Greetings,
New member, first post. Looks like a nice place you guys have here. Hope I fit in ok.
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Gatsby,
I realize this is an older thread, but I see no update on any further info on the guns you posted about, thus this reply.
Your NEF 20 ga. was made in 1987.
H&R/NEF serial number decoding works off the letters that proceed the number.
"NB" identifies this weapon as an NEF (as opposed to "H" for H&R) and the "B" following it denotes the year 1987.
H&R's serial numbering system has been modified a few times over the years and this particular design of serial numbering started with the post banckruptcy era in the year 1986.
Your H&R 158 was manufactured between 1962 and 1973.
If you post the serial number, or at least the letters that proceed the numbers, I can pinpoint the year of mfg. for you (or you can PM the info to me, if you feel more comfortable doing it that way).
BTW, the letter prefix for the serial numbers goes back to 1940, when the prefix "A" was introduced.
Before that, its just numbers.
So...if you have an H&R and the serial number has no letter prefix, you know it was made no later than 1939.
Your Newport shares some striking resemblences to my grandfather's H&R model of 1915.
I've heard that replacement forearms for the H&R are available through Numrich Arms and the notched post sticking off the bottom of the barrel of your Newport is exactly what my grandfather's H&R has on it.
I'm wondering if you could make a replacement H&R forearm work on your Newport.
If you want, give me a measurement from that post to the receiver and I'll see if it matches my grandfather's gun. I'm betting it will.
One last thing about Harrington & Richardson.
I take it from your post, that you think "New England Firearms" is an old company.
Actually, ALL NEF guns are post-bankrupcy guns and thus, date no older than about 1986.
The way I heard the story is that when the orignial H&R filed for bankruptcy, they discovered they needed a new name for the company.
Not being able to use "Harrington & Richardson" anymore, someone decided, "well, we're located in New England, so lets just call it 'New England Firearms'."
Everyone agreed and plans were set into motion.
Well, about the time they're ready to start churning out NEF guns, someone says, "WAIT! No one (i.e., the buying public) knows what a 'New England Firearms' gun is. They may think its some cheapie from South America" (note: back then, S.A, weapons were mostly considered "Saturday Night Specials"). "We need to inform the buyer that its still an H&R gun".
A little research discovered that they could use a modified version of the old name and it would still be legal, thus "H&R 1871 Co." was born.
However, since the "New England Firearms" tooling was already in place, both names ended up being used in the new company.
This is why H&R 1871 is also the manufacturer of New England Firearms.
Truth or BS? I'm not sure, but its how I heard the story.
I do know one thing that is FACT - "New England Firearms" ceased to exist in 2010.
The announcement is still up on H&R's website.
Something tells me this is tied into the buyout of Marlin by Remington, since all of H&R's manufacturing recently moved to Remington's NY plant.
Since about the middle of last year, all guns made by H&R are now labeled as H&R guns.
The Pardner line still exists as it always has, only now its an "H&R Pardner".
Dean
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to you Dean. As Gatsby said we are a easy going group and always looking for info and we will also share what we know.