H&R top break, .38 S&W

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A guy locally is selling an old H&R top break chambered in .38 S&W for what I believe to be a very reasonable price of $75.
It would be a project gun, as it is missing the rotating/ locking pin, and the finish I all but gone.
I can probably fabricate a new pin if Numrich doesn't happen to have one, so I'm not too worried about the repair. Other than the missing pin, the gun functions.

1) is there anything I should be aware of in these old revolvers?
2) is $75 (plus whatever a new pin may cost me) a good ballpark value for an old beater?
3) I haven't checked the availability of .38 S&W, is it going to be impossible/ prohibitively expensive to feed?
4) anything I haven't considered?

Thanks
 
Its not something I plan on sending thousands of rounds through, so a box or two a year is a reasonable expectation. I can't see it being more expensive than my Arisaka t38.
 
I reload .38 S&W using a Lee Turret Press.

Easy to reload as long as you have some brass (and you can get that from Starline I think.)

I have a Colt Police Positive in .38 S&W and Webley Pocket Model also in .38 S&W.

And maybe soon a S&W Victory Model also in that cartridge.

No reason you can't get a good soft 150gr slug at 700 from that top break.

Deaf
 
There's two flavors of these guns, the ones designed for black powder cartridges, and the ones designed for smokeless. They switched over sometime around the turn of the last century.

A good fraction of the guns you encounter are the black-powder variety, and these guns cannot safely fire modern smokeless rounds.

I'd love to be able to tell you how to distinguish the two but I cannot. Hopefully somebody who can will stop by before too long.
 
Listen to Mike. The guns were junkers when they were made. They aren’t safe, they aren’t accurate, they aren’t powerful and they never will be.

The best thing to do with them is to turn them in at one of those stupid buy-back programs and get some cash.
 
Does the gun have the lettering 38 S&W CTGE on the left side of the barrell? If not it is only to be used with black powder.
 
It actually does have that exact lettering on the barrel. So modern smokeless should be okay, provided everything else checks out?
 
I personally, wouldn't bother with it.

An old H&R top break probably isn't strong enough to do any shooting,
& .38 S&W is ammo is hard to find & expensive.

Now if you're doing it just to have a fun project, then go for it.
But be aware of the drawbacks.
 
USAF Vet

Buy a Lee Loader 29 bucks,100 .360" bullets from Magtech , 3f black powder and 100 small pistol primers, and have a HOOT !

Bringing one of the old timers back from the grave makes a great project, and shooting it makes for maximum fun, all you have to satisfy is yourself.

Really all the older top breaks are of weaker design, and most modern 38 S&W loads are hard on the old guys, but if he locks up tight and the timing is on there is no reason you can't have some fun with BP loads.

As a matter of fact I have an old Iver Johnson, 1st model (BP) Safety Automatic top break and I shoot it , love all the smoke.

I take off the grips toss it in a pot off scalding hot water with some Dawn dish liquid, scrub the gun and the cases, rinse with more hot water let the gun dry and spray with Remoil. Takes longer to type than to do.

Go for it man ,life's too short !
 
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Provided the timing is good and there are no cracks in the frame or cylinder modern ammo should be ok. I have one myself as well as the Lee reloading dies for .38 S&W.
 
For the $75 price tag, I think I'll probably pick it up if he hasn't sold it by then.
If nothing else, I'll have 'buy back' fodder and a junker to practice on.

Might even be able to talk him down a bit due to the missing pin.

On the ammo front, I have a few gun shops that seem to cater to the obscure.
 
I'd love to have it as I collect Top Break revolvers. Currently I have a Frankengun H&R that has a BP frame and a modern cylinder and barrel. And I have a .455 Webley that was made in 1926. The Webley cylinder has been shaved to accept .45 ACP on moon clips that I load to Webley pressures using a .454 dia 255 grain lead RNFP.
 
I've been hesitant to buy a DA wheel gun because, as a lefty, I dislike the swing out cylinder on the wrong side. :) Other than the Charter Arms Southpaw, there just aren't any left handed revolvers. Top break DA wheelies rectify that, even if they are chambered in hard to find, anemic cartridges.
Single actions with the loading gate on the right/ correct side, I enjoy shooting, but I've had an itch for a DA revolver, and a project gun or two.

This purchase can kill two birds as effectively as a punt gun.
 
For that much cash I'd be all over it! Fix it up and I'm sure it will easily be worth more than what you put into it.

The guys suggesting reloading are also spot on. It's the only way to make shooting the oddball ammo options reasonably sensible. And I tend to like the idea of the BP loads as suggested by dagger dog. It ensures that your loads recoil softly and making some smoke is always good fun.... except at some indoor ranges.... :D

And Starline does offer .38S&W brass. So when the panic buying slows down you'll be able to find some and feed your top break.
 
From the pictures of it, the finish is rough... as in nonexistent.
I'm thinking about a Krylon camo job once its stripped down and fully cleaned. Not like I'm ruining a classic piece of history. Or maybe a Duracoat finish.

I might be getting ahead of myself here, but are there any holsters for this? I prefer something in leather.
 
I've been hesitant to buy a DA wheel gun because, as a lefty, I dislike the swing out cylinder on the wrong side. Other than the Charter Arms Southpaw, there just aren't any left handed revolvers. Top break DA wheelies rectify that, even if they are chambered in hard to find, anemic cartridges.
Single actions with the loading gate on the right/ correct side, I enjoy shooting, but I've had an itch for a DA revolver, and a project gun or two.

This purchase can kill two birds as effectively as a punt gun.
Click to expand...


I also have a Charter Undercover Southpaw.
 
Or you could just reload and then the whole world of S&W .38s is at your feet!

These three are mine.

attachment.php


S&W 5 inch Victory Model.

Colt Police Positive (marked Chase Manhattan Bank)

Webley Pocket Model (civilian, no import marks.)

The S&W is the best. One ragged hole groups at 10 yards with Winchester 146gr ammo.

Deaf
 
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