500s&W handi= broken!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[indydave]

well guys   after getting my handi    doing all the work to prep it   had it shooting good   drove 5 hours to camp friday and fired it 12 times to check my zero and get used to it with heavy clothes on
took the last empty case out of the breech  closed it   put it in the case    got up sat morning ready to put some meat on the table   found my release lever flush with the reciever!
coulnd't open the action!! to load it!!     had no spare gun with me  drove back 5 hours home to get my savage ml10-2   and drove all the way back and got to hunt sunday for 2 1/2 hours
and had to come back home sun night to be at work today.   OH and sat was my birthday!  NICE!       so i call H&R they tell me they cannot do anything for me and that they are closing early on wed! and its a barrel lug broken so i have to send the gun back!   so i paid 279 gun 70 for a scope mount   140 for a scope 35 for a stock to fit me a 40.00 recoil pad a 50.00 buttstock recoil reducer  300+ for dies, brass, barnes bullets and powder   plus 15 hours of  driving time and fuel @ $3.15 per gallon
all for NOTHING    i will not even get to hunt with it this year!   yes i am a little pissed    i wanted to get 4 more barrels  but not now so i guess i lose an entire seasons use for my over 900.00         i  should have bought the NIB ruger 44mag bolt gun  i found for 400.00 and it came with rings     urggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! my first and last handi to say the least
    I was so excited to actuallly have a bonna-fide rifle season here in indiana           h&r   says they will replace the gun   but where does that leave me with all the other costs i incurred?
I dang sure do not trust the design at all!          i will see what h&r offers       and i will have to see how this goes      i will keep you all posted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[quickdtoo]

Sorry to hear that, but I always have a back up gun with me on a hunt, stuff happens unfortunately, could have happened with any rifle or scope you had with you. Sounds like the latch spring broke or slipped below the latch, an easy fix if you're the DIY type.

Tim

[jschance]

Indy Dave,

I feel your pain, but don't abandon the gun over this one incident.  I too was excited about this year's rifle opportunity, but for me it meant using one of my CAS rifles.  I tossed a scope on my Marlin .44 Mag Cowboy and was ready to use that, but on the only day I had available to sight in, I discovered that it was hitting about 2' low due to the front of the scope base bearing on the bottom of the scope base.  I hadn't brought any tools with me to the range, so I had to abandon it in favor of my back-up gun, a .357 Rossi (open sights).  It's always good to have a back-up plan of some sort, even it it's a slug gun or handgun, then you at least wouldn't have lost the entire weekend.

By the way, when I checked my deer in on Saturday evening  they said that there were only two other rifle shot deer checked in that day.

[teddy12b]

I used to have a Handi 30-06.  It functioned great but did not fit me so well.  I ended up selling it and got an encore later to replace it.  Having owned both I like the encore more because it fits me to a T.  Your can customize those any way you'd like also.  Sounds like for the same money you could have had a pretty sweet encore.  I'm a hoosier too and last weekend I went out with my old trusty shotgun but this weekend will be my puma 44mag.  Good luck bud!

[skifastchad]

Sounds like something in the hinge or underlug is jammed shut and the latch isn't fully engaged.  Did you try taking the forearm off and bang it around a little?
Take the forearm off and tap on the frame and hinge with a rubber mallet or a block of wood.  It happens to my tracker 20g at least once every box of shells.  The tolerances are so close, one speck of dust can jam the latch from springing forward.

[Busta]

Sorry to hear of your problems. Like Tim said, I ALWAYS take a back-up for any hunt that is away from home. When I go to Colorado, I have been known to take two back-up muzzleloaders. Not because I don't trust them, but things happen.

I hope they take care of it to your satisfaction. I know it won't bring back opening day or make your birthday any better, but this will help someone else in the future.

[Mac11700]

so i paid 279 gun 70 for a scope mount   140 for a scope 35 for a stock to fit me a 40.00 recoil pad a 50.00 buttstock recoil reducer  300+ for dies, brass, barnes bullets and powder   plus 15 hours of  driving time and fuel @ $3.15 per gallon
all for NOTHING

An expensive lesson learned...that's for sure...but...with any gun there is always the chance of failure...back up guns on hunting trips are the smart way to go...even when your just 1 hour away...a wrong step..and a fall...your scope could have been smacked hard...and you would have had the same predicament....NEF customer service will take care of you...ask them nicely...and they will probably issue you a call tag for return shipping...

Mac

[LaOtto222]

You never know when some thing can go wrong. It may be a dropped rifle knocking the scope zero off or some part that maybe get broken. Electronics are funny. If there is something that will go bad, it usually happens early in its life. After that, it probably will be good for some time. I think guns are sort of that way too. If there is a defect (either a part or assembled wrong), you usually find it early in its life. If it is defect free then it will last a long time with proper care.

BTW Are you from Indianapolis? I live in the North East corner of the state and it takes me about 2 1/2 hours to get to Indy. It takes about 6 hours to go to Evansville the opposite corner of the state. Once I-69 is completed it should only take about 5 - 5.5 hours to go from one corner of the state to the other. You are driving a long ways to stay inside of the state.

[indydave]

ok  update   after cooling off a little      took my gun back where i got it    they have 3 handi s   that are just like mine    talked to gordon at h&r  he feels   bad about the whole incident   he mentioned possibly  fitting several  barrels(possibly) to offset my loss (i have the money for that now was waiting till after the season was over to do that)   we will see   i am real untrusting at this point  the timing is just bad  after spending the money AND not getting any use out it at all this season is bad enough.plus spending money for expensive ammo to resight it in,       if mine was the only one  BUT they have 3 handis with problems all in 500 s&w  at the same store     i am sure that Gordon will make this fair   he seems like a good chap    i will update as this goes  along  if the scope had broke   it would have been 86ed and i had the iron sights set for that occurrence          why did all three guns break?  there are lots of places in the state u can get to fast  and some that u cannot   it just take a while on backcountry roads    i will take my savageml10-2 always  now as a back up     

[ro]

indydave, sorry about your hunting trip and 500 handi-rifle, i have had good and bad in about all brands of rifles and shotguns over the years, most were good but when you get a bad one on opening weekend would make me or anyone mad at the brand of gun, i have a 500 handi that i have shot over 400 rounds though, its been a great little rifle, gun season opened here last weekend i shot the 500 on the range about 10 times or so just to check the scope, it was still on and shot great with no problems, i have had this 500 for two years, why you gun shop has three or four bad 500's at one time is odd, it could be a bad run of new 500's which i have not heard about, which would be odd, all the frames are the same, just the barrels are different cals, nef has always been good to me about fixing or replacing any rifle with a problem, i know this is a little late for your hunting trip but don't give up on your nef rifle.

[cptmclark]

Sorry Indydave,

I ordered my 500 in August, and am still struggling with the handi rifle.  It's handy, fits me, and simple, and I want one.  However my 500 was bad, opening on firing. H&R customer service was basically, we don't care, it will be a week or so in shipping after it's fixed.  I talked to Gordon who said they have many 500s coming back.  So I ordered a new 44 as replacement.  He promised that.
Gun came back several weeks later.  Scoped it, loaded ammo with new dies etc, an hour to the range, to find that it still flew open on firing.  Same reciever.  No targets with it or anything, and they kept the sights and manual. Apparently they didn't test fire it after changing the barrel.  I don't believe it only opens on firing with me.   Not test firing is a serious matter.  So, I sent it back AGAIN, and this time they did replace the whole rifle.  So I'll scope it, lap the bore, and go see if it will shoot.  Of course I missed hunting season with it even though ordering it in August.  I'm sure there are good ones out there, and I hope I have one now.  Their non-caring "just send it back for a refund" doesn't quite cover the time, money, scope, ammo, and frustration, like you said.  My friend bought a 500 a week ago, and it functions OK, but best groups are about 6 MOA, with several loads tried.  He is a good shooter.  Did I mention that good ammo for testing that costs 50 to 65 bucks for 20 or 25 rounds.  So indydave, I can't recommend this for our IN rifle choice either.    Very sad.  With decent quality control it would be a very nice little gun.  And Handi too.

[teddy12b]

I'm really sorry to hear about your luck with those rifles.  If I wasn't already reloading for 44 I would have really considered one of those 500's.

[quickdtoo]

I've got a 500 Handi that's been thru a lot of hot loads, not a problem, have 30+ others that have been trouble free too, I guess some folks just have bad luck, unforunately.

I just received two factory fitted barrels from H&R, 357mag and 44mag, also just received  2 more used frames today and while I was at my dealer picking the frames up,  ordered a 7mm Remington Magnum Handi, real happy with all of my H&Rs.

Tim

[teddy12b]

Tim,
      Sounds to me like you've had some excellent luck with Handi Rifles.  30 rifles, that's just about got to be one of every style, size, caliber and everything.

[quickdtoo]

Yup, have just about every chambering they've ever made, old and new H&R, missing 22 Jet, 450 Marlin and 38-55, although I do have a 38-55, it just had a sex change to 405 Winchester!! Also have a few in other custom chamberings, 338-06 A-Square, 280 Improved, 35 Remington and 45-120-3¼" Sharps Straight. Also have a frame and barrel stub in right now at my gunsmith's with a 6.5mm Shilen blank being made into a 6.5x55.

Tim

[murphdog]

Very sorry to hear of your bad experience Dave.  Like you, I was REALLY excited to to use a rifle during deer season.  Like you, I bought my first Handi ever.  If it all fell through, I would have been very dissappointed too.  Thankfully, my experience turned out better.  I bought a 44 magnum, and if you give up on the 500, I would recommend trying the 44.  It took a little tinkering to get it to shoot accurately to my expectations, but it has always functioned well.  Right now, I love this rifle.  It fits me perfectly.  It is light to carry in the woods, it comes to my shoulder very quickly, and acquires the target quickly.  Only gives me one shot, but with a good scope on it that was all I needed.  You still have 2 more weekends available for deer hunting (4 if you shoot muzzleloader), so I hope your significant other will allow you to get out again.  Despite the EHD scare, I saw plenty of deer in the woods where I hunt.  I'm sure there's still a deer for you.  My advice would be to take the Savage and enjoy a weekend in the woods.  It will be good therapy. 
Duane

[phatgemi]

So sorri to hear of your probs. I also purchased a 500 for indy deer season and thankfully mine turned out better. I hunt in the SE part of the state in Franklin County. 1 buck and up to 8 does. I had buck tag and 2 doe tags. Got a nice 9 pointer and two does. Buck about 85 yards and I got excited and missed. Second shot followed and finished the job. Does were closer at about 40 yard and one shot each. I am thinking the 500 just might be too much for whitetails. Need to come up with a mild load. In any case, function was perfect although I found some of my reloads hard to extract. Even when unloading unfired ones. Guess I need to make sure all lube is off as they may be causing the problem. All in all a great little gun that worked well. Good luck. You still have until Dec 2nd!

[quickdtoo]

I've had one cast bullet load stick in the chamber, the extractor lifted it out, but I had to use pliers to remove it, had a bunch of gooey lube on it, I apparently didn't clean the bullet lube off it after I seated the bullet, my fault!! That's good testament to the effectiveness of the extractor tho.

Tim

[30-06man]

Look at it this way. You keep everything you bought for it and then you get extra barrels. You put the recoil reducer, stock, and recoil pad onto your new nef. And you have 500s&w dies, brass, powder, and bullets sitting around. Now you have a excuse for another gun. But I can still see why your mad.

[hellacatcher]

It sounds like if you take a Handi hunting you should take a back up or I am I miss understanding.

[jy951]

i'm in IN also.  thought long and hard about the 500 handi.  ended up getting the encore 500 instead.  cost alot more, but i feal it's alot higher quality and like the ease of purchasing barrels.  sorry about your luck. 

[bigjeepman]

It sounds like if you take a Handi hunting you should take a back up or I am I miss understanding.

A back-up rifle or handgun should be taken no matter what make/model you plan to use as your primary firearm. I take two back-ups myself though I have never needed one..

bjm

[30-06man]

In your encore did you get the Kathaden barrel?

[Fred M]

Whenever I take my Handi 257R deer hunting, I take a spare Ruger#1 since the
Handi had several hic ups before. I do not trust it as a stand alone rifle anymore.
Even with a Ruger #1 I take a spare.

Last year I did not take the Handi deer hunting at all it had totally lost ists accuracy because it had developed a big gap in the standing breech.
I been thinking about building up the hinge seat with weld in stead of doing
another patch up job. The last patch up job is holding up pretty good though.

[jy951]

yes, its the pro-hunter 20" katahdin barrel.  i like it, it's nice and short.  haven't shot it yet, i ordered it late and ended up taking a nice buck with the encore handgun.   

[30-06man]

Yeah I have been wanting one. Its just lower down in my list of barrels. How much do you pay for ammo for it? Well since were talking about a 500s&w who makes the best ammo that isn't too expensive?

[quickdtoo]

Well since were talking about a 500s&w who makes the best ammo that isn't too expensive?

In my home, Lee Precision/RCBS/Starline!!

Tim

[30-06man]

Lucky . I don reload yet. I hope to get into that next year.

[quickdtoo]

If you get a 500S&W, you'll want to start!!

Tim

(note those are 20 to the box, not 50 )

500 S&W Ammo

[30-06man]

Yeah I do believe so. I know I will if I get a 500s&w.