h&r pardner or stoeger condor outback

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

Joined
Mar 22, 2006
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I'm in the market for a new shotgun.. to fill a casual hunting, and general campgun roll (handguns are out for given the severity of legislation in my location)
It will probably be used primarily for small game, for recreational shooting, and having the versatiltiy to be a close range deer gun would be an added bonus.

I'm currently looking at the h&r pardner single shot in 20g, or the Stoeger condor outback in the same Gauge.

ruggedness, and reliability are paraount..I can adjust over time to everything else. but I'd like a fire arm that I could make a companion for a while.

thoughts?

Thanks.
 
I can only comment about the H&R. I have one I keep in my boat. It has been severely neglected and abused and looks like it. It has never failed to function. It has a modified choke that patterns both birdshot and no.2 buckshot fairly well at close/medium ranges. It is very light and recoils pretty hard for a 20 gauge, but not too bad. It's a tough, reliable shotgun for money.
 
I can't speak for either, but would take fishshooter's word for the H&R. You might want to read up on Stoegers, too. If you go on the BenelliUSA forums, you can find info on the Stoeger forum. My understanding is that some models have recurring problems. I would also consider a Remington 870. It's the chevy small block of shotguns. Thousands of available parts and accessories, functions reliably, and very well priced.
 
If you can live with a single shot (I do) then you can't get a better all around camp gun than a H&R. I would suggest buying a handi-rifle in a rifle caliber and adding a shotgun barrel. The rifle receivers can be fitted for shottie barrels by the factory but not vice versa. This would give you more versatility.

P.S. I have a 20ga / .22lr Rossi matched pair that I like but that wasn't your question. The quality is not on par with H&R but good enough for the price.
P.P.S. Riley, don't I remember you asking about the Matched Pair as well a while back? How did that work out?
 
Correct Eyegor... I bought a .22/.410 matched pair..
Its worked out fairly well for me, in that its bagged its share of small game..
however the mod choke on the .410 barrel requires to me to get real close.
also I have had allot of issues with the ejector on the .410 (translated as it doesn;t work at all) all shells need to basically be surgically extracted.
I contacted Rossi, and they basically said I was SOL
so while it is a fine little gun.. and a proven game getter.
I'd like something with a little more power
and an ejector or extractor thja functions at least most of the time LOL
despite that howeer I am still happy I have it.
 
I too can only speak for the H&R and the quality is there. Just don't expect a Holland & Holland type grade shotgun. I have bagged a good amount of game with mine. I see no problems tackling everything you need it to do.
 
I feel the H&R topper's and NEF Pardners are very simplistic but effective field worthy shotguns that even the most hard up sportsman can afford with that being said if I were to purchase a Topper or Pardner I would by all means go the used route seeing as they made truck loads of the things back in the day and they tend to have poor resale value. Around this neck of the woods the Pawn shops and used Gun racks are full of the things and specimens in reasonably good shape tend to go for 60-100 bucks also there are some who believe the older guns are of better quality and closer tolerances.
 
I have both and IMO the HR is the way to go for a few reasons.
1. Rifle Barrel options-
2. workable trigger - factory will tune to 4lbs
3. ability to shoot more than one caliber of ammo.

I have a Handi-rifle in 223 and sent it back to the facotry for 12ga barrel and a trigger job. Total with shipping is less than $100. The 223 has killed dozens of deer, hogs and is great for the kids. The 12ga can double as a slug gun for larger game and is much more effective on birds and small game than the 20. You can pick up a new handirifle for less than $250 and have a gun that will last a life time. I also have their survivor model that shoots both 410 and 45Colt from the same barrel. My issue with this model is no sights makes it very difficult to aim well past 50yrds. Also the 45Colt is weak on larger animals and 410 slugs are very inaccurate.

FM$ I woudl go the handirifle and send it in for a trigger job and shotgun barrel. Mine has lasted 15 years as a combo package behind the seat of the truck and still shoots sub MOA at 100yrds and doubles as a bird gun for when I receive the invite if they are flying.
 
The Handirifle option sounds interesting.

My smoothbore hunting weapons are primarily H&R's. They are known good, inexpensive weapons. Everyone seems to go for the 20 gauge version... Unless you are wedded to this gauge, I say forget it. We've got one in 20 gauge and in 12, so I have experience.

My take: If you want a generic blaster for tin cans, burglars and clay pigeons, the 20 is fine. Personally, it seems to kick viciously, in return for only sketchy patterns. I ultimately became disenchanted w/ it. It sits around, unused and unloved. I couldn't tell the difference in recoil between it and the 12!

Instead, I went w/ the 12 gauge version, for my upland bird hunting purposes. Mine currently wears an ancient, fossilized red rubber recoil pad that only pretends to tame recoil. It is choked Modified, and throws excellent, evenly distributed patterns with every sort of lead shot I've tried. It works nicely for mid to late season quails and chukkars. Ammo is cheap and the performance is excellent. Its big kick buys me lots of target effect, and it is nearly my favorite smoothbore.

These single shots are nearly weightless (that's good and bad), and aren't any trouble to tote around all day when walking up birds. What they aren't, in the bigger gauges, are weapons to shoot 100 rounds out of in one sitting. That honor belongs to the 28 and .410 versions. I use the 28 gauge H&R for early season upland. Costs a bunch to shoot.
 
I've wanted to get behind a 28 Gauge Pardner for quite some time I hear the recoil is very modest but it has a bit more power than the 410 IMO it seems to fill an excellent niche and would be ideal for smaller game, also I saw somwhere were some company is loading 28 gauge slugs.
 
Can't speak for the stoeger ,but that condor outback has caught my eye . I have shot a boat load of H&R's Only had a problem with one. I bought a $4 spring and fixed it myself in less than 30 minutes . I pardner shotgun or handi-rifle feels like an extention of my hand I have carried one so long. their are 3-4 20's around here A 28ga. a 10 ga a 12 ga 17 hmr 45-70 30-30AI sold my 16 like a dumb a$$ and 410 is the only time I choose rossi over H&R because rossi makes a 410 sized frame with plastic stocks gets the gun down to 3.35 pounds.
The 12 ga. I have is a camo coated gun complete coverage 24 " barrel full choke made in 1992 . It was sold as a turkey gun, with high quality hard shot ammo it will hold it's own with any fixed full choke out there and a lot of screw in super chokes I can shoot cheap ammo with soft shot and it throw patterns all most open enough to be close to a modified choke. patterns buck shot good especially winchester XX 3" #4 buck . It will also put cheap winchester walmart slugs in a 6" circle @ 50 yards as long as you can stand to shoot them . If I had to hunt to survive It is the gun I would stake my life on.
 
I have both and, like many things, each has advantages and disadvantages. My HR is a 20 ga, with barrel cut to 18.5 inches, tritium bead and ghost ring rear. Handy as can be, takes down and stores away in a small bag. Shoots both shot and slugs very well. The ejector makes it a fast reloader. Love it.

The Outback is also a 20 ga. Single trigger means you can dump both barrels like a semi auto. But, no ejector, so he reload is slower. Interchangeable chokes make it very nice. Also takes down and stores in a small bag. Love it too.

Forced to choose, I would take.....

Oh come on dont make me...
 
I've had several single barrel shotguns. All used. All less than $100. I've had 3 H&R toppers. 2 20's and 1 12. None of them had a malfunction and they hit where they were aimed.
 
The 28 gauge H&R is very effective for me, because my particular example just happens to fit me like it was made for me. This chance fit was pure luck on my part, and accounts almost entirely for this weapon's effectiveness. It has been said that the 28 is the smallest "real" shotgun. This is about right IME. Mine throws even patterns, but with a range definately a little less than the normal 40 yards for the bigger boys.

My .410 H&R is not the best choice for wingshooting, unless you are a bored expert. I suppose these same bored experts use a more expensive gun :o The .410 shines for blasting small mammals, such as squirrels, jack rabbits, eating rabbits at a max range of about 25 yards. Maybe pistol grouse hunters would enjoy more success w/ a .410 bore?!

Shotguns are like golf clubs, you needs one in every gauge. Lets don't leave out 32 gauge, now.

I'm almost certain I need a 9mm rimfire garden shotgun.
 
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