[Meangreen]

I purchased a H&R Handi-Rifle .44 magnum. I also received extra barrels in the purchase in calibers, 30/30, 45-70, and .270.

I first shot the .44 magnum barrel and this included a peep sight mounted to the rear of the barrel. I bench rested the rifle and shot several strings with sight adjustment between 3 shots. I could not bring the rear sight down enough to adjust for elevation. the group was good but very high at 100 yards. I see the .44 as a 100 yard gun. I went home and took a file to the front sight and removed a large part of the front sight. Returned to the range and shot a 3" group at 100 yards. I tried the 45-70 next and it is a beast. It grouped pretty well at about the same as the .44 but I only shot 5 rounds. I haven't shot the 30/30 or the .270 but I will soon.

My take on the H&R Handi-Rifle is decent accuracy with a great price. This isn't a tack driver but for the price it's not bad. I like the option of multiple calibers and I found that I can send a respectable rate of fire down range at distance if I had to. I will stick to my AK or AR for WTSHTF situations but in a nicks I could use the Handi-Rifle quite well and for a meat getter I think it fits the bill.

 

[BigCheeseStick]

I purchased a H&R Handi-Rifle .44 magnum. I also received extra barrels in the purchase in calibers, 30/30, 45-70, and .270.

I first shot the .44 magnum barrel and this included a peep sight mounted to the rear of the barrel. I bench rested the rifle and shot several strings with sight adjustment between 3 shots. I could not bring the rear sight down enough to adjust for elevation. the group was good but very high at 100 yards. I see the .44 as a 100 yard gun. I went home and took a file to the front sight and removed a large part of the front sight. Returned to the range and shot a 3" group at 100 yards. I tried the 45-70 next and it is a beast. It grouped pretty well at about the same as the .44 but I only shot 5 rounds. I haven't shot the 30/30 or the .270 but I will soon.

My take on the H&R Handi-Rifle is decent accuracy with a great price. This isn't a tack driver but for the price it's not bad. I like the option of multiple calibers and I found that I can send a respectable rate of fire down range at distance if I had to. I will stick to my AK or AR for WTSHTF situations but in a nicks I could use the Handi-Rifle quite well and for a meat getter I think it fits the bill.

.44Mag. with peep sights! NIIIIICE! You've got a good start on a whole gun collection in that one rifle!

 

[bigdogbuc]

My man Meangreen! I love you more every day! The H&R Single shots are great rifles and get little of the attention they deserve. And nice find on the extra barrels. It beats sending in the receiver to get them fitted.

 

[Meangreen]

I really like shooting this little rifle and the extra barrels are a preppers dream. My wife has become very proficient with the rifle. I'm finding that the more I shoot it the better I get with it and the groups are improving. I found that the torque on the fore-end is critical for accuracy.

 

[PrepConsultant]

I agree, the H&R single shots are excellent. I have been using their shotguns for years and also have a 17hmr single shot bull barrel of theirs that is a tack driver.. You cannot go wrong with one. The price is almost impossible to beat and they are quality firearms. I have a 12ga I have been using for birds for over 25 years and it has NEVER given me a problem. I have fired thousands of rounds thru it without a hitch.. I think everyone should have one and it should be a starter firearm for a child first gun.
You have great calibers as well.. I'm not sure if they carry them but I would look into a .41 magnum,.308,.22-.250 and 45 long colt to add to the assortment.. I know the 45/70 is a BEAST. I have used it on hogs many times over the years..

 

[Meangreen]

My first firearm was a Stevens in 12 gauge and I do own a H&R in 12 gauge. I know H&R have a .45 long colt/.410 barrel as well as .22-.250 and a .308. The possibilities are endless and for a do all pretty well rifle I think their hard to beat.

 

[Go2ndAmend]

I think they are a wonderful firearm with many purposes. I have been trying to find one in .357 Mag. with the factory open sights for a while now without any luck.

 

[Meangreen]

I think they are a wonderful firearm with many purposes. I have been trying to find one in .357 Mag. with the factory open sights for a while now without any luck.

I know you can find em on gunbroker and I have seen the barrels on believe it or not, Ebay.

 

[Go2ndAmend]

I would love to see the link then. They are not available with factory open sights anymore. I have been looking for a used one for almost a year now without success.

 

[Meangreen]

I would love to see the link then. They are not available with factory open sights anymore. I have been looking for a used one for almost a year now without success.

NEF/H&R SB2, 357mag : Single Shot Rifles at GunBroker.com

 

[Seneca]

I had the H&R Buffalo classic in 45-70 at one time, I think I traded it in for a stainless Marlin 1895 GG in 45-70. great cartridge, lots of oomph! The H&R rifles are a good value plus they are tough as nails.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

I've been a New England Firearms guy for many years. It's the same company as H&R1871, they just stopped using the name a few years ago. It was kind of like Chevy/GMC pickups, basically the same one just was a little more plush.
Me:
NEF Pardner (that's what they called the single shot shotguns) .410
NEF Pardner 12 ga
H&R Topper Junior Classic 20 ga
NEF Handi Rifle 22 Hornet, scoped
NEF Handi Rifle 45-70 (aka Big Mamma Thump) iron sights
And because I'm a fan of old stuff, an H&R Model 120 bolt action 16 ga made in 1940

Oh, it goes without saying that I'm a certified gun nut.

 

[Seneca]

Aren't we all?

There are so many good guns available that it's hard to not have at least one good one.

Yet the question (you know the one) I'm new to guns what should I buy first...comes around from time to time. There have been times that I felt a poster simply needed a single shot and some range time.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Aren't we all?

There are so many good guns available that it's hard to not have at least one good one.

Yet the question (you know the one) I'm new to guns what should I buy first...comes around from time to time. There have been times that I felt a poster simply needed a single shot and some range time.

You are right. 55 years ago I started with a single shot Winchester 22. That was followed 4 years later by a Mossberg bolt action 12 ga.
I guess today my father would be arrested for giving his 10 year old son his very own rifle.
And today a 10 year old boy would not make it very far riding his bike carrying the rifle out to the woods to shoot. Without adult supervision.

 

[Go2ndAmend]

Thanks to some help by Meangreen, I was able to find (and buy) an older version of the H&R in .357 Mag. It has the factory open sights and wooden stock. I guess I am now "in the club." I've had a single shot 20 Ga. H&R which has been my daily companion on my ranch for years. I'm looking forward to getting to know the rifle now.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Thanks to some help by Meangreen, I was able to find (and buy) an older version of the H&R in .357 Mag. It has the factory open sights and wooden stock. I guess I am now "in the club." I've had a single shot 20 Ga. H&R which has been my daily companion on my ranch for years. I'm looking forward to getting to know the rifle now.

Warning! These rifles multiply.
Now that you are "in the club" you need to join up at Marlin Owners forum. They have a whole section for H&R/NEF - rifles, shotguns, collectibles. I've been a member over there for many years. Marlin Firearms Forum
They've got a lot of other neat stuff over there as well.
Check 'em out, I promise you will not be disappointed.

edited to add: You should also bookmark the H&R factory site - http://www.hr1871.com/default.asp
On the header click on Customer Support. On the page that opens the left margin will display several options, select Barrel Accessory Program. You can buy additional barrels in different calibers and gauges that will drop right on your exisiting reciever. You will have to send your reciever in for the barrel to be fitted for headspace when you buy the barrel.

 

[Seneca]

It's a generational, thing, I was 12, my younger brother was 10 when we got our .22's. Up to about 30 years ago it was common to see rifles in a rack in the back window of a pick up truck. The rifles are still there just not in a rack in the back window. Times change,

 

[LunaticFringeInc]

Good to hear the range report. Sounds like you got a pretty nice deal with it and like it was said a nice start on a 1 gun collection!

They aren't as budgetly priced as they once were but the fact that accessory barrels are still available and can be swapped out makes them quiet the asset for the prepper. Its a shame the 7.62x39 barrels are so hard to come by, when they occasionally make them they fly out of the factory a lightening speed. The 30-30 barrels are very popular as are the 357 barrels which are often reamed to chamber 357 Maximum. For a great source of info on them I would suggest Graybeard Outdoors forum. They have a whole section on the forum dedicated to the handi's and a lot of very knowledgable folks there when it comes to getting the max out of them.

I don't own any of the rifles but I do own a Topper 88 that I bought over 30 years ago that's had the dog piss shot out of it and its been one heck of a gun through out the years. I cant begin to count the number of game birds and animals that have fallen to that gun over the decades. I also own one of their Ultra-Slug guns with a fully rifled barrel that is quiet accurate with sabot slugs in 12 gauge. The Ultra Slug is quiet the Hog Hammer!!!

 

[Meangreen]

A barrel in 7.62X39 would be perfect! I'm going to have to watch for one.

 

[LunaticFringeInc]

A barrel in 7.62X39 would be perfect! I'm going to have to watch for one.

Good luck with that one! They produced only a few and while I have herd of an occasional limited production run, they are few and far between. Most folks lucky enough to have one aren't willing to give it up for any price! Remington doesn't seem to be supporting this platform as much as NEF was. Service has dropped off and accessory barrels aren't as plentiful as they once were or in as many calibers as they once were. Im not sure why this is the case especially when it comes to the 7.62x39 models. Given the inexpensive ammo that's out there and its availability this would be a real winner for the manufacture as well as the customer. Its a perfect platform for the new inexperienced shooter looking for a budget priced alternative for plinking, hogs and deer. I cant imagine an AK or SKS owner that wouldn't want one in their collection as a back up. If they sold a model with a .311 bore Id be all over it like a Hobo running down the road with a sweet potato pie!!!

I suspect that you will really like the 30-30 if the accessory barrel was properly fitted. Most are reporting some astounding accuracy from them and most barrels in this caliber are quickly sold out post haste to those in the know. When loaded with pointed light jacketed bullets they are turning out some decent range and trajectories and down range punch on medium game. In fact many owners have had the chambers reamed to 30-30 AI specs giving additional performance.

I might end up getting me one of these guns eventually. I would love to have one with 223, 30-30, 357 and 7.62x39 barrels! I would absolutely drool and froth at the mouth at the thought of a production run of 9mm or 45 ACP barrels, now that would be a survivalist dream come true...I could only imagine the sales they would see with one in 7.62x54R like many handi owners have been screaming for to no avail, for years!