Short Bus's H&R Pardner (870 clone) build

[Underdog]

That pardner is a very handy item to have, and you have done very nice work with it....Congrats.

[Short Bus]

That pardner is a very handy item to have, and you have done very nice work with it....Congrats.

Thank you

[Reaper]

Short Bus

Sent you a pm

[Zebra62]

Love the new accessories you have on the Pardner, Short Bus. The tri rail looks alot better.

I showed this thread to a workmate of mine who received the same shotgun as a birthday gift from his wife last month. He had a plan to put together a home defense weapon and was quite upset at his blushing bride's thiftfulness at picking up a Pardner for him instead of the Express he wanted...until he saw your low cost build.

Good show, Mate.

[Synchronizor]

I agree. If you want a real working shotgun that will see frequent use, a real 870 is a far better option than a knock-off. Quality and durability aside, the lifetime cost of the ammunition for a heavily-used hunting, competition, or duty shotgun will render negligible the extra one or two hundred dollars for the gun itself.

But for a HD gun that'll be spending most of its time in the closet, a more value-centered model like the Pardner Pump is a perfectly viable option for those on a budget. It might not be the most tough, refined, or accurate firearm, but it can be trusted to to go "bang" when you need it to. When it's your life or the lives of your family on the line, you're not going to give a crap about the grade of walnut used, or perfectionist fit & finish; and at HD ranges, a load of buckshot is going to be equally unpleasant whether it came from a $180 H&R pump, or an $80,000 Fabbri double.

[mkrauss]

I have often wanted to buy a pardner pump just so that I could compare it to an 870. You read so many different things on the int. One person says it works great and is very reliable and the next guy is a strict remington guy and says they are just junk. I would love to hear the truth. "Syncrinizer should know". right.

[Underdog]

I own both and can tell you they both function fine. The pardner seems a little rougher around the edges, but also seems a little more heavily built. I've been abusing my pardner heavily with slugs, actually I've been beating the snot out of it, and it never once complained. I'm sure the 870 would function the same. They are both quality firearms built to last a lifetime.

[Short Bus]

Love the new accessories you have on the Pardner, Short Bus. The tri rail looks alot better.

I showed this thread to a workmate of mine who received the same shotgun as a birthday gift from his wife last month. He had a plan to put together a home defense weapon and was quite upset at his blushing bride's thiftfulness at picking up a Pardner for him instead of the Express he wanted...until he saw your low cost build.

Good show, Mate.

Ya, the tri-rail is a much better fit for my build. The first mount would work for an 870 because it would go over the forend.

I'm glad I could help your buddy out.

I own both and can tell you they both function fine. The pardner seems a little rougher around the edges, but also seems a little more heavily built. I've been abusing my pardner heavily with slugs, actually I've been beating the snot out of it, and it never once complained. I'm sure the 870 would function the same. They are both quality firearms built to last a lifetime.

I agree 100%, I also have a Wingmaster that is much smoother, but I didn't want to devalue such a nice gun with a tactical build. Besides the H&R didn't cost much more than the barrel I would've needed. 2 shotguns > 1

[Synchronizor]

I've handled a Pardner Pump in a store before, but I wasn't able to pull it all apart and really study it. Luckily, Gunsumer Reports has a very detailed review of the HD Pardner Pump model that includes a detailed disassembly with about 150 high-res images.

The machining and workmanship is obviously of a lower quality, and if you know what to look for, you can see a number of minor design differences. To name a few, the H&R's trigger plate isn't as beefy as the 870's, the shell carrier doesn't have the cut-out to help prevent jams, the camming angles on the action bars are more abrupt, the receiver stud uses a coarser external thread, and there's only a single, basic stock bolt washer instead of the separate bearing and locking washers used on real 870s. None of these cut corners should severely inhibit the gun's functionality, it's essentially the same robust 870 design, just a lower-end, penny-pinching execution of it. A genuine 870 is clearly a superior firearm, and the obvious choice for anyone who will be using their shotgun frequently over a long period of time (again, the initial purchase price of a heavily-used gun is very minor compared to the lifetime expenditures on ammo, range fees, cleaning & maintenance supplies, and so on), but the H&R does have its niche as a value-oriented, light-duty alternative. I certainly wouldn't feel unarmed with one if it was all I could afford.

[Short Bus]

I finally got the mount I needed for my light





And my wife let me pick out and order my X-mas present, a nice backup to the Pardner/CCW shotgun

(Pics from GunBroker listing)