NEF Handi rifle?

[JWFilips]

About a year or so ago I was given a like new New England Firearms Handi rifle Made about 2001
It had a youth butt stock on it so the only investment to me was to get an adult stock Butt Stock replacement ( MidwayUSA) The caliber is .223 Rem and it is a great shooting little rifle I have only shot cast bullets with it.
I really wish it could be made into a more exciting "Cast Bullet" caliber but I guess because the barrel has a fixed extractor I'm married to the 223 sized case head.
Anybody have any ideas what I can do to it?

 

[Brad]

Could it be bored out to 7 TCU? Easy to form cases, good bullet options, very fast friendly.

 

[Ian]

There used to be this wonderful barrel exchange program where you sent in your action and NEF/H&R fitted another in your caliber of choice for around $100-125 depending on caliber and sight choice. There were two kinds of receivers, the SB-1 (shotgun and small pistol caliber) and SB-2, which is what you have and is made from a stronger metal that can take up to .30-'06 an .45/70 barrels. Unfortunately, Cerberus Group/Remington bought up the company and promptly discontinued the barrel exchange program. About a year later they 86'd the whole company.

If you want to change calibers, barrels and forearms are still widely traded among the H&R crowd, but be cautious of what you can find second-hand because each barrel must be fitted to your individual receiver and if that's been done once or twice already to other receivers, then you may not have enough metal left to get a safe fit.

 

[RBHarter]

223 , 6mm Valkry , 25-45 Sharps , 6.5 ??? , 7mm above , 300 BO , 30 WTH , probably some obscure 8mm , 9mm Winchester Mag , 357 AR .
I think that's all of them as popular goes anyway .

 

[Ben]

Do the same identical thing that I did with my Ruger # 1, .222 Rem.
Send it to JES and convert it to 357 Max.

because the barrel has a fixed extractor I'm married to the 223 sized case head. Nope, JES can correct all of that.

https://www.artfulbullet.com/index.php?threads/ruger-1-357-max-range-report.2750/

Ben

 

[RicinYakima]

While I have never done it personally, I have heard that the barrel can be rebored to any case at least as big as .38 special and the extractor then hand filed to fit the larger 38/357 rim. While making "bunny guns" I have made extractors for H&R and Iver Johnson shotguns, not easy but doable with just hand tools.

 

[Ian]

The extractor can also be shimmed/supported on center so it doesn't twist and be cut in place with the chamber reamer.

 

[JWFilips]

While I have never done it personally, I have heard that the barrel can be rebored to any case at least as big as .38 special and the extractor then hand filed to fit the larger 38/357 rim. While making "bunny guns" I have made extractors for H&R and Iver Johnson shotguns, not easy but doable with just hand tools.

Ricin Yakima,
Now you got me really thinking That would be easy for me to do Just would have to get someone to bore and rechamber.
Going to send a letter out to JES not sure if this fits his work details but it wouldn't hurt to try

 

[Ian]

.223 is cheap and fun with cast, the NEFs have a 12" rate of twist IIRC, at least the later ones did. Good for bullets under 55 actual grains, a pinch of Titegroup, some BLL, shoot all day at .22lr velocities on a pound of lead, whiff of powder, and garage-sale mixed primers. That said, a .357 Max would be cool if you got the bux.

 

[JWFilips]

The thing about the .223 is I have a Remington sportsman 78 in that caliber and it is a tack driver ( Even with 3.5 grs American Select or 5 grains Unique! in 38 gr to 55 grain bullets) So That is all I have been doing with the Handi! Just trying to Match the Remington 78.

In my dreams I would like to turn it into a modern 38 S&W ( not Special) Rook Rifle!
I have KHornet to blame for this!

 

[RicinYakima]

JWF, I tried once to rechamber a Handi-Rifle with the extractor in place. Didn't work out as it just turned the edge on the reamer. Nor could I cut it with a file. Ended up grinding with a Dremel tool the little I needed to go from 45 Colt to 45/70. It was an expensive lesson on not checking everything first! Ric

 

[Ian]

Good point, Ric. I've done a couple but maybe got lucky. I tend to test things with a file before trying to drill, ream, or machine.

 

[Jeff H]

I'll donate an extractor already cut to fit the 357 Mag/Max rim if you rebore it. It's even curved to fit the rim rather than the the more cost-effective, squared off version.

It's a long story, but "Brian," the H&R gunsmith at Remington gave me a 223 ejector to do an extractor to ejector conversion on a 300 BLK, which I later converted to 357 Mag. Brian helped me out a few times and since he gave it to me, I'm overdue on a pay-it-forward.

I'm using Contenders now and don't need the parts.

Ric is right too - I dressed two Dremmel cut-off wheels, sandwiched together to grind the 357 rim radius in this one on my drill pres at max speed.

One of the DeWalt "Bullet Point" twist drills is the key to drilling the hole for the plunger nub that holds the ejector up. The built-in pilot makes the hole for the plunger nub that contacts the ejector and the full-diameter part of the drill makes the right sized (I think it was 1/4") hole for the coil spring under it - at the same time. If you get it all right - the extractor drops from under the rim when the barrel is FULLY opened. Don't even remember how I figure that part out but it was a feature I don't think most people notice.

 

[Outpost75]

Some H&R black powder rook rifle porn.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

There are many options. The guys have mentioned most of them.

For best results, Think Rimmed cases. They are just better suited for the break action. Most anything that was in a Contender you can chamber in a H&R/NEF.
Also as mentioned. As you have a 223, you should have a SB2 receiver and as such safe for calibers specified.check your Barrel lug. It should be etched with the SN of your receiver. I say this cause it’s possible someone changed barrels and left you with a SB1 (shotgun) receiver and that would NOT BE SAFE for the more intense calibers. Also the FP might be large and not suited for CF cases.

If it’s a std Barrel you have more options than if you have a ultra light. If you have a ultra light. I WOULD SELL IT as they are bringing near 500$. Then buy a std and go to town!

You cannot do a rum fire as the FP is in wrong position. You also cannot do the big magnum cartridges.

You likely know what makes a good cast bullet case. I always said H&R missed the boat not chambering the 7/30. Also a 327 mag would be a fun one.

I have had over 30 H&Rs at one time. I really liked fiddling with them. I still have a few but don’t shoot as many. But there is two I’ll be buried with... My orig 357 Max and a 17 M2. Both are all time favorites.

Good luck!

CW

OOH BTW, GBO Outdoors is the Internet authority on hand is. Wealth of knowledge written in posts there.

 

[popper]

Saw a guy shooting a 22 at the range, first glace was rem 22 pump but actually a S.A. B22 from the 50s! Wonderful looking wood (best I've ever seen on a rifle!) but he said the barrel was shot out. Every once in a while something neat is there. M1 tankers, etc. Carried the carbine once in a while on watch, always thought it was kinda neat.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

JW,

Any progress?

cW

 

[JWFilips]

Sorry.... Dead in the water at this time! Just too much happening in my life at this time!

But with the .223 barrel The shortest cartridge I can go is 357 Mag!
38 Special is too short to cut in that chamber and .38 S&W ( what I really want ) is way to short!
So I guess when the time comes it will be 357 mag and I will just download it to 38 S&W but I will not have the bullet diameter of the old 38 S&W ( .362")

 

[Walks]

I also have an H&R SB2 in .223- 26" bbl, I sent it back twice for more bbl's, got a 20ga youth 20" mod bbl, and a .45-70 22" bbl and finally a .30-30 22"bbl.

Wish I'd bought another in .35Whelen with .25-06 and .280Rem bbl's. Ya'll know what they say about wishes ?

 

[creosote]

Wish in one hand ?