The H&R model 999 .22 Cal. "SPORTSMAN" is featured in an article in the September/October 2015 issue of AMERICAN HANDGUNNER mag. The write-up really got the 'I would like to have one' juices flowing.

Would love to hear members impressions who have experience with a 999 revolver.

The magazine also has a feature on the S&W Masterpieces.

Thanks!

Many years ago, early 1960s, I had one. In fact I had at one time three different H&R revolvers. I did use the Sportsman for some serious target shooting for awhile, until I bought a K-22. They were all good guns, not sure exactly why I sold them. Actually, one mysteriously vanished and I have no idea where it went. I can say nothing bad about any of them, and at one time, H&R made some very high quality target grade handguns. I regret not keeping the Sportsman. If I remember right, there may have been a single-action only version of the Sportsman, but mine was DA.

The only H&R I now have a ca. 1964 H&R "Defender" top break in .38 S&W, Model 925. It's one of the more unusual variants of that model having a 4" barrel (most had 2" barrels). It also has adjustable sights, both front and rear (rear is for windage, front is for elevation, like the old Colt Officer's Model Target). It has the weird brown plastic "birds-head" grip, but having said that, it is fairly comfortable and ergonomic. I can honestly say that at 25 yards, it groups as well as my S&W Model 14-3, at least in my hands.

One seldom sees any H&R revolvers at gun shows, which may be a testament to the H&R as those who have them keep them, given that so many were made.

I remember seeing an H&R forum, may or may not still exist. There was a guy who ran it who was considered to be the Guru of the Universe on anything H&R. But I believe he died some years back.

I've got this 1940s one:



I really like it. This is one of the few civilian guns that was produced throughout the war, and some were purchased by the military, mostly for sale on military bases. The records are spotty, and they weren't specially marked.

According to Charlie Pate's excellent book, "US Handguns of WWII, the Secondary Pistols and Revolvers", the gun 59 numbers before mine was shipped to Capt Robert E. Casswell on 10/13/44, and one about 600 units later was shipped to Capt J.T. McIntee, Jr on 09/30/44. Out of order but close enough.







This guy is the H&R guru - now gone but his excellent book is still available:


They're neat old guns.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Like other top breaks, they fell victim to the newer technologies. Here's one from 1953. A very solid gun, about 30 ounces, with a fairly heavy trigger pull in double action. Fit and finish are good, but not quite like S&W revolvers of the same era in my judgment. A nice shooting gun, and a much less expensive alternative to a K-22. I believe manufacturing started in the 1930's and ended in the 1970's.

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H&R fans: What is a model R101? Photos would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hank M.

I think you mean a High Standard. Their R101 was a double action .22 revolver, called the Sentinel.

http://gunsmagazine.com/overlooked-rimfires-gem/

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I should probably add that the 1949 Stoeger Shooter's Bible shows a price of $44.95 for the Harrington & Richardson 999; $65 for an S&W K-22. Understandably, the fit and finish of the H&R isn't quite as good.

My old man and his buddy both bought 999s when they came
home from WW2. Saturday nights dad would go to his buddy's
and they would listen to the Jamboree on the radio and shoot
for a nickel a shot with the 999s. Buddy had bullet trap in cellar
they shot about 20ft. Later I got a Ruger SS, and dad started
using it. There were no big winners, they always came out close
to even. Then I got a K-22, 1st time dad used it he came home
with a pocket full of nickels and a brown paper bag. He handed
me the bag, in it was Chester's 999. Dad said get rid of that and
get Chess one of them K-22s like yours. My brother still has
dads 999.

A H&R solid frame 22 was my first handgun, purchased new for me as a young teen by my dad (who maintained control of it). It left me with some other guns while a 'starving grad student' some decades ago.
I now have a 1980 vintage 999, 22 LR nine shot, SN AU1856xx, in the less common yet to me more convenient 4" barrel (versus 6"), pix below. Other than a bit rough and heavy trigger pull which seem characteristic of many H&R models, a decent pistol. I could easily see it as a rucksack gun for simple walkabouts in the wiles. As it spoke to me, a relatively inexpensive impulse purchase used and I'm quite happy with it.
I believe the H&R guru was Bill Goforth (sp?) and that he died a few years ago. Supposedly he was putting the final touches on an H&R/IJ book. Then allegedly a colleague expert to step in and get the book published. Not really following the matter, but never personally heard anything more.
H&R the firm, has died and been reinvented several times since first in the mid-eighties. I don't know where or even 'if' it exists now. Presumably that referenced HGR article has the info. Would like to read it!
The Iver Johnsons and H&Rs introduced affordable handgunning to to a lot of folks and should be especially recognized for that matter as well as for the largely decent (mostly) 'plinker' class products themselves!
Just my take.

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You're right, I sure did, thanks.....and THANKS for that great article.
Hank

Thanks to everyone for the feedback!!

The 999 or another H&R top break is now
on my shopping list.

I had a 926 (I think) for years.
Gave it to my daughter a few years ago.
Have a pic of her teaching one of her friends to
line up the sights using the old H&R.
Makes me grin when I see it.

I have a 999 with a 4" barrel. Very reliable, and the break open design is fun.

Only complaints:
1.Trigger pull is heavy, and the gunsmith said it can't be lightened
2. Rear sight windage screws come loose easily
3. Little spring steel stud that holds the cylinder in place can break

I have a 6" 999. It's a good shooter, will hold 2-3" five shot groups at 25yrds with me behind it, probably better off a rest.
Just as the above poster said, heavy DA trigger ( though very good SA), loc-tite the rear sight screws and be gentle pulling the cylinder off with that little spring clip.
I also noticed it chronos slow compared to most other guns, loses about 200fps to my 5.5" bull barrel MkII. I suspect it has to be the gap, they run large.

I have one like that, made sometime in the 30's. Most of the blue has faded, it's now a shade of light gray, and my grip is pretty dark.

I absolutely love it. It's a tack driver for sure, and being a revolver, I don't worry about it being picky with ammo (the curse of the High Standard Sport King I own). It was my cheapest 22 pistol, and it's my favorite to shoot.

A lot of times when I shoot my 9mms, I use clothes pins to hold the targets up. I then shoot the pins off with the H&R! I figure if I can consistently hit a pin at about 20-25 ft, it's accurate enough for me

I find these locally in New condition and some still unshot in there boxes at affordable prices.

A friend of mine (that owns a gun shop) collects H&R's, and has just about every version that was ever made. He didn't say how many, but over 100. There were quite a few varieties of the 999 made.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I have many of them all different.

There was a time when my mother wouldn't allow a gun in the house but wanted the red squirrels (about the size of a large chipmunk with a bushy tail and as obnoxious as a politician - chew on everything and defecate on the remains) cleared out. A neighbor would bring his 999 over when I'd arrive for a visit and pick it up when I left. It accounted for a lot of the little pests with Colibris. He wanted to sell it to me for Mom, but she wouldn't have it.

By the time she warmed to the idea of a gun in the house, he had decided to keep it.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

I have two mint condition models from different eras. The left one is a mid 1930's model in perfect original condition. The other is from 1984.

The early model was built long before the "999" moniker was used.

"2. Rear sight windage screws come loose easily"

The fix for that is to get it zeroed for windage, then put a drop of Super Glue on the sight adjustment screws. I had the same problem. You can always dissolve the Super Glue with Acetone or MEK if needed, so it's not irreversable.

When I was young I was told that this gun won international competition when it was first produced. An aside, my left wing sister wanted a gun in her house and a dealer friend showed me a two inch version which was perfect, I bought it, gave it to her, worked with her to enable to hit a target at twenty feet. All partisans of Howard Metzenbaum show have one in their bedroom.

The H&Rs were of medium quality. Nothing like a Smith or a Colt. As a kid I wanted one. In recent years the prices on these have gotten ridiculous. About 3-4 years ago I found a 1941 Sportsman at a show tagged at $175. I bagged it for $150.




Sometime last year at another show I found a 4" 999. The 6" is far more common. I have seen these sell for $600 (I said it was ridiculous) but I got this one for $325.




The older one shoots better and I like the auto eject feature it has.

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No life story has happy end.

I have long wanted a 999 but was never able to find one. I did however pick up a 929 4" for $68 from Hayward Police Supply in 1978. I still have it. The trigger was and still is heavy almost gritty feeling. But it is a very good pest control weapon around the property.

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Wheel guns are real guns too.