I have a 4-inch nickel-plated 5-shot hammerless in 38 S&W. I can find no model number or serial number. The last patent date on the barrel is 7 April 1896. On the left side of the top strap, just forward of the latch/rear sight pivot screw, is a small blued cross-hatched button. What is its function and how should I use it?
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H&R Top-Break Question
- Thread starter erikpolcrack
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Serial number is usualy found under the top strap which requires removing the cylinder....also located on the left side of the frame. Need to carefully remove the left grip.
The top strap SN will usually have a letter in the prefix which will help date the gun.
The date codes are in my H&R Revolver Question post. A lot of great information from very knowledgeable members helped me on my H&R.
Randy
The top strap SN will usually have a letter in the prefix which will help date the gun.
The date codes are in my H&R Revolver Question post. A lot of great information from very knowledgeable members helped me on my H&R.
Randy
OP
Thanks for the great info, Randy. Will follow up on that to track down build date, etc. Is more info needed to actually answer my question? Can you give me an answer ?
alanfir
Member
The small button locks the latch and cylinder retainer up out of the way so you can remove the cylinder on this older type H&R revolver.
OP
Thanks, alanfir! That makes a thorough cleaning a lot simpler.
Last edited:
timweidner
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My H&R mystery revolver
I too have an old H&R top-break revolver that I am trying to research. From the other responses in this thread (thank you!), I found the serial number under the top of the frame and under the left grip: 1565. There is no caliber marking on the gun anywhere, but it looks like a .32, even though it is a six-shot. Another thread on H&R top-break revolvers indicated that they came in 7 shot .22 and 5 shot .32 models.
Aside from the serial number, the only other writing I can see is the number 565 on the back of the cylinder and on the cartridge extractor and the manufacture info on top of the barrel. That info is: "HARRINGTON & RICHARDSON ARMS COMPANY" (top line) and "WORCESTER MASS. U.S.A. PAT'D OCT. 4TH 1887." (bottom line).
I would like to find out the year of manufacture, if it is indeed a .32 and if so, if it can fire modern smokeless .32 S&W rounds.
Thanks in advance!
Here's some photos: H&R Revolver - Google Photos
I too have an old H&R top-break revolver that I am trying to research. From the other responses in this thread (thank you!), I found the serial number under the top of the frame and under the left grip: 1565. There is no caliber marking on the gun anywhere, but it looks like a .32, even though it is a six-shot. Another thread on H&R top-break revolvers indicated that they came in 7 shot .22 and 5 shot .32 models.
Aside from the serial number, the only other writing I can see is the number 565 on the back of the cylinder and on the cartridge extractor and the manufacture info on top of the barrel. That info is: "HARRINGTON & RICHARDSON ARMS COMPANY" (top line) and "WORCESTER MASS. U.S.A. PAT'D OCT. 4TH 1887." (bottom line).
I would like to find out the year of manufacture, if it is indeed a .32 and if so, if it can fire modern smokeless .32 S&W rounds.
Thanks in advance!
Here's some photos: H&R Revolver - Google Photos
Automatic Ejecting Second Model, Second Variation. Mfd 1890-92. .32 caliber.
This is a black powder model (The general rule for H&R's is that models with the caliber marked on the barrel are safe for smokeless. Models with no caliber marked are black powder only).
The Firearms Forum has a lot of useful information on these older H&R's, and is where I found the above (W.E. Goforth, who wrote a "the" Book on H&R posted there regularly before he passed away).
