how good are they? I'm thinking about getting one in 223 Handi rifle with the 22" bull barrel or the Ultra Varmint in 223 with the 24" bull barrel. How do both of these rifles compare accuracy wise as I would be using it as a second gun when PD shooting. Also, how much do each usually cost.
Thanks

I've had one for several years but have been quite happy with it. With the ammo it prefers ( Winchester 40gr. Varmint) it will consistently do 1/2" at 100 yds. Heavier bullets tend to open the group a bit on mine.

The biggests drawback to these rifles is the trigger pull, around 12lb. or so. Had mine re-done at the factory and reduced to 3 1/2 lb. I was thinking of picking up another in 17HMR but am not sure if I want to mess with the trigger issue again.

These run around $200 in my area.

I've had 3 NEF .223s over the years, and none had any problem getting sub-MOA accuracy and would do so with almost any load I tried. But like Borealis Bob noted, the trigger is AWFUL. But if you get the trigger tuned, you'll have a good, utility-grade shooter easily capable of 250 yard priarie dog shooting.

I currently own one .223, and will be heading to the big city this weekend to pick up a couple more! Both mine and my buddies triggers are not that bad from the factory. Mine weighs on the scale at 5 pounds, but it's crisp enough, with very little travel to make it bearable. For their price, you simply cannot beat them. Good luck.

NEFs are great guns for the money!! I have three rifles in 22 K Hornet (I rechambered), .223 and a .243 and two 20ga Ultra slug guns that shoot Winchester Premium slugs inside 2" at 100 yds. Both my boys started off with 28 ga modified tube shotguns and then moved to 870s.....I have a 12 ga and a 410 bore somewhere....come to think of it, I've got NEFs everywhere...triggers do run heavy, but reasonably smooth. Great utility gun...PERIOD!!

Lethbridge...used to land there to clear customs when flying north....nice people and great country!!....don't remember the beef, but I'll bet it is good too!

SuperMagnum: The Greybeard Outdoors forum page has a section dedicated to the NEF rifles that gets a lot of attention and, consequently, there is a lot of good information there. Check it out:

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/index.php

quote:

Originally posted by Lowrider 49:


Lethbridge...used to land there to clear customs when flying north....nice people and great country!!....don't remember the beef, but I'll bet it is good too!

Thank you for the kind words. Your welcome back any time. And I'll say it again, I LOVE N.E.F.'s! And I'm proud of it!

I have one in .17HMR. It's almost the ugliest rifle I own, but also one of the most accurate.

My experience with three of them including sending one back and having it replaced leaves me with the impression they should all be built muzzle loader fashion with a cleanining rod under the barrel to knock out stuck cases.

I've never owned a NEF but have sold quite a few when I worked in a Wal-Mart sporting goods dept. I heard very few complaints about them, and most people were quite happy with the accuracy. Several people came back to buy a second one, and that's a pretty good endorsement. My only gripe was the weight of the varmint barreled models.
Gawd but they were heavy! Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

If you want to own one of the little guns called Handi. You need to be handy.
There are a whole lot of little things that a handyman can do to make them shoot and perform.

With few simple tools you can make a notch to extract stuck cases, mostly the result of rough chambers. A bit of polishing will do. Hot high pressure hand load will stick cases.

LMAO Fred! That is a necesary modification in my experience with factory loads by the way.

FVA.
What does LMAO stand for.

I have two Handi's both feature this notch. I load these guns with slow powder and have very few stuck cases by keeping down the pressure a bit.

I did extensive rework on the stocks,actions, trigger, latch, a stronger latch spring and the hinge and forearm. I turned a 223 into a 257 Roberts and milled the 24" bull barrel into an octagon.

It is a great little deer rifle and shoots well under an inch with three shots.

Reboring added $260 to a new rifle, not too bad for a custom single shot.

Fred,
LMAO stands for "laugh my ass off". I say that because so many say they have no problems with sticky cases while mentioning it will get you tips on how to polish the chamber and excuses like handloads, oil left in the chamber, and dirt in the chamber cause the problems.
I did not mean LMAO in a negative way and think it is a novel approach you took. I said it because your picture and the modifications you made just make it so clear there is a problem. I find the NEF's fun to shoot, compact, and accurate. But I just cannot put up with opening the action and having a case stick on a regular basis. I understand they are inexpensive due to their design and the way they push them through the assembly process. Non the less I think they should take more time in their cutting of the chamber and either cut it smoother or polish it.

FVA
H&R has now introduced a mechanical extractor on some new models. Don't know if all new guns have the new extractors? Personally I like the ejector and got mine working most of the time.

Here is a discription of how I do the notch.

To do a good job on the extractor notch you need a set of needle files and a Dremel high speed tool with a thin 1/8"stone wheel and a cutting disk.

Mark the notch and make a protection sleeve from a fired case that sticks out from the chamber.

Cut away halve of the case on the top end and stick into the chamber opposite the notch, Without that sleeve you will damage the chamber.

With the cutting disk you cut into the edge, square and straight, remove the center between the cuts with the thin
grinding wheel and finish off with a square needle file.

With this file you can shape the sides and the bottom. There is not much room to move the file, so just take your time.

Put a patch in the chamber and pack modeling clay or chewing gum around the extractor, otherwise you have filings all over the place.

With a bit of trial and error you will find the right shape. 0.100" is plenty deep for most cases.

I found the best tool to be a short small flat screw driver that fits into your ammo box. A little pry and the ejector will take over.

I also installed a stronger ejector spring.

That's a great idea, but honestly, I've only seen one stuck case, and it wasn't even my rifle. It was my buddies .243 with my secret recipe 55 grain BT handload. It's HOT, with pressures to match. And it only happened once. I now own two N.E.F's, and have ran my first one, a .223 around the block a few times. I used Winchesters bulk varmint rounds, and have a small mountain of brass to prove it. I've shot it on windy days, where the wind is howling and the dust blowing. I've used it in -20 degree temps, and made more than one trip to the range. After all that, I still have never had a stuck case. BUT...After seeing my friends gun have a stuck case, I do keep a three piece cleaning rod in my pack, just in case. I know it does happen, but it's never happened to me. Good hunting.

Here's what I do. I have a 22 Hornet and the cartriges are too small to fit in one of those ammo holders that stretch over the stock that hold the ammo individualy, so I got one designed to carry 22lr ammo instead. It has a little pouch instead of individual cartridge holders and a have a piece of brass rod that fits down the bore that I keep stashed inbetween the stock and the stretchy band. It is about 4" long and solid brass and when a case sticks (which is rare since I polished the chamber and keep it clean and dry) I just drop er' down the hole and "boink" out she comes. I dont much like the idea of grinding a chunk out, and it's more compact than a cleaning rod. Since the ammo holder lives on the rifle it's always there so I can't forget it either.

quote:

It's almost the ugliest rifle I own

Mine as well since it was quite abused before I bought it.

You can't go wrong with NEF especially for the money. My .22 Hornet is a MOA rifle which shocked me on my first trip to the range. I got mine for $100 with scope from a friend. Guy said he had no use for this piece of sh$t. HUH??? This thing shoots where you point, what else do you want?