H&R 922 Manufacture Date

[beersville]

I have an H&R Arms 922 revolver and am interested in finding the approximate manufacturing date. The serial number is F1894.

Anyone know when it might have been produced?

Thanks very much in advance.

[jamesjo]

F prefix = 1945 manufacture

[Jim Hauff]

Sound like a 1st Model, 5th Variation (1940-47).
Here's a pic. of what your piece should look like. NOTE - the pic is labeled as a 4th Variation - it was labeled as such before Bill G. made up his mind on variations - always something new came up.

[wes1379]

I also have a H&R 922 revolver with the serial number of E4139. I am wanting to know the year of manufacturing. if anybody could helo me out that would be appreciated.

As i am looking at the H&R 922 5th variation above my post, my H&R 922 has a rounded handle and a shorter barrel.

[Jim Hauff]

E = 1944

Does your other 922 look like this one?:

[wes1379]

This is the image of my H&R 922. i measured the barrel and it is 3 1/2 "

[Jim Hauff]

That one has customized grip panels - non-standard. They look pretty darn good on that piece. There should be a hole about 3/4s of the way down the back strap????

[wes1379]

Yes! there is a whole on the back strap! i am guessing that it is for the origianal grips???

[Jim Hauff]

Wes,
Yep, that's the ticket. Original grip was held on to grip frame by one screw through the back, threaded into the back strap (the hole you see.) Look at my second pic (original factory one-piece grip for the "Rice" type frame, then compare to the grip panels on your gun - looks to me as though the panels on yours have been modified from the originals. What do you think?

[wes1379]

Yes sir!! i had not noticed that until you had said that ( i am new to this gun thing, but loving everythig about it!!!) it looks like they have molded the original down or got a new grip and molded it down to the size it is now. can you tell if it is original or different? it seems to be aq plastic type grip.

[wes1379]

ohh i had missed you had put what the original grip looked like. would you say that it would be better to find a 'original' type grip or to keep the way it is? if i did want original type grip, are they hard to find?

[Jim Hauff]

The original brown "plastic" (actually a form of nylon") one piece grip, which was original to that Model and Variation, does show up occassionally on the on-line gun auction sites - you have to be patient and check at least once a week. Sometimes they show up on e-Bay. Search H&R and Harrington & Richardson for grips - and maybe you'll get lucky and find them quickly. If you want it to look original - you'll need to get original an original grip. How does it feel and shoot with whats on it now?

[wes1379]

Well sir, we are going squirrel hunting out in the woods tommorow morning and it is going to be on my side! this will be the first time i shoot it and will let you know how it shoots! As for handling, it fits well but having the bigger hands i have seem to be a little small. so i might look for a original grip and place it on there to compare.
i was curious, are these guns popular and can find them alot, and what are the prices going for them. this was my step great grandmother and wanted no matter what the cost but am curious what they are going for.

[Jim Hauff]

wes,
H&R made this model from the mid 1920's up to their close down in 1986. There were two models series and over a dozen variations within those. I'd say close to a million pieces were made during that run, and that it was one of H&Rs most popular .22 rimfire handguns - being a low tech item and therefore a low priced, utility grade gun - NOT saying they were cheaply made - the number still in use testifies to their good manufacture. They show up fairly regularly at auctions and gunshows, etc. Values in excellent condition with box - maybe in the $175 range - typically they sell in $100 to $135 range and average condition is GOOD (about 80 to 85% wear, and strong function).
Good luck and let us know how you make out.

[wes1379]

Squirrel and rabit hunting went great, got a couple of both with my Marlin Levermatic. when shooting the 922, it would miss fire and not shoot the bullet not just once, but everytime i would reoload with ammo. is there a picture you have of the hammer pulled back? after examing the hammer, it kinda looks like it might have been chipped at one point and is making it not connect with the bullet right. although this picture of my hammer is not the best, you might be able to tell if that could be the problem.

[Jim Hauff]

A couple things come to mind:
-as you said, chipped or short firing pin on hammer
-firing pin indents in cylinder face from dry firing
-cartridges are not seating fully in cylinder bores (dirty) and are driven in by hammer strike
-main spring assembly is screwed up.

Does the firing pin make any kind of mark on the case rim? Did you have any cartridges fire? Is there an indent at 12 o'clock on the cylinder bores from firing pin strikes on the cylinder from dry firing? Were the cartridges difficult to fully seat in the cylinder bores? Does the hammer seem to have enough force and at full speed or is it slow and weak?

Here's a like new firing pin that I know works.

[wes1379]

some of the bullets fired and some did not. all of the bullets (after the 9 rounds, discharged or undischarged) had a indention on the case rim. to me, there is not any stirkes on the cylinder ( on pic). some of the cartridges were difficult to put in the cylinder and some would slip right in! i was shocked when first puting them in there. and yes the hammer has force.

by the process of elimination, i am going to say that the problem would be with the cylinder cause of the difficulty of the bullets inserting???

[Jim Hauff]

Wes,
I'm thinking that several of you cylinder bores are "crudded" up and need a good cleaning with a good gun solvent/cleaner (I use BREAKFREE CLP but there are others out there) - and a stiff brass brush - perhaps mounted in a variable speed electric drill. The .22 rim fire rounds are out side lubricated and some of the older ammo was lubed with a parafin compound that could harden to a varnish like coating with heat. TO ME, IN MY OPINION, those bores that are badly gunked up allow the cartridge to seat part way in and when the hammer hits the rim it drives it home and some of the force is taken up in doing so. If everything else seems to be good - I'd bet those bores in which you have trouble inserting the cartridges are also the ones that give you poor or no ignition???????????? Try cleaning thoroughly and let us know how you make out.

[Jayrkn]

I was wondering what the year of manufature and value is on my H&R 922 serial # AM722xx. It has 5 1/4" barrel, blued, 90%, black plastic grips, shoots everytime (so far). Have taken it to a few pistol shoots this year and it seems to shoot pretty good even though I am used to adjustable sights and have only been shooting pistol for 2 years now. Thanks

[Jim Hauff]

Jayrkn,
Your 922 was made in 1974 ('AM' prefix). It is a 3rd Model with the "transfer bar ignition/safety system. The barrel measured from the front face of the cylinder to the end of the barrel (muzzle) should be 6", it also came in a 2.5" and 4" format. This very popular .22 rf hand-gun was first introduced in the mid 1920's and remained in H&R's inventory with various changes up to 1986, when the doors to the factory were shuttered. It presented a tough, easy to use and maintain, lower cost .22 revolver to the public and the public ate them up. From my experience - they are reasonably accurate for a "plinking" or field use revolver - especially with a brand/type of ammo that it especially likes. Enjoy it and take care of it - it should last for a very long time.
Here's a pic of a 4"er.

[wes1379]

I cleaned the barrel really good and i got it where all the bullets will sit in it noce and smoothly. i havent got to shot it yet but am anxious to to see how it will work/ hope it works. Thanks for all the help you hve givin me!

[Jim Hauff]

wes,
You're welcome, thanks for thanking and keep your fingers crossed. Let us know how you make out!

[wes1379]

Hey, its been a long time since ive been on here ( almost a year ....) but i have only shot my h&r 922 once. I cleaned the barrel and the cylinder really good, where all the bullets would smoothly insert into the cylinder and still had the same problem of it mis-firing. after shooting it a while (safely) i did notice the bullets seeming to get harder to insert in the cylinder ( im guessing cause of the heat of the reactions of firing, but didnt know if that is a sign of something or not. reading the previous post that Jim Hauff had put on this thread, could it be the main spring assymbly all messed up? thanks

[Jim Hauff]

wes,
That would be my second guess. Check it out. Remove the grips and take out the main spring assembly. Don't forget to cock the hammer and then capture the spring guide rod with a piece of wire or paper clip before you remove it.

[august1410]

Mine is a 1933 as far as I can tell.





Serial 163767