H&R .32 revolver

[Chuckman]

Hey, I have my dad's H&R. It's always been clean and in climate controlled conditions. It does have some rust. How can I determine if it's safe to shoot, and how is the best way to attack the rust without killing the bluing? I cannot tell you how old it is...50ish maybe.

 

[yard mongrel]

Kroil and 0000 steel wool? Photos of where and how severe rust is may help.

 

[GymB]

Bronze wool rather than steel wool.

 

[yard mongrel]

A pair of silk panties instead of bronze wool, just to contradict anything @JimB says.

 

[fieldgrade]

A pair of silk panties instead of bronze wool, just to contradict anything @JimB says.

This could carry us till Friday.

 

[cold1]

Top break? Swing out cylinder? Pics?

 

[cubrock]

A pair of silk panties instead of bronze wool, just to contradict anything @JimB says.

Put your wife in the silk panties and the rust will disappear, from your attention, anyway.

 

[Chuckman]

 

[Chuckman]

Not a ton of rust, and the chamber/cylinder looks fair, the barrel looks like it just needs a cleaning.

I have ever shot it, ever. The las time it was shot so far as I know was before my dad died, and that was 1977. How do I assess that it is safe to shoot?

 

[rufrdr]

Try some drops of light weight 3/1 oil and rub the rust crust with the edge of a real 5 cent piece not one of the newer clad coins. The soft nickel will scrape the rust off without taking the remaining finish surrounding the rust. Nothing will help the pitting unfortunately.

 

[cubrock]

Not a ton of rust, and the chamber/cylinder looks fair, the barrel looks like it just needs a cleaning.

I have ever shot it, ever. The las time it was shot so far as I know was before my dad died, and that was 1977. How do I assess that it is safe to shoot?

.32 S&W is not a high pressure cartridge. Your gun is in much better shape than most seen these days. As long as the action carries up and locks up properly, I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be safe to shoot.

 

[yard mongrel]

Assuming everything lines up, I would have no qualms firing that revolver. I've fired their 32 H&R mags that looked far rattier.

Those H&R top breaks are such cool pieces. I would knock that rust down and shoot the hell out of it.

 

[Chuckman]

.32 S&W is not a high pressure cartridge. Your gun is in much better shape than most seen these days. As long as the action carries up and locks up properly, I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be safe to shoot.

Assuming everything lines up, I would have no qualms firing that revolver. I've fired their 32 H&R mags that looked far rattier.

Those H&R top breaks are such cool pieces. I would knock that rust down and shoot the hell out of it.

Thanks. As it was my dad's gun I am not interested in getting rid of it and looing for a decent pocket gun/critter gun.

 

[yard mongrel]

Thanks. As it was my dad's gun I am not interested in getting rid of it and looing for a decent pocket gun/critter gun.

Perfect sidearm for shooting folks at a card table.

 

[GymB]

Put your wife in the silk panties and the rust will disappear, from your attention, anyway.

I don’t know his wife as well as you do.

 

[cold1]

I am assuming it is chamber for 32sw long, which is a very low pressure round. Those H&Rs are built like tanks. I would have no problem shooting it as is as long as timing and lockup are good.

SAAMI neutered the 32sw long when it standardized everything. They reduced the max pressure down to something like 11k cup. They did this to ensure that factory rounds would be safe to shoot in all the cheap imported top breaks that were very popular in the first half of the 1900s.

 

[MacEntyre]

Bronze wool rather than steel wool.

Chore Boy copper scrubbers, or a pre-1982 penny, both with plenty of gun oil.

 

[Lafayette Gregory]

Th only way to remove rust without damaging the finish or metal is with a Big45 Frontier metal cleaner. it is also for removing lead from bores. The metal of this cleaner is harder than the rust but softer than bluing. https://www.big45metalcleaner.com/ its on amazon too.

 

[cubrock]

Th only way to remove rust without damaging the finish or metal is with a Big45 Frontier metal cleaner. it is also for removing lead from bores. The metal of this cleaner is harder than the rust but softer than bluing. https://www.big45metalcleaner.com/ its on amazon too.

I use Big 45 almost exclusively for this sort of stuff, but I have noticed that it will put fine scratches in highly polished carbonia blue. I found out the hard way. Still love the product, but I know to be more careful next time on certain guns.

And, as you said, it does a GREAT job at removing leading and heavy copper fouling.

 

[GymB]

Chore Boy copper scrubbers, or a pre-1982 penny, both with plenty of gun oil.

Th only way to remove rust without damaging the finish or metal is with a Big45 Frontier metal cleaner. it is also for removing lead from bores. The metal of this cleaner is harder than the rust but softer than bluing. https://www.big45metalcleaner.com/ its on amazon too.

All this stuff works, but I don’t use it because it has enough structure that the rust that comes off is scrubbed against the bluing. I have less of this with the fine bronze wool. In all cases, modest pressure, lots of oil, and keep the pad as debris-free as possible.