I know Thompson Center make great rifles and have interchangeable barrels but for the price of a new barrel you can buy a NEF or H&R, but how do the new NEF's and H&R's compare in quality and value. Any and all experience with these two rifles would be nice.
NEF, H&R, or T/C Arms
- Thread starter crout
- Start date
TC's are buy far superior in quality. That said NEF's can be good reliable shooters as well. They have been known to have their gliches but for the most part they are good reliable and accurate guns. The TC's have the option of switching barrels where the NEF's have to be sent back to the factory.
Depends on what you want it for and what your budget is. Like you said for the cost of a barrel you can buy the whole gun. Personally for a single shot rifle that would be used as a hunting gun with the occasional range session I'd buy two NEF's in different calibers rather than one TC. If I was spending Tc kind of money I'd get a quality bolt action.
Depends on what you want it for and what your budget is. Like you said for the cost of a barrel you can buy the whole gun. Personally for a single shot rifle that would be used as a hunting gun with the occasional range session I'd buy two NEF's in different calibers rather than one TC. If I was spending Tc kind of money I'd get a quality bolt action.
TC, We had a buddies H&R single shot shotgun break. The weld that holds the bolt for the forearm broke so it fell into pieces. Where the TC is a dovetail slot for easy change. I put 560rds through my TC Contender 22LR in one day and it held fine. TC are built solid.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
for $800 theyd better be
for $100 more you can get a Ruger #1 with the LeBarons club card discount.
for $800 theyd better be
for $100 more you can get a Ruger #1 with the LeBarons club card discount.
I only got a pistol model, But was thinking getting a rifle one...
I paid 550 used for my TC contender with a 357 max 14" barrel and a 22LR 10" bull barrel.
I haven't tried anything by Thompson Center so I can't judge how much extra quality they deliver for a much higher price than a NEF. I've shot with a couple of Handi-Rifles, one of which I own. They worked as they should, and at the price that makes them very good value. The TC should be a better rifle, but I doubt is better value for money.
T/C is far better quality...owned one once upon a time...but my favourite were my #1's.
That said...
This winter I'm just finishing putting 2, 45-70 Handi-rifles into shape: polished and honed the mechanisms, throated the chambers, milled and soldered sights, pillar-posted the forends, and drilled (lightened) and refinished the stocks. Why? NEF's can be bought for a song because they aren't highly finished guns. That allows me to tinker all winter. I also now have a very accurate set of twins that I can melt lead for and shoot at low velocity and still have a mid-range , ultra-light hunter that will kill moose. They're great back-up guns, something I can have not tied down in my boat going up river and won't cry over if it goes overboard. And with the price of bullets these days, and with 1200# of lead here at home, I have enough to last out my days without breaking the bank. It's a throw-away gun that does a good job, and doing this beats the heck out of what's on t.v.!
That said...
This winter I'm just finishing putting 2, 45-70 Handi-rifles into shape: polished and honed the mechanisms, throated the chambers, milled and soldered sights, pillar-posted the forends, and drilled (lightened) and refinished the stocks. Why? NEF's can be bought for a song because they aren't highly finished guns. That allows me to tinker all winter. I also now have a very accurate set of twins that I can melt lead for and shoot at low velocity and still have a mid-range , ultra-light hunter that will kill moose. They're great back-up guns, something I can have not tied down in my boat going up river and won't cry over if it goes overboard. And with the price of bullets these days, and with 1200# of lead here at home, I have enough to last out my days without breaking the bank. It's a throw-away gun that does a good job, and doing this beats the heck out of what's on t.v.!
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
Don't get me started on NEF firearms. Bought a new one in .243, took it home and it had no rifleing. Any company that has the ability to let a rifle roll out of the factory without rifleing won't get another dime from me.
I have a handi rifle in 243, so far it seems to be a good rifle for the money it prints under an inch at 100 with factory ammo i cant complain, fit and finish leave something to be desired but for a general purpose coyote/ deer rifle it seems pretty good.
Handi rifles are extremely easy to restock. Buy a nicely figured 2x* or 2X10 piece of wanut and have at it. I used to have a 45-70 and a 30-30 for which I made stocks. This meant I could custom design a stock for my build,facial structure etc.
The hardest part is to drill a hole for the through bolt. Then one can use carbon,lipstick or whatever to bed the ball and socket like stock and reciever. I 'll see if I can borrow a friends scanner to post pix of one I did .
I once saw one turned in a schuetzen style rifle complete with hooked butt plate , palm rest etc . A work of art.
The hardest part is to drill a hole for the through bolt. Then one can use carbon,lipstick or whatever to bed the ball and socket like stock and reciever. I 'll see if I can borrow a friends scanner to post pix of one I did .
I once saw one turned in a schuetzen style rifle complete with hooked butt plate , palm rest etc . A work of art.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
interesting.
my biggest gripe with the H&R and NEF single shots is the ugly, wimpy looking stock with wierd geometry.
a great idea for a winter project.
pics, pics
**edit
BTW i recommended one of the NEF single shot .17 HMRs to a farmer friend who was currently using an old unscoped Enfield for pests around his farm and constantly complaining about ammo cost
i couldnt recommend or lend him something nice because he treats guns as crude tools -- so theyd be rolling around under the seat of his truck (or even worse, in the bed).
a .17 HMR NEF was ideal for him and hes had nothing but praise for it. even though he abuses the hell out of it and probably has never cleaned it, it is still functioning flawlessy, nothing has broken, and its still accurate.
my biggest gripe with the H&R and NEF single shots is the ugly, wimpy looking stock with wierd geometry.
a great idea for a winter project.
pics, pics
**edit
BTW i recommended one of the NEF single shot .17 HMRs to a farmer friend who was currently using an old unscoped Enfield for pests around his farm and constantly complaining about ammo cost
i couldnt recommend or lend him something nice because he treats guns as crude tools -- so theyd be rolling around under the seat of his truck (or even worse, in the bed).
a .17 HMR NEF was ideal for him and hes had nothing but praise for it. even though he abuses the hell out of it and probably has never cleaned it, it is still functioning flawlessy, nothing has broken, and its still accurate.
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Republic of Alberta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- ,location, location
I have 2 NEF, a 30-30 and a 30-06. Both have the older ejectors.
The 30-06 won't eject brass that is not sized perfectly or has one grain of sand/dirt on it. I use lower pressure loads for it because of the ejection issues. The 30-30 is better but not perfect. Do not ever consider going hunting with one without a cleaning rod to push out a struck round.
The stocks have a incredibly long length of pull making them seem unwieldy. I cut my 30-30 down to make it "normal". Scoping can also be an issue because the hammer sticks up right were the objective is. A higher scope mount, right sized scope, and trim to the hammer may be needed to get it set up right.
The 30-06 won't eject brass that is not sized perfectly or has one grain of sand/dirt on it. I use lower pressure loads for it because of the ejection issues. The 30-30 is better but not perfect. Do not ever consider going hunting with one without a cleaning rod to push out a struck round.
The stocks have a incredibly long length of pull making them seem unwieldy. I cut my 30-30 down to make it "normal". Scoping can also be an issue because the hammer sticks up right were the objective is. A higher scope mount, right sized scope, and trim to the hammer may be needed to get it set up right.
I had a buddy who had a Handi in 308. It was definitely "handi"... The thing wouldn't eject right 90% of the time. We had to resort to lubing the cartridge brass to make it sorta work. Even then it didn't eject half the time.
In my opinion, stay away. That thing was a constant headache.
No experience with the T/C, so can't offer an opinion on that.
In my opinion, stay away. That thing was a constant headache.
No experience with the T/C, so can't offer an opinion on that.
I have owned the 22-250, H & R Ultra Varmint Fluted single for about 3 years (skeletonized stock) and have never ever had a problem with it. I am sure I have over 1000 rounds though it by now. I shoot 3/4" groups at 200yrds easily. Perfect for killing the ground rats!....
- Location
- new brunswick
T/c Vs Nef
i have 2 tc encores and 223 and a 243 nef i no problem with either of them but the tc quality is far better and twice the shooter,but if its just a once a year hunt gun they will both hit the mark and kill.
i have 2 tc encores and 223 and a 243 nef i no problem with either of them but the tc quality is far better and twice the shooter,but if its just a once a year hunt gun they will both hit the mark and kill.
Well, certainly some one should have looked at it at the factory and caught that. But anyone who buys a new rifle without even being curious enough to look at the bore first is liable to get it all the way home before they discover the bore hasn't actually been rifled. You and that rifle were made for each other.
xring_assassin
Regular
- Location
- Rocky Mountain House, Alberta
Glad I'm not the only one who bought a .243 H&R (NEF same diff) that made it home BEFORE I realized no rifling in the bore. The REAL kicker in the equation was that I had to send the whole thing away as the gun was ordered in for me...I didn't even get to shoot that replacement until 4 more months had passed. Then the one that came shot dimes out, but every once in awhile....the gun would BANG and the empty would ZIP past my ear. I'd stay really really clear of anything by H&R or NEF. I had bought the ultra varminter one with the heavy barrel. It was a SWEET LOOKING GUN, but it didn't balance worth a rip offhand, and it'd constantly try to invert itself on my shoulder when sling carrying because it was SO off balanced. I finally ended my test with taking it back with my complaints list, got my money back and put it towards a TC pro-hunter. Which takes me to my next point
I currently own a 7mm rem mag TC pro hunter with the thumbhole stock. That baby is a real shooter. The recoil is....stout....very stout.... because the gun is REALLY light. I also chose to get the trigger worked on, I didn't care for the heavy pull from the factory. Fortunately it's easy to cure, and really not overly pricey! My local gun guru installed a kit from bellm tc's and stoned the sear etc. to land a 2.5 pound trigger pull for me at under $100 all said and done.
I love my TC pro hunter for fit, carry, balance and accuracy - I wish I had bought a remington sendero though - I'm a recoil SISSY and I love heavy guns for this reason.
I currently own a 7mm rem mag TC pro hunter with the thumbhole stock. That baby is a real shooter. The recoil is....stout....very stout.... because the gun is REALLY light. I also chose to get the trigger worked on, I didn't care for the heavy pull from the factory. Fortunately it's easy to cure, and really not overly pricey! My local gun guru installed a kit from bellm tc's and stoned the sear etc. to land a 2.5 pound trigger pull for me at under $100 all said and done.
I love my TC pro hunter for fit, carry, balance and accuracy - I wish I had bought a remington sendero though - I'm a recoil SISSY and I love heavy guns for this reason.
I recently bought a Baikal single shot rifle in 222 (my first new factory rifle in about 15 years). These are mcuh better made than the H7R or NEF rifles. I know, I've worked on a bunch of them over the last 30 years and I've owned a few. These are also available with interchangeable barrel (though it remains to be seen how easily they can be obtained).
I have had issues with everything T/C has produced except their original Hawken replicas. They always include some feature which is borderline stupid.
The Baikal is not exactly pretty but it is accurate and rugged like tractor or peasant woman. Regards, Bill.
I have had issues with everything T/C has produced except their original Hawken replicas. They always include some feature which is borderline stupid.
The Baikal is not exactly pretty but it is accurate and rugged like tractor or peasant woman. Regards, Bill.
