Quails Fargo

[Jim Beilke]

I know this is not a Parker or a classic and probably never will be,however, a friend of mine claimed he had one as a young man in the 60's. He said it was a Savage Fox Model B that was redone by Simmons rib company. It had a straight stock, vent rib,20ga., etc. Any info would be helpful. Thanks, Jim

[Jeff Kuss]

Jim,
You may get more info over on the fox collectors site. I don't remember the Model B being available in straight grip.
Jeff

[Jim Beilke]

Thanks Jeff, I tried them all. Hoping somebody had some info. Jim

[Drew Hause]

Simmons Gun Specialties moved from downtown KC out to Olathe, KS in the late 60s or so. I looked in my 1964 catalog and they were still downtown and did not offer a Quails Fargo, but sold Fox Model Bs and Winchester 21s and 12s.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/17126410/279281307.jpg

Next door to the new place was a gun shop (and still is under different ownership) operated by Dave Parker called..The Gun Shop :) I believe he sold some 'Quails Fargo' guns and may have had his 'Parker' name on some.

[Jim Beilke]

Thanks Drew, Jim

[Bill Murphy]

One ad for the Quails Fargo by Dakin referred to it as an "import". Maybe Dakin sold some Union Armera guns under the "Quails Fargo" name. I got that information on google.

[Drew Hause]

The plot thickens :) Simmons sold Dakins

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/17126410/381278941.jpg

[Jack Cronkhite]

A couple more Google hits.

This off a GunBroker forum:
http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v347/00scoots/GabbyHayes.gif&imgrefurl=http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp%3FTOPIC_ID%3D190550&usg=__cwn17aYagMBPOsMZqKJJjF47J3A=&h=229&w=190&sz=26&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=83LTAoFIaPvIwM:&tbnh=108&tbnw=90&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522quails%2Bfargo%2522%2Bshotgun%26 hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

During the sixties, Simmons Specialties, whose niche in the firearms market is high-quality ventilated ribs and replacement/accessory barrels with their VR's, decided to offer their own branded Shotgun. They contracted with Savage/Stevens to convert a variant of the Stevens Model 311 20 gauge, manufacture the barrel at 24" vs. 26/28/30 inches, use a case colored hammerless boxlock receiver, convert from double triggers to a single trigger, and then Simmons would install their vent rib with high visability "glow-worm" front bead. The barrels are not Belgium, but rather stock 311 grade barrels. They ceased production of this shotgun in 1969. There were not many of these produced, but I have yet to find out just how many.

From: earmi.it Tradenames and Brands of Guns and Gunsmakers http://www.earmi.it/armi/database/brand_s.htm

Simmon's Quails Fargo US Made by Savage

[Jim Beilke]

Thanks Jack, That is a load of info. Now if I could find one for this guy that would be great. Jim

[Francis Morin]

Next sale at RIA Feb 27th & 28th- they have a 20 gauge Simmons quails fargo listed on the auction block-see Book 1 page 43 LOT No. 305--:duck:

[Greg S. Phillips]

I have a VH 20 gauge with a simmons rib that was owned by a Mr. Flaim, I think an associate of Oscar Gaddy. Anyone seen many Parker with thsi aftermarket rib? such a pretty gun, but the rib weighs things down alot.

[Jim Beilke]

Thanks Francis, We will check this out and perhaps put in a bid. Jim

[Drew Hause]

Look what I found c. 1964 :)

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/17126410/383186370.jpg

[Dean Romig]

That was a fair piece of change in '64. I know because I bought a brand-new Stevens 20ga. pump with an adjustable choke and a pad in '64 for $65 which was about all I could muster up at the time. I was sixteen at the time.

That looks like a pretty nice little gun!

[Francis Morin]

I was stationed at Lejeune in 1964- bought a new Browning A-5 light 12 (8 lbs.) 28" Mod. vent rib barrel at the base PX with a case for $125.00 --We had a fairly active base skeet and trap range, plus dove and duck hunting in season. I kept it in the Armory and checked it out with the Duty Officer when I was going hunting- usually off base on weekends..

One of the civilian base employees bought one of those "Quails Fargo" 20 bores- most of the clay birds and shells came from Front Royal, VA- big supplier up there back then- Believe they were a Stevens-Fox action with the Simmons patented ventilated rib. Nice little bird gun indeed. I had that old "Hump-Backed" Browning for years, finally a duck hunting pal kept offering me $ for it and I sold it to him- he's still shooting it yet today, but with the steel shot regs. he sent the barrel to Brileys and had choke tubes installed.

If memory serves, I believe the late Gene Hill wrote about a sweet little Greener 16 bore he owned, with 24" barrels. I have no idea what a fair market value a VG condition Quails Fargo 20 bore would fetch today, doubt if many were made or sold, sort of like the Winchester M59 with the fiberglas barrel-a bit of a departure from the "usual" I guess!!:cool:

[Bill Murphy]

Francis, the supplier in Front Royal was famous hunter and competition shooter Kenny Haig, and his company is/was Front Royal Supply. He was my Smith and Wesson, Remington wholesale outlet for many years. He was the PPG outlet for that part of the country, a real plum distributorship. When I was less than a pup, I bought my first S&W from him, a Highway Patrolman for $69.00 new. I remember him taking my money and asking me if I minded not getting a proper receipt. I was about sixteen years old but had known Ken for some time.

[Don Dabro]

I had a "DAKIN"12GA./26"/ WORM BEAD/ with amazingly nice wood/ and "hunted the feathers" off of it. It was about 1962-65. And loved it. One day, before season, at a "rival-gun-club", walked up to shoot 1st TRAP station, (shows you how dumb I was then-26"Full & Mod.)and both barrels FIRED AT ONCE! They gave me one more try (they thought I pulled both trig.s/ except, I only had a single trigger) and again- KABANG! BOTH Bbls.shot! WITHOUT PULLING THE TIGGERS! I walked off, said sorrys, red faced and went home, another 2hr.drive!
Got it fixed/ sold the gun / couldn't shoot with it after that! GUN SHY FOR DAKINS!
Don Dabro

[Francis Morin]

"The first time a gun malfunctions- get it fixed. The second time it does that- Sell It!"

"Hunting birds with anything other than a good double gun is like shooting pool with a mop handle"

"Any shotgun with two barrels should also have two triggers!"

Charles Nicholson-a Southern gentleman who wrote the best deer hunting story I have ever read- entitled "A deer for Cholly Dorman"--

[Bruce Day]

Simmons took off Winchester Mod 12 solid ribs by the barrel full and installed high ventilated ribs. They obtained stocks from Fajen's and Bishops in Warsaw MO and put those on as well. Many had high, roll-over combs. They would re-blue the barrel and frame and would sand blast the receiver top for non glare.

[Don Dabro]

"The first time a gun malfunctions- get it fixed. The second time it does that- Sell It!"

"Hunting birds with anything other than a good double gun is like shooting pool with a mop handle"

"Any shotgun with two barrels should also have two triggers!"

Charles Nicholson-a Southern gentleman who wrote the best deer hunting story I have ever read- entitled "A deer for Cholly Dorman"--
THANKS, MR. MORIN, couldn't be more true. I subsequently have owned several Dbl. Bbl. shotguns, including a nice Winchester with which I shot my first 25 straight and 50 strt.
Also, hunted with a really nice "Charles Daly"side-by-side, and an over/under 20ga.- Daly. They were my "main" armory for hunting & SKEET.
Then, I got so spoiled, when the "coach" exposed me to a "Kreighoff K-80, Carrier bbl.with matched tubes, single trig., Beaver forearm, "Black-Pearl" engraving! It had vent-rib on a 28" barrel, and BRILEY did the laser porting on all tubes and barrels. It is the "SWEETEST"gun I've ever owned or handled! A beautiful piece of ART and Workmanship! I love it.
regards, DON DABRO