New 22 Handi Mag at the range today

[Davemuzz]

I picked up a 22 Handi last week at my local gun shop. I'm a T\C  fan and have the new Pro-Hunter as well as a few Contenders, and I was going to wait for the PH 22 mag barrel to be released. But, I wanted to use the 22 mag for fox hunting this fall and I do that primarly at night, so I started "re-thinking" the idea of draging my PH around in the dark....with the long barrels. So, I looked at the light weight, short NEF's and figured I could buy the whole rifle for half the cost of just a barrel......then I bot a Bushnell scope with a lighted reticle (great for night hunting) for another $130.

So, for the cost of one PH barrel I have the whole set up....and it's lighter and shorter and eaiser to slog around in the dark when I am fox hunting.

Now, I took it to the range today and zeroed in the scope. I shot two types of ammo. The first was Winchester 33 grain hollow point and then Remington's 40 grain soft point. At 100 yards the 33 grain Winchester was giving me excellent groups. 1.5" on a 4 shot group. The 40 grain Remingon's were not even close to that. They were spreadin left and right and when all was said and done, it was a good 4.5" group.

Overall I do like this little gun and it will serve it's purpose come this fall. It may also take a few crows for the remainder of this season.

Dave.

[MSP Ret]

My .22 Mag Sportster (rimfire Handi) did not do to well with the lightweight 30 grain ammo but the 40 grain Winchester Silver and Black box were the best at just sub MOA at 100, not far ahead of the CCI Maxi Mag at 1" at 100 though. Either would be more than accurate enough for 100 yard hunting shots from these fine lightweight and inexpensive little rifles. I do have a box of 40 grain CCI Gamepoint jacketed SP .22 Mag amm to try. I am considering it for coyotes but would really like to find some of the old Red Box Federal 50 grain .22 Mag ammo, it was item #757 if anyone has any they don't need and would be willing to sell....<><....

[Davemuzz]

The other nifty little item that I liked was the X-tra barrel deal where I send back the receiver and for $55 NEF will fit up a 22LR barrel to it. So I figure I can pick up a low cost scope for the 22LR and do some cheap plinkin with that.

[quickdtoo]

The other nifty little item that I liked was the X-tra barrel deal where I send back the receiver and for $55 NEF will fit up a 22LR barrel to it. So I figure I can pick up a low cost scope for the 22LR and do some cheap plinkin with that.

Not any more , the barrel will cost ya $59 plus $15 fitting and $10 return shipping, plus the cost of getting the frame to them. That $84 + shpg is getting real close to the cost of a complete 22Lr Sportster which sells for anywhere from $90- $120. Of course if you want a free trigger job on it while it's there, that's gotta be taken into consideration too.

Tim

http://hr1871.com/Support/repairs.aspx

[Spanky]

I have the .22 mag Ultra Varmint and I shoot the 40 gr. Rem's out of it. This little gun will shoot 1" or less all day long off the bench. That is shooting at 100 yds. At 50 yds. it will put 5 shots in one hole about 1/2 the size of a dime.

[Davemuzz]

I would guess the free trigger job is something that would help the groups some as this one is a little on the heavy side. Yeah, when you add up the cost of sending it back, your not too far from just buying another gun, but then you still have the trigger issues to deal with.

Right now I'm leaning to sending it in, asking for a trigger job and getting a second barrel. After all , i can only shoot 'em one at a time anyway.

Dave

[MSP Ret]

While it's there you might consider also getting a .17 HMR barrel or a .17 Mach2 barrel for it, the shipping is the same for one barrel as for 100 so you save some that way, and the .17's are GREAT!!!!....<><....

[Davemuzz]

17HMR......MSP Ret...well, it's a long story and I'll keep it short. But my history with the .17hmr is like a bad dream....no, a bad nightmare...but then, when was there ever a good nightmare?

You see, I bot a Smith model 647 17hmr. Brandy new! Yep....I was gonna hunt groundhog with it. When it came in, (I got it from an FFL that had an indoor range) I walked over to the indoor range, loaded in 6 rounds and shot it. Well, after shootin round 6 the gun locked up tighter than a tick on a dog. You couldn't open the chamber, pull the trigger or hammer. Back to Smith it went. (Yeah...in PA...you bot it, you just can't return it...this ain't K-mart). 4 weeks later it comes back.

In the next 3 months it went back to Smith twice to "learn how to shoot straight". They did get that part right, but because of the short barrel (8.5") and the cylinder to forcing cone leap, the little bullet would never get faster than 1800fps. (Crony'ed many times).

So, when I did hunt G-hog with it, the first shot would hit the G-hog, but it took 5 more to put 'em out of their misery. After 3 or 4 ground hog chasin fiscao's I had enough of that, so I went to the .223 rifle. One shot for a clean, humane kill (they don't know what hit 'em).

Yeah, I know it's a lot of the gun and not the round. In fact, Smith quit making the model 647 because nobody bot 'em (wonder why?). I sold mine to a woman who did 25 yard target shoots.  Good job for that gun.

So, after all of that I just decided to stick to "old fashion" calibers that worked for people like my grandpa.

Dave.

[stimpylu32]

Dave

I like the 22 mas Sportsters so much that i just brought home my 3rd one , one is my daughters , one has had the barrel rechambered to 218 Bee and the last one will stay a mag for now .

I did pick up a 2nd hand 22LR barrel for the one that gave in to the Bee , i have been very lucky with the ones that i got , all would shoot MOA or less @ 100 all day .

stimpy

[MSP Ret]

All I can tell you buddy is that in these single shot H&R/NEF's they are great, most of not all here get moa or less (some get .5 MOA!!!) at 100 yards with them in .17 HMR. At 50 yards my .17 Mach2 Sportstser is even better than my .17 HMR!!! I just bought a brick of 20 grain .17 Aquilas to try in my .17 Mach2, they are reported to be great small game rounds....<><....