H&R 939 revolver

[Lesliet]

Had enough daylight left to get out to the range and pattern the 939. Put about 6 cylinders through it, best group at 25 yards was 6.5", worst was over 11, trying various different brands, as per the usual with a new .22lr. (this was just offhand, shooting DA, but I can usually get under 5" like that, without too much effort.) More concerning, almost every cylinder had at least one failure to fire, with primer strikes that weren't real convincing as to their sincerity.

I will try the newer spring, it does appear to be longer, but I suspect it's not a spring issue, but rather the excess movement of the cylinder. The cylinder, on close inspection, is able to move not just right and left, but up and down, and to rock forward enough to be causing light strikes. The hammer nose ( firing pin) does not appear to be worn, and protrudes fairly proud past the recoil shield. Once I try, and probably rule out the spring, I will focus on getting the cylinder to lock up a lot tighter.

The trigger isn't terrible in DA. There's a nice wall at the end of the pull, so I can get it most of the way there, get a clear sight picture, and then break the shot. After just a few cylinders, I was definitely noticing the sharp edges on the sides of the trigger, so those are going to need some shaping and smoothing.

With the current grips, an HK speedloader just doesn't work. As I make new grips, I'll have to keep clearance for the speedloader in mind... having to load 9 individual rounds at a competition would be a deal breaker. Hopefully I can sort out something that's comfortable, but has enough clearance.

Just to be clear, I'm not frustrated or anything, this is about par for the course, and pretty much the sort of thing I was expecting. I will enjoy correcting all the little glitches, and probably end up with a decent little shooter for speed steel.

 

[Lesliet]

Wood is here, waiting on the springs and pins from Grandmasters. Hoping to have time Sunday to at least lay out the first outline cut on the grips... busy weekend, with work stuff. It's either get a wood cutting blade for my metal cutting bandsaw, or do it by hand with a coping saw. More pics soon!

 

[DeanMk]

...get the blade, you can thank me later. =)

 

[Lesliet]

Making a pair first with some old barn wood as practice. Ended up just getting a cheap wood cutting bandsaw that can live in the house, rather than doing all the reconfiguring the metal saw would need to set it up vertically with a wood blade. Thinking an oscillating spindle shaper is the next needed tool to make this work fairly straightforward. I'll use the big drill press set up as a mill, with a vice that moves on x and y axes to do most of the relief on the gun side of the grips, and precisely place the holes for the alignment roll pins and center screws.

Any of you folks that are actual woodworkers are probably laughing at me by now, but if you have any advice, I'm definitely listening!

 

[Lesliet]

I had bought a loading block and one of the HKS speedloaders previously for the 939, the HKS 22 HR loader fits the 939 as long as the grips don't have a thumbrest. The loading block I got didn't work with the HKS speedloader, as the holes were too deep, and the cases didn't stick up high enough for the loader to lock them. ( I think SpeedBeez makes a 4 cylinder loading block, but that's not a useful size for me. These were meant for the Taurus 9 shot .22, which apparently has the same cylinder radius as the 939.)

So, tonight's project was to make the loading block a bit shorter, so it would work. Using the world's jankiest "use a drill press as a mill" setup, I flycut off enough plastic to make it work right, and it doesn't look too terrible, in my opinion.



(Loading block shown with approximately $737.50 usd worth of ammunition)

 

[OcelotZ3]

Hmm, hadn't ever seen a loader loader before.

 

[Lesliet]

Hmm, hadn't ever seen a loader loader before.

For the sort of competition where you shoot 5 strings one after the other, at 5 targets, it is helpful to have some way to easily reload, without feeling you are holding up the game.


After last night's work, I'm thinking pretty hard about getting set up with a cnc mill to make various gun parts. ( It'll take me a bit to save up for this, so I have time to think about the best options)

Procut makes a great CNC kit for this machine:
https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/pm-25mv/

Thinking I could get the base machine with the 3 axis DRO and use that while I save up again for the CNC upgrade. So many parts floating around in my head, that I'd like to make!

 

[DeanMk]

CNC?!...that's cheating!
C'mon, you're an artiste. All you need is a hammer, a chisel and some patience.
You can do it, I have faith!


(just kidding, CNC is definitely a move in the right direction. )

 

[Lesliet]

I try to console myself with the amazing abilities of those Khyber pass dudes making Kalashnikovs with only a pocket knife and a rock, whenever I feel down about not having a particular tool.

 

[DeanMk]

...isn't that how AK's are made in the first place?
I mean, if it ain't broke, why fix it, right? ( )

 

[OcelotZ3]

I've made replacement handgun and multitool parts with hand tools...

 

[gmerkt]

I've made replacement handgun and multitool parts with hand tools...

Yes, I've had to do this a few times. Years ago, I made a no alteration scope mount for a Kar98a Mauser rifle. With the rear sight removed, it fit into the mount without making any permanent changes to the rifle. I used a 1950's LER scope originally made for Winchester lever actions. It worked out pretty well and never blew off from recoil. Then years later, I discovered B-Square was making their mounts with this idea in mind.

 

[gmerkt]

Now I'm wondering why open "H&R 1871", when they were already "NEF"?....maybe as you said, they were using various smith's to make the guns during the "NEF" days, so when H&R 1871 came about, it heralded the reopening of the factory itself and everything could be make in-house again?

I've done some digging online about this issue. I've looked at corporation documents on file with secretary of state for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Also some other sources. I've now got a stack of copies here of source material but I'll try to boil it down to a concise summary.

Harrington & Richardson, Inc. was incorporated in 1954. It was a going concern before that date of course but with a slightly different name. The president of the company at that time was C. Edward Rowe, Jr. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in 1984. Reasons given were a general decline in business, a major product liability claim, plus 12 lesser such claims. In 1985 and 1986, offers were entertained from potential buyers for the company. A major issue in the sale of the company was polluted soil and groundwater on company property which entailed a large remediation cost.

New England Firearms Company, Inc. was organized in Delaware in Dec. 1986 and registered in Mass. Jan. 1987. The president of this corporation was Paul Senecal who had been an executive at Harrington & Richardson, Inc. The treasurer was John. F. Kilcoyne. During this time, NEF leased premises and equipment from Harrington & Richardson, Inc. In Dec. 1986, the bankruptcy court approved a sale of Harrington & Richardson, Inc. assets to NEF.

H&R 1871, Inc. was organized as a corporation in May, 1991. The president listed is James O. Garrison. The treasurer was John F. Kilcoyne, same as NEF.
There is a Mass. Dept. of Revenue document that indicates on June 11, 1991, H&R 1871 Inc., received substantially all the assets of NEF. However, the corporate record for NEF continues beyond that date. There is an obituary for Mr. Garrison that may be accessed online. In it there is information that says he was known as a "turnaround man" for companies in peril.

Without training in corporate or bankruptcy law in any state, I can only hazard a guess as to why the company (and product) names were used during this time of business roll-over. The Harrington & Richardson, Inc. corporation existed as a shell (without manufacturing assets) for some time after NEF and then H&R 1871, Inc. took over production of firearms. So this may be a reason for both new corporate and product names. Not to mention disassociation from legacy liability claims.

To my recollection, H&R 1871 branded products only came into being for some time after NEF was being made. Shown below is a copy of a document dated May 29, 2003 signed by Mr. Garrison, granting H&R 1871 LLC (note new corporation name for company under new owner, Marlin). Since Marlin bought H&R 1871 Inc. in 2000, this was obviously an afterthought with a date in 2003. But the importance for this discussion is to note that on the company letterhead, the NEF insignia is right there along with H&R 1871, Inc.


There is the question of why use H&R 1871 branding after first using NEF. All I can think of is, having disassociated from the old Harrington & Richardson, Inc. problems and bankruptcy, the owners of the new company wanted to salvage what they could out of brand recognition of the past.

So much for the corporate and ownership structure.

I'm kinda/sorta interested in H&R history because of the military rifles they made. And other things. Because they also were a major supplier of tools for making rifle barrels. In WW2, their "firearm of fame" (or infamy) was the Reising .45 caliber submachinegun. As the Korean War was ending, they landed a big contract for making M1 Rifles. During the Cold War, they were one of four contractors to make the M14 Rifle. And a bit later, during the Vietnam War, they were contracted to make the M16 Rifle.

H&R used a number of addresses on Park Ave. in Worcester, Mass. Their big, main factory was at Park Ave. and Chandler St., this was the big brick building with the tower. They built a new plant on Industrial Rowe in Gardner, Mass. in 1959. I've seen notes from H&R dated 1962 telling parts customers to refer all inquiries to the "new" company address in Gardner, Mass. This is the address where most commercial H&R arms were made from the 1960's, onward, including NEF and H&R 1871 Inc., and H&R LLC under Marlin ownership.

The M1 Rifles were made by H&R using US Government-owned equipment. Which was kept in storage at H&R after the contract was fulfilled. The company planned on using some of this equipment on the M14 contract. In addition to the old factory on Park Ave. in Worcester, and Gardner, Mass, they had plants in Rochdale, Mass. and Elm Grove, WV. All were closed in 1971 except the Gardner, Mass. plant.

I've read an anecdotal comment online about Senator (Edward) Kennedy's visit to the Rochdale factory where he declined to test fire an M16 Rifle after it had been intentionally dragged through the mud. Which makes me think perhaps that was the main assembly plant for the M16 (1968-71).

At the time of the bankruptcy of Harrington & Richardson, Inc., circa 1986, they also had a foundry in Swanton, VT.

One final note on the use of the NEF product name. Evidently, the NEF brand was used by Marlin on a line of semi-auto shotguns. The pictures I've seen show a roll stamp of H&R 1871 LLC; some with Gardner, MA. and others with North Haven, CT (Marlin's old address). And, Made in Turkey stamped further back. I've read these are the Verona shotgun design.

 

[OcelotZ3]

I have a Harrington & Richardson M4 Survival Rifle made in 1949...

When you said they had a "slightly different name" before 1954, what does that mean?

 

[DeanMk]

Ocelot,

I'm not sure if this is what gmerkt meant, precisely, but I do note that of my 2 H&R shotguns, the 1908 has "Harrington & Richardson Arms Co." printed on the receiver, while the 088 has "Harrington & Richardson Inc." printed on its receiver.
The 1908 dates from either 1914 or 1915 and the 088 dates from 1981.
So the company names are different, before and after 1954.

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gmerkt,

I applaud your research.
I have long wondered about the association of NEF with H&R and have tried to research it in the past, only to come up with bumpkis.
Thank you for doing that and posting such a detailed report of your findings.
I can't say I recall a separate "NEF" company, but I do remember seeing an H&R shotgun, sometime in the late 80's or early 90's and thinking, "I thought they were out of business".
I feel I now have a good handle on how this all came about.
Thanks again. You did an amazing job.

Dean

 

[Lesliet]

Started over again, after figuring out that I should have started with the inletting while the wood was still square- makes it easier to hold in the vise! I found an old flooring sample; not sure what kind of wood, but it's hardwood, nice looking, and kind of oily. Just barely big enough to get a pair of grips out of. Used a straight router bit to hollow out the inside, so it can channel down over the frame for a larger grip. We'll see if I feel froggy tomorrow, and start shaping the outside.

 

[teflon6string]

Similar, but not as nice as yours, I find the H&R 929 double-action 9-shot .22 revolver an addictive "gateway drug." A first pistol to help newbies become comfy and proficient before graduating into bigger, louder, more intimidating and pricier-to-shoot centerfire pieces.

 

[Lesliet]

A first pistol to help newbies become comfy and proficient before graduating into bigger, louder, more intimidating and pricier-to-shoot centerfire pieces.

This is certainly what this is, for me, in terms of customizing. I wanted something inexpensive, that I wouldn't be getting shouted at by too many purists for ruining.
It has the added advantage of being potentially useful at Speed Steel/ Steel Challenge competitions, due to being a 9 shooter. I have a lovely pre-lock 625, which I'm enjoying shooting in competition. With the current primer/component crunch it makes sense to practice my revolver skills also with a rimfire, so this gun has become part of my training and competition plan for 2021. I am looking forward to having it in a better state for use fairly soon.

 

[Lesliet]

Alright, 2nd version is at least usable, the eventual next set with good wood will be better. The frame protrudes unacceptably in front, so next time I'll leave more wood there to finish to the frame. Overall, though, this grip is much more comfortable in my hand, and the speedloader works, now.

Going to focus on getting the gun to function reliably, before I do a third iteration of the grips.

 

[DeanMk]

Looks good so far.