H&R Firearms

[32 Magnum]

exquisiteoaf,
Excellent pictures!
Your Grandfather's gun is an H&R Model 1904 / 04. This Model Single Action/Double Action revolver was introduced to the market in late 1904 early 1905 and remained in limited production up to the beginning of WW2, around 1942. It was originally intended to replace the H&R Model American Double Action revolver series, which was introduced in 1883, and featured some improvements to the lock work and changes to the grip frame shape and angle. It was a middle price range piece and was intended to compete with the Iver Johnson, Forehand and Wadsworth, Hopkins and Allen, etc. offerings - and not compete with the Colts, Smith & Wessons, Remingtons, etc. It was also the first of a series of H&R revolvers designed and produced specifically to handle the stresses and pressures of the then new to market "smokeless" or Nitro powders. Up to 1904, all H&R firearms were designed and produced to handle only black powder loadings, although existing models from before that date, were redesigned and strengthened to also handle smokeless loads.
The number stamped on the butt strap is the serial number. Yours with s/n 9073 is an early production piece and most likely produced before 1910.
The standard issue was Nickel finished with 2 1/2" octagonal barrel in either six shot .32 S&W or 5 shot .38 S&W cartridges. Yours, in .32 will handle all modern factory loaded .32 S&W Long cartridges - assuming that it is safe to fire! If you're not sure - have it checked out. Options included 4.5" and 6" barrels and blued finish. The grip panels were standard, black HARD RUBBER, with mother of pearl, ivory or oversized checkered Walnut or hard rubber, "Target" style grips. Most are seen with the black hard rubber with the target logo at the top. Total production numbers are unknown, but likely don't exceed 200,000 to 250,000 pieces.
Valuation (at Retail) in the condition that your piece appears to be, which I would estimate at Good+ would range from around $95 to $110. They have some collector value, but usually in the V.good+ to Excellent condition. I have found several that appear to be test fired only and are in 98 to 99% condition - these sell in the $165 to $185 range.
If a gunsmith says it's okay to shoot, go ahead and purchase some .32S&W or .32S&W Long ammo and enjoy!
Jim Hauff

[32 Magnum]

JMP,
I'm not quite clear on what the problem with your model 900 is, nor what parts you need, but either you or the gunsmith can view a schematic and parts lists at: www.e-gunparts.com This is the Numrich/GPC homepage.
Click on "start here" near the upper left hand corner of the rather cluttered screen, then click on 'H', then on 'Harrington & Richardson', then scroll down to the Model 900 parts list and click on it.
Internal lock works for the models 929, 922, and a couple others should be interchangeable, assuming that your gun was made around the same year as the parts they have on hand. If you tell me the serial number, I can tell you what year and which variation you need to look/ask for.
Jim Hauff

[bloomautomatic]

I had a similar problem with one of my 9xx series revolvers. Turned out to be the piece that goes between the spring and the hammer. On some, they're plastic, and on some they're metal. The plastic one broke and wasn't giving the full force to the hammer. Replaced it with a metal one and it should be good for the rest of my natural life. Either got it at a gun show or found it on a gunbroker auction. Few dollars for it.

On numrich's site, if you go to the schematic for the 949, it's the piece at the top of assembly 34A.

Also, if the chambers get really dirty, that can happen. First time the hammer hits it, it seats it the rest of the way down through the fouling. second time it hits it, it fires.

Vince

[exquisiteoaf]

Jim, thank you so much for all the info! I really appreciate it.

I am pretty amazed to find out that the gun is as old as you say it is. I wasn't even sure that it was made before World War 2. The age is pretty cool to me since I like antiques. The fact that it is so old also explains why the nickel plating is so beat up, since I know from accounts that the gun was well-used.

I'm going to take it into a gunsmith and have it looked at and cleaned up.

Thanks again!

Mike

[exquisiteoaf]

A couple more questions, if anyone can help:

What does the little "spur" behind the trigger on my revolver do? I'm guessing it is supposed to lock back the hammer in cocked position or something like that, but I really don't know. If I pull the hammer back a little and hold it, and then push inwards on the spur, the spur will click and stay in an inward position, but it doesn't seem to effect anything. The spur will pop back out again when I release the hammer. What does this component do?

My other question is about the ammo for this gun. .32 S&W ammo seems to be somewhat obscure from what little research I have done so far. I assume that .32 S&W long is NOT compatible with in this gun. Would this be correct? Can anyone recommend a good online retailer or a store in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN area where I can find this ammo at a good price?

Thanks again,

Mike

[bloomautomatic]

On my 900 series revolvers, that spur is what releases the hammer.

Not sure if that gun can handle the 32 s&w long or not.

vince

[inkie]

Thank you for posting, I have a model 929 Bantam and recently changed the mainspring and plastic head to a steel one from Numrich. The gun works fine except now if I want to open the cylinder I have to pull the hammer back slightly until it clicks into a notch so the firing pin won't protrude thereby stopping the cylinder from opening. Its no big deal but I am wondering if its the mainspring, the head or just this universal part with loose tolerances. Any ideas will be appreciated. Thanx.

[ShootinBlanks]

Howdy all,

I've read through some posts online both here and there. I am looking for help in identifying date of manufacture and the exact model number of my pistol. Until I can get pictures I'll describe it the best I can.
-.22lr - 9 shot - hinged
- 6" barrel
-Top of the Barrel - "Harrington & Richardson Arms Co."
-Top of the Barrel - "Worcester, Mass. U.S.A."
-Left Side of the Barrel - "H. & R. "Sportsman""
-Left Side of the Barrel - "Single Action"
-Right Side of the Barrel - "22 Long Rifle CTG" (Could be CTC, not the best vision in the world).
-Serial Number S116XX

Other than that, I shoot this pistol nearly every 2 weeks, it's fit and finish is fantastic with little wear. What I've read online before is that the S prefix means it's Single Action and that it was built around 1932-1934...that's about all I know.

[bloomautomatic]

The S prefix on the serial number indicates that it was made in 1956. H&R started using letter prefixes for the years after 1940 starting with A. They skipped the letters I and O to avoid confusion with one and zero. IF they also skipped AI and AO, then this should accurate.

a 1940
b 1941
c 1942
d 1943
e 1944
f 1945
g 1946
h 1947
j 1948
k 1949
l 1950
m 1951
n 1952
p 1953
q 1954
r 1955
s 1956
t 1957
u 1958
v 1959
w 1960
x 1961
y 1962
z 1963
aa 1964
ab 1965
ac 1966
ad 1967
ae 1968
af 1969
ag 1970
ah 1971
aj 1972

edit: see the next page of this thread to corrections to this list.
ak 1973
al 1974
am 1975
an 1976
ap 1977
aq 1978
ar 1979
as 1980


Vince

[32 Magnum]

Exquisiteoaf:
"What does the little "spur" behind the trigger on my revolver do? I'm guessing it is supposed to lock back the hammer in cocked position or something like that, but I really don't know"

That is the single action sear release lever - it moves the sear arm out of engagement with the hammer notch - these guns are "true" double action/single action. It is an 1880's design - but was continued up into the 1990's.
Your Model 1904/04 will handle all modern factory .32 S&W and .32 S&W LONG cartridges. MagTech makes modern loads that are a bit less expensive - try sportsmansguide.com for this ammo.