H&R "22 Special"

[zgate]

I recently acquired a Harrington & Richardson 9 shot top break .22 revolver. The only marking is on the left side of the barrel “22 Special”. It is in great shape and shoots very tight groups but needs a new spring for the hand.

Does anyone know if there is a model number associated with this so I can try to get parts?

Any information about this model would be appreciated.

 

[sm]

Hi.

I have the 7 shot version with the factory gold plated front sight like this one:
http://www.theshootersbox.com/hr_22special_pictures.htm
Mine is S/N 514xxx
I was gifted this gun, and it is in very very nice shape and is so accurate!

Using old Numrich catalogs, I was able to find parts, and information.
Just confusing as all get out.
I would contact Numrich, and even go so far to make a scan to size /copy to size and use this to assist them.

Information is hard to come by, it seems H&R and record keeping, is "difficult".
Rumors are, a book is in fact in works to assist with S/N , models and the like.

I have received some information, with the assistance of some nice Folks
like Old Fuff, Jim Keenan, still the information is "sketchy".

Best I can nail down, mine was made between 1925 and 1941.

I was born in 1955 and had an exact gun, like the one I was gifted.
Mine is a sentimental shooter...just still looking for more information myself.

I have not taken the time to run down anymore information, so thanks for posting this thread, and perhaps we both (and others) will learn some things.

Steve

 

[zgate]

That is very similar to the one I have. The differences are – shorter hammer spur, slightly different target grips, blade rear sight, and a brass front sight. I’ll bet all the internals are the same.

Thanks

 

[sm]

I do not have these old Numrich catalogs myself.
I was visiting a gun person that did.
I just cannot recall the differences, but it seems there was quite a few.
I cannot forget the other books we used, maybe an old Gun Digest.

We would "see" similarities, then differences, and then footnotes and get blurry eyed.

I "guess" he should have called them, then again, nothing wrong with my gun, just poking for information.

From what I gather, the OLD books have information that will assist better than newer sources.
These have Iver Johnson and other older guns listed as well.

Neat guns.

 

[sm]

Numrich Gun Parts Corp.

http://www.e-gunparts.com/

http://www.e-gunparts.com/model.asp?idDept=101

http://www.e-gunparts.com/forum/forum2.asp?cat=5

Now this gun come before the 999 Sportsman, but finding "22 Special" does not show to be listed.
Difficult, like I said.

IF I knew what to ask for, I would like the correct schematic .

 

[zgate]

Doing a little research I found this

The 'H&R 22 special' was manufactured between 1925 and 1942. Calibers offered were 22 long rifle (9 shot) and 22 Winchester rim-fire (7 shot) although some 7 shot 22 long-rifle versions have been encountered. all were marked '22 special' no matter the chambering. The '22 special' was built on the large frame centerfire auto-ejecting and serial numbered in that serial number series.

Check the right side of the barrel to find the .22LR or .22WRF.

Somewhere around 1932 the cylinder face was recessed for the “safety rim”.

512xxx – 1929-1930
523xxx – 1931-1932

I’ll keep digging.

 

[butwhat]

"I have the 7 shot version with the factory gold plated front sight like this one:
http://www.theshootersbox.com/hr_22special_pictures.htm
Mine is S/N 514xxx
I was gifted this gun, and it is in very very nice shape and is so accurate!"

I have this same gun in .22WRF Number
I have an as new 1932 H&R 22Special. It has 22 WRF CTG stamped on the other side of the barrel.
There are numbers on the grip that I assume are the serial numbers 539XXX.
It has Harrington & Richardson Arms Co. Worcester, Mass. U.S.A. stamped on the rib on top of the barrel.

I was told that it has only had one box of shells shot through it.

The pistol is very similar to the H&R Model 999. It is a 7 shot top break.

The gun was bought in 1932 and it has had only 1 box of shells shot thru it as the story goes from the lady I bought it from. Her husband shot rats on the back steps getting into the dog food.

I was wondering if you could tell me anything about this gun or it's value.

Thanks

 

[Old Fuff]

The "Special" was built on H&R's large or .38-size frame of that period, and with the exception of the hammer, barrel, and cylinder uses lockwork parts that are identical to the .38 revolver. Thus the parts at Numrich are listed under: AUTOMATIC, POLICE AUTOMATIC; Top break auto ejecting large frame double action revolvers.....

The hand is called a "lever," (part #22) and the spring is a "lever spring" (part #23).

An interesting link: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=96624722

 

[butwhat]

Any thoughts on the value of my gun?
I'm not a collector and do not wish to shoot a gun that might be valuable to somebody as a collectors item.
What is the differance between 22 LR which I am familiar with and the 22 WRF which I am not familiar with.
Please tell me about The 22 WRF. I have seen that notation before but always thought it was just another name for 22 Rimfire shells like cb, short, long & long rifle.
Thanks

 

[butwhat]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/22WRF.htm

The .22 WRF (.22 Remington Special)

By Chuck Hawks


Illustration courtesy of CCI.
The .22 Winchester Rim Fire (WRF) is all but obsolete. It was designed for the Winchester Model 1890 pump action rifle and was later adapted to Remington and Stevens rifles as well as Colt Revolvers. Winchester .22 WRF loads used a flat point bullet.

Remington manufactured the cartridge, loaded it with a round nose bullet, and called it the .22 Remington Special. The two are actually the same cartridge and are completely interchangable.

I mention it here because Winchester .22 WRF ammo will fit in a .22 Magnum chamber, but not the reverse. The WRF fires a 45 grain, copper-plated, lead semi-wadcutter style bullet at a velocity of 1,320 fps and 175 ft. lbs. of energy at the muzzle of a 22" rifle barrel. The sectional density (SD) of the 45 grain WRF bullet is .128. It hits with noticeably more authority than the .22 LR. Winchester also offered a 40 grain hollow point bullet.

Because its case is slightly larger in diameter than a .22 LR case (as is the .22 Magnum), the WRF will not go into LR chambers. Like the .22 Magnum, the WRF uses standard .224" bullets (like most centerfire .22's), not .220" bullets like the Long Rifle.

It is actually quite a useful cartridge, as it hits harder than the .22 LR and is less expensive and less destructive than the .22 Magnum. Unfortunately, sales have diminished almost to the vanishing point and .22 WRF ammunition is no longer cataloged by Remington, although Winchester and CCI occasionally produce runs of .22 WRF ammo. Note that CCI warns against using their .22 WRF ammunition, which is loaded with a JHP bullet, in .22 WMR guns.

 

[redlionman]

H&R 22 Special w/broken fireing pin

I also have a 22 special identical to the one in the pictures at http://www.theshootersbox.com/hr_22special_pictures.htm.
It was given to my dad in 1952 so I always believed it was a vintage 1950's. Based on what I am reading, with a serial number 517xxx it must really be about a 1931 or 32. The fireing pin came off about 50 years ago, and I always thought that it had broken, but someone just showed me that it looked more like it had possibly came unglued due to the smoth finish of the break. I still have the broken pin. Is a new hammer w/pin the best option or trying to get the pin glued back on. Also a confirmation of approximate production date would be appreciated.