Harrington and Richardson

[srb25]

Hi:
I'm new. I personally have a 9mm but know someone who has an old H & R revolver.
It is a 32 cal. with the following markings:

Harrington & Richardson Arms Co. Worcester, Mass. (on one line)
Patented Aug. 6, 1889 Oct. 8, 1895 (2nd line)
Both lines are on the top barrel rib.

Left side of barrel: Auto-Ejecting 32 Smith & Wesson CTGE.

The number 21880 on the butt.
The number 880 on the 6-shot cylinder.

Nickel finish.
Appears to have black plastic grips with a circle that has a square with a target inside with 5 shots through the target (have not removed grips to check for serial #).

Another forum I briefly read said that if the left side of the barrel has the model name and caliber that the manufacture date will be after 1905 and that it will not use black powder(is this true?).

It also stated that the serial #s were either 2 or 6 digits and this one has 5.

Might it be a Top-Break?

Any help would be appreciated.

[mike_yorkPA]

this look like it? http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=53444

[srb25]

this look like it? http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=53444

Yes, it does.

[JoshIronshaft]

My grandmother has one of those. It was her father's. It might be passed on to my little brother next. It is chambered in .32 S&W and was sold as a competition target gun I believe. Funny you posted it up.

[Ronnies111]

Ooops sorry double post

[Ronnies111]

My grandmother has one of those. It was her father's. It might be passed on to my little brotcause I would never her next. It is chambered in .32 S&W and was sold as a competition target gun I believe. Funny you posted it up.

I guess you are talking to me?

Yes I would not take a new WILSON for it, thank God my father is still alive & I grew up worshiping this pistol. It's one of thoses that every little boy (now a man) has endless storie's to talk about like the Lone Ranger's pistol & would never run out of ammo....LOL. And to top it off , a new pistol in 22 LR would not out shoot it in accuracy. It is one Hell of a accurate pistol especially as old as it is

I have never researched the vaule of it cause I would never sell it, But does anyone have the knowledge to tell me what it would be worth if any ?
Small or large sum ammount ???

OH.... why your little brother? Are you the Black Sheepdog of the family....LOL

[srb25]

I'm the person asking about the Harrington and Richardson pistol.
How do I find out/or is it possible to discover, the year of manufacture?

[srb25]

I still need some help dating this Richardson and Harrington .32.

Do I need to try and gather any more data or does anyone have any ideas on how I might find out when it was manufactured?

[knight0334]

I still need some help dating this Richardson and Harrington .32.

Do I need to try and gather any more data or does anyone have any ideas on how I might find out when it was manufactured?

There is no way to narrow H&R's down to an exact year before 1940. All that you can do is find out the exact model, then compare your serial number to the span of years it was produced.

If yours is the one below, the it would be in the span of years in bold. 21880 is in the 1897-1898 range. However book-keeping of serial number back then can vary a little, and receivers made and stamped in 1898 could have been in stock a year or two after the end of "official" date ranges and could have been actually completed as a whole firearm a year or two after.

H&R PREMER FIRST MODEL SMALL FRAME TOP BREAK
(BLACK POWDER)-------1895-1904
Small fame double action top break revolver with double top post barrel latch; calibers and cylinder capacity, 22 rimfire-7 rounds, 32 centerfire-5 rounds; Free wheeling cylinder (no automatic cylinder stop); standard finish Nickel with case harden hammer and barrel latch; standard barrel length 3 inches, with 4, 5 and 6 inches available as optional; features a scaled down version of the new frame and double action mechanism introduced in 1890 on the Auto-Ejecting Second Model, does not have caliber marking on left
NO CALIBER MARKINGS ON LEFT SIDE OF BARREL MANUFACTURED FOR BLACK POWDER CARTRIDGE PRESSURES
First Variation, patent dates 10-4-87, 5-14-89, 2-23-92, serial number range 01*-15,000 (estimate)--------------------------1895-April 1896
Second Variation, patent dates 10-4-87, 5-14-89, 4-2-95, 4-7-96, serial number range 15,000*-20,000* (estimate)------------May 1896
Third Variation, patent dates 10-4-87, 4-2-95, 4-7-96, serial number range 20,000* to 100,000* (estimate)---------------------1897-1898
Fourth Variation, automatic cylinder stop same patent dates as 3rd variation several different serial number series that may have letter codes---1899-1903
Fifth Variation use different font in barrel markings and may have an A letter code in the serial number---------------------------------1904 -only
VALUE: 100%=$285 60%=$75 Add 10% premium for blue finish; 20% premium 4”, 5” or 6” barrel; 20% premium for 22 rimfire caliber

[Ronnies111]

Hi:
I'm new. I personally have a 9mm but know someone who has an old H & R revolver.
It is a 32 cal. with the following markings:

Harrington & Richardson Arms Co. Worcester, Mass. (on one line)
Patented Aug. 6, 1889 Oct. 8, 1895 (2nd line)
Both lines are on the top barrel rib.

Left side of barrel: Auto-Ejecting 32 Smith & Wesson CTGE.

The number 21880 on the butt.
The number 880 on the 6-shot cylinder.

Nickel finish.
Appears to have black plastic grips with a circle that has a square with a target inside with 5 shots through the target (have not removed grips to check for serial #).

Another forum I briefly read said that if the left side of the barrel has the model name and caliber that the manufacture date will be after 1905 and that it will not use black powder(is this true?).

It also stated that the serial #s were either 2 or 6 digits and this one has 5.

Might it be a Top-Break?

Any help would be appreciated.

My Dad bought this H&R 22 LR/ 9 shot... 3 month's before I was born & I'm 54 well the 26th of this month. This was the relvover I grew up with & it's more important than any firearm in my life It is also one the most accurate 22's I have ever shot!