Harrington Richardson 1871? What is it?

P

Pond James Pond

New member
I like to window-shop and sometimes I see ads online for an interesting gun that I've not seen before. A while back it was the Valmet Swedish AK variant.

This time it is what looks like a single-shot with a fluted barrel and a skeletonised pistol-grip stock. It also has a tripod fitted although I don't know if that is part of the standard kit. It also looks like the barrel is threaded but I'm not sure. Chambering is .223 Rem.

It would be of no practical use to me, but I'd still like to know about it. It is intriguing.
 
Harrington & Richardson 1871 was the last corporate incarnation of the old H&R line, best known for inexpensive revolvers and shotguns.

Some years ago, they beefed up their break action single barrel shotgun to handle rifle calibers and offered it in a number of variants. That is what you are seeing.

Some owners report excellent accuracy from such a simple, inexpensive rifle; some don't.
 
I have a Handi Rifle in 300 AAC Blackout with a 16" threaded Barrel, usually sporting a enhanced Daniel Defense flash hider. With a 3x Nikon the rifle is a pretty accurate hog killer, and all around fun caliber fun rifle.
 
H&R 1871 is essentially the same company as New England Firearms. H&R is the original company, but I believe this year the entire thing was killed off. NEF's shotguns and rifles that they made were only of H&R's single shot designs. They didn't offer their repeaters when the company switched hands, except for their handguns. I own some of their guns, yes a simple break action, but they are great guns.
 
It's a modern version of a pre-1900 single-shot shotgun, adapted for use with high pressure rifle cartridges.

Quality was inconsistent.
Fit and finish is often disappointing.
Down-range performance is a roll of the dice.
Headspace and/or extraction issues are common.

The pistol grip stocks are a terrible design that works for very few shooters, and greatly increases perceived recoil for most people. (Though not likely to be much of an issue with .223 Rem.)

Essentially, the H&R/NEF single shot centerfires were dirt cheap 'entry level' firearms.

H&R 1871 (now owned by Remington) has discontinued all of the single-shot firearms, and offers very little warranty or parts support.


Older (pre-1998) versions of their single-shot shotguns were often well finished and performed well. But the subsequent sale of the company (twice), and redesign of the action (for high pressure cartridges and a transfer bar system), also included reducing production costs. As such, quality went down hill, and continued to slide until the model line went out of production.
 
I have one of their shotguns from the '30s and it's an excellent gun. Me and my dad also own NEF rifles, mind has a plastic stock and his has an extra fancy wood stock with a medalian. I don't know when they were made but both are great guns. His has a scope and it's as accurate and consistent as the shooter using it.
Yes they tend to be cheap guns, but the ones I've had handled have been excellent. Break actions have the advantage of being lighter and shorter than other actions. For my son's 4th birthday I intend to buy him a youth .22 H&R/NEF and hopefully he'll like single shots when he's older. I believe they are the most practical hunting action.
 
"...H&R 1871 (now owned by Remington) has discontinued all of the single-shot firearms..." No they haven't. Asked the people at Gallery of Guns when this nonsensical rumour was first being spouted a few months back. They said no, but some H&R stuff was being discontinued, not all.
 
"...H&R 1871 (now owned by Remington) has discontinued all of the single-shot firearms..." No they haven't. Asked the people at Gallery of Guns when this nonsensical rumour was first being spouted a few months back. They said no, but some H&R stuff was being discontinued, not all.
Click to expand...
Contact H&R for yourself.
Single-shot production is done.

The only models still being marketed by the company are the re-branded imports (repeaters).

Just because a DISTRIBUTOR has something in stock (and only two examples of a single variant, at that), does not mean that it is still in production by the manufacturer. They are separate entities.
For example:
The Marlin X7 series has been out of production (and discontinued) since at least November 2014. Yet, Davidson's (Gallery of Guns) has over 600 of them in stock, in various configurations.

Just because something isn't being made any more, does not mean there aren't brand new ones still floating around in the supply chain.
 
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