Differences between H&R model 158 and 088

[Hannibal]

Good day folks!

So I have an H&R Topper 158 and a model 088 sitting in front of me. Apart from the differences in handling and storage I see no real physical differences between the two.

Is it just a model # change due to sale of the company or did I miss something else?

Thanks for looking.

I say that but now that I look again there is a site groove and some material removal along the top of the receiver on the 158 that isn't present on the 088. 158 has a recoil pad as opposed to a plastic butt plate also. Otherwise, they appear the same.

[Texas by God]

Are they both 12 gauge?
We have a 410 model 158 and a 20 gauge model 490 Jr that have the profiled barrel/receiver and groove sight. All the other Toppers here have full profile barrel/receiver and no groove sight- including another 490Jr!


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[Hannibal]

Are they both 12 gauge?
We have a 410 model 158 and a 20 gauge model 490 Jr that have the profiled barrel/receiver and groove sight. All the other Toppers here have full profile barrel/receiver and no groove sight- including another 490Jr!


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The 158 has both a 20 gauge and 30-30 barrel. Interesting to me that the 30-30 barrel is also stamped with the receiver serial number. Never saw that on a barrel before from any source. The 30-30 barrel also has both front and rear sights dovetailed into the barrel itself. The 20 gauge has only a front brass bead.

The 088 has a 20 gauge barrel and that's all. Also has a front brass bead and nothing more concerning sights.

[Texas by God]

That’s a nice factory rifle/shotgun set; I’m envious.
I’m working on a .256 Win. barrel for my .410 model 158 so I’ll have a set.
I consider Toppers to be THE American single shot shotgun IMO.


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[Hannibal]

I'm going to try to make a second and third barrel for the 088. One in 22Hornet and the other in 30Waters. Just to see if I can.

Might fail miserably. Only one way to find out so I'm trying to gather whatever information I can.

What is your game plan for the .256? My rough plan is that fab the underlugs and silver solder them onto barrel blanks using a pair of locating pins. Not sure if I'll change those plans. Time will tell.

[Texas by God]

That kind of job is beyond my ability.
For the three that I’ve done, the rifled barrel is turned down by a machinist to be a slip fit inside the shotgun barrel; which can be cut off to a stub or left long. Then they are epoxied together.
When Topper shotguns were $75 used years ago- that was the best time for these projects.
I’m also working on a 7-30 Waters.


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[Hannibal]

That kind of job is beyond my ability.
For the three that I’ve done, the rifled barrel is turned down by a machinist to be a slip fit inside the shotgun barrel; which can be cut off to a stub or left long. Then they are epoxied together.
When Topper shotguns were $75 used years ago- that was the best time for these projects.
I’m also working on a 7-30 Waters.


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I've never been keen on the idea of sleeved barrels. Obviously they perform to the satisfaction of many people so I'll admit it's a personal dislike of mine.

I may discover that the task of making a barrel from a blank isn't viable in this application. I suppose the only way to know is start the project and see how it goes.

[ulav8r]

Making this monoblock will be stronger than trying to fit a lug to a barrel. It can be smooth bored and the barrel bonded in place with epoxy, Loctite, or solder or it could be threaded and the barrel threaded.

[poppy42]

Not sure but the difference models might denote sb1 or sb2 receivers. As for making a barrel, it’s a heck of a lot easer to stub a shotgun barrel. I had a friend/ fellow forum member turn an NEF 12 gauge into a 357 maximum! He did one hell of a job to! I plan on doing a review with some photos very soon. I just haven’t gotten much range time in lately.

[Texas by God]

Not sure but the difference models might denote sb1 or sb2 receivers. As for making a barrel, it’s a heck of a lot easer to stub a shotgun barrel. I had a friend/ fellow forum member turn an NEF 12 gauge into a 357 maximum! He did one hell of a job to! I plan on doing a review with some photos very soon. I just haven’t gotten much range time in lately.

I don’t think that the profiled frame/ barrel feature survived the NEF takeover.
Only the NEF Pardner(shotgun) and the Handi Rifle had the sb1 sb2 frames. Before that they were all low pressure frames.
Poppy42- please share with us when you get around to it.


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[poppy42]

I don’t think that the profiled frame/ barrel feature survived the NEF takeover.
Only the NEF Pardner(shotgun) and the Handi Rifle had the sb1 sb2 frames. Before that they were all low pressure frames.
Poppy42- please share with us when you get around to it.


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Definitely will do!

[Mk42gunner]

The main difference I have ever been able to see on the H&R/NEF actions is some of them have a differently angled hammer spur. My old Model 58 (pre transfer bar) .410 had a lower spur than most but not all of the transfer bar guns.

It will probably take someone that worked at H&R to finally reveal all the supposed differences in the various model numbers.

Robert