H&R Production Over

[Lefty Red]

Lefty Red, I haven't seen a new H&R or NEF with the case color frame since the Gardner plant closed. All the new H&R's around here have a flat black receiver with laminate furniture. Word from many places is that Remmy is now going to replace the trigger assembly of any 700 free if the owner requests it so mebbe those people will be going back to work. My best friend's 700 ADL .243 has a sweet trigger that has never malfunctioned so I don't see him sending it in.

Yeah, I think the last case colored frame one I saw was my old 058 Topper!
I was saying what Remington did to the Marlins, replaced actual blued with that "Express" finish that looks like flat black BBQ grill paint (but not that pretty!) and down graded the wood.

The last Handi I had had that ugly "blueing" that looked painted on, and pallet wood furniture.

Jerry

[BAGTIC]

IF THEY WERE PROFITABLE THEY WILL KEEP MAKING THEM. Remington is a business. It's responsibility is to stay solvent and return a profit not to cater to dilettantes. If H&R had been so profitable they would not have been sold to Marlin and then in turn to Remington.

[dlbarr]

IF THEY WERE PROFITABLE THEY WILL KEEP MAKING THEM. Remington is a business. It's responsibility is to stay solvent and return a profit not to cater to dilettantes. If H&R had been so profitable they would not have been sold to Marlin and then in turn to Remington.

I'm afraid you must be right about that one, BAGTIC. I really have about all I need from them other than maybe a 30-30 barrel and another 45-70 BC barrel (have one already but want one to cut back to 25" or so). But I'm real disappointed that they'll be gone - those are great little firearms that apparently needed a little more profit built into them...

[dtknowles]

IF THEY WERE PROFITABLE THEY WILL KEEP MAKING THEM. Remington is a business. It's responsibility is to stay solvent and return a profit not to cater to dilettantes. If H&R had been so profitable they would not have been sold to Marlin and then in turn to Remington.

Yes and no. If H&R was not profitable why would anyone buy it? There could be reasons. Can they be made profitable, is the way to do it to make them cheaper or make them better? Maybe they could be made both better and cheaper. Maybe Remington is the wrong company to make a go of it. What is in a name. Anyone can copy the design, patents long expired.

Tim

[NoAngel]

I'd love to see a smaller group of people who, unlike Remington, care about producing a quality product buy out this company and put it back on track.

Remington only care about bottom lines. I'd like to see a company like Henry take it over. Henry makes a profit or they wouldn't be in business but they obviously are content with a smaller market share and possibly smaller margins in exchange for producing a better product and standing behind something worth being proud of.

I'd like to see a smaller company take over and address the quality issues of the H&R design. A hardened barrel lug and an improved trigger could make this platform compete with encore/contenders any day. Sacrificing a little fit and finish would be acceptable to keep the cost down but the weakest part of the Handi is the butter soft barrel lug and the trigger.

[aspangler]

Just hung up the phone with H&R 2 minutes ago. They are NOT going out of business. The Barrel and accessory program IS ending but NOT production. Straight from the horses mouth.

[Tackleberry41]

Generally it seems anytime wal street people get ahold of anything, they bleed it dry, then gut it to make a few more bucks. The husk thats left over goes bankrupt, the name sold off. Its happening to Red Lobster right now, they are selling the chain off in pieces, then one day that will be it. The pensions dumped on the govt, the debts worthless, the wal street guys walk away with a fat check. Doesnt matter the history of something like H&R, all they see is the $.

Im thinking that they have limped H&R along for a while until there is no more blood to squeeze, now its time to dump it. They probably looked at the options, cutting corners to get some profit, probably couldn't find any corners left being such a basic weapon. Maybe considered increasing the price but alot of us would scream bloody murder if they did. So the excuse of moving the factory comes along, and then one day no more handi rifles. Or just going to farm it out overseas somewhere, and had to cut loose all the employees first.

But dont be expecting any sort of straight story from the company anytime soon.

[aspangler]

Generally it seems anytime wal street people get ahold of anything, they bleed it dry, then gut it to make a few more bucks. The husk thats left over goes bankrupt, the name sold off. Its happening to Red Lobster right now, they are selling the chain off in pieces, then one day that will be it. The pensions dumped on the govt, the debts worthless, the wal street guys walk away with a fat check. Doesnt matter the history of something like H&R, all they see is the $.

Im thinking that they have limped H&R along for a while until there is no more blood to squeeze, now its time to dump it. They probably looked at the options, cutting corners to get some profit, probably couldn't find any corners left being such a basic weapon. Maybe considered increasing the price but alot of us would scream bloody murder if they did. So the excuse of moving the factory comes along, and then one day no more handi rifles. Or just going to farm it out overseas somewhere, and had to cut loose all the employees first.

But dont be expecting any sort of straight story from the company anytime soon.

Was also told that they had just hires 25 more workers.

[Four-Sixty]

If they re-developed the rifle to have universal fit barrels, and you could buy the barrels at Bass Pro, Academy etc., I bet they would make a killing at their current prices.

[hpdrifter]

Sounds like they're just going to rename them.

[TCLouis]

IF it were a business then why would they cut into their sales dropping the accessory barrel program.

Pencil-necks running a firearms company???

[drinks]

It appears Rossi is about all that is left in affordable ss rifles and shotguns.

[aspangler]

It appears Rossi is about all that is left in affordable ss rifles and shotguns.

Reread post #26.

[War Eagle]

If they re-developed the rifle to have universal fit barrels, and you could buy the barrels at Bass Pro, Academy etc., I bet they would make a killing at their current prices.

I have often pondered this very same thing. The big issue though is the mass of weaker (shotgun) receivers out there. NEF/H&R has stated the primary reason for shipping your receiver to them for "barrel fitting" is to ensure which receiver you actually have.

The only way to really get around any of the weaker receiver / high pressure barrel mixtures would be to possibly introduce a new receiver, maybe a SB3 generation to support all barrels and make it so no SB1 or SB2 barrels can interchange with it. Of course this means a new design ($$$) and likely retooling ($$$) and with a corporate money pinch already in place any cost would get passed to us...of course we would scoff when you can go buy a new Ruger American for $50 more...

[1989toddm]

I have often pondered this very same thing. The big issue though is the mass of weaker (shotgun) receivers out there. NEF/H&R has stated the primary reason for shipping your receiver to them for "barrel fitting" is to ensure which receiver you actually have.

The only way to really get around any of the weaker receiver / high pressure barrel mixtures would be to possibly introduce a new receiver, maybe a SB3 generation to support all barrels and make it so no SB1 or SB2 barrels can interchange with it. Of course this means a new design ($$$) and likely retooling ($$$) and with a corporate money pinch already in place any cost would get passed to us...of course we would scoff when you can go buy a new Ruger American for $50 more...

Good thoughts, could be the deal.

[jmort]

There will be no more Handi Rifle production for foreseeable future/forever. H&R will continue to sell Pardner pumps from China, which are a great deal for around $200. So let's see what the new year brings and who is right and wrong on this. I will gladly admit I am wrong if production of Handi Rifles continues.

[butch2570]

IF THEY WERE PROFITABLE THEY WILL KEEP MAKING THEM. Remington is a business. It's responsibility is to stay solvent and return a profit not to cater to dilettantes. If H&R had been so profitable they would not have been sold to Marlin and then in turn to Remington.

Remington was once a great manufacturing company, but sadly that's over, you say their responsibility is to stay solvent and not to cater to dilettantes? How do you propose they stay profitable when people like myself that have a gun cabinet full of older remingtons ,quite buying them now, because of their sloppy and trashy quality control?? I have not bought a new Remington , Marlin or NEF in the last 2 years because of their trashy looking poorly fit items...Remington is one of the WORST companies to market a truly good product and their marketing dept muffs it up, and leaves the customer hanging with no support on their proprietary calibers, example 222 REM, still a popular little caliber, CZ, SAKO, and SAVAGE still market this caliber, REM designed it and offer no Production rifles for it now, and only offer runs on the ammo. 6mm REM, everything the 243 WIN is and then some, again marketing flub, they made a run on this rifle 3 or 4 years ago in a stainless laminate for around $1100 and a short run in a maple stocked 7600 pump for $300 more than a walnut stocked one and only offer ammo in limited runs again, and it's around $ 30 dollars a box for the el cheapo ammo, vs $20 for the same green and yellow box 243 win, why would anyone buy a 6mm over a 243 when there is that much of a price difference in the rifles and ammo, the average Joe can buy all kinds of off the shelf $500 rifles in a 243. They have shot their own self in the foot, and I feel sorry for their workers but not their greedy management. Some more REM situations where they left the PAYING CONSUMER hanging after buying their poorly supported products are the 222 Rem Mag, 5mm, the 8mm Rem Mag,6.5 Rem Mag,350 Rem Mag, I don't think they even offer brass now for some of these calibers. Even the really good calibers like the 25-06, 7mm08,22-250,260,221, 17,280 are limited on availability on ammo or brass, to where you can't actually walk into a gun shop on a regular basis and buy Rem brand ammo for their own products in some of those more popular rounds, but you can always seem to find 243,308 ,223,30-06 ,270, 7mm mag and 300 mag in REM brand ammo anytime you want. They are trying to create a stable market for themselves in the future by cutting us the consumer back on the options we have when purchasing a new firearm and keeping their costs down, in the not so far off future here is going to be your choices, 223/556,243,270,308,30-06, 7 mm Mag, 300 win Mag and you will buy these or nothing.That way they can keep costs down by controlling the amount of tooling costs and they can run 7 different kinds of ammo and not be bothered with changing the ammo plant back and forth with different calibers all the time. They lost my business a long time ago, I have lost all respect for them, probably never to be found again.

[C. Latch]

Remington was once a great manufacturing company, but sadly that's over, you say their responsibility is to stay solvent and not to cater to dilettantes? How do you propose they stay profitable when people like myself that have a gun cabinet full of older remingtons ,quite buying them now, because of their sloppy and trashy quality control?? I have not bought a new Remington , Marlin or NEF in the last 2 years because of their trashy looking poorly fit items...Remington is one of the WORST companies to market a truly good product and their marketing dept muffs it up, and leaves the customer hanging with no support on their proprietary calibers, example 222 REM, still a popular little caliber, CZ, SAKO, and SAVAGE still market this caliber, REM designed it and offer no Production rifles for it now, and only offer runs on the ammo. 6mm REM, everything the 243 WIN is and then some, again marketing flub, they made a run on this rifle 3 or 4 years ago in a stainless laminate for around $1100 and a short run in a maple stocked 7600 pump for $300 more than a walnut stocked one and only offer ammo in limited runs again, and it's around $ 30 dollars a box for the el cheapo ammo, vs $20 for the same green and yellow box 243 win, why would anyone buy a 6mm over a 243 when there is that much of a price difference in the rifles and ammo, the average Joe can buy all kinds of off the shelf $500 rifles in a 243. They have shot their own self in the foot, and I feel sorry for their workers but not their greedy management. Some more REM situations where they left the PAYING CONSUMER hanging after buying their poorly supported products are the 222 Rem Mag, 5mm, the 8mm Rem Mag,6.5 Rem Mag,350 Rem Mag, I don't think they even offer brass now for some of these calibers. Even the really good calibers like the 25-06, 7mm08,22-250,260,221, 17,280 are limited on availability on ammo or brass, to where you can actually walk into a gun shop and buy Rem ammo for their own products. They are trying to create a stable market for themselves in the future by cutting us the consumer back on the options we have when purchasing a new firearm and keeping their costs down, in the not so far off future here is going to be your choices, 223/556,243,270,308,30-06, 7 mm Mag, 300 win Mag and you will buy these or nothing.That way they can keep costs down by controlling the amount of tooling costs and they can run 7 different kinds of ammo and not be bothered with changing the ammo plant back and forth with different calibers all the time. They lost my business a long time ago, I have lost all respect for them, probably never to be found again.

You're right. They should totally continue to make calibers that didn't sell.

Wait, what?

[butch2570]

You're right. They should totally continue to make calibers that didn't sell.

Wait, what?

222 Rem never sold ?????? Why is three other gun manufactures still making them then ? All kinds of other companies offer ammo for the 222 and remington can only squeeze it in on a yearly lot? I was talking about Support for what they did manufacture, they should at least still offer the brass for these rounds even if they didn't offer the calibers in a rifle now. I know 3 people in my area that were at one time looking for 8mm mag brass and 2 other guys that had 6.5 mag and needed brass and remington had dropped it entirely. Don't sell something to someone then drop the componets off the face of the planet then move on to something else.

[C. Latch]

I have a 6.5RM. I'd be embarrased to think remington owed me brass for a rifle sold 45 years ago.

for that matter, I'd be embarrassed to think they owed anything to anyone.