H & R Handy Gun
 

Hi everyone, I'm new here so please excuse anything I may do wrong.

I found an H&R Handy Gun on the top shelf of a closet in a house that I bought. It is serial number 24xxx

It had a 12" .410 barrel on it -- I removed and discarded the barrel after searching the internet.

I'm wondering if anyone here may be able to help me find a new barell for it.

I'm also open to any other suggestions. It's a really cool gun.

Re: H & R Handy Gun
 

Welcome to the forum.

This is not the proper forum for this question but I will attempt to answer it anyway, if you check out this website you might find what you are looking for: http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/default.asp

It is the H&R site and they MIGHT have the barrel. I looked at Numrich Arms in West Hurley, New York, which is probably the best place for old gun parts, but they don't have any barrels listed.

Re: H & R Handy Gun
 

I'm assuming you mean the real, original Handy Gun, which IS an NFA item.
I doubt you will find an original barrel, but you might find one of the old .410 shotguns that you could use the barrel from.
I'm also assuming you are going to register it as a SBS before you install said barrel.
There should be someone who buys Handy Gun barrels, and resells them! It might be a good business.

Re: H & R Handy Gun
 

justjimbo,
The H&R "Handy Gun" was built on the H&R Model 1915 small frame shotgun platform, with some modifications for the grip attachment.
To bring your piece into legal length (>26" OAL and >18" barrel) you need to find a .410 bore barrel for the Model 1915. Factory length for this model in .410 was 26" (at least the majority) - installing that barrel should make your piece of legal OAL and Barrel length. The barrels are not commonly found or seen, but examples of complete shotguns show up pretty regularly on the on-line auction sites.

Re: H & R Handy Gun
 

I've been trying to do some research of my own on these guns. My grandpa has a .410 Handygun with a 12-inch original barrel, and he and I have been discussing it's value. He said he doesn't want to get rid of it, but still, we were just curious. It's in good-to-great condition and, unfortunately, is illegal. Just thought I'd join the conversation and see what everyone had to say.

Re: H & R Handy Gun
 

joelackey92,
Welcome to the forum.
Not much else to say that hasn't already been said. Unless your grandpa has registration papers for that 12" smoothbore - he is in possesion of "contraband" and can be arrested and fined if caught. As it stands - it has no value - as parts it has value.

Re: H & R Handy Gun
 

I did a Google search on the H&R Handy Gun and came upon this thread. My gun is the 28 ga. version with serial number 65. It is in decent shape and I've fired it a number of times.

Fortunately, I have the paperwork dated 1956 from the Director of A,T,F. This precedes the current body of BATF and was registered through US Treasury Dept.

The gun was willed to me by my father and I probably need to do something about re-registering it in my name.

Any thoughts on this? Any information would be appreciated.

Re: H & R Handy Gun
 

Transfers to legal heirs are accomplished through a Form 5 and there is no tax on the transfer:

http://www.atf.gov/forms/download/atf-f-5320-5.pdf

You need to get this done ASAP. Check your local/state laws. It is perfectly legal federally.

Re: H & R Handy Gun
 

Very gray area, unless the estate is still in probate and/or has an executor. Hopefully ATF will allow the transfer.

Re: H & R Handy Gun
 

BATFE has definite regulations about what has to happen when a person who owns a registered NFA item dies. It is not simple, but it must be followed for an heir to take clear title to the item.

At the risk of getting hit upside the head for mentioning another site, check

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=570018

for some good info and also see the BATFE web site www.atf.gov for the official word.

Jim