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Break action revolvers?
Saxon Pig
Member Posts: 754 ✭✭✭✭
These always struck me as sort of neat. Wanted an H&R 999 for a long time but they are crazy high in price for being a relatively low quality piece. I see them selling for $400+ and that's nuts AFAIC.
Picked up this Enfield .38 a couple years ago at a local show. These also sell for too much ($300+) but this one looked good and was tagged at $100. Seller said the action was frozen and the gun wouldn't function. When I got it home I flushed out the congealed grease by pouring solvent through the action and it worked fine. I load .357 bullets which are a bit undersized but they seem to shoot sell at 25 yards.
Picked up this Enfield .38 a couple years ago at a local show. These also sell for too much ($300+) but this one looked good and was tagged at $100. Seller said the action was frozen and the gun wouldn't function. When I got it home I flushed out the congealed grease by pouring solvent through the action and it worked fine. I load .357 bullets which are a bit undersized but they seem to shoot sell at 25 yards.
Comments
This is a friend of mines:
Don
I don't really know how much I paid for my H&R 999. The tag on it said $119 in 1979. I traded a Remington Model 10 12 gauge and a HAWES Model 644 .44 SA revolver for the H&R 999 and a RUGER Mark I .22LR. I still have the H&R 999 but I traded the RUGER for a Remingtn 1903A3.
I liked to trade guns in the old days. [:D]
Worked just fine shooting rats at the dump on the midnight shift...[:D]
Ron
There's a couple top breaks in this pic, my H&R .22's
This is the only topbreak I have. Was given to me by a late aunt whose husband carried it at the gas station he worked at in Watts, CA in the 1950's. It's an Eastern Arms in .32 S&W. I've never shot it because it has a broken trigger return spring and I don't know a gunsmith who would even attempt to work on a gun like this.
IMO, and obviously that of many others, it's one of the best .22 revolvers ever made.
Don't get fooled into comparisons of other H&R pistols to the 999. I have myself found some H&R pistols to be of questionable quality. But the 999 was their top of the line. And was of very good quality.
I absolutely disagree that the H&R 999 Sportsman is a "relatively low quality piece".
IMO, and obviously that of many others, it's one of the best .22 revolvers ever made.
Don't get fooled into comparisons of other H&R pistols to the 999. I have myself found some H&R pistols to be of questionable quality. But the 999 was their top of the line. And was of very good quality.
While we're being disagreeable, I disagree that H&R pistols in general are poor quality. Some of them are poorly designed, or ugly, or in a useless caliber, or a pain in the * to load, but all I have had or seen were good quality.
quote:Originally posted by Fatstrat
I absolutely disagree that the H&R 999 Sportsman is a "relatively low quality piece".
IMO, and obviously that of many others, it's one of the best .22 revolvers ever made.
Don't get fooled into comparisons of other H&R pistols to the 999. I have myself found some H&R pistols to be of questionable quality. But the 999 was their top of the line. And was of very good quality.
While we're being disagreeable, I disagree that H&R pistols in general are poor quality. Some of them are poorly designed, or ugly, or in a useless caliber, or a pain in the * to load, but all I have had or seen were good quality.
Yep,
Had a 999 and sold it when I needed some money but it was a great quality revolver. Accurate and fun as well.
quote:Originally posted by Fatstrat
I absolutely disagree that the H&R 999 Sportsman is a "relatively low quality piece".
IMO, and obviously that of many others, it's one of the best .22 revolvers ever made.
Don't get fooled into comparisons of other H&R pistols to the 999. I have myself found some H&R pistols to be of questionable quality. But the 999 was their top of the line. And was of very good quality.
While we're being disagreeable, I disagree that H&R pistols in general are poor quality. Some of them are poorly designed, or ugly, or in a useless caliber, or a pain in the * to load, but all I have had or seen were good quality.
I didn't or wouldn't imply that H&R pistols were in geneal of low quality. But I have encountered several that were. IMO they hit a low point in QC somewhere in the 1980's/90's. I came across a few of the solid frame .22 revolvers that were poorly timed and shaved lead.
Lets be realistic. The entire H&R line was mediocre at best in terms of genuine quality. Hold the 999 up to a K22 or a Colt Officers Model and the difference in the metal parts, the fit, and finish become quite apparent.
Not to be offensive, but IMO that would be realistic in gun snobbish kind of sense. What else would you expect in comparisons of a gun vs. a another that costs 2 to 3 X more? It's like comparing a Chevy to a Rolls Royce.
H&R was always principly a MFG of field grade guns at afforable prices. But a good condition 999 is certainly a quality pistol that could give even the S&W's and Colts a run for their money on the target range.
Most 22 caliber guns shoot very well regardless of price.
Well, not sure what we are arguing about since you stated exactly my point. When the H&Rs sold for 1/2 of the price of a S&W they were a good buy. Now that they rival the higher grade guns in price I can't bring myself to buy one.
Most 22 caliber guns shoot very well regardless of price.
I understand your point. I wouldn't fork over $400. for a 999 either. And I wouldn't pay $300.+ for a Single Six. Or $250. for High Standard Sentinel.
Partially because I remember when they went for $100.
It's like concert tickets. I saw everyone who was big the 1970's for less than $10. When tickets topped $25. in the '90's I quit going. I wouldn't pay more than $25. a head to go to a concert unless it was SRV come back from the dead for one show only. It's not worth it to ME.
I think the values of handguns, and possibly in particular .22 caliber handguns is overly inflated right now. I've noticed that they are getting hard to find. And when found are bringing IMO over value prices. Last summer Heritge SA .22 were $150. at gun shows. Last show I went to (Wannanmacher) they were $250.
I think alot of it due to the Obama gun/ammo buying binge. While .22 handgus aren't the best SD weapons, they are popular because ammo is still relatively cheap.
Last I priced H&R 999's (maybe a year back) they were running $250. for a nice one. And I think some of that was due to increasing collector interest. If they are $400. now, I'd pass as well. Even tho I think they are a quality pistol.