New Old H & R sgl 12g

[NZSarge]

I was lucky to have found an old H & R single barrel 12g,

This is to dedicate to cast slug and round ball after being inspired by th likes of Y-Man and VdoMemorie and others.

I reload everything I shoot and the current project is making my own slug molds, post to follow.

Anyway, I was hoping someone might be able to identify this model for me. It is built heavy, like the proverbial brick powder room.

The barrel is a real solid 30" and it has a strong self ejector. There is some light surface rusting externally, minimal and easy to restore/remove. The bore is mint and is mirror bright.

On the side of the receiver =
Harrington and Richardson Arms Co, Worcester Mass USA Pat Feb 27.1900
The no. on the receiver and barrel is 325801 and on top of the barrel is stamped 12g Choke, but not what the choke is.

Can anyone tell me what model and what year and what choke this may have, I appreciate the comments.
http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i427/Sarge8087/Shot002-1.jpg
http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i427/Sarge8087/Shot003-1.jpg
http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i427/Sarge8087/Shot001.jpg

[wgr]

does it have a letter with the number

[wgr]

1888 the company name was changed to Harrington and Richardson arms company. then in 1953 the name changed to Harrington and Richardson inc.till some time in 1986/87 it changed to New England firearms . Wesson&Harrington was the name to start with in 1871 ,in 1874 it changed to Harrington and Richardson.IT WAS MADE BETWEEN 1888 AND 1953

[NZSarge]

WGR, thank you for the reply.

Yes, the serial number has an 'A' before it, so A 325801

[wgr]

it was made in 1940

[NZSarge]

WOW, thanks you heaps...is there a model name for it...aside from single barrel?

Now if I could just find a 45-70 barrel for it as well....)

[wgr]

WOW, thanks you heaps...is there a model name for it...aside from single barrel?

Now if I could just find a 45-70 barrel for it as well....)

dont know the name if it had one. you do know if you put a 45-70 barrel on it you will have to keep pressure at trap door levels. go over to graybeard outdoors they sell parts all the time for h and r might find a barrel and lots of info.

[Mk42gunner]

That is the older style of single shot, it may or may not be called Topper, H&R used the name on a lot of differrent models. Probably not if it isn't on the gun.

On guns of that era, when they were marked choke, it more than likely meant FULL choke. with todays plastic wads that protect the shot column, it will probably pattern tighter than hell or have blown patterns.

I don't think the H&R/NEF barrels will work with that style of thumb lever, but I could be wrong.

Robert

[Shooter]

On guns of that era, when they were marked choke, it more than likely meant FULL choke. with todays plastic wads that protect the shot column, it will probably pattern tighter than hell or have blown patterns.

Robert
They are choked tight.
Back in the '70's I bought a H&R single 12 30" barrel from my Cousin for $20. The outside of the barrel was red with rust but not pitted.
I sanded off the rust, painted it OD green with brown spots, for a turkey gun.
I took it to the village shooting match that weekend an won 10 Lbs. of hotdogs on a meat board.
I call it my "Meat Gun"
I have taken mutch game with it. It is a great gun to carry a lot and shoot a little.
Low power shells are fine, high powers will kick the snot out of you.

[wgr]

shooter is right i had one back in my day that killed its share of ducks. good match gun too

[NZSarge]

Gentlemen, does that mean I should cut the barrel back a smidgeon to get rid of the full choke.

I mean to use this for RB and Slugs and Buck shot. Lighter1 oz loads though, simply because it has a heavier than normal barrel, for me anyway.

If that is the case, how much should I cut from the barrel to make it more open, 1", 2..3"
Not sure how much a barrel is choked..?

[wgr]

i wouldnt cut it back but thats me .its been around along time like that and i bet its had slugs shot in it

[Mk42gunner]

If you cut it off you will have to drill and tap to replace the front bead.

I would shoot it first before doing anythng to it. It doesn't take much reaming to open a choke, which I think is better than cutting the barrel.

The reason a lot of the old guns kick so much is that they have a lot of drop to the stock, allowing it to really smack you in the cheek.

Robert

[NZSarge]

Thanks, Ill try first with BS then slugs and work up to a .690 ball..)

[jlchucker]

Why not get it tapped for choke tubes? The kind that fit flush with the barrel? Then it would still look like the classic that it is, and give you the flexibility to use it for lots of different things. Just a thought.

[NZSarge]

Thanks, Tried some .31 BS , 8 rounds at 30m..awesome.

I have just cast my first 1oz Lee slugs. Nearest range to Auckland for me is a 140km (85 miles) round trip so I have to wait a week..(

[don.may]

Have a Harrington & Richardson Arms Co Worcester . Mass.U.S.A Pat . Fer .27 .1900 single shot with hammer action does anyone know what year it would be . Use it for clays and it does not bad for a old single . Any help would be good , thanks Don . Number on barrel and stock is 335813

[Stephen Cohen]

That is a fine old gun and they are very common in this country, in fact it was my first shotgun and first gun used I still have the first cartridge case I fired. Old age and memories.

[cajun shooter]

If the choke does not work out, then just have a gunsmith open up the choke. Don't cut the barrel as that would be a shame to do. The barrel is more than thick enough to have it fitted with the flush fit Winchester type of threaded choke system. That way you could go from shooting flushing Quail to shooting turkey with a extra full choke installed.
A cut off barrel will make it much less able to shoot any kind of game.
A lot of the older guns had a very slow tapered type of choke that may require several inches cut before getting it all.

[Goatwhiskers]

Sarge, I can assure you that the barrel is full choke, as that was the custom back in those days to mark the full ones as "choke". You can convert to 45/70 or low power cartridges such as .357Mag and others bearing in mind two things: the firing pin in the shotguns is much larger than those in later models using rifle cartridges leading to primer "flow" in higher pressure cartridges, also the frame is cast iron, not steel. Too much pressure in those frames can lead to sudden catastrophic failure when overloaded. The modern frames that are marked SB2 are cast steel and are quite strong.

Edit: You can shoot cast balls or slugs thru a full choke any time with no damage, people have been doing it for a very long time.

[Dorf]

WOW! Those old H&R's are a real "knockabout" fun gun. I have one that my grandfather bought sometime around 1907 and another that I traded a box of GI .30-06 ammo for back in the '60's. Mine got the "chop job to 24" and cyl bore. Made a real handy gun for ruffed grouse and snowshoe rabbits when hunting on snoshoes. I "jug choked " it so it would throw a sort of a pattern out to about 35yds and it was pure hell on the bunnies with #5 birdshot. Still have it and it gets more "carry time" than my 20ga SKB o/u or 12 ga M870.Come to think of it, I even won a couple of turkeys with it at "meat shoots" hitting clay pigeons. Nice handy old gun. THX for the memories. Stan

[mroliver77]

I have grandpa Orley's single shot he purchased the year my dad was born. 1927 He paid $6. IF I remember correctly. He bought it at a local hardware store. It is marked "Bridge Gun Co." on the receiver but is identical to your gun pictured. It has a very tight choke and a pitted barrel. Grandpa said the bead fell off about the first time he shot it and it has been used without every since.

Rabbit hunting in open meadow is fun as I can whack bunnies way out there. I used to take it to "turkey shoots" and with the Win. AA shells they used it patterned great. They went to cheapo shells and it dont like them.

I used it foe deer hunting when I was young and it threw slugs OK.

I think a modern H&R/ NEF barrel could be finaggled on these a a little work. The lug under the barrel is wider on one or the other I dont remember which.
Jay