NEF Handi-Rifles

[SAWMAN]

Let's talk Handi's. I have owned them for some years now and have most always had good luck with them. The only bad apple in the bunch was a NEF Ultra chambered in 22-250. It had the heavy bbl and a laminate stock. I could not get it to shoot better than 5 or 6 inches at 100yds for some reason. By the looks of the fired brass,the chamber was not cut properly. It looked as if the cutter chattered while cutting.

The rest of my experiences with the Handi's that I have owned and now own, have been great. These are great guns for the price. The action is super strong and parts are easy to come by if you ever need them. Most of the ones that I have had have a very stiff opening, but that can be remedied very easily. The trigger not so easily,however I have managed to lighten mine up a bit on my 223Rem. My other heavy thumpers are great with the "normal" trigger.

Pictured are: TOP --> 45-70 with plastic stock and a 1-4X24 Leupold(Heavy Duplex) ; MIDDLE --> 500S&W Mag with a camo'ed wood stock(Limbsaver installed) and a Leupold 2.5X Big Game scope with very heavy duplex ; BOTTOM -->444Marlin with camo'ed stock and 1-4x24 Leupold(Heavy Duplex). I also have a several more including three shotguns. Will put up pics of them later.

All of these have had the bbls chopped to 18 inches and the LOP shortened to 13.25 inches. All of these are great to use from a ladder stand or a tent blind. ---SAWMAN

 

[TennJeep1618]

I'm interested in hearing this conversation. I've been tempted to pick one up more than a couple times, but I never have. I figure I'll eventually pick up one chambered in something big and heavy hitting.

 

[JohnAL]

Yeah, every time I mention wanting a rifle with a big hole in the end SAWMAN tells me about these rifles.

 

[Clay]

Ditto- I've been kicking this around since meeting Sawman

 

[ksenter]

I just wanna know where I can send my B.A. rifles to have to super excellent good camo job hydrodipped on

:behindsofa:








hahahaha, all in good fun

 

[dead-bird]

I only have the one in 300Blk.
Threaded for a suppressor.

 

[SAWMAN]

With the coming of Trail Boss powder the big boomers can quite easily launch the big bullets at (approx.) 1/3rd the "normal" velocities. I have found that the .429-.430" and above bullets can be easily loaded to <1000fps. Sooooooo.......a 45-70,405gr at about 750-850fps or a 440gr 500S&W bullet at about the same speed are "cat fart" loads. The 444Marlin 300gr at 650fps is possible...safely.

THEN......flip over to the normal powders and it's like Clark Kent stepping into the phone booth. They will make you.....hurt so damned "good". ESPECIALLY the Ranger Rick's 700gr in my 500S&W chopped and shortened gun. Same with the 45-70 and the huge,non-normal bullets.

Remember also, that a hardcast bullet of .500" diameter and weighing 440grs.,with a 1/3rd inch meplate,at about 900fps, will absolutely stomp ANY deer or hog. My wife's hog gun of choice is the .45-70 pictured above,shooting a 300gr at <1100fps.

I absolutely love to "experiment" with the big bore Handi's. Remember also you can change bbls on most of these guns. You have to do your research into the SB1 or SB2 frames and sometimes you have to send the frame back to NEF to have the new bbl fitted. I have a buddy that has two frames with probably 8-10 bbls for them. Also depending on the chambering you can "do it yourself. The example would be 357mag to 357MAX and 45LC to 454Casull and(IIRC)460S&W.

If a Handi Rifle's action will handle the chamber pressures and the case head thrust of a 500S&W MAG it will handle pretty much anything your shoulder will tolerate.

dead-bird, Jay's has one of the Handi's on their wall. I fondle it every time I walk in. --- SAWMAN

 

[SAWMAN]

Two more ---> The top gun started as a 223Rem version of the Survivor series. These guns come in 223Rem and 308Win. They normally have a skeleton type buttstock. I replaced that with the plastic version of the Handi's stock. However.....I liked the forearm stock so I left that alone except that I relieved the bbl channel and installed a pressure point at the extreme muzzle end. The short,heavy bbl equals stiffness. This somewhat cheap gun will shoot 1.5MOA out to 200yds. It wears a Burris 3-9X40 with the BDC 200. Using the Spot On program makes this little,cheap,handy little Handi....well.....pretty handy.

I refer to the bottom gun as my 10ga "carbine". It started out as a 28" full choked goose(I guess)gun that I tried to sell when I moved down from up north. It didn't see so I decided to change it a "little". I removed the 2lb weight that normall comes in the stock of these guns. The bbl was chopped to 18 inches and a Limbsaver was installed. I installed the base using the original screws(steel),however I lapped the base to the bbl and put a glob of RED Loc-Tite under it. This......thinking I was gonna scope it. HOWEVER...thinking on it,I realized that I just might have to report to the ER and have the Doc extract the scope from my eye socket....sooooo....I made, what seemed to me,the wiser decision of installing a small,open red dot sight. I used a spare Tasco Optima,(3MOA)that I have had for some 20 years.

This gun will shoot 3 inch groups at 25yds. I use the pictured Fed HP ammo that has been tweaked somewhat. I open up the HP cavity and insert a regular "BB". Then put a small drop of clear fingernail polish in to hold it in place at the bottom of the cavity. Hopefully this will make the soft lead expand more rapidly/violently. When I asked for volunteers to help me sight this gun it.......nobody could make it.

I also have a 12ga,20ga,and a 410 not pictured. --- SAWMAN

 

[GlockGuy]

After seeing this thread I want at least 2 handi rifles now... 45/70 and that 10 gauge !!!! Awesome stuff

 

[ksenter]

Saws lil "guide guns" make anyone want one I'm pretty sure! Things are badarse!

 

[GlockGuy]

How hard was the 10 gauge slug barrel to find?

 

[Scrooge]

Sawman, do they have these in .45LC? I found H&R's .410/.45 in the survival series but I was wondering about the bore - smooth or rifled? Also are the screw in choke tubes for the .45 effective at maintaing accuracy in these?
Thanks, trying to find a decent rifle in .45LC..... even considered a Circuit Rider but wasn't sure about a smooth bore with a choke tube for the .45 rounds.

 

[SAWMAN]

GlockGuy...... The bbl seen above started out as a 28" full choked "goose gun". The bbl was cut abd recrowned to what is in the pic. It is a smooth bore. I have never seen any 10ga rifled bore.

Scrooge..... At one time they made a couple of guns in 45LC. Any gun chambered/advertised to shoot both 45LC AND 410 shotgun will have a rifled bore as far as I know. Great for the single slug...however...it will tear a pattern of bird shot to pieces. Any wad/shot cup coming down a bbl spinning wiii throw the shot all over when it leaves the bbl.

Check the Rossi series of guns also. If they don't make a 45LC now....they will pretty quick. --- SAWMAN

 

[Snow Bird]

SAWMAN if you shoot that short barreled 10 gage with the weight taken out of the stock you must LOVE pain.

 

[SAWMAN]

I almost had to sir. With that much heavy bbl chopped ,the weapon was super ass heavy with it in. Just checked the bar that came out of it. It is .872" in diameter,8.5 inches long,and weighs 1lb 11oz. (I was curious)

I shoot it every shot wearing my P.A.S.T. The 766gr slug @ 1280fps will certinly get your attention. --- SAWMAN

 

[Scrooge]

GlockGuy...... The bbl seen above started out as a 28" full choked "goose gun". The bbl was cut abd recrowned to what is in the pic. It is a smooth bore. I have never seen any 10ga rifled bore.

Scrooge..... At one time they made a couple of guns in 45LC. Any gun chambered/advertised to shoot both 45LC AND 410 shotgun will have a rifled bore as far as I know. Great for the single slug...however...it will tear a pattern of bird shot to pieces. Any wad/shot cup coming down a bbl spinning wiii throw the shot all over when it leaves the bbl.

Check the Rossi series of guns also. If they don't make a 45LC now....they will pretty quick. --- SAWMAN

Thanks Sawman; I've heard several different opinions concerning the bore. Since I want the rifle and not interested in the .410 part I'll take your advice - Rossi will be my next link to check. Thanks again sir!

 

[SAWMAN]

Walmart Hwy.29 had a Circut Judge several days ago in 45LC/410 (3"). I know it it rifled. Can't remember the price. Seems it was $400+. Make sure you check what pressures it will take. The LC is pretty kick ass loaded up to it's(real) potential.

Re. the NEF Survivor.........if the frame is indeed a SB-2 frame it will handle any LC load you can dream up. Unsure as to what the choked muzzle will do to the accuracy of the LC. AND.....it has a 3" chamber so.........good,not so good...don't know. I would surely think that it would degrade the accuracy of the LC somewhat. --- SAWMAN

 

[GlockGuy]

Well after your thread here I got an itch ... Gonna go pick up a .243 tommorow

 

[SAWMAN]

Good for you sir. Lemme know if you want me to make that easy open for you. (It will not sacrifice safety.) It will make it so that the bbl falls down without having to push it. To me.....that's irritating as all hell. --- SAWMAN

 

[Scrooge]

Walmart Hwy.29 had a Circut Judge several days ago in 45LC/410 (3"). I know it it rifled. Can't remember the price. Seems it was $400+. Make sure you check what pressures it will take. The LC is pretty kick ass loaded up to it's(real) potential. --- SAWMAN

I looked at it Sawman - called Rossi and talked with a rep - he told me it is a smooth bore that comes with a screw-on rifled tube for the .45's..... if it will shoot the LC's accurately, I'll buy one. The price is $519.
I shoot .45LC through my Bond Arms SSIV - only a 4 1/4' barrel - it's very accurate but it is a handful!
Saw, any feedback on the "rifled choke tube" - as per Rossi rep - will be appreciated. I've never heard of such.....
Thanks sir!