked it up and before I could stop him he had dry fired it several times. Two piece transfer bar.

I have also had the .22 hornet, .44 mag, and a .45-70. Wish I had them all back now. The .30-30 is my favorite followed by the .357 Max. Great little guns for the money.

Steve

[telebasher]

Where would you find a .626 ball mould?

I"ve got a Handi 20ga barrel coming, and would like to try something like that.

There is a .600 and a .610 on E-bay right now FWIW.

[hunter2]

Have a 444 and 357. The 357 has a looong throat and is almost a smooth bore. Have to use jacketed to get it anywhere near the target. Remington is furnishing the barrels and having them to make some 300 blackout rifles. 16" barrel threaded with a shorter stock and open sights. If they are ok - will be sold through them, AAC etc.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I tried sighting in 2 handi H&R`s. Both were in .308 Win. and had scopes mounted. At my 100 yd. range they both gave minute-of- bushel basket accuracy using 3 different makes of ammo and some of my hand loads that are nail drivers in my M-1A. Possibly other calibers are better shooters in this rifle, but not the 2 I tried to sight in.Robert

[Prairiewolf]

I bought a Buffalo Classic in 45-70 a few months ago, just because. Turns out it's a lot better gun than I expected. The very first group I shot with it was a little cloverleaf at 50 yards. With a 32" barrel I'm not sure I'd want to pack it around much hunting all day, but it's a hoot for shooting the gongs at 100 plus yards.

[dangerranger]

Heres most of mine, 2 shotguns, 6 rifles. I was cleaning my safe and saw them all together, I thought Id get a family pic. DR

[Phat Man Mike]

got one with the camo stock and scope! it's a 47-70 and shoots way better than I can. and the other barrels are the best!

[Swede44mag]

H&R Handi rifle a poor man's Browning.

I had one in .44mag it was real fun to shoot it got ripped off with all the rest of the guns I had at my Dad's house when I was in my Early 20's never did replace it.
I bought the boys 2 twenty gage New England single shots they both went back to Wal-Mart with the same problem. They would pop open when fired.

Bought two new Steven's single shots no problems with either of them other than the plastic barrel release broke on one.
I made a replacement out of aluminum they still work great but haven't been shot in more than 10 yrs.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

I bought a 50 Nef huntsman that is an SB1 frame I had the problem with it opening when fired also , took it back were i bought if from the gun smith there probably spent 2 minutes with a file takeing .020 off the latch and it has locked up tight ever since , bought it in about 2004

unfortunatly NEF customer service won't let me get a 44mag barrel , cause it is a muzzle loader , but I explained it was sold as a real gun and I had to fill out a 4473 for it , no matter they won't hear of a cartridge barrel on a muzzle loader frame even though it was sold as a real gun

I have heard of people making a replacement breach plug that screws in and is the 50 cal chamber not sure what they use I think they may be making a 50-90 out of them

[GunnyJohn]

And I sure do wish they made a .41 Mag.

I totally agree with this, love the .41. I have a 223 handi. I can put shot after shot through it and she just keeps hitting what I shoot at. I've been tempted to send it in for another barrel, but am having a hard time deciding on a caliber. Plus I really hate to be with out it. I will probably have to buy another one. Would also like to see one in 358 winny.

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

Tim,
see the various threads in here on the buffalo classic.
I got one this month and the first 3 shots I fired out of it where touching at 50 yards with
a load I pulled outta the manual.
From what I've read about Handi's and my own experience:
Rimmed cartridges all seem to be easy to tune and get great results.
Rimeless can be hit or miss. Lots of great results out there and a few
that are a PIA to get to shoot. I had a 25-06, didnt take much to get it to shoot
J-words. I have a 7mm-08 that has been a royal PIA with cast and marginal w/ J-words.
My definition of marginal is, the best I've gotten with condoms is about 1-1/4 inches at 100.
Acceptable? Yes, but not what I'm used to from my custom FN Mauser 280 Rem and CZ-527 in .223, or factory
Rem700 in 308. However- the Handi is WAY cheaper

I agree with Gunny john's above statement too. I want a 358winny, but- I want it in a rimmed cartridge.
My thought was starting with a 307 win case, & neck it up. But, if staying with strictly cast,
why not just use a 356 win case and be done with it? velocity loss by the 356 win case is pretty much negated
in the cast world and the slightly smaller case volume would likely be beneficial for cast

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

And I can not believe they dont make a 41 Mag barrel!
I want one of them too as I am going to own my dads
41 mag flat top 3 screw Blackhawk some day

[MBTcustom]

To the OP:
You have no idea how thoroughly educated you will become on this platform in the coming years.
In a few months, you are going to make a decision that will change your life forever, and make you more educated on the nitty gritty details of every rifle platform imaginable. This thread will someday be revived and remind you how far you have come since you posted this simplistic quarry.

Wow fellers. Talk about thread revival! I have been on this site for quite some time!
At the time I posted this, I had only ever fired a H&R shotgun. Now, I can strip one of these down to the last screw in 30 minutes, do a trigger job, and reassemble in an hour.

I was browsing through and thought, "oh brother, here we go! Another guy trying to get Ruger #1 performance out of a handi rifle." "Who posted this waste of bandwidth anyway?"................"oh".
ha ha! That's funny!

Seriously. If I had a brief glimpse of my avatar at the time I posted this, and had any idea what is in my hands, or what is behind me, I wouldn't have believed it!

[tacklebury]

Where would you find a .626 ball mould?

I"ve got a Handi 20ga barrel coming, and would like to try something like that.

Dixie has a few:

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product...ducts_id=15976

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product...ducts_id=16377

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

"must learn to look at OP dates"
"must learn to look at OP dates"
"must learn to look at OP dates"
"must learn to look at OP dates"
"must learn to look at OP dates"
"must learn to look at OP dates"
"must learn to look at OP dates"