NEF serial number to caliber correlation???

[JustOne]

I'm new to the forum so forgive me if this question has already been answered.  Does anyone know if a list exist that denotes what serial number prefixes pertain to available calibers. My 13 year old son has hunted with an NEF .243/muzzle loader for three years. He has taken two does and one six point (3X3) buck with it. Upon returning from Iraq two weeks ago I decided that I would get one for myself. I set out to obtain one in 25-06 but learned that there are currently none available, atleast here in NW Florida. Yesterday while attending a gun show in Pensacola I thought I had found my gem. I purchased a NEF rifle in .223 with a beautiful laminated stock. I called H&R1871 this a.m. to see if I could purchase a 25-06, 7mm-08, or .270. To my dismay however, I learned that the only barrels available for my "gem" with a serial designator that begins with NF are the 45-70, 30-30 44mag, 357mag, and the 22 Hornet. While these are great calibers they are not what I'm looking for. HELP!!!

[quickdtoo]

Welcome to GBO and THANK YOU for your service!!! Unfortunately H&R won't fit any of the high pressure, asterisked marked barrels in the accessory barrel list to frames made before 1999 which would be serial prefix NN or HN, the serial number build year info is in the FAQ and Help sticky, but there's no list of serial numbers by caliber here, only H&R can tell you what caliber barrel was sold  on a frame by the serial number. Your NF frame was made in 1991.

You may be able to fit a used barrel yourself to the frame(see FAQ "barrel fitting"), they did offer the .25-06 barrel on pre '99 frames, I have one made it '96.

Tim

http://hr1871.com/Support/accessoryProgram.aspx

[JustOne]

I gave the wrong serial prefix. It actually starts with NL, which I understand must still be of pre-1999 manufacture. Do you have any idea where I might loacate a supplier of a pre-99, 25-06 barrel??? 

[quickdtoo]

It doesn't have to be a pre-'99 barrel, the barrels are pretty much the same, as much as any are, any way!! Put a want to buy post in the NEF Classified forum, there's already one in there for a .25-06 barrel, so you won't be alone!! They're sold on ebay regularly too.

Tim