H&R Young American revolver

[AirCool65]

I’ve got a Harrington & Richardson Young American Double Action revolver (2” Octagon Barrel. 7 shot, .22LR) that I’ve had for over 40 years now. The trigger spring appears to be broken (it fires OK, but the trigger has to be manually pushed forward between shots). I know it’s not worth taking it to a gunsmith, but I’d like it to function properly. Numrich carries replacement springs, but I’ve never had it apart and I’m hesitant to just start driving out pins. Has anyone got any experience with these? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[PetahW]

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It's been over 35 years since I've taken one of those apart, but IIRC, I removed the grips to remove the MS to relieve pressure on the hammer/etc before tapping out the two small pins above the front/rear of the TG to drop it out & access the lockworks.

IMO, the spring you're going to need is the V-spring held by the front of the TG.

Here's a pic to guide you, of how the parts go together inside the frame:

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

That be the correct spring. I used to work on a ton of these, along with the old Iver Johnson's, and even Smith's. You don't see them come up as much any more, and I wonder what folks did with them. At one time, I had an entire 40 bin parts cabinet dedicated to them, as it seemed that everybody had one. I don't remember how many times I've heard the older folks say that they used to carry one in their tool box.

 

[AirCool65]

Thanks, that makes sense. Looks like I just have to remove the trigger guard to get at the spring. Where does the small coil spring fit in? Is it between the rear of the trigger guard and the sear?

I did some research a while back and it appears that this revolver was manufactured in 1938. I had a cousin (by marriage) that worked for H&R in Worcester back then. I used to see these around more often too.

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

It fits into a small recess in the trigger guard. You'll see it when its out. If I remember correctly, you'll need a slave pin, the same width as the trigger guard, to re-install the guard and hold the sear. You then drive out the slave pin, with the long one for the rear of the trigger guard.

 

[AirCool65]

I see what you mean. I probably would have figured that out eventually, but thanks for the tip.

 

[rmbrad]

I am working on an H&R 2nd Model, 3rd Variation "PREMIER", small frame. I have the trigger guard and hammer out of the gun to do some deep cleaning and replace springs. Now I can't get it back together. Does the new trigger spring have to be compressed as everything goes back in, and if so, how do you do this? Can someone give me an idea of the sequence these guns go back together? This gun also has a multi-leaf hammer spring. Is this unusual for this gun? Any help would be great. I don't want to take a bag of parts to the gunsmith.

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

Does the new trigger spring have to be compressed as everything goes back in

Yes, it will be compressed between its seat on the trigger guard, and the bottom of the nose of the trigger.

It should be similar to the pic above, only that your's is a top break if I recall.

 

[rmbrad]

Dixie:

I have made a slave pin to hold the stuff together at the back of the trigger guard. I just can't figure out how to keep the trigger in place while compressing the trigger spring. This is one of those things that appears to require 5 hands, and someone needs to be holding their mouth just right things. I am sure that it is just how I am going about this. Does the hammer go in, and then the trigger with the pin and then the trigger guard? I have had a number of Rugers, and Smith and Wesson's apart, and put them back together. But this thing just has me winding my butt and scratching my watch. I sure there is a method, but I can't figure it out.

 

[James K]

Usually you install the hammer first, then the trigger with the hand and lifter, then the trigger return spring and the front end of the trigger guard, then the rear of the trigger guard with the sear and spring held in by the slave pin. When you have the rear of the guard in place, you use the regular pin to drive out the slave pin. (Pins normally go in right to left, come out the opposite way.) Last, you install the hammer spring, put the round upper end into the niche in the hammer, and the flat bottom end into the slot in the frame. Then replace the grips. It sounds simple, but you will quickly learn why most gunsmiths refuse to touch those guns.

If you do much work on those guns, you should get a set of cup end punches from Brownell's so you don't flatten the ends of the pins with a regular drift punch.

Note: If replacing a trigger spring, order two or three; it is not unknown to ruin one or two trying to fit the replacement and it only needs a bit too much taken off to ruin it.

Jim

 

[rmbrad]

Thanks to you all. I have the old gun back together, and it works sort of. Double action the hammer does not reset so that it can be pulled again double action. I suspect this problem is because I didn't have snap caps, and these would not let the hammer to travel far enough forward that it wouldn't reset. Single action sounds like it is full of gravel. Once again, I think this may be because the hammer spring has 3 thin spring leafs in it. The cylinder does not lock up enough that you could say it is in time. Fixing this is well beyond me. I think this old gun is tight enough that it could be shot with low pressure rounds. I will take it to may gunsmith before even attempting this.

Although the parts are very similar between the guns, this gun is different enough that even with your help it was hard to get back together. The trigger has an extra "Lip" on the front of it. The front of the cut out for trigger in the trigger guard fits under this lip. There is simply no way that you can install the trigger and cross pin and then install the trigger guard. Anyway here is a picture of it back together. I still need to find, a set of MOP grips for it.