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H&R "Handy Gun".

Fatstrat
I know someone who has inherited an H&R "Handy Gun" in .410. Apparently has no registration papers from 1968.
I told him it was an illegal gun. But that I had read (here) that it was possible to acquire a rifled barrel to replace the .410 barrel. And therefore make it legal.
Anyone recall or know where to obtain such a barrel?
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Comments

4 comments

Date Votes
  • rufe-snow
    It's a job that would have to be done by a very skilled gunsmith. The barrel isn't replaced. What is done, is that a rifled liner is either soldered or epoxyed inside the original barrel.

    The outside diameter of the liner has to be turned on a lathe, to just a couple of thousands under the internal diameter of the .410 shotgun barrel. Then the extractor has to be reworked for the rim diameter, of the smaller cartridge.

    Because the questionable legality of working on a illegal firearm, no federally licensed gunsmith would get involved in this. They would have to much to lose.

    It would be best for the person who has possession of the "Handy Gun" to disassemble it, to remove the barrel assembly. Either destroy or throw the barrel assembly in the deepest lake he can find. The receiver, pistol grip assembly is legal, and would have some value. He at least could get some money out of that.
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  • mcaso
    Couldn't some sort rifling be cut or scratched inside the barrel?
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  • rufe-snow
    quote:Originally posted by mcaso
    Couldn't some sort rifling be cut or scratched inside the barrel?


    It would still be chambered for the .410 shell. Very doubtful to me that this would fly with the feds. As it was originally made as a .410 smooth bore. Although a smart Philadelphia lawyer who was familiar with the Federal firearms regs, might be able to finesse it.
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  • David Nunn
    Ran into this a while back and we sold the parts and destroyed the frame.

    THEN...we learned something. Seems the Handi-Gun was also made as a pistol, in pistol calibers with rifled barrels. Thusly, the parts could be installed on any Handi-Gun. The barrel could then be installed on any registered .410 Handi-Gun. And, the frame could be built up into a Handi-Gun other than a shotgun.
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