Curious Relics #069: High Hopes – H&R Young America Part IV
Sam.S 07.26.23
Welcome, if you are a newcomer to this fun bi-weekly segment of AllOutdoor.com! The last time around I covered the history, variations (Part II), dating, specifications, and aftermarket parts/accessories (Part III) of an American revolver that aimed to be affordable to all. In this article, we are closing out the H&R Young America with a range session. Finally, we are into the shooting business! Let’s see if she shoots!
Other Curious Relics:
- Curious Relics #066: Saturday Night Nostalgia – The H&R Young America
- Curious Relics #067: Is That a Youth Model? – The H&R Young America Part II
- Curious Relics #068: Not so Young Anymore – H&R Young America Part III
Welcome to our recurring series of “Curious Relics.” Here, we want to share all of our experiences, knowledge, misadventures, and passion for older firearms that one might categorize as a Curio & Relic – any firearm that is at least 50 years old according to the ATF. Hopefully along the way you can garner a greater appreciation for older firearms like we do, and simultaneously you can teach us things as well through sharing your own expertise and thoughts in the Comments. Understanding the firearms of old, their importance, and their development which lead to many of the arms we now cherish today is incredibly fascinating and we hope you enjoy what we have to share, too!
Range Time: H&R Young America
I acquired this revolver long ago. When I received it I thought the tiny thing would go supernova the first time I pulled the trigger. That being said When I did finally shoot it, I fired a grand total of five rounds and have not touched it since. At least not until recently for this article. That first range session produced less-than-ideal results. My father and I had found a globe in a trash can. You know, the kind you’d have on a desk or in a geography class. We thought it would be fun target practice. Since neither of us were seasoned pistol shooters we placed it about six feet away from us and shot at it. Tree branches were breaking 12 feet above the globe. Now I know this was due to the sights being the way they are and our lack of pistol experience. Nowadays I shoot handguns on a regular and can confidently hold my own in some friendly competition. Did the results change?
Kicking things off I would like to describe this gun. It is a double action (capable of single action) revolver chambered for the 32 S&W cartridge. It is a tiny gun as you can see from the photo above. No wonder several sources say it was marketed to be used at “card table distances”. The lockup of the gun is surprisingly positive and tight. The trigger pull for the single action is not atrocious and the double action is so/so. There is no rear sight and the front sight is tall and proud so this is likely the cause of most accuracy issues. There is no ejector rod so the use of a stick or the center pin is necessary to kick out the expanded spent cases.
So, this was my first time shooting the H&R Young America in years. First I put a very big target and stood about five yards away and fired single action. I intentionally aimed low knowing my first experience produced some high shots. In fact, I not only aimed a couple of inches below the bullseye but I also lowered the muzzle of the revolver just enough where the top of that front half-moon sight was nothing more than barely visible above the top strap. Those initial five shots are shown below. They still shot pretty high. My point of aim is demonstrated by my finger and as you can see the point of impact was at around five inches high. Despite that, I was surprised there was a noticeable group at all. Practice makes perfect, kids!
Next up I wanted to do a more typical punching holes in paper exercise and see the group differences between double-action fire and single-action fire. I started out with single action and the results were much of the same as my initial test fire. A fist-sized group impacting around five inches high at five yards. Once again my finger references the point of aim.
I have had experiences before where double action seemingly grouped better than single action but this was not one of those instances. Surprisingly my first shot hit very close to my point of aim but the rest did the normal thing and jumped another five inches and fanned out wider than the single action results.
How did shooting it feel? The H&R Young America paired with some old Remington Wheelgun 88 grain 32 S&W had some snap to it but not as much as say a small 32 ACP pistol. It did not feel like it was gonna fly out of my hand but a part of me still left room in my mind for the potential that it would soon shatter into pieces. On point of concern, I noticed in between the single action course of fire and the double action course of fire that the center pin had dislodged from its place of spring tension and had begun to back out. If I had not noticed this I am unsure what the next course of fire would have held. Either the gun would basically jam due to half of the center pin being out or firing a cartridge might strike the frame/chamber.
Final Thoughts: H&R Young America
To me, the bottom line is this was a cheap gun when it was made and it was made a long time ago. A little slop in the springs is to be expected. Despite that moment of clarity, I would say that it is a fun gun to shoot in the sense of feel but it definitely will not make you look good in both the size and accuracy department. I Love the little thing for the simple fact that it was an admirable attempt to bring a cheap way of self-defense to a market flooded with expensive Colt revolvers and Browning-designed pistols.
In closing, I hope our Curious Relics segment informed as well as entertained. This all was written in hopes of continued firearm appreciation and preservation. We did not just realize how guns were supposed to look and function. It was a long and tedious process that has shaped the world we live in. So, I put it to you! Is there a firearm out there that you feel does not get much notoriety? What should our next Curious Relics topic cover? As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
