Quails Fargo

[Jim Beilke]

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

[Drew Hause]

Look what I found c. 1964

[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.

[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!

[Old and Reliable]

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!!

[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.

[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.