Here's one of the many threads on the 38-55 by JPH45.
Tim
http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/topic,63539.msg384250.html#msg384250
Interesting, I had forgotten that thread. Many times I have seen folks ask about the 38-55, and have not commented because I don't wish to be divisive, but it was my experience with the 38-55 that made me swear off the NEF rifle. bearbeater, if you follow the loading methods in this thread, you will get loads that will be very accurate in your rife. It is not just myseofl that has followed these methods, as I stated, it was others that I learned from. The methods are sound and won't create excessive pressures.
But in the end it was these problems along with a recurrance of another common problem, barrels loosening on the frame, that left me cold to the NEF. I wish we could honestly talk of the defects of this product instead of expressions of what is wrong with them and why some won't have another being treated as speaking badly of the product and there not being a place for such talk here. I think there are many who find fault with these rifles but don't feel free to express that fact here because it is the "NEF Board" Who cares??? this board started out of the original board sponsored by NEF, and it was our complaints there and here that have raised their quality standards. Should we not continue to be frankly honest with them and ourselves?
Generally, I feel lucky in that the negative comments I have had for these rifles have not beeen treated as unwelcome comments. It is a significant truth that many have had unfavorable experiences with the rifles, and the fact is the NEF Handirifle is an inexpensive rifle which lacks in quality that seperates a cheap gun, from a good gun, from a well made gun. The NEF is a cheap rifle and anyone who thinks otherwise is lying to themselves, and even a casual look at the engineering levels of other firearms will reveal that.
What I learned from my experience with the NEF's is that for the cost of two rifles I could have one that performed without hickups. For the price of three, I could have one that met all my expectations of what a rifle should be. For the price of four I could have one that would not leave me disappointed in any way. I had speant the money to purchase four frames, and the extra money to buy a fifth barrel.
It has been said that one can get a clunker in any brand, this is true. Sako had a run of rifles that would split barrels, a result of improper heat treatment. But this was an exception, not the rule. How often do we hear of such troubles with a rifle from a maker like Sako? Yet we continue to hear of sticking cases, transfer bars falling off, heavy trigger pulls, guns that won't consistantly shoot to point of aim, barrels popping open on firing, etc. I ask openly, Why are so many pages devoted to stickys on how to make these guns shot and repair common problems when one doesn't find this on other rifles?
It is part of why I continue to hang out here and watch the threads, to see if my experience was odd or routine. Fact of the matter is I enjoyed my NEF's. Once a load was found, (and I would often shoot as many as 8 loads to find one that would repeat it's performance) they were quite pleasing, yet of 5 barrels, 2 never shot as well as i thought they should. of those, one had very bad barrel tolerances, yet the factory said they fell within their specs. How does one argue with that? If the factory refuses to admitt there is a problem, the customer is left with no recourse, and is why in the end I simply sold off what I had and didn't request even a refund fron the factory. If the factory won't accknowledge the problems, I as a customer havce only one recourse, to speak of my experiences to any who will listen. In the end I was left with the choice of spending more to insure a higher level of engineering quality. I don't have a problem with that, just wish I'd known that was the state of affairs when I began to get into the rifles. I was going on the H&R's reputaiton, the NEF ain't no H&R as I remember them.
I wish it was like the old days,when Marlin/NEF sponsored the site and we could speak of the real world issues we are seeig with these guns without such being taken as "talking negitive". Truth is of four frames and five barrels, there is not one I would have again even though I miss the days of their best performance.
bearbeater, the 38-55 and the 357 Maximum were the best of the barrels/frames I had. Each had it's quirks, and I can't say I would have an NEF agian, but the 38-55 was for me an exemplery shooter. Untill the barrel began to loosen on the frame it was a true 1" at 100 yards on demand shooter. At the same time it was the barrel loosening on the frame ( I shot quite mild loads, 250 grain bullets at 1400 fps were my daily loads) that was the last straw for me. Some have claimed great performance. Others have reported frequent troubles. It sounds like a crap shoot, and I won't play again.I know others that won't play again. Is it possible that we could have a "truth in reporting" day? I'd like to know just how many have had similar failures to mine but don't report them because it is politiclly incorrect.
