looking for information

[wyatt243]

I have a question about where to find a owners manual for the older harrington and richardson huntsman 12 ga. I know it is a "new" gun but you guys are my last resort, All really want to know is if it can handle steel shot.I have a 28 ga sidelock fowler for rabbits and squirrels but want to try geeseand it won't cut it. Thank you for bearing with my questions.

 

[Rebel]

If it has a cylinder bore barrel and you use one of the special Heavy Plastic Steel Shot Cups it should be fine. Don't use steel if it is choked though.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I just looked it up on the Web. The gun is made by New England arms. Contact them. They are the successors to the H&R firm, which went bankrupty many years ago, now.

 

[Britsmoothy]

If it is the gun with the extending ram rod I had one and it,s instruction booklet. I just checked for the booklet-well a phamflet really and I don,t appear to have it sorry but I do not remember it mentioning steel shot but I feel as Paul says with a tough shot cup and no choke it should be ok. Mine had no choke, it was not very easy to load as it,s muzzle crown was badly finished however it did pattern very well. Good luck :thumbsup:

 

[wyatt243]

Thank you for the fast replys.I did call New England they said that they no longer carry any parts or books for the older huntsman even tho they currently make that model in a .50 rifle...That is why I figured someone might have their own manual and could tell me,new england wouldnt even try to answer, liability and all. I will get the thick wads and start with a light load and see what happens. If anyone has any load suggestions I would happily use them!!

 

[Rebel]

For lead shot try 70 grs of 2f or RS powder and 1 oz of shot to start. Try using just 4 thin overshot card wads over the powder then the shot, with or without a shotcup, then another overshot wad. Work up to maybe 90 gr of powder and 1 1/4- 1 1/2 0z of shot. For steel shot i always used 90-95 grs of 2f or RS, an overpowder wad, plastic shot cup, 1 1/4 oz of #1 steel shot, and an overshot card.

 

[squirejohn]

Quite a few years ago (1970's) a friend had an H&R Huntsman in .54 or .58c. A few years later I recall reading an article (Muzzleblasts ?) about a saftey issue in the breach area. Sorry - can't remember the specifics.

 

[boar]

I read the story. Two guys were hunting boars, the one guy shot one and reloaded, but didn't need the second shot, back at truck went to shot it off, cap went off, gun didnt go, he opened gun to recap,gun went off, liner came out and hit him in head, killing him, the gun had hung fired and when he opened it the liner came out, it was held by a o-ring in barrel, the breach wasn't there to stop it. I read this at Log Cabin Shop. These were ones they had coverted from shotgun to muzzleloader. I think later ones were welded in. Not real sure. Dlly

 

[Grenadier1758]

If your Huntsman is the kind with easy to remove breech, then don't use it. There was a recall because of the aforementioned safety incident.

We want you to be able to hunt geese, but we want to make sure that your gun is sound and safe for hunting.

 

[wyatt243]

my huntsman has the screw in breach plug I did check that out before I bought it. I shot it today with lead 6's, 1 oz shot 85 gr powder. I used 2 different wads- 1 was winchester AA with a 3/8 over powder wad under and a 1/8 os wad on top the other was the same minus the AA both threw good 20 yard groups. the was no real difference in patterns at 20 yards. I will try steel when i get longer shot wads to help protect the barrel but if it shoots steel like it shoots lead the geese arein trouble thank you all very much for the information and I will continue to listen for any more load advise.