H&R model 873

[richhodg66]

Always liked the little H&R .32s. Seem beefy and stout. A stainless 2" one in .32 H&R Mag presented itself for a good price so it came home. Any problems with them besides short and fixed sights?

 

[RicinYakima]

The only issue is they are maxed out at 20,000 psi. They can live at 18,000 for a long time. Work on bullet weight and speed to get POA and POI to match.

 

[richhodg66]

 

[RicinYakima]

I knew a guy in the 1980's that had one that he remodeled. He made about a 5 inch barrel from a piece of M1 carbine barrel and filed the sights to hit at 25 feet. He was a trapper and sagebrush runner who only use 4.0 grains of W231 and the RCBS 98 grain SWC. He got that load from an old Handloader article by Mike Venturino. By the time he passed away in the early 00's, he had killed truck loads of vermin and varmints with it. Sadly, it went to someone in his family and never seen again.

 

[richhodg66]

I don't trap and have no real interest in it, but I can see where a little gun like this would be just about perfect for that.

The weather is about to turn nasty here today, not sure when I'll get this out and shoot it. Pretty sure I have some .32 H&R loaded up.

 

[Rick H]

It seems to me that the .32 is overkill for a trapper. I would rather have a .22 revolver that would handle shorts thru LR.

 

[Bret4207]

It seems to me that the .32 is overkill for a trapper. I would rather have a .22 revolver that would handle shorts thru LR.

You just use a 32 S+W case then. I've used that exact round on the trapline myself. 32 H+R will handle 32 S+W, 32 S+W Long and the H+R Mag.

The only question is- will it group well and shoot to POA? The H+R handguns were kind of hit and miss in that regard IME. Had a little 4" blued example like the gun above in 22LR. 10-15 feet was about it's distance limit for a head shot.

 

[RicinYakima]

It seems to me that the .32 is overkill for a trapper. I would rather have a .22 revolver that would handle shorts thru LR.

22LR is a little light for badgers and coyotes, in my opinion. It is hard to get an accurate shot when they are trying to get loose and kill you.

 

[CZ93X62]

Oh, my--that '4.0 x 231' charge under the RCBS 32-98 SWC is a great one. In my 6" S&W Model 16-4 it has accounted for hundreds of jackrabbits and ground squirrels--one at 115 yards offhand in front of witnesses, which impressed Buckshot mightily. According to the RCBS Cast Bullet Manual, No. 1, these should be running in the 1200 FPS ZIP Code in my 6" tube. Dunno about that, but they are very accurate and hella loud. In a 2" barrel, the report should be memorable.

3.0 x 231 is a bit more tractable--just as accurate, and not such an eardrum drill.

 

[richhodg66]

Never used 231, but it seems to burn close to Unique which I have a lot of.

 

[CZ93X62]

32 SWL and Mag aren't powder-sensitive in my experience. Bullseye through Herco all do good things in both.

I'm not sure where WW-231 and HP-38 would fit on a burn rate chart relative to Alliant fuels; I think 'A fast-lot Unique' or 'Slow-lot Green Dot' might be the niche.