Haven' t had a chance to shoot it yet, but I am pretty impressed. For $198 including tax, I got the blued barrel with synthetic stock. It came with a strap, hammer extension, even a lock, ha ha. The action is nice and tight and the trigger feels good. Much better than I expected the trigger to feel, they have been improving them I would say. I hope to shoot it this week sometime. I am just starting off with old .223 ball ammo and then I will try to find something it likes. But so far, it is great. Especially since I can buy extra barrels. And it is shorter than my 10/22 even though the barrel is 20 inches (my 10/22 has a 18.5 inch barrel). The whole thing is 25 1/4 inches long.. It fits me pretty well too... 5 1/4 pounds with scope base but no rings or scope.
Congrats. I hope it will serve you well. I am pleased with my H&R/NEF. For the money you just can' t beat them. I was really surprised at the accuracy of mine. The 243 Win was good, but the 45-70 was just outstanding in my opinion.
I have the NEF 223 as well. It shoots Ultramax 40 gr. loades with nosler BT' s into 3/4 inch and 50 gr Sierra sp' s about the same. Bought it used for 105.00. Synthetic stock. I have a 6X bushnell scope on it. The scope is thirty years old but shoots good as new. I will use it for plinkink and small game. I have some 45 grain hornady Bee bullets I plan to load them to about 2000 fps for small game. I shoot a 22-250 for long range varmits. This gun would shoot much better groups without me doing it. I am not a good group shooter.
Thanks everyone! Looks like I have lots of options to try out! The only scope I had was a 3-9 X 32 Simmons 22mag. Should be good enough for awhile unless I go really long range which isn' t going to happen around here.
James B - is your 22-250 a H&R/NEF rifle? I was just searching their website for this last night and couldn' t find that caliber. I' m thinking of getting a plinking rifle, the N&R/NEF seem like an economical uncomplicated rifle.
Thanks! Man, things sure have changed. I didn' t start hunting until I was 27 so my first rifle was a 10/22 that I dumped about $600 into it over a couple of years. Then I bought a used browning A bolt medallion in .308... and then my grandad sold me an A-5 cheap. Then my father in law was dying of cancer and he gave me his old 30-.06 with douglas barrel, timney trigger, mauser 98 action, etc. then I had two kids (boys ages 3.5 years and 5 months now). Now I am thrilled to get a handirifle superlight!!! I think my wife is pregnant again. if she is (the test was positive) there won' t be ANY new rifles for a little while.. but I was thinking that it is a darn good thing I bought the nicer stuff when I had the chance!! I' m glad I got the handirifle. If this is a third boy especially, I may need to buy another barrel in 7mm-08 down the road!! I can see it now, one takes the .308, one takes the 30-06, and the last one takes the handirifle in 7mm-08. Old dad gets the muzzleloader (which is fine, actually) ha ha ha!
Got my Handirifle superlight in .223!
