# Blackpowder/Centerfire Combo Rifles



## Tom Bombadil (Mar 25, 2008)

So all this talk about blackpowder rifles has got me thinking about buying one again. I plan to use it for deer hunting in the Southeast US - so it will be for shots mostly inside 100 yards and probably from a tree stand.

A couple of hunters I know have been real happy with the combo guns they bought - one is the Knight utility gun and the other is a CVA combo. Both shoot .50 muzzleloader and one does .270 centerfire and the other does .30-06.

I am interested in the idea that a single rifle with two barrels being my single deer hunting rifle - practice with one rifle in both calibers to get ready and shoot all season long.

Does anyone on the list have any experience with any of the newer combo guns? Would you use it as your deer hunting rifle? If not, which muzzleloader would you go with for deer hunting?


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

NEF make a fine single shot and muzzle loader but you have to buy it as a rifle the sb2 conffiguration and then send it in for the muzzle loader barrel 

i bought mine as a NEF huntsman muzzle loader i can add shotgun barrels but not rifle but for 99 bucks brand new i couldn't complain it was one of the older 24 inch barrel modles the year between them switching to the longer barrel for magnum loads 
but 90 grains does me fine.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

NEF/H&R (New England Fire Arms and Harrington and Richardson) also sell combos.
If you start with a Handi rifle SB2 type action, you can add just about any rifle of shot gun barrel you want.

http://www.hr1871.com/Support/accessoryProgram.aspx

I started with a .243 Handi rifle, added .270, 45/70, .50 cal muzzle loader for rifles,
.410, 28 ga, 20ga, 20ga rifled bull barrel, 16ga, 12ga w/choke tubes.

Generally carry the .270 and the 12 ga.


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## Tom Bombadil (Mar 25, 2008)

That looks awesome! How does it hunt and how much do they normally run?


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

The H&R's hunt great! I have used the 12 ga single shots and a .357 on different frames... I guess I find them cheap enough to just get the whole gun. I want to add a 45-70 and a .223 one day though. 

I like the Thompson center encore for a switch barrel but for the price ya can likely get 3 h&R's vs one encore and one extra barrel. 

I would like a t/c contender with a .45 black powder barrel and a few other carbine length barrels though. That would be a light handy carbine. 

I like hunters set up would like the redundancy of a few more receivers. If the receiver dies and ya only have one receiver ya are outta luck.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

I was just out at my local "toy store" and I did price some of the new NEF/HR Handi's.

The ones they had had "bull barrels" but the price has gone up to about $250 bucks.
I bought mine about 3 years ago, and it was $190 bucks, so the pricing is up along with every thing else.

If you check out the site http://www.hr1871.com/Support/accessoryProgram.aspx

It list the Huntsman .50 cal barrel @ $85 bucks for blue and $113 bucks for SS.

I do have another Handi in .223 and the barrels fit on it just fine, even though the others are factory fitted and marked with the same serial number.

Haven't done any research on the CVA, but I think they have a similar program, in line muzzle loader and center fire rifle, but don't know the pricing and variety of available calibers.
Just looked it up:
http://www.cva.com/products/rifle_barrels.htm

T/C's are wonderful but a lot more pricey.


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## Tom Bombadil (Mar 25, 2008)

The feedback I have on the CVA is that they are better than the T/C but cost less. When I look at the H&R, it is less than the CVA.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Tom Bombadil said:


> The feedback I have on the CVA is that they are better than the T/C but cost less. When I look at the H&R, it is less than the CVA.


It's been my experience that anyone who says a CVA is better than a TC is probably trying to sell you one.

Also I prefer American made products, and CVA's barrels are made in Spain
http://www.cva.com/faq/index.htm
See Question # 6


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Bearfootfarm said:


> It's been my experience that anyone who says a CVA is better than a TC is probably trying to sell you one.
> 
> Also I prefer American made products, and CVA's barrels are made in Spain
> http://www.cva.com/faq/index.htm
> See Question # 6


I agree, T/C (Thompson Center) is a top of the line company and as far as I know a U.S. company.
My muzzle loader is a .50 cal T/C Hawken.

NEF/HR is owner by Marlin now, and as far as I know also an U.S. company.

CVA have improved in the last 20 years, but I can still remember their early kits and they were pretty sad. 
Their idea of a "kit" was a piece of steel, a 2" X 6" and a file!

Had a derringer kit that had a floppy trigger, not enough metal, had to silver solder a piece of a brass key to allow it to engage the shear.

The new ones appear to be a lot better now and their prices reflect it.


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## Tom Bombadil (Mar 25, 2008)

I got to speak to the guy who has the Knight KP1 this afternoon. He said that he also has a T/C Encore and that the Encore was his favorite gun until a few months ago when he got the KP1. He says that it looks better than the T/C, handles recoil better than the T/C, and has a better trigger than the T/C. His complaint with the KP1 is a lack of more calibers than it has (I think he said 7).


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

I guess it's what you like, as you can see I'm sorta commited to the NEF/HR project.
I'm not saying that they are the best, just that it happens to be the direction I went.

Point is to take what everybody says, stir it up and pick something thats right for you, then have fun.


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## CGUARDSMAN (Dec 28, 2006)

I traded for a .243 SB2 with the laminated stock last summer and it is a little tack driver i really like the way it handles.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Tom Bombadil said:


> I got to speak to the guy who has the Knight KP1 this afternoon. He said that he also has a T/C Encore and that the Encore was his favorite gun until a few months ago when he got the KP1. He says that it looks better than the T/C, handles recoil better than the T/C, and has a better trigger than the T/C. His complaint with the KP1 is a lack of more calibers than it has (I think he said 7).


Kinda sounds like you have already made up your mind and are looking for some one to agree with you.
What the heck, go for it, then tell us how you like yours!


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

Hunter there is NOTHING that really compares to the H&R platform... the rossi is close but is in my eyes "less than". No need to apologize for your selection! They are solid guns! I really want a 45/70 in an handy rifle one of these days as well as a .223 for beater hunter guns that are solid they they are hard ta beat. The TC and knight are just a tad more refined but won't harvest game any better.


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## Tom Bombadil (Mar 25, 2008)

hunter63 said:


> Kinda sounds like you have already made up your mind and are looking for some one to agree with you.
> What the heck, go for it, then tell us how you like yours!


No, my mind is not made up at all. I have been looking up and pricing every rifle posted so far. I appreciate all the input and the experience everyone is sharing. I posted about the KP1 because that was given to me verbally but I wanted to add it to the discussion here since he gave up the T/C to go with the Knight. He is the only person I know with a T/C who has now set it aside for something else.

If money wasn't an issue, I could buy one of each and make my own decision. If pigs could fly...


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Take your time picking the one your going to put your hard earned money out for.
Hunt down gun shops that will let you sholder them see how they fit you. Some gun shops even have what they call try guns, you can try them on their range or in some cases take them home for a day.

:rock:I also like the American made products. :sing:I am a American and feel I should keep my fellow Americans working, rather than make some fat cat richer by useing slave labor and importing to the country that for a while yet has the freedom to buy the product.

 Al


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Tom Bombadil said:


> If money wasn't an issue, I could buy one of each and make my own decision. If pigs could fly...


Yeah, I hear ya, wasn't trying to give you a bad time, it's just that sometimes you like what you like, and always seem to head back inn that direction.
Nothing wrong with that. That's why they make all sorts of different stuff.
The whole idea is to have fun with it.

What ever you do, and if you go to a "weapons platform" set up, you are ahead of the cost game by a bunch.

I gotta tell you that a lot of people do not have any idea that using different barrels on one gun even exists except the T/C contender and Encore.

I do have the advantage of having a pretty good , if sorta short "range" at "The Place". About a solid 100 yds, w/berm, back stop etc.
Problem is that it's 4 hours away at this time.

So, if I want to get some range time in, I need to go to our local "Sportsmans Club", pay the big bucks ($30 bucks) for all day.
I do use it as they do have a 300/500 yd range, and sometimes I just like to see how what ever I'm working on at the time, shoot "way out there".

You really will get the looks when you show up with several cases, take out the first "set up", shoot awhile, then open the next case, unscrew the fore-arm, drop off the barrel and click another in place, put the fore arm back on and keep shooting.
Won't be long until many interested parties will show up to see what your up to.
They did have a special "deer hunters-sight in" just before our gun deer opener. Special @ $5.00 per "gun".
The guys had absolutely no sense of humor, when I tried to explain that "It's just one gun, just a lot of different barrels".


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> NEF/HR is owner by Marlin now, and as far as I know also an U.S. company.


I'm pretty sure they are both owned by Remington by now:

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/12-26-2007/0004727978&EDATE=


> MADISON, N.C., Dec. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Remington Arms Company, Inc.
> ("Remington" or "the Company") *the only manufacturer of both firearms and
> ammunition for Hunting, Law Enforcement/Security, Government & Military
> applications in the United States,* today announced it has entered into a
> ...


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Thanks for the update.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

tallpaul said:


> Hunter there is NOTHING that really compares to the H&R platform... the rossi is close but is in my eyes "less than". .


i don't have a rossie 2 things turned me off that turned me on to the H&R 
the rossie was made in brazil and it apears to have a safty lever this strikes me as somthing else to get in my way 

i realy like single actions with transfer bar safties , they are almost totaly safe till the hammer is back meaning the triger can't do anything nor can the hammer as it rests on the frame short of some freak accident like dropping it of a cliff . 

i like to know i go from safe to ready to fire as i raise the gun to my sholder it all happens in the same motion now even with the scope on it i can get the hammer back with gloved hand i do have a hammer extender since i got the scope.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

FYI, Here is a NEF/H&R forum, theis one mostly handi's:
http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/board,126.0.html


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## Murray in ME (May 10, 2002)

T/C was bought by Smith & Wesson not that long ago.


I'm glad to hear that several of you think so highly of the Handi rifle system. I'm planning to get one this summer. Thanks for the good info.


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## poorboy (Apr 15, 2006)

Picked up the carbine version of the buffalo classic H&R in .45 long colt the other day. Man, that little carbine rocks, talk about fun..


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## Tom Bombadil (Mar 25, 2008)

I checked with the H&R Forum and they are saying that the factory move by Remington would likely impact buying an H&R gun and getting a second barrel added so I had better move NOW if I want it back by hunting season.

That stinks! I finally get myself all convinced that this is the way to go and now I learn that my idea of practicing this summer to get ready for deer season won't work. Grrrr...


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## tn_junk (Nov 28, 2006)

I talked to H&R today. I have a frame up there right now being fitted with .45 Colt and a .357 Mag (to be opened up to .454 Casull and .357 MAX) barrels. They said that the barrel swap program was being moved to their Kentucky plant and there would be no interruption in service. The said that they had both the .357 and .45 barrels in stock and would turn my frame around quickly.

alan

p.s. I also have Encore's, and am seriously considering selling them because I like the NEF better, at less than half the cost for a new barrel.


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## Tom Bombadil (Mar 25, 2008)

Awesome! Now I just need one in .308 so I can send it in for a .50 muzzleloader barrel. My local gun shop is acting like he has never heard of them and doesn't know how long it will take to order.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

You can just call them and UPS the action from one of their terminals direct, they will tell you how to do it.
Local guys don't want to here about this program, I guess as I had the same problem.
They dis-avowed any knowlage of it.


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