What went with H&R?

[Josey]

I was looking over some of my H&R revolvers. Mine are nickel plated and in good condition. I know these weren't Korths but, they were handy dandy pistols. Their target models in 22 are good even by todays standards. When H&R/NEF was taken over by Marlin did anybody store the tools, dies and blueprints? I think there could be a market for H&R today. Was everything destroyed? Who would like to see a stainless steel or titanium H&R besides me?

 

[BluesBear]

I'd dearly LOVE to see them start making the 9 shot .22 break top 999 Sportsman again.

At a decent price I'd buy a 6" in both blued and stainless.



In fact, if anyone has a nice 6" 999 for sale, please PM me with details.

 

[Josey]

That is what I am talking about! Those were THE 22 to start out with as a young person. I have many friends that bought 999 Sportsman 22s for their first pistol.

 

[Tropical Z]

Id also love to get a 999.Had the chance a couple years ago and foolishly passed.:banghead:

 

[Old Fuff]

The original Harrington & Richardson company was the victim of an anti-gun lawsuit. When a large judgment was made they suffered a cash-flow problem and filed bankruptcy. The later owners dropped the handguns to avoid the Democrat-inspired lawsuits that the current S-1805 bill in the Senate is supposed to prevent. I don't know if Marlin got the revolver tooling or not, but they have absolutely no interest in making handguns.

Mad because these revolvers are gone and probably won't be back? Frankly, I am too. Just keep in mind that this is what the left-hand wing of the party is planing too do to all of the gunmakers.

 

[wintermute76]

I have a question on the 999 sportsman. Do they all say 999 on the barrel?
They do in all teh pics I"ve seen. I have a n H&R sportsman, but doesn't say 999 anywhere. Just Sportsman, I believe it was my Grandfather's brother's or uncle's gun. No one in the family knows much about it.

Any info would be appreciated.

 

[BluesBear]

The older H&R Sportsman revolvers did not say 999. These would have had the solid rib on the barrel. I am not sure of the year that the 999 designation was applied but I believe it was the late 1950s or early 1960s. I have only seen a few of the old maroon boxed, diamond gripped, solid ribbed Sportsmans with 999 on the barrel. But all of the later "vent" ribbed barrels were marked 999.

 

[Jim K]

I, too, was sorry to see H&R put out of business that way. It was one of the few "successes" the anti-gun gang and their crooked lawyers had in the "sue everybody" frenzy.

But the fact is that H&R had other problems and they went back a long way. In the early part of the last century, their guns were fairly well made and the designs competitive. But other companies had the capital to redesign and keep up with the times; H&R didn't. Their older guns were not durable (most were made from cast iron) and the designs didn't hold up well even when they went to better quality material. The breaktops simply would not hold up in anything more than a .22, and their swing cylinder designs were poorly made and in any event too little and too late. They thought the contracts for the M1 and M14 would get them out of the hole, but they came close to losing money on them.

Jim

 

[outfieldjack]

Any idea what year one with serial # L1154 would have been made? Its a .22 with diamond grips and only says "sportsman" on it.

Jack

 

[BluesBear]

I have looked high and low on the net for a reference source for H&R serial numbers. But to no avail. I have several I'd like to look up.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I think there could be a market for H&R today.

There could have been a market for H & R, but Ruger owns it now.

 

[Glock19Fan]

H&R made some really nice revolvers. I know a guy with a H&R .22LR (not sure of the model) that has nothing but good to say about them.

If I came across one in good condition I wouldnt mind picking one up. They sound like really nice revolvers.

 

[Glock19Fan]

"There could have been a market for H & R, but Ruger owns it now."

I agree, but since they dont make any DA/SA .22s, I think that H&R/Marlin could be really successful if they came out with a nice DA/SA revolver for around $100.

 

[wintermute76]

Ruger does have the SP101 in .22LR, but that's it.

 

[outfieldjack]

I went to Oldguns.net and was sent this reply:

Greetings Jack,

Thanks for contacting OldGuns.net. H&R has offered 2 different
Sportsman models. The first Sportsman (Model 199) was a hinged-frame revolver
that was introduced in the late 1920s. Revolvers were available in
either single-action or double-action configuration. The Original design
was intended to be used as a Target revolver, it duplicated the grip,
size and balance of the USRA target pistol. Five interchangeable grip
styles were offered, and the trigger guard had a spur behind it which
filled the gap between guard and grip to give a solid rest for the
shooter's second finger. One interesting safety feature of this model is that
the rear face of the nine-shot cylinder was recessed around the
chambers, leaving a solid ring of steel around the outside of the cartridge
rims to prevent metal splash should there be a case-head failure.

Your revolver sounds like a Sportsman (Model 999) second issue. This 9
shot revolver had a vented rib barrel, top-break action, adjustable
sights and walnut grips. Revolvers were available with a choice of 4 or 6
in barrels. Second issue revolvers were manufactured from 1950 to 1985.
The "L" part of your serial number is a date code which tells us that
it was manufactured in 1951. There is not a lot of collector interested
in H&R revolvers values usually fall in the $150 or less range.

Let me know if this helps.

 

[P. Plainsman]

Ruger does have the SP101 in .22LR, but that's it.

Actually, the .22 SP101s have been discontinued for 2005. Ruger catalog just lists the .32 Mag, .357 Mag, and .38+P variants.

A pity, even if the SP frame was a lot of steel to hold six rimfire cartridges. I'm not impressed with any of the current S&W offerings in .22. Guess that leaves Taurus, or jump the fence and get a Single Six.

 

[BluesBear]

There is not a lot of collector interested in H&R revolvers values usually fall in the $150 or less range.

Oh yeah?

Just try and find a 999 in halfway decent shape for that price.
Good ones get snatched up on Gunbroker right and left for $250+.

 

[Pistol Toter]

In the mid to late 70's, I bought an H&R blue snubbie in .32 S&W Long. that little pistol was very accurate and a shear joy to shoot. I sold it several years ago for more than I paid for it. P.T.

 

[Magnuumpwr]

Not sure when I bought it, but I was lucky enough to find an NEF in .32 H&R Mag with a 5 shot cylinder. It is a "lady smith" style with a 2" barrel and as for shooting, it's a real delight. Super accurate, light recoil, and enough knockdown power for concealed carry with 85 gr. XTP loads.