H&R Top-Break .32

C

Crazy88Fingers

New member
I was at my local gun shop this morning dropping off a Mini-14 for some work when my eye caught this little guy sitting in the case...

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It's an H&R top-break chambered in .32 S&W. The caliber is marked on the barrel which, from what I've read, means it's safe for smokeless powder. The finish has definitely seen better days, and the lockup is less than tight. But the timing seems fine and the ejector works. Serial number on the butt reads 453C44. They'll give it to me for $89.99.

I've always had something of an infatuation for old top-breaks. This would be taken out to the range every now and then, and perhaps find it's way into the pocket of a sport coat when the need arises. Yeah, I know, it's a .32... :rolleyes:

So, for all you H&R gurus, any pointers? Can anyone give me a year/decade of manufacture? Specific problems to look for? Thank you in advance, and I hope someone can answer these questions before I bring it home. :D
 
I would be very hesitant about shooting this. The loose lock-up may cause it to shed lead splinters if the cylinder does not line up correctly with the barrel. I speak from personal experience. Some years ago I was at the range and the guy next to me was shooting one of these and I got hit in the eye. I was wearing shooting glasses but this was back in the days before they had the protective side pieces. An opthamologist was able to remove the splinter and I did not suffer any permanent eye damage. But I was just lucky. It could have been a lot worse.
 
I thought about the spitting lead problem, but I don't think it's loose enough to worry about that. The guys at the shop said they tried it at the range and it works.

Unfortunately I noticed today that the trigger doesn't always reset in double action. It may just need a good cleaning, but I'm not willing to make that $90 gamble. Maybe in a few weeks with a couple more paychecks in the bank...
 
I love top breaks.

I have an old s&w tb that does the same thing. The SA is worn out so I keep an empty chamber under the hammer and shoot it da. Not a big deal. Not worth fixing.

I also have a H&A in 38 SW, an HR 32 hammerless. The da is usually pretty heavy, If you can fire yours SA, I'd just live with that. They are more "point shooters", the sights are very poor. Accuracy is generally not that great. Pin pan at 6 feet.

Dead to rights, it would be best to use soft lead bullets and black powder, but I use "modern ammo" with no ill results. Some will insist modern ammo will cause the gun to explode. I'll leave that up to you.

These are not carry guns anymore. There are much better choices. Just use it as a plinker. Shoot it, enjoy it.
 
That gun is typical of the guns we used to see in junk shops and second hand stores. They all seemed to have interchangable parts, or parts could be made from binder clips or other materials on hand. They sold them to us for anywhere from $1.50 to $3.00. Most of them would jump open at the latch when fired, but we learned to have the lugs built up with a brazing rod at the service station, then file them back down to size.

Since we were just kids, they had no qualms about selling them to us since they thought they were not in shooting condition. Funny thing, we never got hurt, hurt anybody else, or got into trouble with them. And I learned a heck of a lot about revolvers.

Bob Wright
 
to check the lock up on these old gals, you should check with the trigger 1/2 way pulled, or at least some pressure on the trigger... if the gun is shootable in all other aspects, it should lock up reasonably tight with some pressure on the trigger...

BTW... I have many of this type of gun, from black powder era to smokeless & about 1000 cases, which I load about 3 reciepes starting with a pinch of Trailboss & going up from there, depending on the gun...

price is not too bad if the gun functions well enough to shoot...

my test fire the gun load, is 0.5 grains of Trailboss & a 32 caliber soft lead ball... these loads have proven safe for any shootable gun, black power or smokeless... if you don't reload, I'd be hesitant to shoot the gun much
 
I have a H&R .32 S&W Premier top break, just like that, but in a Nickel finish. Still shoots. I had it since I was a kid. My Dad bought the gun from a co-worker who wanted beer money. I used to sneak the gun out and carry this when fishing, biking and when woods loafing at age 11 or so (I was bit by the Gun bug early), and wish for a Colt SA .44 Special, or .45 Colt, or a Ruger Blackhawk. And no, I never even thought about taking it to school. I would have been happier and more satisfied if it was in the .38 S&W caliber! Even as a boy I felt under gunned with the .32 S&W cartridge! My H&R is Not accurate, and very exspensive to shoot, but a neat old concealed carry gun nonetheless. About 30 years ago, my Dad had a gunsmith replace a broken spring, as it wasn't firing double action. On several occassions as a kid shooting it, I caught a glimpse of those little 88 grain lead bullets in flight, much like a BB fired from a Red Ryder BB gun. I doubt the .32 S&W shoots those 88 bullets at much more than 500 FPS. 10 yards was about the max range I ever shot it, and that was pushing it. Don't dry fire yours, and keep your range short. It's not a Colt or S&W, but it would be a fine vintage gun for your fishing tackle box if you want to plink at skunks and ground squirrels.
 
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I have a couple. (One needs a new trigger return spring). They are handy little pocket guns and I have occasionally carried one when it was just too hot to wear enough clothes to conceal anything bigger.

thefirearmsforum.com has a few people who know about these revolvers. The expert, Bill Goforth, died some time back but you can still learn a lot from his many posts, mostly advising on H&Rs of that vintage.
 
I have a whole bunch of H&R top breaks. Have shot them all and never had any issues. Watch the really old ones that used Black powder shells however.
 
Check the lock up with the trigger pulled and hammer in the fired position. I have found that a lot of these old top breaks feel "loose" until they are in the fired position and then everything is solid. Less than $100 is a decent price. Wish I could fine a couple of good ones in that range in .32 S&W or Long and in .38 S&W along with some old British Bulldogs in their range of calibers. Have an affection for these old guns but here in NC they are almost unfindable...
 
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