Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots NEF Handi-rifle

Does anyone have or know if NEF chambered these in 357 mag or maximum? I really only want/need the barrel.

357 mag.

Graybeard forums has a whole NEF forum with an active classifieds.

I snagged a sweet 44mag trapper there, but my niece has since appropriated it......

The 357 Mags used to be pretty common, you might find one perusing used LGS or pawn shops.

I had one reamed to 357 Max, but sold it to an uncle a couple years ago. It was pretty accurate using IMR 4227 and both Barnes 140XPB and 158 Speer flat noses, and recoil was minimal.

They're not common anymore. Ebay seems to be the only source and it ain't cheap. Lots of barrels selling over $400. Good luck. If you can find a complete rifle for a reasonable amount be ready to buy it.

they made a few in 35 REM but they are very hard to find

Are the .243 WIn . youth rifles selling ? I have one that I never use.

They made them in both 357 MAG and MAX. Since the Max was made in limited quantities in the 80s many of us bought Mag barrels and reamed them ourselves.

Neither NEF nor H&R made their barrels interchangeable like TC. Fitting is a delicate process relatively few people get right. After messing with these rifles for 13 years I keep a few extra rifle receivers around to avoid having to fit the barrels.

I've had no less than six NEF/H&R rifles in 357 Max but I'm down to only one now. I'm not willing to pay the dumb prices they're bringing now so I buy distressed small caliber (223, 22 Hornet) Handi barrels and get them rebored and rechambered by JES.

Thanks, Dinny

243 barrels were probably the most tempermental and finicky. I recall several guys like me who spent a small fortune in components chasing accuracy just to settle on 1.5MOA.

Thanks, Dinny

I had one in 22-250 that wasn't particularly accurate, and habitually broke ejector bars. I traded it off after ejector #3 I've heard the 243s were bad for that, too, but never owned one.

It's crazy stupid how much they sell for since they folded, compared to what they went for previously. I paid $150ish for that 357, and around the same ballpark for the 22-250, both used. I got my brother one in 20 gauge for Xmas around 2000, maybe 2001, and it was well under $100 brand new. The most expensive one I ever owned was a 20 gauge Slug Hunter, and that was around $200 when I picked it up.

A friend of mine bought two .243 H&Rs for his daughters. One shot really well and the other did well to hold a tennis ball sized group. Often it was a softball sized group.

I was thinking about reboring a 223 barrel I seldom use but thought I'd ask here first. Rebore looks like it might be cheaper but I guess there is no hurry either. I have a lot of 357 ammo & like the H.R. I may post a WTB in the classifieds & see what happens.
Thanks everyone

Jim,
Any rebore gunsmith can dial in the twist rate and some of them have throat reamers to cut a throat specific to a bullet you intend to use. They'll need you to provide a dummy round. Those are other custom touches that make me consider reboring more and more.

A wise gunsmith once told me the two most important parts of a barrel are the throat and the last 2 inches before the muzzle. Be sure, whether you rebore or rechamber MAG to MAX, that a rifle reamer is used. Pistol reamers won't generally cut a throat that fully supports the bullet and maintains centering.

Dinny

I like that analogy... Tennis Ball or Softballs sized groups... I'll have to borrow that one off of you Leon...

and Merry Christmas.....

LOL. It was the truth.

I could not get a decent group even at 50 yds. 4" maybe. It seemed to improve with lighter bullets. It is a shame there is no accuracy with that gun. It is about 37" long , light and handy as can be, but there was not enough accuracy to keep 5 shots inside a 6" plate reliably. My son shot his first deer with it . He knew where to aim but the bullet hit the high front shoulder @ 55yds. The Speer 100 gr. ( 1220) sure did its job, even found the bullet and almost in 2 pieces but all but went through both shoulders and found inside the hide. I became a fan of the .243 & 6mm right there. It was a darn big old doe too and was very surprised it didnt go further, but why am I saying this, you all know they are great deer guns.