How strong is a Handi rifle?

[Rusty]

A lot of people don't like Handi rifles and don't give them much credit. a friend of mine is a range officer near here and was telling me about a guy who's kid slipped a 7.62X39 round in his .243 Handi when he wasn't looking. Dad pulled the trigger thinking the kid had loaded it for him. After a few minutes of cleaning out the chamber the Handi was up and running again.

[Bruce]

Rusty,

I can't say how strong the action is, but that basic design has been used successfully for a long time. When they first came out, I would not even look at one. However, I kept hearing good reports from some knowledgable hunters and I do believe it may be the number one seller up here now. The tree stand hunters like their length (handy) and the accuracy must be good are these fellas would not use them.

[El Chivo]

My understanding is they're stronger than leverguns. I did notice that some .243 loads have pressures around 55,000 cup whereas leverguns top out under 40,000.

I have one in .243 and it is pretty thick around the chamber. I feel safe.

[txpete]

the have 2 frames that they use on the newer ones.SB1 and SB2.
info here
http://www.go2gbo.com/forums//index.php ... 979.0.html

they chamber these in 454/500 S&W ect the SB2 frame is stout.

pete

SB2 frame on the 45 colt.ruger loads no problem

[foxtrapper]

I have a bull barreled .223 handi-rifle. It is ,when I do my part,it's a one holer at 100yrd rifle I took the gun apart to smooth over the trigger, I honed all the parts that showed contact .I could not get the trigger group back in the gun! I became one of those guys with a rifle in one hand a baggie of parts in the other I sent the gun back to the manufacturer with a little note of what I have done. When I got the rifle back the trigger was alot better! I don't know if they put my or new parts in the rifle. Woodchucks beware!

[Chas.]

There's a member over on go2gbo that shooting a 405gr in his reamed .45-120 Handi at better than 2500 fps. He's also shooting 720gr Ranger Rick at over 1800 fps. Don't know the pressure, but I'll bet it'll whallop.

[Lefty Dude]

I have always liked Single Shots. I have several handi's. They are; 22 Hornet, 223, 44 Mag., .308, 38-55 Classic Target, & 12 ga. SG.

All are my favorites.

[CEMENTHEAD]

He's also shooting 720gr Ranger Rick at over 1800 fps. Don't know the pressure, but I'll bet it'll whallop.

Ya think?!?

WOOF !!!

Thanks, Tom

[damienph]

He's also shooting 720gr Ranger Rick at over 1800 fps. Don't know the pressure, but I'll bet it'll whallop.

Ya think?!?

WOOF !!!

Thanks, Tom

I think I'll leave my Buffalo Classic in 45-70, shooting full house 405s is about all the fun that I can stand.

[Nath]

I wish they sold them over here. We get the Biakle offerings but they don't look as nice IMO.

We had a run on the Rossi versions years ago but they seem to have dissapeard!

How strong? Didn't they offer it in 3 1/2 12g mag? !.

Nath.

[damienph]

Nath:
They are (or at least were) made in 10 gauge 3 1/2" also.

[Nath]

There you go then

N.

[Lefty Dude]

I wish they sold them over here. We get the Biakle offerings but they don't look as nice IMO.

We had a run on the Rossi versions years ago but they seem to have dissapeard!

How strong? Didn't they offer it in 3 1/2 12g mag? !.

Nath.

I have a 3 1/2" chamber 12 ga. Handi barrel. I have only shot it once with a 3 1/2" mag shell. I Do not care to repeat that experience again out of a 5 1/4 pound gun, it has a recoil pad. I have shot many big bore rifles and nothing kicks like this 12 ga. with the "big" shells.
H&R called the piece the "Turkey Barrel", it came with choke tubes.

[Nath]

I wish they sold them over here. We get the Biakle offerings but they don't look as nice IMO.

We had a run on the Rossi versions years ago but they seem to have dissapeard!

How strong? Didn't they offer it in 3 1/2 12g mag? !.

Nath.

I have a 3 1/2" chamber 12 ga. Handi barrel. I have only shot it once with a 3 1/2" mag shell. I Do not care to repeat that experience again out of a 5 1/4 pound gun, it has a recoil pad. I have shot many big bore rifles and nothing kicks like this 12 ga. with the "big" shells.
H&R called the piece the "Turkey Barrel", it came with choke tubes.

I can imagine the recoil,,,,, you may not notice it so much with a big tom in front of you though

Nath.

[TomD]

They have the 223s in the non-bull/standard barrels at some ridiculous prices. I was wondering how much difference in accuracy there would be. The .223 is a pretty small hole. Around here, one doesn't see a lot of groundhogs, so the rate of fire wouldn't be that heavy.

[Rusty]

I have a few, um er, well I have more than a few, but suffice to say I'm a Handiholic. But I'm in therapy. I love 'em. My wife even bought me one in .44 mag last year for our anniversary.

There are several of those guys on graybeards forums who have reamed their Buffalo Classics to .45-120. One of them has even posted video of the experience on youtube for those that want to look for it. The thought of it makes my shoulder hurt.

[TedH]

Nath:
They are (or at least were) made in 10 gauge 3 1/2" also.

I've got a 3.5" 10 ga. and inquired about having a rifle barrel fitted, but NEF said it was a no go. 10 ga. frames are somehow different.

[awp101]

I have a 3 1/2" chamber 12 ga. Handi barrel. I have only shot it once with a 3 1/2" mag shell. I Do not care to repeat that experience again out of a 5 1/4 pound gun, it has a recoil pad.

When I was shooting skeet pretty regularly, The Boy wanted to shoot as well. He might have been 10 and probably didn't weigh 100lbs in a soaking wet wool sweater with rocks in the pockets. We bought him a 20ga Handi and a 100rd "value pack" of shells. He was all fired up, even had a PAST pad. After about the third station he started complaining it hurt to fire it. "Bah, I bet you're not holding it right!" By the fifth or sixth station he'd had enough and didn't want to shoot it anymore. "Quit yer whinin and finish the round!" (in all fairness he did inherit the drama gene from his Mama ). Well, I finally took it and fired it. SonofaOUCH! I went back and looked at the box. I'd bought him Field Loads to shoot skeet with! I did feel bad about it and apologized...

There are several of those guys on graybeards forums who have reamed their Buffalo Classics to .45-120. One of them has even posted video of the experience on youtube for those that want to look for it. The thought of it makes my shoulder hurt.

The recoil out of the .45-120 Pedersoli/Sharps (what, 12-15lbs of rifle?) I had was stout enough with full house BP loads. Out of a Handi? You couldn't detect my interest with the Hubble telescope....

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

The Handy Rifle action is very strong. It's what’s known as a standing breech. It will handle any of the high pressure cartridges. Think of it as a cheap version of the TC Encore.

But, the heavy recoilers can be hard on wood.

[Rube Burrows]

Im getting my son the .243/20 gage combo. His first rifle was a .22 chipmunk and then I got him a Rossi .410/.22 that he has been using for squirrel and rabbit and other critters. I was going to get the Rossi .243/20 gage combe but heard that the thinner barreled Rossi guns were having accuracy problems after the first shot. The H&R has a heavier barrel so I settled on that one. Hope it turns out to be a good gun.

[Stan in SC]

My first Handi was a 30-30,followed by a .243,followed by a .270,followed by a 45/70 Buffalo Classic,followed by a standard Handi in 45/70,followed by another standard in 45/70,followed by a "Trapper" .44 magnum and the most recent addition is a "Trapper" 45/70 with 18-3/4" barrel.
These are great rifles.I turkey hunt with a camo 12 gauge which will chamber up to a 3-1/2" shell(no I am not man enough to fire a 3-1/2" shell and I freely admit it).
Some of these calibers are just inherently accurate while some are dismal in accuracy and this varies from caliber to caliber as well as from rifle to rifle.It seems that the 30-30 and 45/70 are ALL accurate.The .243 are iffy as well as the .44 magnum.You have to judge EACH individual rifle on it's own merits.Of all the ones listed above the 45/70 standard and 45/70 Trapper and the 12 gauge are the only ones I still own.The .270 was accurate but a friend wanted it.The 30-30 was very accurate but again a friend wanted it.
The action is strong enough to safely load to lever gun levels and probably beyond but certainly at least to lever gun levels.The rifles are light and sturdy and certainly affordable.I like and recommend them.

Stan in SC

[El Chivo]

I tell ya what I like about them is they're so easy to load and unload. That's very handi when climbing over a boulder or crossing a fence. Ok, new thread, "How Handy is a Handi Rifle?"

[Birdman]

Bull strong and simple. I'm a big fan.