Rare pair of Repros

[Wild Skies]

Here's a seldom seen pair of 12-ga. DHE Repros w/26" bbls. choked IC/M made for the National Sporting Fraternity. Numbered 12-12A and 12-12B on the trigger guard extension. The seller states the stock finish is original, however these guns have leather covered pads. I question if they came from the factory with the pads, but maybe. What do you think?

Click a couple of times on the pic to enlarge.

[Bill Mullins]

Greg... I owned a DHE 20 a few years ago that had the prefix P Serial number and was told it came from the "Skeuse Collection" that had a leather covered pad. It appeared to be all original and factory installed. Regretfully I no longer
own the gun.

[Wild Skies]

Well, we know that leather covered pads were at least "on the drawing board". But, if one reads very carefully and if they indeed came to market, were they factory installed or were they sold to customers for them to install???

Mo' questions and mo' mystique.

[George M. Purtill Member #28]

Greg
I would like to know more about these NSF guns made by Skeuse Parker Company [new name by me].My 28 gauge repro came with a set of 28 inch barrels so marked. Obviously not original to my gun. Definitely Skeuse barrels though.

[Wild Skies]

George, if you search them on the forum here as well a Google search you'll know as much about them as I do. Maybe C.O.B. can reply as he seems to know a bit about them, too.

[MD*GSP]

Notwithstanding the NSF guns, what other organizations did Regeant make dedicated guns for? Do I recall a Buffalo Bill or Annie Oakley effort resulting in a limited run of PR guns bearing special markings?

Does the NSF effort appeal to the collector community?

I like the field guns bearing standard markings..nonetheless..that's a nice pair of shotguns; thanks for sharing, Greg.

[Wild Skies]

I'm with you Scot in preferring the standard run of Parker Repro's markings. Personally, I have a hard time warming up to special editions, I might have a differing opinion if I were heavily involved with the NSF or any other organization that might have had guns made for them and their members.

You're right, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center had a special run of apparently 100 guns made for them. Here's a few pics of the markings on that edition:

[C.O.B.]

The NSF Limited was started by Jim Rikoff back in the early 70's if I remember.
He was head of Winchester Press before he started the NSF. They offered limited runs (1000 copies) of sporting books and branched out into hunting and fishing trips as well. The also offered limited runs of guns and I think there was more than one with the Parker Reproduction. I remember drooling over a two barrel set they offered but being a college student at the time it was way out of reach. The leather pad on these could very well be original to the order from NSF or it could have been an option they (NSF) offered to the members. The gun should be marked 1 of 1000 or something similar.

[Dean Romig]

What does the 1B of 100 indicate?





.

[Wild Skies]

Thanks for that Rich. These particular guns have "One of One Hundred for N.S.F.L." inscribed in the rib.

G & H has the guns if you'd like to see higher quality pics.