Author Topic: H&R model #922 in 22lr (Read 3943 times)

1911crazy · « **on:** May 25, 2011, 04:36:26 PM »

I picked up a H&R model #922 9 shot revolver in 22lr with a 6'' octagon barrel in very good condition. I wanted a larger framed revolver so everyone can practice with it and then switch to the larger calibers as there experience gets better. I don't have a clue about these either. CZY

MGMorden · « **Reply #1 on:** May 25, 2011, 04:58:40 PM »

Quote from: 1911crazy on May 25, 2011, 04:36:26 PM

I picked up a H&R model #922 9 shot revolver in 22lr with a 6'' octagon barrel in very good condition. I wanted a larger framed revolver so everyone can practice with it and then switch to the larger calibers as there experience gets better. I don't have a clue about these either. CZY

Good find. I've been kinda interested in these old H&R revolvers myself. Particularly the 4" barreled 732 model which is .32 S&W Long. Don't know what it is but that little gun just appeals to me. Seems like if you were handloading cast bullets, at .32 S&W Long pressures the brass and barrel would last just about forever, and the powder charge would be miniscule.

Plus, it seems like these hold H&R guns are largely forgotten, and there's just something to having an oddball gun that you don't see anyone else with too often. Congrats!

32 Magnum · « **Reply #2 on:** June 03, 2011, 11:34:40 AM »

Here's some pics of the two above mentioned H&R revolvers - for those who haven't seen them.

S.S. · « **Reply #3 on:** June 03, 2011, 06:29:20 PM »

I love these little handguns.
I have several.
A model 930 is my "Snake" gun.
9 shotshells are comforting while fishing
grown up areas around the farm ponds.

32 Magnum · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2011, 04:34:04 AM »

Here's a couple pics of 930s. 2 early "snubbies" and a late 4"er NIB.

coyotejoe · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2011, 04:35:22 AM »

The first pistol I ever fired was my dad's old 922 like the upper photo. That brings back memories but nostalgia doesn't cloud the fact that they really weren't much of a gun.

32 Magnum · « **Reply #6 on:** June 04, 2011, 04:58:39 AM »

Not much of a gun, alright. Only a couple million 922s made between 1925 and 1986. One of H&Rs most popular firearms. 2 Model series, 8 variations in the first and 4 in the second. H&R just had to keep trying to make them better during those 61 years of production. LOL

1911crazy · « **Reply #7 on:** June 04, 2011, 07:22:50 AM »

After my family members went thru the CCW permit shooting course to qualify for the carry license my sons and wife fell in love with the 22cal revolvers and semi-auto pistols. I figured i'd get a few for they to shoot. I also found a Taurus 94 in 22lr and my misses shot it at the range and now its no longer mine its hers now.

I think the older H&R's 22cal revolver are the hot ticket right now because there affordable. The larger sized colts and S&W 22cal revolvers are very expensive. There are no affordable 22cal revolvers in the big name manufacturers. Taurus and charter arms seems to be the onlt affordable ones lately in the new stuff unless we go used and old. I just want a 22cal revolver with a full size mans grip.

I also been interested in the larger 32S&W and the 38S&W calibers too. I seen one older colt listed as 38 colt too but i'm not sure of the different older calibers now. Then i see 32 S&W long? Can we still get this ammo new? The older C&R revolvers have caught my eye too. I know at one point there are blackpowder 22cal revolvers too. I'm not sure if we can shoot the modern 22cal ammo in them or not. But again the larger calibers still has me a little confused yet. I'm staying away from the older rimfires because i'm not sure if there is new ammo made for them or not yet. I would like to purchase a few but i would like to fire them too. (32rf / 25rf)? I'm interested in the rolling block rimfire rifles too in the larger calibers too. Some of this older stuff is really neat and still affordable.

32 Magnum · « **Reply #8 on:** June 05, 2011, 07:53:22 AM »

Several major manufacturers made modern .32 S&W and .32 S&WLong as well as .38 S&W loads.
Winchester Super X, Remington, MagTech and a few others that I'm not remembering.
The older .22 rimfire revolvers - pre 1930's - will handle STANDARD velocity or lower powered .22 lr cartridges (if they don't fit, stick with CB caps, Colibris or Standard Velocity Shorts). Any of the revolvers made after circa 1935 should be made strong enough to handle, what was then new, High Velocity LR rounds.
Larger caliber (.32 and up) rimfire rounds can be found occasionally from short runs made by some of the specialty manufacturers - but they are very pricey.
In this case Google is your friend.

1911crazy · « **Reply #9 on:** June 05, 2011, 05:41:36 PM »

The older 32cal auto's are 32 auto ammo as we know it now right. But the 32 cal revolvers as listed as 32cal and i'm not sure if they mean 32 long or not. i seen two 38's listed one is the 38 S&W while the other is a 38 colt are these the same round or are they different? I have no experience when it comes to this stuff. i seen a 32 auto and a 32 revolver i'd like to get along with the 38's also. Just to have some else to shoot. CZY

32 Magnum · « **Reply #10 on:** June 06, 2011, 06:40:43 AM »

1911,
The .32 S&W (the short rimmed cartridge) was developed circa 1878 for the S&W early hinged frame revolvers. The .32 S&W LONG (rimmed cartridge) was introduced circa 1902-03 for the S&W Hand Ejector. Prior to the .32S&W Long, there were a couple similar cartridges, although all were shorter and less powerful, e.g. .32 H&R Long (not the .32 H&R Mag) and the Merwin & Hulbert .32 Long - both were rimmed cartridges. Colt followed S&W's lead, using cartridges "equivalent" to the .32 S&W Long and called it the .32 Colt New Police - only difference being a flat nosed bullet. During this same period there were a number of .32 RIM FIRE cartridges (short & long). All the above cartridges were originally BLACK POWDER LOADS - some of them moved into the SMOKELESS POWDER loads, beginning in the early 1900's. Various manufacturer's re-engineered their handguns to handle Nitro powder/smokeless loads at different times - so it is important to know the age of the revolver and when the manufacturer switched over.
The .32 AUTOMATIC (.32 ACP, 7,65mm Browning) was developed in 1899, designed by John Browning for his first semi-auto pistols. This was a "semi-rimmed" cartridge loaded with smokeless powder.
The .38 S&W was introduced around 1877 and was a rimmed black powder loaded cartridge. Colt called their version the .38 Colt New Police.
Neither the .32 Short Colt, the .32 Long Colt nor the .38 Long Colt are interchangeable with the .32 S&W (long or short) nor the .38 S&W.
The .32 ACP is another story entirely. How's that for confusing?

coyotejoe · « **Reply #11 on:** June 06, 2011, 06:45:02 AM »

Quote from: 32 Magnum on June 04, 2011, 04:58:39 AM

Not much of a gun, alright. Only a couple million 922s made between 1925 and 1986. One of H&Rs most popular firearms. 2 Model series, 8 variations in the first and 4 in the second. H&R just had to keep trying to make them better during those 61 years of production. LOL

H&R, Hopkins & Allen, Iver Johnson and others did indeed build millions of guns which sold cheap because they were built cheap and how many do you find still in working condition today? They were the original "two dollar pistols".
I bought several of those to make a display of "Saturday Night Specials". All of them do fire but can't be expected to hit anything much more than one's own foot. The .22's are more accurate than the centerfires. That is probably due to the fact that none of the centerfires have throated chambers, they are bored one single diameter straight through so have no throat to align the bullet to the bore. That was a "cheap" way to do it and gas blowby around the bullet probably reduced chamber pressure for the cheap frame and cylinder.
The top two guns are .38's and take the .38 S&W cartridge, first a Forehand & Wadsworth and second a Hopkins & Allen. They take the .38 S&W cartridge, not .38 special.
The lower two are .32's and take the .32 S&W cartridge, NOT .32 S&W Long, although the long cartridge will fit into the unthroated chamber of the H&R, which is the upper of the two, the lower being an Iver Johnson.
I got them for wall hangings, which is about all they were ever good for.

coyotejoe · « **Reply #12 on:** June 06, 2011, 07:28:24 AM »

Here's one more cheapo. It's an Iver Johnson Cadet from the 1970's, among the last revolvers IJ produced. It's a five shot .38 special and it also is terribly inaccurate, strictly a belly gun. It's a solid frame with a loading gate on the right. Empty brass is most easily removed by pulling the cylinder and using the cylinder pin to punch out empties.
I would like to see someone produce a simple solid frame revolver today but with better materials and workmanship. Manufacturing cost would be considerably reduced by eliminating the swing out cylinder and one could thus still produce a revolver of good quality at reduced cost. Tons of single action revolvers are sold without the rapid reload feature, why not a solid double action? I think few people carry reloads for a pocket pistol anyway.

32 Magnum · « **Reply #13 on:** June 07, 2011, 06:16:17 AM »

Coyote,
I agree with some of your assesments, but I repectfully disagree with your "universal" statements.
Not ALL H&Rs were "2 dollar guns". H&R and the rest of the manufacturers you cite made, mostly, utility grade - blue collar guns - and they were not made of "cheap" materials, nor poor workmanship, nor lesser attention to detail.
I've been researching H&R firearms for right around the past 15 years, collaborating with the late Bill Goforth on his H&R book. I've handled and examined well over a 1000 different examples; I currently own over 400 H&Rs and have owned at least 200 others; my examples run from pieces made in the mid 1870s all the way up to the late 1990s. From my research and examinations, I can say with conviction that there are many examples that contradict your assertion that all H&Rs are cheap and poorly made. Not all were inexpensive - there were several series of very accurate pieces that cost as much as S&W and Colt target pieces and in fact surpassed those vaunted manufacturers in domestic and international competitions.
You cannot pick the "cheapest" pieces and paint the entire spectrum with one color.
S&W made lower cost hand guns during the period in question, just as did the middle road manufacturers. If all the production of H&R, IJ, H&A, etc. were junk - those companies would not have lasted for the many decades that they did exist (IJ and H&R existed for over 100 years.)
As to longevity and as to how many are still working - well, I've got those early 1870s and 1880s pieces that still work as intended and having been taken care of are still tight and have very nice finishes.
Your sampling was selected to simply support your "universal" statement and as such your statement that these types of guns were only good as "wall hangers" is totally invalid.

S.S. · « **Reply #14 on:** June 07, 2011, 05:26:38 PM »

"Your sampling was selected to simply support your "universal" statement and as such your statement that these types of guns were only good as "wall hangers" is totally invalid."

+1

Most all of my experiences with AR platform rifles have been bad, they appear cheaply made to me.
Man, those Glock pistols are made of plastic! Talk about cheap materials !
not to mention a gun made out of stamped sheet metal! now that is cheaply made!
(referring to the venerable AK47). Just trying to emphasize that serviceable firearms
can be made from inexpensive material and by inexpensive process.

1911crazy · « **Reply #15 on:** June 09, 2011, 12:33:12 PM »

I hear ya SS. I just picked my older brothers ammo and stuff i inherted when he passed on i got the last of it. He had lots of speer snake shot in the revolver calibers. Maybe thats for the inaccurate handguns? Just kidding. Being a fisherman also he carried snake shot too. I guess there for two legged snakes too if there close enough. He would shoot them in the balls for sure. I picked up his guns a few years back. I went thru the funeral again now 3 times. All his stuff refreshed it over and over. I wished he was retired with me now. We'd be shootin & fishing.

At the range the taurus 94 in 22lr and the H&R 922 w/6'' barrel in 22lr both being revolvers worked ok to me. My wife loves the little taurus 94 so much its no longer mine its hers now. The H&R 922 is ok but i want something heavier like the size of a colt or S&W in 22lr to practice with for my sons too.

I did clean up my H&R 922 and now it needs to be disassembled to see if any parts are worn and need to be replaced and i want to clean it and lube it with moly. It takes a lot of hand squeeze pressure to operate it in Double Action. All these revolvers were never takin apart and lubed properly too. The bore looks great and the cylinder timing and positioning to the barrel bore is good too. I checkout everything now on the older stuff.

If you have any of those sheetmetal stamped saiga's you don't want send them to me its ok i'll feed them and give them a safe place to sleep too. Did you know there no good??

Kidding.......I wouldn't want to be infront of the saiga at 200yds for sure. I heard the 16'' barrels can reach out and touch anything at 450yds. there also shooting 1/2'' moa's at 100yds with a quality over the counter new ammo and there reloads too. Sheetmetal stamped gun? I really think the russians really mastered the manufacture of the sheetmetal guns with the saiga sporters.

reliquary · « **Reply #16 on:** June 09, 2011, 01:43:51 PM »

+1 on the "utility" of those utility-grade H&R pistols.

I owned a 6" 922 which I kept for a few years and sold to my brother, and I inherited a 4" 923 in '58. The 923 is the one I learned to shoot with, serial # & prefix indicate it was made in 1950.

Both of the pistols have been through thousands of rounds without any trouble. They're definitely not target pistols but I have killed rabbits, squirrels, and some larger game for the pot with the 923 when times were hard as a youngster. I taught my offspring the basics of pistolcraft with it, as well. I carry it with shot loads when working around the places where serpents like to snooze.

I can no longer see well enough to use the sights, but I've shot it enough that it puts the slug where I point it, anyway, when I use it for armadillo and raccoon control.

These guns have a place in most any armory, and should not be disparaged.

Having said that, I did buy a new H&R Model 999 breaktop (same action?) once upon a time that was a POS.

LeftieD · « **Reply #17 on:** September 30, 2011, 09:22:54 AM »

I believe the straight bored cylinder was part of the S&W patent that allowed them to get around Colt's patents. All these S&W rounds headspace on the rim anyway and not on bullet or crimp. Since the H&R etc. shot these same cartridges they are made with the same straight cylinder bore. As with many older guns cylinder diameter and bore dia. may vary quite a bit from nominal stated diameter. But so did and still do some S&W or Colt pistols. As they say results may vary.

1911crazy · « **Reply #18 on:** September 30, 2011, 04:56:54 PM »

I just picked up a S&W masterpiece revolver K frame in 22lr she is a larger/heavier 6 shot, 6'' barrel 22lr revolver plus its old enough to be a C&R too. I like this one too and i got my eye on a colt police target 22 revolver next its a match to the S&W.

I like to get a 1911 in 22lr but swome have problems so i may stay away from them, i'm just not sure yet who offers a good one. I may spend a little more and get the CZ kadet in 22lr.

32 Magnum · « **Reply #19 on:** October 22, 2011, 06:10:24 AM »

I recently picked up a CZ Kadet .22lr. Bought it used from a friend who used it quite a bit - so it's broken in, but well taken care of (he's a retired LEO and takes excellent care of all his firearms). It's one hell of a gun. Accurate, no feeding or extraction problems, etc. It needs more range time, but I don't take the time to use it. I want to take both the Kadet and my 9mm CZ75 (they're damn rear identical in size and weight) and give them a work out some afternoon. I heartily recommend the CZ Kadet as a semi-auto .22.

1911crazy · « **Reply #20 on:** October 22, 2011, 08:19:14 AM »

I own a CZ85DB in 9mm luger, a CZ83 in 9mm mak, a CZ83 in 380acp, two CZ82's in 9mm mak and a few other older cz pistols and they are all excellent preformers. The cz kadet is priced kind of high for a 22lr pistol but i'm sure the cz quality is there for sure. I have never had a CZ pistol FTF or Jam or stovepipe yet they all have been flawless. The first 9mm pistol for me is the CZ85DB and i'm still impressed with it.

For some reason i gots the 22cal bug really bad now. I think a nice little 22cal auto would be neat to plink with. CZY

streak · « **Reply #21 on:** October 22, 2011, 05:43:43 PM »

Good find 1911crazy!
I have a 6" Mod 929 which has been a great pistol which I have posted about on this website on other forums about some of the shots I made with it!

1911crazy · « **Reply #22 on:** October 25, 2011, 06:51:18 AM »

Well bad news but i think i can fix it. My 922 H&R has a mised matched cylinder. I shot it and it shaves the lead off the bullet. Upon looking down the bore there is enough wear/play in the lock up lever were one way the bore lines up and the other direction its off a tad. I ordered a new lock up lever to remove some of the wear and play in it. I think i can make it right with some tricks i've learned in the past about moving metal in the right direction to tweek it in. I could open up the barrel throat but thats my last resort. I'd rather work on the lock up system to make it right.

My neighbor scared the snots out of me when he gave my son an older H&R break open revolver to have and play with. I was lying on the couch when he ran by me and i seen the cylinder turn on the so called toy gun he had. I grabbed it and sure enough it was real. Its missing the firing pin but it still scared the snots out of me.

I been wanting to collect the break open older revolvers too and i found some but thats another post i don't want to torpedo my own post. CZY

bighunt · « **Reply #23 on:** November 03, 2011, 11:22:09 AM »

Quote from: 1911crazy on October 25, 2011, 06:51:18 AM

Well bad news but i think i can fix it. My 922 H&R has a mised matched cylinder. I shot it and it shaves the lead off the bullet. Upon looking down the bore there is enough wear/play in the lock up lever were one way the bore lines up and the other direction its off a tad. I ordered a new lock up lever to remove some of the wear and play in it. I think i can make it right with some tricks i've learned in the past about moving metal in the right direction to tweek it in. I could open up the barrel throat but thats my last resort. I'd rather work on the lock up system to make it right.

My neighbor scared the snots out of me when he gave my son an older H&R break open revolver to have and play with. I was lying on the couch when he ran by me and i seen the cylinder turn on the so called toy gun he had. I grabbed it and sure enough it was real. Its missing the firing pin but it still scared the snots out of me.

I been wanting to collect the break open older revolvers too and i found some but thats another post i don't want to torpedo my own post. CZY

Lucky Little Snot! My cousin had a .22 WRF (.22 Special) H&R and a 32 S&W "Victor" revolver his neighbor gave him that we played with as kids.

He was the envy of every boy in town because his "toy" guns were real! This wasn't back in the 50's or 60's either. Around 1989 or 1990! His dad ground the firing pin off the .22 Special because a .22 Long Rifle would still fit and fire. The Victor was left live because nobody had any 32 S&W ammo for it!

I would have loved to have had a real "toy" gun as a kid!

1911crazy · « **Reply #24 on:** November 09, 2011, 08:36:35 AM »

Back in the 70's as my 3 kids were born i went out and purchased all the hunting rifles for them figuring by the time they grew up to use them they would be more than 4 times the cost. Back then my marlin 444s brand new was $135. I guess I was close price wise.

I got my cylinder lockup lever from numrich G parts and its brand new. I ordered all new pins/springs with it. I figure to fix the cylinder line up to the bore now. Its just a tad off. I could open up the throat on the barrel but i'd rather see how close i can get it first. I also know ho to move metal to were we need it without seeing it done. I should be ok.