Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots H&R Topper Model 58

I was given a few guns by my Father-in-Law a couple years back when he and his wife moved into an apartment due to failing health. In those guns was an H&R Topper Model 58 with a 20ga and a 30-30 barrel. The little rifle intrigues me, and I wouldn't mind killing a deer with it this fall, while he can still appreciate it.

What are the differences between these rifles and the later Handi iterations? What are these twisted at? I have a plethora of 150gr RN Silvertips that I need a purpose for....

Head over to Greybeards Outdoors they got a whole section devoted to the H&R's and Handi's, some real gurus over there too.

The differences are pretty small. I have a barrel from the gun you mention on a NEF frame right now, fits perfectly and shoots great. The H&R guns had lighter contour barrels, close to the NEF ultra light barrels but over all I felt NEF were a bit better made. Tighter tolerances and stronger materials.

You'll be fine with those 150's. I've never heard of an H&R/NEF that wasn't are great shooter. Actually never seen any of the rimmed cartridges shoot bad in these. Twist is 1:10.

I have a 243 nef, 410 nef and a later model H&R 12 ga. I have had no experience with the topper but if it has the screw to hold the forearm on put a fat O-ring around the stud and re-install the forearm. The shoot a lot better. Info came from Gray beards outdoors sight.

There's more than a few at GBO RELOADED that
would gladly take that firearm off your hands if
you decided you didn't want it.
JMHO- that combo gun would be one of the
last things I'd let go out the door.
Not too awful much you couldn't kill with it with
regular run-of-the-mill ammo.
Keep it and enjoy it

I have no intention of getting rid of it. The little rifle has caught my intention for some reason, and I am pretty excited to take it to the woods this fall. I ordered a Weaver 60A base for it last night, and I think I have an old Leupold Vari-X 1 gloss 3-9 lying around somewhere that needs a home. I have a ton of 150 RN Silvertips, and a bigger ton of 150 Remington PSPs. I am a bit shorter on brass than I would like, but how much do I really need for a single shot 30-30?

It's been my experience that if you have 50 pcs of brass, that is likely adequate for casual shooting and hunting. Any more than 100 pcs and if they have been reloaded for a long time, oftentimes they'll split upon firing. Thus if you are going to hoard brass, it's best to hoard new unloaded brass... - GH

P.S. Of course, there are always exceptions to the above....

The question was somewhat tongue in cheek. I am a brass hoarder, 30-30 just isn't something that has really tripped my trigger until now.

Be careful, that little Topper in 30/30 will easily take deer. Then you might even wind up with a Ruger No.1 in 30/30🙄

Oh...man...I hope not!!

Unless someone did a custom drill and tap the Weaver 60A won't fit. You need a Weaver 82 or better yet a Leupold 56515. I'm not a fan of the flat spot on the Weaver. The Leupold gives you 3 slots.

From what I read on GBO, the 60A is for the older guns with the profiles barrel, while the 82 was for the later Handi style rifles...but I may have been mistaken.

Either way, it was less than 10 bucks shipped, no great loss.

Just an update...I ended up ordering both a 60A and 82...and they both fit just fine. The 60A is more compact, and looks a lot better on there.