Handi Help, please.

[smokepole06]

I am looking at a Handi in .243 for my 10 year old daughter. She shot a freind of mine's, so I know she can handle it with 100 gr Core Lokts. Now to my question, I really feel the Handi is a much nicer gun than the Rossi in .243. Does anybody have any experience with the Rossi, so I can be sure??

[trotterlg]

I've had a Rossi in .243 and a Handi in .243.  Other than the fit and finish of the Handi being better, I think the rifles are very much the same as far as function goes.  Probably depends on if you are ever going to want to add a barrel.  Seems a Combo Rossi costs less than a Handi with a single barrel.  Larry

[myarmor]

Larry is right. The price thing is a drawing point. From what I have heard, don't know if it's true or not, but H&R uses better grade steel. Again I could be off on that. From most reports though, Rossi barrels seem to be pretty rough....and from the sound of it need a good polishing or several rounds through the barrel to smooth them out.
 I don't own a Rossi, but wouldn't mind a 7.62x39  $$ is the only thing that has held me back from doing it.
Browse around the Rossi forum a little and you might get a better idea.



-Aaron

[wreckhog]

Dick's sells the Rossi triples (1 action 3 barrels including .243) for 200. For that money you could buy one with the  pink youth stock and have a gunsmith fix whatever and still be ahead. Neither make has a great rep with 243.

[myarmor]

I have owned 4 H&R 243's and all of mine shot well. Bull or Standard contour.
The 243 has a bad rep with the Rossi crowd from what I read in the Rossi forum.

[smokepole06]

Rossi problem, accuracy or safety?

[myarmor]

accuracy

[hunternunez]

I also have a 243 handi for my 11yr old daughter. I was in a local gunsmith shop when a fellow brought in a Rossi 243 to have the trigger done. The gunsmith said he couldn't work the trigger and that they weren't made very well. He also said that the Handi was a better gun. I would stick with the Handi.

[trotterlg]

The Rossi and Handi's are just about clones of each other, don't know which came first the modern Handi or the Rossi.  Same Same I would say.  Larry

[spikehorn]

I had a rossi 308 and with a good scope it was a shooter, But recoil was absolutely brutal. I also have a rossi 357mag single shot rifle that with the hornady LE ammo shoots 1.5" at 100 yds and is a great brush gun. However I picked up a Dick's SG H&R heavy barrel 308 that the recoil seems less than my bolt action 308. I can't wait to take the H&R 308 deer hunting.

[catman50plus]

I would stick with the Handi, hands down. My experience has been that several of the Rossi .243's have a problem with excessive free bore, for one, and head space problems. I have never shot one myself, but watched some being shot, and the problem was with the gun. I have not found one yet that was in specs or would group, but feel there must be. One guy sent his back, and they gave him a new barrel, and it too had the same problems, and would only group in the 4's at best.

[spikehorn]

 You could always try a handi 7MM-08. Put a youth synthetic stock on with a slip on limb saver recoil pad and I bet there wouldn't be anymore felt recoil than the 243. Or a 30-30

[mechanic]

My nephew has the Rossi in 243.  He got it at age 8, and is now almost 12.  The length of pull is way too short for him now.  There are no aftermarket stocks that I can find.  If you plan on long term use, I recommend the Handi for no other reason than this.