Help Interpreting H&R Serial Number

[BobVa]

Hello again Jim - hope all is well with you. Been a while since I posted as the old H&Rs are getting harder to find in my area, especially at a reasonable price.

Did manage to score another however, a 922, SN M81451, for $150. So, for any of you looking for these fine pistols, they are available just takes patience.

Collection is growing nicely up to 8 now.

Bob

[JIMV]

Had a computer crash a few months ago and lost all my bookmarks. I am still having trouble finding old sites...

[NoseDaddy]

Originally Posted by Jim Hauff

Wartpath (interesting play on words, there) -
'HK' indicates production in 1996 - as you surmised it is a fairly NEW, late production gun - made after H&R 1871 was "restarted". As far as I can tell, not too many of the Model 949s were made in that period, so it is somewhat of a curiosity, despite its more recent manufacture.

Thank you for answering my question (mostly) with your reply to Wartpath. I have a Model 949 Fortyniner that I bought in a pawn shop in the early '90s for $75. It was in excellent shape but I overlooked a small problem with the loading gate. When I got it home, I cleaned it of course and found that the spring on the loading gate detent was protruding a bit--- a few injudicious pokes and it (.077D x .230L) and the tiny ball flew off into the twilight zone. Of course, the loading gate would not stay closed so the pistol stayed in the safe waiting to be fixed until the recent Zimmerman idiocy motivated me to adopt a major maintenance/repair/re-familiarization mode for the post Zimmerman acquittal apocalypse. I ordered the parts from Numrich today and have spent a frustrating several hours trying to pin down a date of manufacture until I read your post. The serial # is HHxxxxx and by interpolating, I calculate the date as 1993! Is this correct?

I have another question. Bill Goforth's earlier posts indicate that he was working on an H&R book. Since he has apparently passed on, has anyone picked up the task to finish? The website still lists the book as coming. I have several H&Rs and would really like to buy more but there is very little info about them, even from 1871 and I would buy a copy if available. My Grandfather, who grew up here in SC during reconstruction had an H&R which he told me numerous times was the best pistol he had ever owned. The same American sub-culture that commits most of the armed, violent crime here now was also responsible for a huge (disproportional) part of it for the last 150 years so few white men in the south went unarmed in the first half of the last century. My Grandfather owned and carried a selection of pistols over his life.

[xpebrian@gmail.com]

have H&R arms company worchester mas.usa

safety hammer double auction

32.s.w.ctge

serial number is 48852 was looking for any info i can get on this gun

[xpebrian@gmail.com]

Re: Help Interpreting H&R Serial Number

have H&R arms company worchester mas.usa

safety hammer double auction

32.s.w.ctge

serial number is 48852 was looking for any info i can get on this gun

[xpebrian@gmail.com]

well as far s i can tell going by seral number and the caliber being displayed on the left side of the barel
i have post 1904 .32 caliber smokless powder 6 shot solid frame revolver

that is all i can figure out could use any help on determing the year and any other info

[ArgonWelding]

Hi all, I have been reading posts on here since before Bill Goforth's passing and was saddened to read about it. Like all of you, I too enjoyed his openess and expertise. I think he would've enjoyed figuring out my quandary. So here goes.....

Back in '06 I bought an old 5th wheel trailer from a friend. A mutual friend had passed and it was his. In '09 I decided to rid myself of the thing and scrapped it. During the dissasaembly of it I found an old beat up Victor. 38 and thought it was an old toy gun. It took all of about 3 seconds to realize it wasn't.

My buddy told me that Satch, our departed friend, "acquired it" from the front seat of a cop car in the bronx back in '65 when he was 15 years old. He said the last time he saw it, he was making special "tin foil" loads for Satch to shoot flies in the house. That was in '98 or there abouts. I love the story and doubt I'll ever part with it.

I did a little research on it and thought little more since. A couple of days ago I started researching it again and noticed it didn't match up with what is known. Maybe I am missing something. It has no company name, just the Victor 38 S&W CTCF on the top strap. It has a hand stamped,4 digit, serial # (7789) on the butt and under the homemade grip on the left side. It doesn't have a caliber marked on the barrel. Some of the internal parts have a 3 digit number stamped on them. I think they were to ID what gun they were made for since they are 789 and match the last 3 of the serial#. Up until 3 days ago I was guessing about 1915 for a manufaturing date. Now I'm not so sure.

I humbly ask you, o wise members of this forum, to look at the included pix and give your opinions.

P.S. As you can tell it's a shooter by it being loaded.

[ArgonWelding]

Also...... don't be thrown off by the odd looking cylinder pin. I made a new one the other day and it is of my own design and installed. The original pin was uniform in diameter and had 3 bands of knurling about .200" wide each to grip it by.

[Skippa01]

Hi I'm new to this site. I recently acquired a h&r 6 shot revolver .32 caliber with serial #4565. It also has the single post latch. I would like to know how old and the model and appoximate worth. It is in fireable condition. Can I use modern ammo for it. Any help is appreciated. Thank you. I have pictures if needed.

[Kflanigan08]

Hey everyone, Brand new to this site and loving the amount of information and education I am receiving.

I have a revolver that has been handed down to me by a family member and I'd like to know some more about it.

As far as I can tell it is a:
hammerless break down .32 H&R Revolver
with a 6 Digit Serial Number on the butt 490xxx
.32 S&W CTGE. Stamped on the left side of the 3 inch barrel


I would really like to know more about when it was made and anything historically significant to this model.

Thanks all! I'll post some pictures when I can, but for now I hope this enough to get the ball rolling.

[firearms_rookie]

Hello Everyone;

Recently my father gave me a H&R revolver that has been in the family for some time. I've been reading all the threads posted here and they have been great help in narrowing down its model but I still have not seen an exact description of the model I own. It's stamped on the top with the Harrington and Richardson Arms Co. Worcester Massachusetts U.S.A. and on the left side with .38 S&W CTGE. It is a 5 cartridge, top break, hammer-less model. Its serial # is 179xxx so according to what I've read it should be from around 1915? Anyways, i'll try to post some pics but any information or help will be greatly appreciated.

Thankx in advance Felo

[dteed4094]

I got this H&R when my Dad passed and he acquired them not too long before. As far as I know Dad never fired it and I would like to Know exactly what it is and what type of Ammo to use in it. I'm pretty sure it's 38 S&W but Not sure if I can use modern ammo or not as the caliber is not anywhere on the gun. SN=49376 under the top strap, and on the heel of the grip, also notice the last 3 digits areon the back surface ofthe cylindar and on the ejector. It has MOP grips and looks as though it has been shot very little and kept very nice for as old as I think it may be. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[BYCurly]

I have this one. .32 cal. Lost some of its chrome. Quite a bit of rust in chambers and barrel.
Barrel stamp:
HARRINGTON & RICHARDSON ARMS COMPANY
WORCHESTER MASS USA PAT OCT 4 '87 APR 2.96 APR 7 96
Serial # S0123 123 marked on cylinder.