H&R 999 Sportsman CA Legal question

[drtwrkr313]

I would like to purchase an H&R 9 round, Double Action 999 Sportsman, but am uncertain if it's a legal revolver. Can anyone tell me if it's legal? If not, can it be converted to a single action, and then back to DA?
Thank you

[SkyHawk]

If it is 50 years old or older it is roster exempt. Otherwise it may be able to convert to single action, but looking at the schematic I don't see a removable DA hammer dog, so it may not be doable without some permanent alteration to the hammer.

Hammers for newer models are available fairly cheap, so it wouldn't be a deal killer if the hammer had to be ground. It looks like you could grind away the top part of the lifter hole and then the trigger would not work in DA. But it should work as normal in SA.


This is just a guess on my part after briefly studying the schematic, but I am not familiar with these actions.

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/hr/revolvers-hr/999

[drtwrkr313]

Wow Skyhawk, you are very knowledgeable. Thank you for all that information.

[Quiet]

The H&R Model 999 Sportsman is a CA legal off-Roster revolver.

AFAIK...

The H&R 999 Sportsman was in production from 1932-1986.

Post-1940, H&R serial number letter codes notated which year it was manufactured in:

A=1940
B=1941
C=1942
D=1943
E=1944
F=1945
G=1946
H=1947
I =1948
J =1949
K=1950
L=1951
M=1952
N=1953
P=1954
R=1955
S=1956
T=1957
U=1958
V=1959
W=1960
X=1961
Y=1962
Z=1963
AA=1964
AB=1965
AC=1966
AD=1967
AE=1968
AF=1969
AG=1970
AH=1971
AJ =1972
AL=1973
AM=1974
AN=1975
AP=1976
AR=1977
AS=1978
AT=1979
AU=1980
AX=1981
AY=1982
AZ=1983
BA=1984
BB=1985
BC=1986

If the specific revolver you are looking to acquire was made before 1971, then it is a C&R handgun and exempt from the Roster requirements.