Opinions on Handi-Rifle?

I was thinking about getting a piece in .500 Mag, but I'm not quite prepared to buy a thousand-dollar handgun. Yesterday, I was looking over some general info on Wikipedia about .500 Mag, and I ran across the NEF Handi-Rifle series, www.hr1871.com. Their SB2-500 is single-shot, break-barrel, breech-loading, and only a couple hundred bucks.

If I'm going to be messing with such a huge load, I want to make sure I can rely on the thing that's containing the explosion. How's the quality on these Handi-Rifles? I read that the company is part of Marlin, which is a good sign.

BTW, I'm not worried about the single-shot aspect, because I already own and enjoy a single-shot. And yes, I know it's $2/round.

The H&R/NEF Handi-Rifles are a very good value in firearms. They are very well built and simple in construction and operation. As long as the single-shot aspect doesn't bother you, then I'd say go for it.

Also, I believe that you can also buy extra barrels from H&R for a pretty reasonable price if you were to switch calibers. I know it's that way for their shotguns (which are pretty much the same action).

+1 on that - I've heard nothing but good about the Handi-Rifles. My girlfriend's dad almost picked one up at a gunshow at a great price a few years back. They're great because you can buy barrels for whatever caliber you want - as I understand it, you have to send the receiver to the factor for fitting with the new barrels, so people tend to buy them in multiples... you know, pick up a .308, .30-06, and .30-30 all at the same time. I'd definitely go hunting with one.

Awesome! Looks like one of these will be my next buy. Are there any particular calibers I should buy barrels for in addition to the .500 Mag? Fun, economical, that sort of thing?

Thanks so much for the responses. :thumbsup:

If you're going for versatile and you have some money to burn, I'd pick a varmiting round like the .223, .22-250, or .204 Ruger, then a full-size cartridge like the .308 Win, 7.62x54r, 8mm Mauser, .30-06, or 270 Win, then a magnum cartridge for those long shots: .300 Win Mag, 7mm Ultramag, etc. If you want a tack driver and you reload, I believe the inherently most accurate cartridge is the 6mm PPC - not a high-power cartridge, but it holds more records than any other in existence, according to the 48th Edition of the Lyman manual.

Too bad they don't offer a .50BMG barrel...

EDIT: If you don't already have a shotgun, consider getting a 12 or 20 gauge barrel too - there are few things in the world more fun than filling an empty milkjug with water and watching it explode when you hit it!

I've found the latest version Handi-Rifle to be crudely made. However they are very inexpensive and they go "bang." Hopefully not go "bang" and take a piece of your face too. ;-)

For roughly the same money you could get a Ruger 10/22, this would be my choice. And it's kitchen-table moddable.

I looked at the Handi-Rifle about five years ago and ended up going with the 10/22 for an extra $40. Then proceeded to dump $1,200 into custom parts little by little. It was my most expensive rifle for a couple years hahaha.

Don't worry about the Handi-Rifle taking a piece of your face. Listen to the folks who own or have owned them.

Bill

I've shot a 5.56 and 243. Both shot 2" at 100yds. Very acceptable. The quality is fine - workmanlike and substantial. Trigger is rough and heavy as you would expect. Worth the money, especially as a beginners gun, which is what the two I shot were.

If you reload or have a buddy that does, I'd look at the 45/70. That can be loaded to almost .458 numbers. Retail ammo is loaded way down because of all the old guns still out there. That's common with almost all the older calibers.

BTW I have a NEF 12ga cutdown for my camper gun. I've shot 3" in it a number of times. No problem.

BIGIRON said:

I've shot a 5.56 and 243. Both shot 2" at 100yds. Very acceptable. The quality is fine - workmanlike and substantial. Trigger is rough and heavy as you would expect. Worth the money, especially as a beginners gun, which is what the two I shot were.

If you reload or have a buddy that does, I'd look at the 45/70. That can be loaded to almost .458 numbers. Retail ammo is loaded way down because of all the old guns still out there. That's common with almost all the older calibers.

BTW I have a NEF 12ga cutdown for my camper gun. I've shot 3" in it a number of times. No problem.

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I love those old buffalo cartridges! When you can't push it any faster due to lead-fouling issues, just make the bullet bigger and push it the same speed! I've never gotten to shoot one... but I'd love to have the Marlin 45/70 levergun that has a 9-round tube magazine. Would make a nice gun for bear hunting... or punching really big holes in paper. :thumbsup:

I've already got a .22, as well as a shotgun and an M91/30. Maybe a 45/70 barrel would be nice. It'd be even better if they offered 50/90.

The cool thing about a rifle firing .500 Mag is that it's a handgun cartridge, so I can use it at our usual range. It's a little farther away, but we can shoot 'til midnight and then go to Denny's afterwards (it's a tradition ).

What Big Iron said. I'm two years in to my .243. Got it for $200 and it will put in one ragged hole at 100 yards. Trigger is heavy ~8 pounds. It's my go-to rig. Mainly I like the simplicity of the single shot. Will probably score a barrel in .308 this summer.

BIGIRON said:

I've shot a 5.56 and 243. Both shot 2" at 100yds. Very acceptable. The quality is fine - workmanlike and substantial. Trigger is rough and heavy as you would expect. Worth the money, especially as a beginners gun, which is what the two I shot were.

If you reload or have a buddy that does, I'd look at the 45/70. That can be loaded to almost .458 numbers. Retail ammo is loaded way down because of all the old guns still out there. That's common with almost all the older calibers.

BTW I have a NEF 12ga cutdown for my camper gun. I've shot 3" in it a number of times. No problem.

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I have an NEF one from many years ago in .45-70 (S/N 240001 ) and reload. 15gr Unique for plinking and I forget how much H335 for muzzle blast WOW, both behind a Rem 350gr JHP. Couple years ago the firing pin return spring broke, disabling it. I haven't gotten around to fixing it.

I had planned to pick up a .223 and shotgun barrel for it, but NEF went under.

Larry

If you're interested in .45-70, then take a look at these: http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/Rifles/buffalo.aspx

A little pricier than the standard Handi-Rifle, but look like they'd be fun.

I've got the basic .22LR model, with a 3X-9X scope on it, very solidly made gun, reasonably accurate (I just haven't found the loads it "likes" yet, but it's fun to research it) and, with the right loads, almost completely silent

I have some neighbors close by, and my sister down the road has a few horses (she runs a stable), we have 50 acres of land, so I can go out in the field to go target shooting/plinking

as a courtesy to my Sis and our neighbors, I tend to stick with low powered quiet ammo for plinking and target shooting, if I use Aguilla Super-Colbri primer-cap rounds, the gun is almost completely silent, the hammer striking the firing pin is the loudest noise it makes

these are well made, sturdy, reliable firearms, great guns

TigerhawkT3:
You did not say what you wanted a 500 S&W for (plinking , self defense, hunting, target, etc.). A S&W revolver with 8" barrel can be bought for about $800 online:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/SearchResults.asp

There are a few with a 2.75" barrel for about $680 (what a "pocket" gun for self defense - move over Dirty Harry :naughty.

I'll bet you can find a S&W revolver used at a gun show for a bit less, perhaps a private seller selling one in the newspaper.

Of course, the Handi-Rifle at 7 lbs. will kick a lot less with more power since the longer barrel will yield higher velocities, and probably more accurate compared to a revolver (YMMV depending on your skill level).
Good Luck :thumbsup:

I was planning on plinking and target-shooting with it. I wanted something that really kicks. How would the recoil on a .500 Mag rifle compare to, say, various loads from a 12ga?

Recoil has so many variables. Just supposing,,,,, I'd guess it would be less than a 12ga slug in the same firearm under the same conditions i.e. a handirifle with 12ga and the 500s&w barrels off a bench.

A 12ga slug gun off the bench kicks hard (my Mossberg). I've never shot a singleshot 12 ga off a bench but being a couple of pounds lighter, I'm thinking it would be a real kicker.

I once shot a Ruger #3 (light single shot carbine) in 375 H&H. Even with a compensator that was the hardest kicking thing I've ever shot.

I was at the local gunshop/shooting gallery BS'ing with the salesman when there was a very loud Kaboom from the pistol range. We walked back and there was another mini explosion. The closed circuit monitors went white. Then the shooter was shaking and massaging his hand as if an elephant stepped on it. He was shooting a 500 Magnum and the muzzle blast overloaded the little monitor cameras.

Kool. :twothumbs

BIGIRON said:

Recoil has so many variables. Just supposing,,,,, I'd guess it would be less than a 12ga slug in the same firearm under the same conditions i.e. a handirifle with 12ga and the 500s&w barrels off a bench.

A 12ga slug gun off the bench kicks hard (my Mossberg). I've never shot a singleshot 12 ga off a bench but being a couple of pounds lighter, I'm thinking it would be a real kicker.

I once shot a Ruger #3 (light single shot carbine) in 375 H&H. Even with a compensator that was the hardest kicking thing I've ever shot.

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I have shot some big stuff. Today I shot a semi 12ga 1oz slugs at 1600 fps out of a semi auto shotgun that probably only weighs about 5.5 lbs or less, and I quit after four rounds. I need to stick an envelope of some heavy shot into the stock and seal it with some foam to smooth out the recoil

ouch ouch ouch


I did figure out that with a 20" smooth bore cyclinder, I can hit what ever I want at 50 yards with ease. But it appears I have a 18 drop at 100 yards

Just think what that recoil would be from a 4 1/2 lb single shot without the damping of the gas operating system!

The 3" shot loads I've shot from my NEF (cut to 20") were all shot standing. I'm not too smart, but I'm smart enough not to shoot that off a bench.

My retina doc has forbidden shooting anything with significant recoil.