Old 'Econo-gun' .22's

[DWalt]

It's not a .22, but I do have one of the later H&R .38 S&W Defender (Model 925) top break revolvers, ca. mid-1960s, with the strange-looking bird's head plastic grips. Mine has a 4" barrel but they also came in 2.5 inch, and most I have seen were the latter. It is probably my favorite fun gun. It has adjustable front and rear sights (which I had to fix in place with Super Glue, once zeroed), and it will fire groups comparable to my S&W Model 14, no kidding. I did have to replace a broken original hammer spring strut (Nylon) with an all-steel strut, but that was a simple job. I have read that H&R made the same gun in .22, but I have never seen one. I would sure like to find one of those .22s. Has anyone seen a 925 .22? I haven't seen any 925s at gun shows for a long time.

One interesting thing I like about the 925. Seems like it's designed for carrying in your pants waistband without a holster. It stays there perfectly without moving around and won't fall out or down.

 

[ol777gunnerz]

budget guns

I have owned, & still own a few of these, but Iver Johnson's quality is no match for the later H&R pistols & revolvers. I also have a couple of the NEF revolvers after they took over H&R.

 

[Old Corp]

I worked in a gun store in the 90's. We sold lots of those econo-22's. The cattle ranchers liked having one in the truck when they were keeping an eye on calves. Coyotes and feral dogs were always a problem. The old H&R and New England Firearms pistols were popular, so were Iver Johnson(we always had at least one guy who called them Ivory Johnson), FIE revolvers and old Hopkins- Allen too.
The Heritage revolvers play the same role now. I bet Ruger's Wrangler will too.

So right panther - having worked p/t in gunshops both before and after my LE career can attest to the most common gun-brand 'rural misnomers'. They were:

- 'Ivory Johnston'
- 'Harrison-Richards'
- 'Smith & Western'
- 'Mossenberger'

There may have been others. It's early

 

[wundudnee]

Another economy .22 is the High Standard Double Nines. A 35.00 dollar revolver that will cost you $300.00 plus now at a gun show, if you can find one. I rarely see one at any show.

 

[max503]

I learned double-action revolver shooting on an H&R Model 676. In an effort to upgrade I replaced the H&R with an S&W 34 Kit Gun. The Kit Gun was a lemon. I still have it, and now it works good, but it's been back to the factory twice.
I miss my old H&R.

 

[Inusuit]

My first handgun was an Iver Johnson Trailsman 66 in 1960. My dad had an IJ when he was a kid, so he pushed me to get the 66. I really wanted a Ruger Single Six.

The Iver Johnson went to the factory twice for indexing problems. Every charge hole was surrounded by multiple dents from the firing pin missing the cartridge. When it still wouldn't index after the second trip, dad let me trade it for the Ruger. As I recall, the 66 cost $36.95 new. Swore I'd never own another IJ.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I have been very pleased with my S&W 22S, it is worthy of the clichéd positive, superlatives that we throw around on this forum. It was my only 22 handgun for a long, long time until I bought a Ruger Single Six recently. Maybe not a legend in materials and craftsmanship, but it has been in performance and will never be sold by me.

 

[DWalt]

Another economy .22 is the High Standard Double Nines. A 35.00 dollar revolver that will cost you $300.00 plus now at a gun show, if you can find one. I rarely see one at any show.

I think that that one, or a similar Hi-Standard, was used in the Manson shootings.

 

[alwslate]

From what I have read several times the gun used in the Manson shootings
was a Ruger Single Six.

 

[Jessie]

My Grandfather's H&R ' Fortyniner' model 949
A very accurate 9 shot .22.
He bought it in the 60's sometime.
Forgot to mention that it's DA/SA

 

[Barrie]

Many years ago my 1st handgun was a Ruger 9 shot revolver. It worked OK but was not really all that good for target shooting at 75 Feet. Caught my son when he was around 8 playing with it outside one day with his friends. The usual Cowboys and Indians game. At that time he had to climb shelves up about 9 feet high to get it down out of its Carry Bag. No ammo was stored anywhere's near it He's near 50 now and does not shoot at all. I now have a 19 year old grandson who does shoot and is very good at it as well. All is not lost after all.

 

[robvious]

I used to get to go shooting with a few classmates when the associate pastor would take us down to the river outside of town with his pull pin H&R "snubby"... a great childhood memory... he also helped perform my marriage ceremony 25 years ago... he passed a few days before Christmas and I was just remembering all the good times we had... thanks for bringing back a happy memory.

 

[27 Man]

Back when I was in graduate school, broke and living in a rough neighborhood, I purchased a High Standard Durango to keep in the house. I bought it at a Gibson's store for $34.95. I think the revolver that Tex Watson reportedly used in the Manson case was a High Standard Double Nine Longhorn.

 

[sigp220.45]

I buy every nice old H&R .22 I see. This is the lastest:

 

[robvious]

I still hold on to the hope that since I think Remington owns the rights to the H&R brand they might bring back the 999 in stainless at about a $400 price point... I believe it would sell very well....

 

[Echo40]

A couple of what used to be 'econo .22 revolvers'.
Bottom is an H&R M999 'Sportsman'
Top is an Iver Johnson 'Sealed Eight'.

In their day, these were 'working man's revolvers', meant to be a far less expensive option other than S&W and Colt.
Interesting to me that there is absolutely nothing on the market now that occupies that niche anymore with anything approaching comparable quality - and never will.

I dunno, I would argue that some of the firearms by Ruger, Charter Arms, and (at the risk of my credibility) even Taurus are extremely high quality in spite of having very low prices.

Are they as high quality as Iver Johnson or High Standard, heck no, but they really don't have to be, and their prices on the used market are priced like Saturday Night Specials.

 

[webley green]

Many years ago, working for the USFS in Colorado, the bartender at my favorite bar bought a pistol and rifle from a broke cowpoke or so I was told. I in turn bought the pistol from him. It was the High Standard Double Nine just like the one shown in the box on a previous post. It came with a Hunter holster, gun belt and a paper sack of various .22s by that I mean, some shorts, longs and long rifles. That is one good shooting revolver, a number of bricks of .22 long rifles have gone through that gun over the years. Still one of my favorite .22s.

 

[sigp220.45]

From what I have read several times the gun used in the Manson shootings
was a Ruger Single Six.

It was a High Standard Longhorn.

 

[Skeet 028]

I recently came upon a couple of those 22s. Got a High Standard Double 9?? in good condition and a H&R 999 for 300 bucks the pair. Gave my Granddaughter the High Standard and a brick of 22s(she already wore them out) and still have the 999. It shoots just fine and think I will keep the ole thing. If I remember correctly a top break H&R was the first revolver I ever shot when I was about 6. Surreptitiously of course out of my best friends father's sock drawer

 

[alwslate]

It was a High Standard Longhorn.

Well then I stand corrected Thanks.