H&R 157 in 30-30

M

militant

New member
I just picked one of these up for cheap. I needed a decent hunting rifle and 30-30 can do the job. This is an older H&R, probably 1960-70's?
What are your experiences with these rifles.
 
Perfectly good for the job. The frame, just so you know, is cast iron, so stick with factory or low to middle of the road handloads. It's not designed for hot rod stuff. GW
 
Absolutely my first and long gone and missed deer rifle. If yours has the straight grip sounds just like my old one. The receiver is cast steel not cast iron, we'll leave that for some of those late WW2 Arisakas.
 
Here is one I have been tinkering with since buying at a gun show last summer. I trimmed and crowned the barrel, drilled the scope rail mount holes to 8-32.

Because of the steel frame, I only shoot a couple of factory rounds to sight in and hunt with. My weekly plinking load is a 165 cast bullet over 10 grs of Red Dot. A light load that does not unduly stress the frame. The red dot Bushnell sight will produce 4-6 inch groups at 100 yards.

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The useful service life of the steel frames is likely a couple of thousand factory rounds.

If you only use your Topper 30-30 for hunting, you will never come close to shooting this amount.

I certainly could not afford to buy that that many factory loads, but i do sometimes get carried away with shooting reloads. I want to baby mine and make it last a long time. Before next deer season, I am going to rig some iron sights that will withstand knocking around that would terminate the red dot or a scope.
 
These are sturdy built rifles that will last at least a lifetime with minimal routine maintenance. H & R single shot rifles are not for every hunter but those who have them tend to be careful shooters. Triggers are functional but not great. Yet a good rifle shooter can master this trigger with practise.

I've been a big fan of the 30-30 cartrdige for several decades. Its a KEEPER!

Jack
 
I just did a 1 1/8 group at 100 yards with mine after a box of shells worth of practice. None over 3 inch. I am very impressed. It will be my deer rifle.
 
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