I bought mine new in the early eighties. Still have it, very accurate and I believe it was the top of the line for H&R revolvers. The rear sight blade did fall out recently when my grandson was shooting it, but fortunately we found it on the shooting bench. I have shot many a rattler and many jack rabbits with it thru the years.
h&r sportsman
- Thread starter walter o
- Start date
DWalt
Member
As I have mentioned several times previously, I also have an H&R Defender (Model 925) in .38 S&W, ca. 1964. Mine has the 4" barrel, but it was also available with a 2" barrel, and that length is more common. I bought it at a gun show over 15 years ago for $100, and it was in nearly new condition, showing very little use. All I needed to do to it was to replace the hammer spring strut with an all-steel one. H&R screwed up in using a strut made using a Nylon tip, as they fail with age and use. The only other problem - well, not really a problem - is the windage-adjustable rear sight. Its two-screw design allows it to slip under recoil. I just got it set properly, then added a drop of Super Glue to keep the blade in place. It has never come loose. Elevation adjustment is done by adjusting the height of the front sight, and I had no problems with it. It shoots surprisingly tight groups at 15 yards, as good as my K-38. It is perhaps my favorite fun gun. I haven't seen one at a gun show for a long time.
Last edited:
.357magger
Member
Mine is a slightly rarer 1932 Sportsman, the Model 199 SINGLE ACTION. 1932 was the first year of the Sportsman, this one is in excellent condition. The SA pull is phenomenal.
Gets rid of the heavy DA pull as there is no DA to pull. This is a VERY accurate revolver and imo should have been the only one offered as it brings out its potential, without the negatives of H&Rs DA design.
They were discontinued due to WW2.
Gets rid of the heavy DA pull as there is no DA to pull. This is a VERY accurate revolver and imo should have been the only one offered as it brings out its potential, without the negatives of H&Rs DA design.
They were discontinued due to WW2.
Attachments
Last edited:
ol777gunnerz
Member
As long as we're doing H&R, here's mine. It's an "Expert" .22lr 9-shot breaktop, with a 9" barrel. Although I've posted it before, I'll use any excuse to post it again, so here it is. Dad bought it around 1938, and it went unfired for 75 years. That's why it looks so good. It works perfectly, too.
Attachments
.357magger
Member
H&R did offer factory nickel 999s after WW2...I believe first in the 1950s IIRC, so maybe you aren't misremembering.
Then again, I thought for many years that my Dads H&R 929 Sidekick Slabside had ivory grips... when I saw them again after Dads passing...they were Franzite.
Attachments
ACORN
Member
H&R did offer factory nickel 999s after WW2...I believe first in the 1950s IIRC, so maybe you aren't misremembering.
Then again, I thought for many years that my Dads H&R 929 Sidekick Slabside had ivory grips... when I saw them again after Dads passing...they were Franzite.
Yeah, well, he came back from Korea in 54 so maybe it was.
He sold it off way back when.
Maybe he knew I was peeking.
CMudrock
Member
Glad I reviewed this subject again - always good to see others with similar tastes. I came across two H&R .38 defenders, when I got mine - & gave one to my Daughter for emergencies = faster & cheaper than a Cell Phone. Love my long & short 22LRs as well. My 999 is a 1941 in used - but fine shooting condition
I used to own a pair of WWII surplus .45acp MK VI Webleys + a previously modified for carry, .45acp MkV - the only one I can find a picture of - all are gone but not forgotten. C.
I used to own a pair of WWII surplus .45acp MK VI Webleys + a previously modified for carry, .45acp MkV - the only one I can find a picture of - all are gone but not forgotten. C.
Attachments
Last edited:
Old Corp
Member
FWIW, I never set out to accumulate breaktop .22's.
The IJ ' Sealed Eight' (with the world's tiniest sights) was given to me.
The H&R M999 6" (dated c.1970) I got from a friend that remained working p/t at an LGS I had recently left due to moving away.
They both shoot very accurately, and both have terrible DA triggers.
I just like the fact that these were 'working man's' .22 revolvers back in their day and priced quite a bit lower than a S&W or Colt offering.
And - we will never see their like again. Any lower priced new handgun now is made of zinc and plastic.
The IJ ' Sealed Eight' (with the world's tiniest sights) was given to me.
The H&R M999 6" (dated c.1970) I got from a friend that remained working p/t at an LGS I had recently left due to moving away.
They both shoot very accurately, and both have terrible DA triggers.
I just like the fact that these were 'working man's' .22 revolvers back in their day and priced quite a bit lower than a S&W or Colt offering.
And - we will never see their like again. Any lower priced new handgun now is made of zinc and plastic.
Attachments
DWalt
Member
My very first revolver was an H&R .22 Model 929 “Sidekick.” It had a fairly short barrel, maybe 3” but I am not sure, and a nine-chamber cylinder. I bought it back in the late 1950s from a neighbor. He worked for a local slaughterhouse, and part of his job was to drive a cattle truck to pick up livestock from nearby farms and auctions. Occasionally he had to kill something in the truck and bleed it out before returning to the slaughterhouse, and that is what he used the revolver for. Anyway, he changed his employment and didn’t need the revolver, so he sold it to me for around $25. It was in very good condition and showed little use, no blood damage to the finish. I actually used that 929 in some indoor .22 Bullseye competition in the early 1960s. I didn’t do very well with it, but I shot what I had, as I couldn’t afford anything better. I gave it to my wife-to-be before we married, and she later gave it to her brother. I have no idea where it went after that. I would like to run across another one like it just for the memories.
Last edited:
An old thread relived, and an interesting topic.
The H&R Sportsman 999 made available a .22 revolver to a lot of folks that otherwise couldn't afford one.
No they weren't Smiths or Colts but they worked well if not pressed into severe service.
Some used the one piece grip design that was easily detachable with a screw thru the lower section. They offered different grip styles. The same as the H&R Single Shot Target pistol. I believe the grip was Ropers idea.
The hand spring in these is a simple piece of spring wire (music wire) and often is weak or needs a re-bend to better provide tension for better functioning.
As mentioned, they do have a tendency to spit lead at the cyl gap. Not the precision made machine the other top mfg's made.
I bought a damaged 999 once for $10. Bulged bore and other issues.
A 1948 mfg but in otherwise great condition finish wise.
Relined it, fixed the mechanics. But it always still occasionally spit lead.
I even re-re-lined the bore out of curiousity that the liner job I had performed was bad. Same results, different day.
But it shoots rather well and to this day it still does rainy day duty with a new owner. He taught his young daughters to handgun shoot with it as well.
I offered to re-re-resleeve the revolver to a straight thru design elliminating the revolver and making it a single shot. No more spitting!.
The liner would go thru the bore and right thru one of the chambers of the cylinder which would be made static in place. I even considered 32S&W Long for the SS conversion.
But he said he liked it as a .22 revolver. So the $20 .22 revolver lives on.
The H&R Sportsman 999 made available a .22 revolver to a lot of folks that otherwise couldn't afford one.
No they weren't Smiths or Colts but they worked well if not pressed into severe service.
Some used the one piece grip design that was easily detachable with a screw thru the lower section. They offered different grip styles. The same as the H&R Single Shot Target pistol. I believe the grip was Ropers idea.
The hand spring in these is a simple piece of spring wire (music wire) and often is weak or needs a re-bend to better provide tension for better functioning.
As mentioned, they do have a tendency to spit lead at the cyl gap. Not the precision made machine the other top mfg's made.
I bought a damaged 999 once for $10. Bulged bore and other issues.
A 1948 mfg but in otherwise great condition finish wise.
Relined it, fixed the mechanics. But it always still occasionally spit lead.
I even re-re-lined the bore out of curiousity that the liner job I had performed was bad. Same results, different day.
But it shoots rather well and to this day it still does rainy day duty with a new owner. He taught his young daughters to handgun shoot with it as well.
I offered to re-re-resleeve the revolver to a straight thru design elliminating the revolver and making it a single shot. No more spitting!.
The liner would go thru the bore and right thru one of the chambers of the cylinder which would be made static in place. I even considered 32S&W Long for the SS conversion.
But he said he liked it as a .22 revolver. So the $20 .22 revolver lives on.
One of those guns that I lusted for while viewing the Shooters Bible back before I could buy a handgun. I just knew it was the best gun you could buy.
I did get one many years later. A 6" barrel one, with a missing rear sight blade (couldn't find a replacement anywhere). I got to where I could hit cans with it just using the front sight and the rear of the frame, but I never really warmed up to it because of the 6" barrel. I really wanted a 4" one. I kept it a while, then sold it off to someone else.
I actually found out I prefered the High Standard Sentinel (with a 4" barrel) later on.
I did get one many years later. A 6" barrel one, with a missing rear sight blade (couldn't find a replacement anywhere). I got to where I could hit cans with it just using the front sight and the rear of the frame, but I never really warmed up to it because of the 6" barrel. I really wanted a 4" one. I kept it a while, then sold it off to someone else.
I actually found out I prefered the High Standard Sentinel (with a 4" barrel) later on.
Similar threads
