[Sisco]

'This' is a H&R Victor in 38S&W, belonged to my granddad.
Looks to be in pretty good shape, bore is good no cracks in the frame or cylinder. Cylinder lockup isn't the best I've ever seen but I doubt it was much better when the thing was new.
Dealer has ammo, can't decide if I want to buy box and try the thing out or not. :scrutiny:

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=369915

[only1asterisk]

Not I.

David

[CasualShooter]

Nor I.

[4v50 Gary]

Safer in your hands than mine.

More seriously, you can magnaflux it to see if there's any cracks. However, magnafluxing won't reveal and crystallization of the metal.

It's probably fine, but why bothered with Grandpa's gun? You've got others and this is something to be passed down. BTW, I've got my grand-father's gun too and it's the same caliber (but a S&W).

[Shane]

I would NOT shoot it.

Why risk Grand dad's vintage gun, and even more importantly YOUR SAFETY?

You've got other newer guns, shoot them. Use Grand Dad's gun as a display relic and memory piece. Just IMO, YMMV

[CasualShooter]

Ditto! :D

[Gordon]

As much as I can see from the picture, heck YES I'd shoot it! Not many times mind you , a box of $39.00 .38S&W ammo would last a life time. The trick is does gun index(carry up) square with bore axis and lock there well? From your picture I'd say it might.:cool:

[4v50 Gary]

Range rod will tell you if the cylinder aligns each and every time.

[Old Fuff]

It is probably (and only "probably") safe to shoot with factory-loaded .38 S&W cartridges. They are loaded to very mild specifications because of revolvers like this one. However I suspect that the gun is not particularly accurate, and little would be gained from firing it except the experience. Given that the cartridges are expensive I'd retire it.

[Sisco]

Ammo isn't all that pricy, $18/box locally.
Not planning on this being a daily shooter, would just like to do it once so I could say I did.

[Keith]

"Crystallization of the metal".... Yikes!

Check it out carefully to make sure the cylinder indexes properly, etc, and shoot away! I've shot firearms much older than that one... hell, some of the guns being sold today are not made as well as that one!

[Johnny Guest]

- - -I would certainly shoot it, just to "bridge the gap" between the generations.

Harrington & Richardson has always been a U.S.A. company, and part of the great arms making tradition in the east. I have never been particularly fond of their designs, but the strength and workmanship of their arms has never been a question. There are many S&W and Colt revolvers of that era which have been mistreated and been rendered unsafe, as well as some H&R, Iver-Johnson, and other arms. Possibly some of the latter types, having been inexpensive when new, were not treated as lovingly as more expensive revolvers and would have been made unsafe to fire.

On the other hand, just look at this little revolver: No breaktop hinge or latch to mess up, no swing out cylinder and crane to have been battered and loosened. It wouldn't surprise me to learn of some study showing that more of THIS type are in safe shooting condition than the equally-old Smiths and Colts. :D

I appreciate caution in the shooting of old guns, but age doesn't necessarily make for a dangerous condition. Yup, if it had been MY grand dad's, I'd have to try it out. I'd keep to factory loads, or less-powerful handloads, though, and I wouldn't try to make it a "carry piece."

If you do choose to shoot it, please post your "Shooting the Classics" report in this forum.

Best,
Johnny

[owen]

Get it magnfluxed. If there are no cracks, shoot it.

4V50 Gary, what do you mean by the metal crystallizing? All metals are crystals.

[KpEng16]

If we dont hear back from you we'll know it didnt go all that well! :uhoh:

[CasualShooter]

Not planning on this being a daily shooter, would just like to do it once so I could say I did.

What the hey! Go for it! :D

[Mike Irwin]

Sure I would.

The H&Rs were ugly as sin, not very ergonomic, and overall clunky, but they were servicable.

[Sisco]

If I do take it to the range maybe I'll have my brother-in-law shoot it first.
He's not real smart and I don't like him much anyway. :what:















Just kiddin'. :rolleyes:

[Andrew Wyatt]

not only yes, but hell yes.

[Standing Wolf]

I'd be inclined to put a box of rounds through it, clean it thoroughly, and tuck it away somewhere.

[SkunkApe]

Isn't there a S&W .38 short?

I'd definately shoot it. Might wanna try the old string-behind-the-tree trick, though.

[Sisco]

A little history on the piece, Granddad used to carry it when he was a deputy Oklahoma in the '20's or '30s.
Glad he didn't run into any real desparados.

[Mike Irwin]

"Isn't there a S&W .38 short?"

No, there isn't.

The .38 S&W was the company's first .38 caliber centerfire round, from around 1875.

It was originally designed for small breaktop revolvers. You can't get a case much shorter than this one.

Colt, however, did have a .38 Short (about the same power and size as the .38 S&W), and a .38 Long, which was the US military handgun round for a number of years.

S&W took the .38 Long Colt, increased the case length, bullet weight slightly, and jumped the powder charge from 18 to 21.5 grains of black powder and introduced it to the world as the .38 S&W Special.

[Tommy Gunn]

A little history on the piece, Granddad used to carry it when he was a deputy Oklahoma in the '20's or '30s.
Glad he didn't run into any real desparados.

Because it is an inexpensive snubbie revolver, its likely your grandfather had it as a backup piece. His belt gun was likely a medium to large sized service revolver from Colt or S&W.

[Ala Dan]

Nor even me! I can't recall ever seeing one of those?
Great pic there my friend; many thanks for sharing!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[RustyHammer]

I'd put it up for your grand kids ... the reward (fun) of shooting it isn't worth the bad feelings you'd experience if something went wrong. (Or the possible physical damage you could receive should it 'blowup'.)

Then, again, I never knew either of my grandfathers, so it maybe would mean more to me than to someone else. Who knows?

I vote put it in your 'reserved' corner of your safe,

YMMV

Rusty

[Sisco]

Dropped into the gunshop this morning, brought home a box of ammo. Even If I don't shoot it it's cool to have some ammo for it. Gave $10 for a box of Remington 88gr lead. Got it so cheap because it's the only box he had and he's had it a long time! That and it's not exactly a full box, there were 5 rounds of .32 auto in there. :confused:

As far as it being Granddads' back-up gun, I doubt it. I pretty sure it was the only one he owned. My Grandparents didn't have much back in the dustbowl / depression days. Regular "Grapes of Wrath" kinda thing.

[10-Ring]

I clean & lube it really well, shoot it to find out how well it worked & then put it away as a momento.

[care-less]

shoot it! 38SW is not a high pressure round! If the revolver appears in as good a condition as you say, shoot it! Or send it to me, and I'll let you know in a few years how it is holding up. There are a lot of handguns a lot older than this, that are shot all the time.

[seeker_two]

FIRST: Have a gunsmith familiar w/ that type of firearm check it out.

SECOND: If given the OK, shoot it.

THIRD: Save it for your descendants.

[braindead0]

I'd shoot it.. My dad still shoots his Winchester .38-55 carbine (ca 1890's), Colt Peacemaker Sheriffs model (ca 18 something), damascus barrel 12ga double barrel shotgun (unknown maker or age).. ..

That being said, he also loads the ammo for these and we know it's no where near full power.

[Lloyd Smale]

yup!

[jjmorgan64]

I've got guns quite a bit older and they've all been shot so yup. it'll be fun

[Sisco]

Taking it to the range later this morning. If I'm still able to type when I get home I'll post a range report. :scrutiny: