Info on H&R Auto Ejecting Revolver

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Medic604

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I recently acquired what I believe is a H&R Premier Auto Ejecting Revolver. Can someone tell me info about the model, year of manufacture and approximate value? I have supplied links with pics of the serial number and other numbers stamped on the gun.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82410770@N05/9238715651 Profile

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82410770@N05/9241499756/in/photostream/ Top of Barrel

The markings on the barrel include the name and one patent date Oct 4th 1887

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82410770@N05/9241497810 Top Strap

Serial number is 63438

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82410770@N05/9238710863 Cylinder

Stamped 438 on cylinder and ejector

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82410770@N05/9241493544 Grip Frame

Stamped 3438

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82410770@N05/9241501306 Butt

Stamped P(upside down) ? (8?) 9 1

Thanks for the help,
Dave
 
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H&R was one of many, many manufacturers of this kind of revolver. It was of good quality, better than some, not as good as some others, but was perfectly suitable and offered at a good price.

Value on them just isn't that great, maybe $200 in really good condition.
 
yours looks in typical condition, provided the gun functions well...

I'm a little bit of a collector of the top break pocket revolvers... the H&R's of the era were pretty midstream on quality... but still very shootable with light handloads... ( I shoot all of mine... 22's, 32's & 38's )

I did not pay more than $150 for any I own, though I have seen them sell for more...

these are my 22's & 32's

 
It's my understanding that the H&R's WITHOUT the caliber stamped on the left side of the barrel are black powder only; and the later ones WITH the caliber stamped on the barrel were made stronger to use modern powders/propellants.

Since yours doesn't have the caliber on the barrel I'd guess it's from the 1800s or early 1900s.

I don't really know anything, just searched a lot about these a few months ago.
 
Welcome to the forum. Your pictures permit a fairly certain identification. Your gun is a Harrington and Richardson Automatic Ejecting Second Model, Second variation. The patent date inscription indicates manufacture in the period 1890-1892. As Carmady indicates, lack of a caliber designation on the left side of the barrel means the gun was NOT made for smokeless powder. The five-chambered cylinder indicates the gun is .38 caliber, firing the round commonly known as the .38 Smith and Wesson. The ammo is still available in smokeless powder loads, but they should NOT be fired in this gun. I think others here have pegged the vaue pretty accurately.
 
got to admit that I only looked at a couple of the pics... but agree with the others... the 38's have been about the same price as the 32's ( maybe slightly higher ) I do shoot my black powder cartridge revolvers with a pinch of Trailboss powder, & a soft lead round ball, so they can still be shot, if you reload, & want to shoot them... one issue with the older guns ( as much as the pressures the cylinders can take ) are that all the mechanical parts are iron, with mild surface hardening ( if anything ) so they have a tendency to wear quickly... I make sure mine are freshly lubricated if I take them out for a shooting session... even dry firing them, can damage them in short order, if they are dry...

the top group in this pic are the 38's

 
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