H&R Model 732?

[Joe Link]

As I said in a post in the Autoloader section, my dad found two of his guns he hid from us kids back when we were young (15+ years ago, I guess he hid them very well and forgot where they were). One of them is this old H&R Model 732 revolver chambered in .32 S&W. I'd like to know more about the gun, if it's decent, approximate value, etc. What can you guys tell me?

 

[Jim March]

The Harrington & Richardsons of the era yours was made were respectable little critters that didn't get near enough love .

Note the pinned barrel like an early S&W, and the Rugeresque lack of side plates. Primary lockup is at the crane in a semi-Dan-Wessonish manner, but different . This gun and the Charter Undercover were great designs backed by small companies that didn't survive rough times. Quality control on H&Rs was more even than Charter's, which went up and down like a yoyo. (Mine is excellent, others were ghastly.)

I've seen them in 38Spl and 22, but not in 32S&W - that's an oddball. It can probably take 32S&WLong. Unfortunately, defensive ammo for that isn't going to be available, you'd have to handload 60gr JHPs meant for 32ACP in 32S&WLong cases.

Huh.

You know...

If we knew the Rockwell numbers for the 38 variant and then tested your cylinder, we might find that the heat-treat is the same. Your gun pre-dates the 32Magnum being popular, I think. I wonder if it's safe to ream that cylinder a tad deeper?



After all, the 32Mag is technically the 32H&RMag, the only caliber that company designed I think?

 

[JohnBT]

I used to have one of those in .32 Long, so let me think on this for a bit and maybe it'll jog my memory. My aunt bought it at Best Products when she was still an R.N. at Hopkins in downtown Baltimore. I only had it for a few years after she retired and gave it to me. This always happens in my family - they buy without asking and then years later when they give it to you it's still not a S&W or a Colt in a caliber you like.

IIRC, they were made from '58 to '86 and came in .32 S&W and .32 Long. Barrel lengths were 2.5" and 4". I had a 2.5.

I sold it 10 or 15 years ago for $50 and still feel guilty about it. It was reliable, but I couldn't hit the proverbial side of a barn with it.

John