Anybody use this rifle? I got my first one last Christmas (2005) and nailed my first deer two weeks ago (Dec 2006). It was a six pointer. Then two days ago I got a spike buck with it. It is a .357 caliber just like my Black Hawk. I used a 158 grain cast lead semi wadcutter made from wheel weights with a gas check in front of 11.8 grains of HS-7. Both deer were at 70 yards and none went farther than ten foot after being hit.

Anybody have any experiences with one of these guns? Any favorite loads? Don't know what the bullet speed was but it was enough.

Yup, there's a few of us around, lots of .357mag/max owners!!! Here's over 250 pages of Handi threads....

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/board,126.0.html

quote:

It is a .357 caliber just like my Black Hawk. I used a 158 grain cast lead semi wadcutter made from wheel weights with a gas check in front of 11.8 grains of HS-7. Both deer were at 70 yards and none went farther than ten foot after being hit. Don't know what the bullet speed was but it was enough.

Nice work. Where did you strike your bucks? What were the wound paths like? Thanks for the report.

The deer were about 70 yards away and the cast lead bullet when through the rib cage just behind the front leg on the left side for the first deer. It was about two inches lower than I wanted it to be. It created a hole on the exit side about the same size as the entrance wound. Don't know what all it hit on the inside but it bled out quickly from the inside. The second deer I hit in the neck just below the head and it shattered the vertabre. The bullet did not exit. My first deer with a .357 magnum. The Handi-Rifle did well !

Yes sir, I've owned a couple of them. Here's my 25-06...


And my .223...

quote:

Originally posted by wrongtarget:
Yup, there's a few of us around, lots of .357mag/max owners!!! Here's over 250 pages of Handi threads....

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/board,126.0.html

Autocratic authority by gun culture Babbits makes a harmony without conflict or controversy.

I have an SB2, with a K-Hornet barrel and one in .30-30. I had some trigger work done, but that is all. Haven't played with the .30-30 much (actually intended to make it purely a cast bullet rifle) but have had very good results with the K-H. It has a 1 in 12" twist, which makes it much easier to shoot heavier projectiles in the K.

The most accurate load I have shot so far is the standard 55-grain Winchester soft point ahead of 10.0 grains of AA2200. Sure wish I could get my hands on some more of that powder. If I do my part, it shoots to one hole out of the inexpensive NEF...

Not much wrong with a NEF for a rugged and reliable rifle or gun.
Inexpensive too.

I have a 17HMR Sportster and have the nickel plated 410ga Tamer on order.

The NEF is so ugly it has to perform. And mine in .223 does it well.

Pharaoh2,

I like the scope set-up! What kind of scope is it?

Now whats so ugly about my two Handi's a 257 Roberts and a 6x47.

ZERMEL,
how did you get them in those calibers?
Did you bore out a barrel and put a liner in it?

Both rifles started out as 24" 223 Bull barrels. They were then milled octagon from the hinge foreward. Afterwards they were rebored and rechambered by Ron Smith of Wimborn Alberta. 257 Roberts 1-10" twist,
6x47 12" twist. Both shoot less than 1/2" groups with three shots at 100yrds.

The 6x47 has now a 6.5-20x50 Burris with a Ballistic mildot. This is a deadly varmint rig using 55gr BT and 58gr V-max bullets.

a) Rebored for dropping in barrel sleeves?
b) Or rebored and put on a rifling machine and new riflings made?

I thought no one rebored and re rifled barrels anymore.
Lots of people still drop in one barrel inside another.

Can you see a round metal to metal junction on the breech face or muzzle?


Wait, Wait, this just in...
There is a barrel maker Ron Smith
http://benchrest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37921&highlight=%22ron+smith%22

I have $100 into my handi rifle, I bet you have more than that. Those must be some expensive rifles.

Ron Smith does not do any sleeves. He rebores and re-rifles a new bore using cut rifling.

Ron also produces world champinon cut rifled bores for the Schutzen Game single shot rifles and the big bore Buffalo target rifles.

There are quite a few barrel makers in the US that will rebore and then cut rifle. Wayne York in Origon and Cliff LaBounty in Washington and another one in AZ which name I do not know to name a few.

Also there are many custom barrel makers that produce cut rifling bores on new barrels.

Sleeves are only for low pressure cartridges from what I understand. Myself I would not waste my money on a sleeved barrel. Also sleeving has its good uses.

I may add that all the work on the two rifles was done by myself, except the rebore and rifling and chambering by Ron Smith for $265Can each.

One other thing about cut rifling it produces no stress and a good job like I got has a .0005 choke at the muzzle.

I milled the Barrel octagon prior to reboring and removed any additional stress in the barrel that may be introduced by the octagon milling.

ZERMEL,

Very nice rifles, I'm considering adding one to my battery. I particularly like the stocks. What can you tell me about them (the stocks). Thanks.

ZERMEL,

Those are not only the most impressive Handi rifles I have seen, but the most impressive internal improvement.

Did you do a trigger job too?

You be able to get most of your answers by reading my web pages. What can I tell you about the stocks they were made from the origional Ultra Handi stocks. There is quite bit more on my pages how to do this and that to improve the performance of the Handi rifles. They can be a pest at times.

http://www.angelfire.com/ma/ZERMEL/257wp3.html

http://www.angelfire.com/ma/ZERMEL/6x47html

Here is one more link.

http://www.angelfire.com/ma/ZERMEL/indexcont.html

Devcon compressive strength, steel density, I think you are an engineer.

tnekkcc
You made a pretty good guess. I quit being an engineer when I retired 18 years ago. Now I only play and have fun with my toys.

Some very nice toys, too!!

quote:

Originally posted by ZERMEL:
I quit being an engineer when I retired 18 years ago.

You can quit the job, but once an engineer, always an engineer.

quote:

Originally posted by tnekkcc:

quote:

Originally posted by ZERMEL:
I quit being an engineer when I retired 18 years ago.

You can quit the job, but once an engineer, always an engineer.

You can't retire from your genetics.