halcon, yes, they must be fitted by the factory due to legal concerns. I should have clarified that. The only physical difference in H&R and NEF is the stocks. They only have 4 different frames that are the same for both companies. A centerfire rifle frame which can be fitted with any centerfire rifle barrel offered, muzzle loader barrel of shotgun barrel except 10 gauge, a shotgun frame for 12 and under, a 10 gauge frame and a rimefire frame. You can have H&R barrels fitted to NEF frames and NEF barrels fitted to H&R frames. Also, as long as you make sure the headspace is good, which it has been on all of the frame/barrel combinations i have played with, you can mix and match. As I said before, the factory fitting is a liability thing just like an 8lbs trigger. The main reason you have to send the frame back to the factory is so they can make sure it will handle the pressure of the cartridge you are wanting to shoot. For instance, you wouldn't want to put a 308 Win barrel on the weaker shotgun receiver.




Edited by - frizzellr on 11/24/2002 11:55:33