nef handi rifle

bigben · November 05, 2007, 05:19:08 PM

I was thinking of getting one in .22 hornet for night hunting fox. I was going to put a bass pro shops ILL ret 3-9X40mm on it. my father has one of these scopes and it takes the abuse of his combo gun. I am looking for a gun that is 1" at about 75 yds. I have not heard a bad rap for these guns but was wondering if anyone had peticular experiences mainly the bad ones. and what accuracy could I expect out of this gun. I know a buddy of mine has one in .308 and 22-250 and both shoot moa our of box with factory offerings.

fuzz624 · November 05, 2007, 05:37:28 PM

I have had a couple of those rifles and they were pretty good shooters.The only fault i have is that the trigger is pretty stiff.I do know that there are gunsmiths that will do trigger jobs on them and they say it helps a bunch.The 223 that i had was easily capable of MOA groups.I think there is a forum on thease guns somewhere.I wondered across it once but cant remember the name of it.

Hawks Feather · November 05, 2007, 07:12:03 PM

bigben,

Not trying to change your mind and I don't know if you reload or not. If you do reload you can load some light loads for the .223 that will be close to the hornet. When I only had a .223 I did this and it worked pretty well. Since then I have purchased a Ruger hornet. I don't know the price of the NEF, but you might want to also look at the Savage in .22 hornet. It is a single shot and will have the Accu-trigger on it. Just a thought and maybe not a good one for you.

Jerry

trappinjohn · November 05, 2007, 08:15:10 PM

Quote from: bigben on November 05, 2007, 05:19:08 PM
I was thinking of getting one in .22 hornet for night hunting fox.

Glad you ask this Ben. I've been thinking the same thing. Hope to see some more replies.

Hawks Feather · November 05, 2007, 09:39:33 PM

The hornet is a great little round and one that, with the right bullet, do an awesome job on groundhog sized critters. With 35 grain bullets I have had head shots on groundhogs that entered and didn't exit. But the head was pretty mushy. While I have not used it on fox I would not be afraid to at the 75 yard range. I am not sure about the killing power on a coyote, but that was not the question. I have owned three hornet rifles and two shot pretty good and one didn't shoot at all. I ran more rounds down the one that didn't shoot trying to find something that it liked than I did the other two all totaled. With all of that said, I have not shot any commercial loads. All of mine have been loaded in my basement.

Jerry

Ladobe · November 06, 2007, 12:17:59 AM

Have never been a fan of the NEF myself, and so have never owned one. Might of if they had come along when I was young enough that I couldn't afford better. Have had friends who owned them with mixed results. So some people swear by them, some hate them and it comes down to a personal choice thing. I'd spend more if it was me and buy a TC Contender and carbine length barrel for it if you want a 22 Hornet single-shot with way more down the road versatility than the NEF. Or a 17HMR rifle - another effective cartridge for fox within range limitations (and 75 yards is well within its effective range for fox with good shot placement).

As for the 22 Hornet and fox, it's just about a match made in heaven. Every ranch had a least one Hornet when I was a kid, so would almost bet more fox have been shot with it than any other cartridge. Not too much "splash" on a thin skinned fox with a good hit and it will anchor them just fine. You won't be limited to 75 yards either unless your firearm limits you. This cartridge will reliably take them at least 3X that far if-en you can make good shot placement with it.

Factory fodder being one thing (read that expensive), the Hornet can be finicky in almost any particular firearm, especially with factory ammo. Reloading lets you dial it in for your firearm, and there are some small tricks that help with Hornet reloads. First up you have to find which of several powders it likes. While it may shoot any of the normal Hornet powders at least so-so, it will have one that it definitely likes best. Primers are a critical choice in Hornets, and often using small pistol instead of small rifle primers is a trick that improves some loads. Many rifles chambered for the 22 Hornet also want at least a light neck crimp. With bullets the skies the limit now days. Almost any in a weight to work in your firearms twist can be made to shoot very well in a Hornet.

I've owned a bunch of Hornets over the years - still have 6 of them if you count both my "22" and "17" caliber Hornets. My main line 22H is a 1949 BRUNO ZKW 465 bolter. Exact same model that my grandfather had and first taught me to shoot with when I was knee high to a grasshopper. For many years it was a Browning 1885 Low Wall and before that a spattering of several other factory bolt rifles. I have had TC Contender carbines and pistols chambered for it as well for decades. Enter the perfect fox cartridge... the 17 Ackley Hornet. Even easier on pelts, flatter shooting with an increased effective range. With three of them the 22 Hornet's all became safe queens. But as a wildcat, you do have to reload to shoot it.

17HMR's shoot at least close to MOA in any firearm chambered for it (well below MOA in many), so it may be another good choice for fox for you if you don't want to reload.

No doubt you're in one of the best red fox habitats in the country. Have a long time friend who grew up hunting them in PA, and now does the same in MD. His go-to fox rifle is a 22 Hornet, and he takes quite a few of them a year with it.

HTH

bigben · November 06, 2007, 10:49:43 AM

I have a .17 hmr and I have hit two foxes now dead center of the chest and one I hit right behind the shoulder and should have droped on the spot. all three where never recoverd. two where in daylight and they ran 200 yds till the woodline. I am just not sold on this round. the loading of the .223 down is what I am planning on doing for my combo gun. but it gets heavy after a few stands. I have a bolt in .223. but at night you may be walking and hit a hole in the ground and many times the gun gets the worst. that is why I wanted a cheaper gun that if it did get damaged I would not cry.

straycat · November 07, 2007, 05:52:15 PM

Handis are good guns for the money,trigger on some are stiff ,fairly heavy,single shot but most shoot really well. Unless your sold on the Handi ya might want to look at Stevens 200,don't know for sure if it comes in the Hornet.These are pretty good guns for the money also and are a bolt gun and are like Savage without the Accutrigger..

bigben · November 13, 2007, 05:03:24 PM

the stevens gun does not come in .22 hornet. heading to the local gun dealer. he has a browning a bolt there last time but I do not want to drop 600 bucks on this gun. what are you guys thought on the .22 mag? is it any better then the .17 hmr? I am not getting the results I want with the hmr that is the reasoning behind the buying a new gun. I think I have pretty much decided on a .22 hornet handi in the synthetic version as this gun will most likely get a coat of paint after a year or two.

bigben · November 13, 2007, 07:23:14 PM

well bit the bullet so to speak. got a synthetic version headin this way should be here on monday. hopin to get off work at three pick it up and get it shot in before dark.

HaMeR · November 13, 2007, 08:22:50 PM

Cool deal Ben!! And just think,, if you don't like the Hornet you can always find yourself a 218BEE & then go to the 221 FireBall,, and then you can get a,,,,,,

How much can I spemd here for ya Ben??

@ Ben!!

:roflmao:

Hope she's a shooter for ya!!

bigben · November 13, 2007, 08:33:30 PM

hey you can never have too many rifles right? if it does not shoot it is gettin sold.

HuntnCarve · November 14, 2007, 04:09:26 PM

Ben,

I picked up a Handi rifle in .223 about two years back. The Ultra Varmint heavy barrel model. The accuracy is erratic, with both factory and reloads. I worked the gamut of accuracy inhancements (O-rings, forend pressure, contact points, etc), and it still is not what I call consistent. Yes, the triggers are rough, and they need to be worked. I also had a problem with cases sticking. In the meantime, I picked up a used Remington ADL in the same caliber. -This gun is amazingly accurate! So my Handi Rifle is now sitting in the gun safe. I hope you get a good shooter in the Hornet. If you reload, I can give you a few recommendations. For the Hornets, I've reloaded for, the small pistol primers seemed to make a world of difference.
I've had the same scenario played out a few times with the .17HMR on fox. So in the "rimfire only" areas that I hunt, I'll be using the old standby .22 Magnum. Maybe one of these days we can do a hunt? Keep us posted on your Handi Rifle.
Dave

bigben · November 14, 2007, 04:47:03 PM

thanks I will know more next tuesday when it comes in. I have read where out of ten rifles you will get one bad shooter. it seems that the problems I have read about is cases sticking(reloads) and on wood models the forearm swelling and making contact with the barrel. so I got the synthetic version and plan on shooting the whinchester 45 gr psp and I am going to try the checz stuff atleast to site it in. it seems these guns shoot better after 50 or so rounds are down the barrel with cleaning every 10 shots. I never bought the whole idea on breaking a rifle in. my tikka shot buetifull as soon as I got it sighted in.

Ya I would love to come down and hunt with ya or you come up here whatever. I am hunting with a fella now that is in a rimfire only zone. he is going to ship for college. he told me that there are tons of reds down there to call.

bigben · November 19, 2007, 04:59:04 PM

allright picked the gun up today and I am a bit peeved. I bought two boxes of ammo the cheap checz ammo that was 22.00 a box and the expensive whinchester 46 gr HP that I was reccomended to be the best shooting rounds out there. guess which one shot better? the dang cheaper ones. what the hell am I gonna do with a 45.00 box of ammo with 3 shells empty? the cheap ones were shooting .5 in at 75 and about 1 in at 100 the others where lucky to get 3" out of. the only thing I can think of is use the whinny HP's for polishing and breaking in the gun barrel some more. or save for g-hogs and shoot em at them smelly critters. so far I am happy with the gun. shot about 25 shells through it cleaning every 5 shots. the gun could use some trigger work and I think I am going to put on a stony point rapid bipod system for it then but the trigger is going to wait until after fur season. the trigger is just heavy and does not have any noticable creep. the blueing looks nice and the synthetic stock sits nice in the hand. I do have a pretty cheap scope on it. a tasco world class with ill ret. but it is clear and holds zero. so heading out on wednesday night for some night hunting action with a fella that is coming down to video. pretty pumped because the fella is a big name in the e call indistrury and he had the gumption to ask me if he could video? :shck: heckfire yes you can come down. I still cannot believe that he had even asked me. just hope that we can get something in front of the camara. plannin on calling all night at all my spots that the wind will allow. heading out tommarow and wed mornin to get more permission from farms I had permission on before just need to reaqaint myself with em.

straycat · November 20, 2007, 11:23:36 AM

Just remember, on those break down guns the closer to the hinge with sandbagging or with a bi pod,the better off you are. Resting towards the front of the forearm puts erratic pressure resulting in poor performance.

bigben · November 20, 2007, 01:28:01 PM

yeah I heard that but I do not believe it made a difference in this rifle. I tried both ways off a bipod and off bags under the reciever and no noticable difference.

trappinjohn · December 14, 2007, 06:43:19 PM

Hey Ben
How'd the videoing go? Have you shot anything with that hornet yet?

statelinerut · December 15, 2007, 08:26:52 AM

I have been using Handi's for the last 4 years. I have the 243, 223, and 25-06. They are great hardwoods guns and great for using out of a climber or a treestand. Off the bench? If you are not a reloader and are accustom to guns putting them in an 1" group at 100 yards consistantly you will be dissapointed half the time. All three of my Handi's will put three shots in an inch at 100 some of the time. If I take the forearm off and clean the next time out the poi is different. That is what irritates me the most. I will be getting a Stevens before long. Probably in 223. I here they are great rifles for the money and veryty accurate.

bigben · December 15, 2007, 09:07:44 AM

I have missed something with it. lately I have been heading out with new people to try to show em some stuff. so I normally do not take anything but my shotgun. I was supposed to head out on thursday with chasintail and I was hoping to kill something then. but the ice storm came and no dice. I have not really found that this gun changes with where I put the rest at. I "O" ringed floated the barrel which is nothing more then placing a o ring on the stud that mounts in the stock. this supposedly makes it put even pressure on everytime as long as you tighten it the same everytime. I have not noticed a difference of POI. the trigger pull on this gun is 4 lbs. got it messured by a local gun smith.