Question for the fire arms community

[laughingbeetle]

I went to a gun show today and saw a great many good looking rifles and pistols. Now I am very much a newbie when it comes to firearms. I found a 20 gauge shot gun made by Harrington & Richardson. I could have bought it for $90.00. Is this a good shotgun? I am seeking to start collecting for my personal protection, and had never heard of this brand. I googled to find the website, which is all well and good but the maker of the shotgun is hardly going to tell me if it is a bad firearm. Any advise will be very much appreciated.

[crashdive123]

LB - I've got no personal experience with H&R shotguns. I'm sure that some here do. Do you have the model number? That would be helpful.

[kyratshooter]

H&R makes a good, durable, rugged shotgun. Put a few drops of oil on it now and then and it will be the last one you ever have to buy.

The $90 price is about right for a like new 20ga. Scratches, nicks and wear would pull it down to the $75-80 range.

[welderguy]

H&R makes a good firearm. There are several after market products available for them. Around here the 20 GA and 410 bring more than the 12 GA do. Average for a 20 gauge in like new or 80 pluses percent. Is in the 80.00 to 100.00 range.

[Camp10]

I agree with what has been said. My first shotgun was an H&R and I still have it today and it still gets more birds then any other shotgun I own. They are light, tough and well worth their low price! One word of warning though, they have a very strong hammer spring...practice cocking and releasing the gun unloaded several times before you try it "live"!

[kyratshooter]

One word of warning though, they have a very strong hammer spring...practice cocking and releasing the gun unloaded several times before you try it "live"!

The do have a transfer bar safty. If you keep your finger off the trigger the hammer can not contact the firing pin. It will only fire if the trigger is pulled. Problem is, to lower the hammer you must pull the trigger!

[Pal334]

My first shotgun about 40 years ago was a single barrel 12 gauge HR, I think I paid $25 for it. It is still alive and well. For the money it is a strong weapon that will last you literaly forever

[mosquitomountainman]

The one we have functions well. I don't use a shotgun a lot but it's passed the test the times I've used it on grouse. The price sounds good for around here.

[laughingbeetle]

Thank you very much for your responses. I may well go back to the gun show tomorrow and see if that little baby is still there. I hadn't gotten the model number, unfortunately I didn't think of it until i was half way home. As I just put $800.00 into my car (new exhaust system) I am a little short on funds. But the price is right, So I will be following my first thoughts, which were to sleep on it, then go back tomorrow and if it is still there, it is meant to be mine.

[hunter63]

Good luck....I have found that when I see something, I better buy it right away.....Because it won't be there when I get back.
That said, your restraint and research about a possible purchase is a very good thing. Congrats.

Hopefully it will still be there....There are a lot of these around, have been for a long time, has been kinda the traditional "first gun" for a lot of people.

Lots of gently used H&R's show up when someone finds out that shooting is not for them, or wants to move up to something that has more than one shot.

Reason being it is inexpensive to buy, solid tool and pretty much fool proof.

[rwc1969]

The only thing I don't like about the HandR's and other economy shotguns is they are really light and generally kick like a mule compared to a gun that was just a bit heavier.

They are definitely good functional tools though. I like the lil .410.

[canid]

maybe i'm old fashioned, but for the current value of $90, any firearm which reliably chambers and discharges multiple rounds in the same direction is a value for personal protection. remember that for that price you could buy any of several pistols which barely meet that qualification. a company who has been making affordable firearms for 140 years at least has the security of an extensive period of user reviews. the current incarnation of the company has been around for some 20.

[glockcop]

They are so light that they kick like a scalded mule. They are just about as tough as one too. Buy one and you will never have to replace it. It's a great value. It's also a great gun to start a new person with to learn the fundamentals. I have a 12 and 20 and recommend them. Just beware of the "not dangerous end" too. Man, they wallop you.

[rwc1969]

I think I already mentioned it here before, but back in the day my uncle sawed off and customized a H & R .410 for his 5 year old boy. It was a perfect fit for my cousin, but if an adult tried to shoot it, wham. It would really kick the snot out of you. It doesn't seem like a .410 would have any kick, but this one did. It was always a tradition of sorts to let the new adult, we were all skeet shooting on the farm, shoot the lil. 410. They would always laugh and think it was a joke until they fired it and a couple fillings came out, especially after watching a 5 year old do it.