H&R Model 622 flaming bomb

[raisedin99]

While digging through the safe last evening I came across this H&R
Model 622 6” that I had ratholed some time ago, my reasoning for
buying it was obvious, the US flaming bomb cartouche.

I believe the Model 622 to be made from 1957 to 1973

Anyone here have any idea as to why it may have such a stamping?

My apologies as to the view, I am unable to turn it.

Thanks,

terry

 

[murphydog]

Several H & R models were purchased by and sent over to Great Britain in the early part of WW II, but they would not have had the Ordnance inspector's mark. Also, if this one is from no earlier than 1957 I doubt the US military was buying these. A mystery.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

The obvious reason was, that it was accepted as a training weapon.
I don't believe any of these were used as part of a Survival Kit.

It could have been part of a pistol training program, for ROTC. West Point has lockers full of much better firearms for training and competition!

The least likely idea was, someone just wanted to stamp a gun to mess with people in the future.

Ivan

 

[swsig]

That's an old symbol for Ordnance Corps of the U.S. Army. Similar symbols are used by other armies. Thus, it may be an Ordnance officer's sidearm. Check out this website:

History of the Shell and Flame for the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps

 

[sigp220.45]

Those are neat old guns. I recently bought the 9 shot swing out version - the 929.

Charlie Pate's book about the secondary pistols and revolvers of WW2 has a nice section on H&Rs. I don't have it at hand, and I don't remember about any of them being ordnance-marked, but I do know the Sportsman (later named the 999) was one of the few sporting arms that was manufactured throughout the duration of the war. Serial numbers before and after mine were delivered to military gun clubs during the war.

Is it marked 622? Could it be the same thing, but actually made earlier?

I'm a sucker for these cheap but usually reliable old rimfires.

 

[raisedin99]

Is it marked 622? Could it be the same thing, but actually made earlier?

I'm a sucker for these cheap but usually reliable old rimfires.

Yes it is marked as a 622.

terry

 

[sigp220.45]

I found my Pate book, and no mention of the 622.

There is this 1940 advertisement from H&R which shows a 722. Its hard to pin down much with H&R, and I know the 622 was supposed to have been introduced in the 50s, but it seems strange to me they had a Model 722 (7 shot 22 caliber) in 1940, but no 622 (6 shot 22) at the same time.

H&R started putting letters at the beginning of serial numbers in 1940 with "A", and proceeded with B in '41 and so on (they skipped "I", probably because it would be confused with a one), and then doubled up after that, so AA would be 1964, AB is '65, and down the line.

The ordnance bomb is certainly a puzzler on that gun. I guess it could be from the 50's or 60's and stamped when it was acquired for some purpose by the Army, then later released as surplus.

 

[Absalom]

The U.S. letters to the left of the bomb look quite non-standard and not very carefully applied, but whoever put that bomb on there seems to have had an original ordnance stamp. Whether that person had anything to do with US Ordnance is a different question

 

[kwill1911]

Spurious U.S. markings are often added to enhance value and they are pretty easily obtained. For example: U.S. Ordnance Metal Hand Stamp

 

[2152hq]

Probably just somebody with an aftermarket Ordnance stamp they got for Xmas and ran around stamping everything.
The Bomb stamp along with the US mark, the 'P' proof mark and about every German WW2 marking you can think of are available commercially and have been for some time.
Numrich was selling the US/P/Flaming Bomb mark stamps at least quite recently.
(still selling them..
Hand Stamps | Gun Parts Corp.


Military Riot gun maker-uppers love 'em.

Can't believe anything you see anymore....

 

[BigBill]

When I was into military surplus guns but took the markings as orginal. My collecting world kicked me in the butt when I found numrich selling the new clone German stamps.

I’m not saying yours is fake it could be used as a training pistol for the s&w 45cal revolver. The 22 ammo was cheaper.

 

[jack the toad]

No help as to OP’s question regarding the ordnance stamp but here’s a 929 (9 shot .22) without any such mark that I acquired today.

 

[nutsforsmiths]

I own the Bill Goforth book on the history of H&R. His information states that the 622 was offered from 1956-1986, when the company closed its doors.

I like H&R and Iver Johnson pistols, especially the 22s! Here are a few of the ones I have.
Top is the the 22 Special made in the mid-1920s. Next is the Sportsman model made around 1938. The nickel one in the middle is a 22 Premier model made in the mid-1920s. The bottom one is the 922 made in the late-1940s. The 922 is exactly the same as the 622, but is a 9 shot instead of a 6 shot pistol.