H&R MOdel 999 won't fire...can you help?

H&RMan1969 · November 8, 2009, 12:32 PM

Recently found Dad's H&R Model 999, .22-caliber 9-shot revolver...I remember him being able to shoot a nail off of a fence post with this thing. Something happened and it stopped functioning so he threw it back in the holster and tossed it into a drawer and never returned to it. I thought it would be nice to restore and fix for his b-day in November. The problems all seem to be central to its inability to set off the inserted rounds. Can't seem to attach pics so we'll have to do this verbally with what I hope will be an accurate description.

The trigger stages correctly and advances the cylinder, but it won't hit; it's almost like having no firing pin, but of course there is one. The weird part is that the mainspring and guide are working properly so the cylinder properly advances to the next round and locks into position properly, so why isn’t my firing pin setting off my rounds?

Next, when I top-break/crack the gun open the spent brass ejects properly, and when I take the cylinder/extractor assembly out as a unit (cylinder & extractor assembly, along with the attached extractor extension and extractor spring) they appear to be in perfect working order, well oiled, and fitting together properly.

The gun is clean and all parts seem to fit properly, so I'm lost on this one.

This is why I sometimes I am glad that for my job I carry my automatic (Sig Sauer P229 .40 cal).

Does anyone have any ideas? I kind of wanted to fix this before Christmas but I'm kind of out of ideas. I would really like to give this to him then, so any opinion from you all would be an enormous help. Thanks in advance!!

jamesjo · November 8, 2009, 01:54 PM

Maybe the main spring is weak? Even if working, doesn't mean it is worn out.
Also, has the revolver been dry fired? If so there maybe some metal displaced on the edge of the cylinder hole, you should be able to see if there is any signs of the firing pin hitting on the edge of the cylinder. These burrs would need to be ironed out, not removed. Brownells makes a tool for doing this.
Just a couple ideas. Good luck with it!

Bill Siegle · November 8, 2009, 06:09 PM

You probably just need to replace the mainspring. Are the 22 rounds getting hits on the case at all? If they are being hit but not going off, I'd say it was definitely the mainspring. If there are no dents on the 22 case rims, then the firing pin may have broken and is too short.

Casimer · November 8, 2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Are the 22 rounds getting hits on the case at all? If they are being hit but not going off, I'd say it was definitely the mainspring. If there are no dents on the 22 case rims, then the firing pin may have broken and is too short.

+1 - check the case heads. These will show you whether there's even any contact with the firing pin.

stolivar · November 8, 2009, 09:49 PM

the Mainspring & Guide Assembly has a plastic part on the end... (this one has a steel one )

It has a tendency to break or fall apart. I had the same problem with mine. Here is the part you need for your gun. Here is the link discussing your problem but on a different model. 929 I think http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/i...p/t-72276.html

Mainspring & Guide Assembly, Steel http://www.e-gunparts.com/product.as...=7937&mySort=2

Just take off your grips, cock the hammer (make sure it is unloaded first), install a pin in the bottom of the mainspring. Then let the hammer down and pull out the mainspring. Look at the end of the mainspring facing the hammer. it should look like the part above.

steve

James K · November 10, 2009, 07:18 PM

Open the revolver and watch the breech face while working the action. Does the firing pin protrude from the breech face?

Is the firing pin on the hammer or in the frame? If it is in the hammer, you should be able to tell if it is broken or worn too short.

The later guns have the firing pin in the frame and use a transfer bar; if it is broken the gun will not fire. Again, you should be able to tell. Look down into the frame in front of the hammer and work the hammer back and forth. You should see the transfer bar, a flat piece of steel, going up and down. If you don't, the transfer bar is either broken or someone worked on the gun and didn't get it put back in correctly.

Parts for that gun are available from www.gunpartscorp.com and they show the transfer bar.

Jim

November 8, 2009, 12:32 PM	#1
H&RMan1969 Junior Member Join Date: September 21, 2009 Posts: 2	H&R MOdel 999 won't fire...can you help? Recently found Dad's H&R Model 999, .22-caliber 9-shot revolver...I remember him being able to shoot a nail off of a fence post with this thing. Something happened and it stopped functioning so he threw it back in the holster and tossed it into a drawer and never returned to it. I thought it would be nice to restore and fix for his b-day in November. The problems all seem to be central to its inability to set off the inserted rounds. Can't seem to attach pics so we'll have to do this verbally with what I hope will be an accurate description. The trigger stages correctly and advances the cylinder, but it won't hit; it's almost like having no firing pin, but of course there is one. The weird part is that the mainspring and guide are working properly so the cylinder properly advances to the next round and locks into position properly, so why isn’t my firing pin setting off my rounds? Next, when I top-break/crack the gun open the spent brass ejects properly, and when I take the cylinder/extractor assembly out as a unit (cylinder & extractor assembly, along with the attached extractor extension and extractor spring) they appear to be in perfect working order, well oiled, and fitting together properly. The gun is clean and all parts seem to fit properly, so I'm lost on this one. This is why I sometimes I am glad that for my job I carry my automatic (Sig Sauer P229 .40 cal). Does anyone have any ideas? I kind of wanted to fix this before Christmas but I'm kind of out of ideas. I would really like to give this to him then, so any opinion from you all would be an enormous help. Thanks in advance!!

November 8, 2009, 09:49 PM	#5
stolivar Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2004 Posts: 394	Here is your problem the Mainspring & Guide Assembly has a plastic part on the end... (this one has a steel one ) It has a tendency to break or fall apart. I had the same problem with mine. Here is the part you need for your gun. Here is the link discussing your problem but on a different model. 929 I think http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/i...p/t-72276.html Mainspring & Guide Assembly, Steel http://www.e-gunparts.com/product.as...=7937&mySort=2 Just take off your grips, cock the hammer (make sure it is unloaded first), install a pin in the bottom of the mainspring. Then let the hammer down and pull out the mainspring. Look at the end of the mainspring facing the hammer. it should look like the part above. steve Last edited by stolivar; November 8, 2009 at 09:54 PM.

November 8, 2009, 01:54 PM	#2
jamesjo Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2007 Location: Nebraska Posts: 195	Maybe the main spring is weak? Even if working, doesn't mean it is worn out. Also, has the revolver been dry fired? If so there maybe some metal displaced on the edge of the cylinder hole, you should be able to see if there is any signs of the firing pin hitting on the edge of the cylinder. These burrs would need to be ironed out, not removed. Brownells makes a tool for doing this. Just a couple ideas. Good luck with it!

November 8, 2009, 06:09 PM	#3
Bill Siegle Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2001 Location: Oregon Posts: 227	You probably just need to replace the mainspring. Are the 22 rounds getting hits on the case at all? If they are being hit but not going off, I'd say it was definitely the mainspring. If there are no dents on the 22 case rims, then the firing pin may have broken and is too short.

November 10, 2009, 07:18 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Open the revolver and watch the breech face while working the action. Does the firing pin protrude from the breech face? Is the firing pin on the hammer or in the frame? If it is in the hammer, you should be able to tell if it is broken or worn too short. The later guns have the firing pin in the frame and use a transfer bar; if it is broken the gun will not fire. Again, you should be able to tell. Look down into the frame in front of the hammer and work the hammer back and forth. You should see the transfer bar, a flat piece of steel, going up and down. If you don't, the transfer bar is either broken or someone worked on the gun and didn't get it put back in correctly. Parts for that gun are available from www.gunpartscorp.com and they show the transfer bar. Jim