doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Harrington & Richardson arms 44cal smoothbore?

Anyone know the story on these single barrel takedown 44cal smoothbores? How many were made? Dates made? Estimate of the value?

Thanks,

Loren

The little H&R singles were made for the .44-40 shot shell which wild west performers used in their acts so as not to have bullets landing all over the countryside. Later the .44-40 shot was expanded with a paper extension as the .44XL. Meanwhile the shotshell we know as the .410-bore was evolving from the European 12mm shotshell, and soon the guns were being chambered to handle either shell for a few years prior to WW-I. In reality the .44 caliber shot guns are pretty overbore for the .410-bore shell. The .410-bore spade for my bore mic just rattles around in my .44 SHOT H&R.

I doubt anyone knows how many were made, and I don't think the shells, either .44-40 Shot or .44XL Shot survived WW-II. The .44XL Shot was still offered in my 1941 Stoegers, but is listed as discontinued in the 1948. Over 40 years ago we got a part box of Peters .44XL Shot cartridges loaded with semi-smokeless powder. My Father and I aggreed that nothing on this earth smelled as bad as shooting a few of those shells!! They would take a Crow off the bird feeder from the back porch, but the much quieter and less smelly pellet gun was to be preferred.

Loren,

Harrington & Richardson started production of their single shot smoothbores in 1900. These little guns were so popular that between 1900 and 1905 Harrington & Richardson expanded their factory 3 times. I believe that the 44 Shot was part of the original offering. They continued to offer the 44 Shot until about 1913-1915 when the changes in the tariffs made it economical to start importing the 410 shells.

I posted on this a while back:
http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbt...df792#Post20229

The value of the Harrington & Richardson single shot will vary with condition. So what else is new? In poor condition they usually bring about $100, in 95%+ condition they can bring $400 or more if a die hard Harrington & Richardson collector needs it to fill a gap. Exactly how many were chambered for 44 Shot is difficult to tell. Shortly after WWI a number of companies were accused of profiteering during the war. In a panic many companies destroyed their records. Judging by the numbers I see, Harrington & Richardson seemed to have produced a large number chambered for 44 Shot. There are always a couple around for sale, unlike some of the other makers...

The earliest guns chambered for this round that I have been able to identify to date were sold by Merwin & Hulbert in their 1889 catalog and were most likely made by Hopkins & Allen.

The cartridge itself has been around since at least 1873. There are 4 major variations in the loading. A full box in excellent condition of some of these loads can fetch $300+.

The guns were marketed as boy's guns, ladies guns, taxidermist specials, etc.

The most famous was the Marble Game Getter. In all over 20,000 Game Getters were produced from 1908 to as late as 1961 according to company records. After 1934 up to 1940 it was a special request item. Marble tested every gun before it left the factory. Their tests were all done at a 50ft. range behind the factory. This is also indicative of the fact that the majority of the Game Getters had 12" barrels.

Pete

Pete;
Very interesting treatise on the H&R. Not directly related, but the very first shotgun I ever fired was an H&R small frame single in 28ga. Total weight was about 4lbs.

Hey Miller,
Thanks. I keep researching the .44 Shot. Everytime I think I have found the end of the trail, some new information pops up. Yes, the H&R singles are nice light guns.

Loren,
If the gun you are talking is a true take down model, with the quick release on the left side, then the earliest possible production date would be 1903. By the way, if you have a Harrington & Richardson double barrel in 44 Shot just laying around, let me know.

Researcher,
I have several boxes of these shells sitting here; black powder, semi-smokeless (with the gun cotton) and some kleen-bore. If you ever want to relive your youth, let me know.

Pete

I've still got about 25 of those Peters semi-smokeless .44XL Shot cartridges, and sometime later I scored a full sealed red Winchester smokeless box that is overstamped STAYNLESS. I only have a few single examples of the .44-40 Shot and one .38-40 Shot.

For several years David Condon had a little mate to my H&R .44 Shot in 32-gauge, but I never wanted it bad enough to part with $350. I could get a ratty 12-gauge Sterlingworth for that much in those days.

As usual this group has come through again to enlighten me. The gun in question is the take down model that has the hinge pin removed from the left side. It is just marked "44 caliber" on the top of the barrel, so what would it be chambered for?


Thanks,

Loren

Loren, it is chambered for a 44-40 loaded with bird shot. This is known as a the 44 Shot or 44 XL. There was also a loading that used a round lead ball called the 44GG for 44 Game Getter. If you decide to load your own, let me know. Do not use the load data for the modern 44-40 as a starting point.

Harrington single shot with the chamber markings for 44 shot.


No shot cup over shot card used.

Paper shot cup



Wooden shot cup


Pete