H&R "top break" help just a bag of parts

M

Mobius_matt

Inactive
Hey guys. I am new here but I was reading threads on this style of top break guns and I felt this site had the most experience and could possibly point me in the right direction.
The simple story is a friend of mine inherited some guns after his father passed. Most are in great shape with the exception of this one. From what I am told he was in the process of restoring it. Now that he passed I would like to restore it for my friend. I know a decent amount about firearms but in this case I was just handed a bag of parts.
Any information would be appreciated.

. what model is it ?
. do i have all the parts (missing a pin)
. can it be put back together
. will it ever shoot again?

Any thoughts ???
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0674.jpg
    IMG_0674.jpg
    183.8 KB · Views: 122
  • IMG_0675.jpg
    IMG_0675.jpg
    115.1 KB · Views: 93
  • IMG_0677 (1).jpg
    IMG_0677 (1).jpg
    184.9 KB · Views: 85
It'll come alive again, (caliber), I have no idea, but it's more that likely stamped on the top rib. Look at the book *Exploded View Gun Parts* it will
help determine if all the parts are there. The only thing that I notice is one
pin is bend (no big deal there).
 
Well for the caliber I measured the cylinder and its coming up as .33 so I imagine its a .32 S&W ... however I am having a hard time finding the exploded parts view since I am not sure on the model
 
Is there any writing on the left side of the barrel? The earlier H&R's didn't have any marking on the barrel of the cartridge, then at some point around 1900 (give/take a few yrs) they started doing it.

What this tells us is whether the gun is rated for smokeless powder or not.
 
Well, Truthtellers- why don't you have a look at the picture, and then tell me it's .32 S&W long? Because it damned sure isn't!
It's better to have people think you are a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Well, Truthtellers- why don't you have a look at the picture, and then tell me it's .32 S&W long? Because it damned sure isn't!
It's better to have people think you are a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Click to expand...
Alright Bill, then tell me why in MY 6 shot .32 H&R I can chamber and fire .32 S&W Long? Me thinks it has something to do with it was built to fire the .32 Long.
 
TruthTellers said:
Is there any writing on the left side of the barrel? The earlier H&R's didn't have any marking on the barrel of the cartridge, then at some point around 1900 (give/take a few yrs) they started doing it.

What this tells us is whether the gun is rated for smokeless powder or not.
Click to expand...
No writing on either side of the barrel. Ya I was curious if I could use modern ammo. I guess I should focus on putting it back together first.
 
All those old guns were made and intended for .32 S&W (aka .32 S&W Short). The .32 S&W Long didn't exist until 1896 when it was introduced for S&W's first side swing revolver. In many H&R and IJ revolvers, the older guns will take the longer round because the chambers are drilled straight through. Both cartridges are very low power and there is probably no danger in firing the "Long" in the older chambers, but the guns were not intended for it.

FWIW, the Gun Parts Corp. catalog includes that gun under the heading "Automatic, Police Automatic" (H&R's term meaning "automatic ejection" or ejection when the gun was opened, as opposed to "hand ejection", or requiring manual action to eject fired cases.)

I see some missing parts in the picture of that gun, mainly the lever and spring (hand and hand spring). The trigger spring is not correct; it may be home-made or from an Iver Johnson, but an H&R spring should be a V type. I don't see a sear and spring, either.

Jim
 
In many H&R and IJ revolvers, the older guns will take the longer round because the chambers are drilled straight through. Both cartridges are very low power and there is probably no danger in firing the "Long" in the older chambers, but the guns were not intended for it.
Click to expand...
Ah, that would explain it. Thing is, mine with the writing on the side chambers .32 S&W Long, but it won't fully chamber .32 H&R Magnum, so at some point H&R must have gone from boring the chambers straight through to having a chamber throat.

I agree with you, I don't think there's anything wrong with shooting .32 Long in a .32 S&W top break so long as it was made for smokeless. I think the OP would be fine if his revolver chamber the .32 Longs and shot black powder loads in it.
 
The .32 H&R Magnum is a modern cartridge, intended for use in solid frame (not top break) H&R revolvers. It has more power than the .32 S&W/.32 S&W Long, but less than the .327 Federal Magnum. The latter is a high pressure round that should not be used in any revolver not made for it. Other .32 revolvers should never (NEVER!) be altered to fire the .327 Federal Magnum, or the .32 H&R Magnum, for that matter..

Jim
 
Another thing is a lot of this type of gun were only intended for black powder loads. I know the Iver Johnson's unless they have bolt notches in the cylinder they were black powder only guns and your cylinder has no bolt notches. Even though .32 S&W short is a low power cartridge, the smokeless powder rounds you get today have a higher pressure spike than black powder ones. Another thing to consider if you get it back together and want to shoot it.
 
Gaucho, my .32 H&R with writing on the side of the barrel that indicates it was made in the smokeless era doesn't have the typical bolt stop slots, it's the old black powder style, but it works with smokeless loads.

Your advice is sound though, I just don't want the OP to think the way the bolt stops look are the only telltale sign of black powder vs smokeless. In the Iver's it is, but not the H&R's.

When smokeless loads are used, best to use starting load charges in the top breaks. I tried some moderate .32 S&W Long in mine and it felt a bit too strong for regular shooting.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top