H&R Ultra vs. N.E.F. Handi-Rifle

TheTooner

TheTooner

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If you have experience of H&R's Ultra single shot, especially if you also have experience of N.E.F. Handi-Rifles, I'd like to hear your opinion on whether the Ultras tend to shoot markedly better than Handi-Rifles or justify the extra cost in some other way.

I've got a Handi-Rifle in .223 and I like it a lot. I know some people report certain faults with these but mine's a good one and I like the simplicity of the single shot. So I am thinking about getting one in .308 for deer hunting.

Personally, I don't like the wood stocks on Handi-Rifles and that's what they put on the .308 (my .223 is a synthetic and I really like it) but I'm not keen on the laminate stock on the Ultra, so it would come down to differences in performance and price.
 
as far as i know aside from the name they are the same gun. some are marketed under the H&R and others under the NEF name. i believe both are owned by Marlin Arms now.

what adds to the confusion is that SIR mailorder is selling different stocked versions like laminate H&Rs and synthetic NEFs all mixed up.

get the stock type and finish (blued/stainless) and dont worry about the H&R/NEF name.

another similar style/price range of rifle are the Rossi guns, SIR doesnt sell them but perhaps you should look into them elsewhere. .
 
Ultra

TheTooner said:
If you have experience of H&R's Ultra single shot, especially if you also have experience of N.E.F. Handi-Rifles, I'd like to hear your opinion on whether the Ultras tend to shoot markedly better than Handi-Rifles or justify the extra cost in some other way.

I've got a Handi-Rifle in .223 and I like it a lot. I know some people report certain faults with these but mine's a good one and I like the simplicity of the single shot. So I am thinking about getting one in .308 for deer hunting.

Personally, I don't like the wood stocks on Handi-Rifles and that's what they put on the .308 (my .223 is a synthetic and I really like it) but I'm not keen on the laminate stock on the Ultra, so it would come down to differences in performance and price.
Click to expand...

I spent a summer bore paste breaking in a .223 ultra - it shot 22 calibre 100 yd 3 shot groups , but only for 3 shots. After 3 the group would open up and would only come back down to one hole after another bore paste polish. It actually beat some bench rest guns.Heavy trigger tho. Had a trigger job done.Needed special punches to take it apart.
 
Thanks. I know Marlin has owned both brands for a while now and the price differential seems to be dropping. Neither comes exactly as I would like, i.e. synthetic stock with blued or black metal, but maybe a N.E.F. Survivor in .308 will answer. It really is too bad the barrel accessory program is only available in the U.S. If I had a friend in the U.S. I'd jump through the hoops of red tape to ship him my Handi-Rifle to have it sent in for a .308 front end to be fitted.
 
As best as I can tell, the difference in price comes from the stock. I don't know if the wood is cheaper to produce then a laminated stck, but the checkering adds to the price. I've never held an H&R, other than the 45-70 buffalo rifle, but the pictures I've seen of the laminated stocks look like they have sharp checkering that looks cut, and not pressed.
 
Hi,

I have a H&R Ultra in .270win, nice laminated stock , the NEF are basically the same receiver and similar barrel on a different "not as nice" stock. I say similar because I am not sure if the NEF have a "Sporter Barrel" like the Ultras.

With some tuning, they do great simple inexpensive and accurate enough rifle. As for the trigger, I received my Ultra from factory with just over 3lbs, which is not bad at all. One thing with these rifle is when you press the trigger, go all the way, if you just press enough to fire and don't press all the way, accuracy and consistency will suffer because the way the trigger mechanism is made.. Mine does not like hot reloads (sticking cases), but no problems with mild and/or commercial ammo.

Good luck
 
Here's another variation;)
NEF SB2 Handi Rifle with the laminated stock and a heavy 22" barrel. This one has the NWTF logo lazered into the butt stock. It could be a unique run of this type made for NWTF, not sure. In .243 it is fussy load wise but shoots 65Vmax with 43 gr Varget under an inch. Everything else I've tried won't come close to that load in it. It sends them just under 3500 as I recall and that's plenty of varmint gun in a small package. I won this rifle at a banquet. I did not buy it as I have a Rem 700 in .243 already.
I did the trigger as it was the worst trigger I have ever seen on a rifle. It now drops at 3.5 lbs. Perett decent little rifle and very handi;)
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Tom, Aaron just got the same gun (less the logo) off of a guy here on CGN, and if that is the crappy factory trigger guys talk about, I dont know how most manufacturers stay in business. :) I know some of the older ones had real bad triggers (like yours did), but I think the newer ones are fixed.
I'd say his is around, or just under 3 lbs. Gonna be hell on coyotes and wolves this year. (hopefully this saturday for the wolves ;))
Im going to track one down in 204 ruger or 223, and sell my 22-250. For under 350.00 new, Im impressed. Nice short, neat little gun.
 
last month a farmer friend of mine needed something cheaper to shoot and more accurate than his old .303 Enfield to kill varmints and small predators at his farm and i recommended the .17 HMR NEF based on the feedback here, forget the exact model number but its around ~$170 at SIR.
he got one recently and was very happy with it, scoped with a Bushnell it ended up costing him less than $300 with tax. he says the trigger is 'just fine' -- but hes used to things like the old Enfield and not modern benchrest guns so that 'just fine' could mean anything :)

have you checked out the Rossi guns?
they are a similar style and price range of single shot. i am not sure how their triggers compare, just throwing it out there for something to consider.
H_R308MB.JPG
 
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