H&R Young America question
Picked up the above pistol last weekend at the local gun show. Blued, 4-1/2" barrel, S/N 5072XX. About 75%+ finish remaining. Any Idea of what year this was made?
Thanks
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Here are details posted 2009 by the late author Bill Goforth, whose H&R book is pending publication:
YOUNG AMERICA DOUBLE ACTION FIRST MODEL
(BLACK POWDER)
1884-1904
pull pin cylinder release, nickel finish standard, blue considered rare, marking on top strap only "YOUNG AMERICA DOUBLE ACTION" or "YOUNG AMERICAN DOUBLE ACTION" two frame sizes: SMALL SOLID FRAME .22 RIMFIRE 7 SHOT, octagon barrel, lengths of 2, 4? and 6 inches, MEDIUM FRAME .32 S&W CALIBER 5 SHOT, octagon barrel, lengths of 2, 4? and 6 inches
First Variation will have a round barrel & nickel trigger guard
1884-1887
Second Variation will have a octagon barrel & nickel trigger guard
1888-1897
Third Variation will have a octagon barrel , blue trigger guard and company name and address on left side of barrel
1897-1904
VALUE: First Variation 100%=$275 60%=$100 Others 100%=$225 60%=$65
For all Young America Double Action variations and variants add 15% premium for blue finish and 10% premium for 4?" or 6" barrels.
YOUNG AMERICA SAFETY HAMMER FIRST MODEL
spurless hammer variation of Young American First Model
1888-1904
VALUE: 100%=$235 60%=$75
YOUNG AMERICA BULLDOG FIRST MODEL
MEDIUM FRAME.ONLY .32 SHORT RIMFIRE 5 SHOT ONLY
1888-1904
VALUE: 100%=$235 60%=$75
YOUNG AMERICA DOUBLE ACTION SECOND MODEL
SMALL FRAME 22 RIMFIRE CALIBER
1905-1941
.22 short rimfire 7 shot, pull pin cylinder release Nickel finish, blue optional 2, 4? & 6 inches barrel lengths, will have caliber and company name &
address marked on side of barrel, Top strap will be marked "YOUNG AMERICA DOUBLE ACTION" or "YOUNG AMERICAN DOUBLE ACTION". After 1930 listed in catalogs as; YOUNG AMERICA No. 70 DOUBLE ACTION
VALUE: 100%=$235 60%=$65
For all Young America Double Action variations and variants add 15% premium for blue finish and 10% premium for 4?" or 6" barrels.
YOUNG AMERICA DOUBLE ACTION SECOND MODEL
MEDIUM FRAME .32 S&W CALIBER
1905-1941
5 shot cylinder capacity, pull pin cylinder release, Nickel finish, blue optional 2, 4? & 6 inch barrel lengths, will have caliber and company name &
address marked on side of barrel, Top strap will be marked "YOUNG AMERICA DOUBLE ACTION" or "YOUNG AMERICAN DOUBLE ACTION". After 1930 listed in catalogs as; YOUNG AMERICA No. 73 DOUBLE ACTION .32 Rimfire short 5 shot and YOUNG AMERICA No. 74 DOUBLE ACTION .32 S&W 5 shot
VALUE: $225 $65
For all Young America Double Action variations and variants add 15% premium for blue finish and 10% premium for 4?" or 6" barrels.
YOUNG AMERICA BULLDOG MEDIUM FRAME SECOND MODEL
(only advertised as a separate model until 1923)
1905-1923
VALUE: $225 $75
YOUNG AMERICA SAFETY HAMMER MEDIUM FRAME SECOND MODEL
(only advertised as a separate model until 1939)
1905-1939
VALUE: $205 $65
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Added comment: 90% of these were nickel plated, which suggests yours may have been refinished?0 -
yblockhead,
Close to or just over a million of these were made between 1905 and 1941. Since yours is in the 500K range - we can estimate that it was made in the mid 19teens, assuming a constant production rate (which is probably faulty) - we just don't have the s/n to production date records available at this time to positively I.D. YOM.0 -
Thanks for the info from both of you. I am positive that this is the original finish. Any word of when/if the H&R book will be out in print? 0 -
As the YOUNG AMERICA series ran into the 1920s and '30s, more of the blued finish pieces are seen. Apparently, tastes changed or the cost of plating increased??? This trend to "blue" extends across all the H&R handgun models. By the start of U.S. involvement in WW2 - the proportion of Nickel to Blue finished pieces seems to have reversed to ~10% Ni to ~90% blue (no documentation, merely based upon my observation of hundreds of examples.)
The book has been through "final" fact check and edit and has been back in the publisher's hands for about a month and a-half. Last word I had works out to mid-Summer release. Publisher (as well as lots of us) are anxious to get the book, FINALLY, out to the public. The book in finished form is a real GEM - lots of pics of actual guns and lots of copies of period advertisements, parts diagrams, patents, etc. It will run to at least 623 pages - it is a once in a lifetime buy for the serious researcher or causal collector.0 -
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