H&R Sportsman Auctions: Couldn't Win; Now Can't Lose

Drakejake

New member
I developed an interest in the Harrington and Richardson Sportsman revolver, model 999. This is a top-break, auto-ejecting, nine shot revolver. It was made c. 1935-85. I believe that the earlier models had a solid barrel and a lever on the right side which released the cylinder forward, perhaps for cleaning. The later models--correct me if I am wrong--had a ventilated, ribbed barrel and no lever on the right side. This revolver has been complimented in various places and attracted me because of the top-break, the self-ejection of spent cases, and the application of HKS speedloaders which I already had for the Taurus 94.

I started bidding on them on Internet auctions. I really thought I had the first one, but was outbid at the last minute. I also lost out in two or three other auctions. Lately, I have been winning the auctions even when I didn't expect to, or even didn't want to. In a previous auction, my bid sat as the highest for about five or six days, and to my surprise, no one else bid. Then today I got carried away and bid slightly higher than the previous bidder. Having second thoughts, I sent an e-mail to the previous high bidder asking him to out bid me. But he didn't, and now I will have three of these things. I have become a collector almost by accident. Perhaps I will sell one of them at a gun show. My local dealer charges me a reasonable $20 for his service plus the $10 charge for background check. I must pay the seller shipping costs, but I avoid the very high TN sales tax.

I got my hands on the first revolver today. It has the solid barrel and cylinder lever, so is apparently a Sportsman, but not a model 999 (model 199?). The bluing and after-market walnut grips are in excellent condition and I look forward to trying it out tomorrow.

Drakejake
 
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