Opinions On The H & R Handi-Rifle

I'll give it a so-so rating but with high future expectations. Can't really give you an in depth opinion yet as I've only put about 20 rounds through my Handi 223.

My initial observations are inline with what I've read about them in other forums - Out of the box groupings are inconsistent, especially at 100 yards, but they are all on paper, nothing wild. Most owner reviews I've read claim that after a 50-100 shot break in period the groupings should tighten up and overall performance is excellent. The factory trigger is a bear I may tackle later on.

 

I have one in .22 hornet. After working the trigger and breaking her in we have no issues killing sage rats @ 200 yrds together. I added a hammer tab to facilitate easier cocking with a scope (almost mandatory) as the hammer comes almost in contact with the scope. The hornet is a little finicky to reload but I do so love the performance this little round offers. Have fun.

 

We own 2-17Hmr , a 204ruger,and a 308 they all shoot well. I have killed many deer with the .308 its short and light and easy to get around with in the woods. the 204 is a varmint slaying unit. One of the 17Hmr has a great trigger the other sucks, both shoot very well.......for the price you cant beat them!

 

I have a .223 version and it had the typical trigger when I got it, around 7 lbs as I recall. I called the factory to ask some questions about disassembly so I could try to smooth it up and they told me to send it back and they would do it for me. They took it down to a very decent 3 lbs for free so you might talk to them and see what they will do. This was a couple of yrs ago so policy might have changed but worth a try.What little shooting I have had time to do was good.

 

I have three of them and they are all OK. I bought them new. One came with the recoil pad way out of line. The dealer offered to send it back but I fixed it myself. I removed the pad, drilled out the off the mark screw hole to 1/8 inch, glued in a piece of 1/8 inch dowl rod, and, using the pad, marked and drilled the new holes. When I installed it, it was fine. A little sloppy from the factory but it's ok now. I like them, but if a deer was shooting back, I'd rather have a repeater!

 

I've heard a lot of good thiings about the Handi-Rifle, over at the "H&R/NEF" section of Shotgunworld.com.
However, I suppose it would depend on the application.
If you're looking to win medals at Camp Perry, Wimbledon and/or The Olympics, you might want to look elsewhere, but if you're looking for good little huntin' rifle, it would work just fine.
3" @ 100 yards actually ain't bad...especially if you're using iron sights.

...another nice thing about the Handi-Rifle is that any of the shotgun barrels will fit that receiver, so you can end up with a nice little rifle/shotgun combo at a modicum cost.



Dean

 

I had one in 30-06 and it was stiff. It kicked like a mule. I've shot several other 30-06 and 30-30 rifle without the discomfort I had with the handi. But then again, I'm a pretty big V------
I've shot a friends .223 and it was smooth as could be and very accurate.
And a lot of the barrels are interchangable. You do have to send your rifle in and who knows how long it will take to get back.

 

If recoil ever becomes a problem, try the Winchester "Limb Saver" recoil pad.
Its a slip-on that can be had for about $20 (I got mine at the local Wal-Mart).
I've got a 20 gauge Topper and the stock is just a bit short, so most of the time, when I throw the gun up to shoot, its not tucked into my shoulder and I can hardly make it through a box of shells.
The Limb Saver adds about 1.5" of length to the stock, which for me, is perfect. The gun tucks right in now...and I don't know what its made of but I could hardly feel any of the shots I took the last time I took that gun out.
THIS THING REALLY WORKS!
Installation was easy and took only a few minutes.
Just make sure you get the one made for the H&R (it says what's what on the back of the package).


Dean