h&R 45 colt hunter model?

[acsteve]

Anyone have experience with a handi rifle in 45 colt, short barrel , sights but casehardened? Looked at one, new for something like $529 which I thought was bunch high. they had regular H&R's in 500 smith &wesson for $300 and all others for $279. Are these any good? Or is a marlin30/30 a better deal? thanks

[northmn]

The H&R's are good little rifles and pretty tough. They may not be real tack drivers but will hit what you shoot at and I could recommend them depending on their use. I think the one you were looking at was the "cowboy" model. The others have blued frames and are a little plainer. They love to cash in on that "cowboy" theme. Their buffalo model in 45-70 was a good gun, Ive had others and would recommend them. I would also suggest that the 500 S&W would be an interesting combo. Its ballistics are similar to the old 50 cal BP rifles but with lighter weight bullets. One of those guns that I think a handloader could have a field day with. A single shot is pretty handy for a ATC gun and car gun as well as usable in the field. The only thing I had against one Handi Rifle I had was that the ejector could ring your chimes with the spent case if you were not careful when you opened it.

Northmn

[NoDakJak]

Ring your chimes is certainly right! I believe that I must have a permanent imprint of a 22 Hornet case in my forehead. What it really boils down to is what you intend to use the rifle for and what you prefer. I shoot five 30-30's that include a Single Shot, Pump action, a bolt action and two lever actions. I have also shot my hunting partners H&R 45LC a bit. He prefers the 45 and I much prefer the 30-30 as it is much more adaptable for my purposes. Depending on the loads I can use it for everything from Cottontail to Elk at ranges from pointblank to 200 yards. Try that with the 45. Hope this two cents worth helps. Neil

[northmn]

The state you live in has a little to do with whether a single shot or repeater. In many of the Western states like North Dakota, they permit carry of an uncased gun with no load in the chamber. In Minnesota we have to ahve them cased with the case zipped tied or sealed and unloaded. A single shot or double is handier for car use where one may want to access the gun quicker. The 30-30 is about the most under-rated cartridge there is. You can buy loaded ammo for about $10 a box, and available at about any general store, cases are highly reloadable and it is one of the most accurate and easy to load cast bullet calibers available.

Northmn

[Wayne Smith]

When I heard the announcement of the 500 S&W round my first thougt was - "What a perfect short range carbine round!" I now have one in the Encore Katadin, 20" SS fluted barrel. I have some big boolits with big meplats, molds from MM that someone here, I forget who, designed and had made. I'm dreaming of pigs and bears.

What are you dreaming of?

[NHlever]

You can purchase a slightly used Marlin 45 Colt cowboy with octagon barrel for the same price they are asking for the H&R, and that's what I would do if I were shopping for that caliber. In an H&R I would just buy a 45-70, and load it down, and have some fun without spending much money. I view the H&R /NEF rifles as fun, and practical guns that are made pretty well for the price. Marlins are made about the same, but retain their value a bit better, and offer repeat shots if that is something you need, or want. I'm looking at a used NEF 45-70 with a plastic stock right now as a bad weather gun, but sure don't want to pay the premium they ask for the 45 Colts. A big gun shop that I frequent has had one of those on the shelf since they came out, and now has it marked down a bit if that tells you anything.

[leadman]

For just a little more than the H&R you can go with a Contender if you shop around. Even though barrels are more than the NEF/H&R you don't have the shipping of the rifle and the wait time.

[Steelbanger]

Most times that model of the H & R goes about $200 less than the price you're looking at. Look somewhere else for a better deal.

[NickSS]

The 45 Colt round is a good one for many uses and I have several carbines and handguns in that caliber. You can load them up to equal or exceed a 44 mag in a gun strong enough to take the pressure (no original revolvers (except Rugers) and there are no original rifles). My favorite rifle is a Puma 92 Winchester clone made by Rossi. It is stainless steel and shoots good. I use it for cowboy action shooting as well as an overall camp gun when out in the wilds. I also have several H&R handy rifles in 223, 243, 308, 357 mag, 38-55 and 45-70. These all shoot well and work slick. The newer barrels I have do not eject the cases like the older ones do. I think the price on the one you looked at is way out of line. The most I paid for one of these is about $370 and that was for the target model in 38-55. Most of the others were around $200-$240 out the door.