Author Topic: Wesson & Harrington Rifle  (Read 1089 times)

0 Members and 3 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline OldSchoolRanger

  • Trade Count: (60)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2742
Wesson & Harrington Rifle
« on: July 05, 2011, 08:04:23 PM »
Just saw a Wesson & Harrington Rifle for sale.  Is this company affiliated with H&R/NEF? The gun seems like an exact copy of the Handi, but clone is probably a better word to describe it.  It  definitely has much better bluing and wood, not to mention, scroll work.
"You are entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts." - Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan

When you allow a lie to go unchallenged, it becomes the truth.

My quandary, I personally, don't think I have enough Handi's but, I know I have more Handi's than I really need or should have.

Offline quickdtoo

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (149)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 43301
  • Gender: Male
Re: Wesson & Harrington Rifle
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2011, 08:46:33 PM »
If it has scroll work, it was done aftermarket, they were made by H&R1871 in Gardner MA in the late '90's early 2ks from what I've gleaned from previous discussions. FWIW Ilion won't fit barrels to them because they have a different serial number prefix, "WH" IIRC, and they have no record of when they were made, that info was lost when Gardner closed.
 
Tim
 
http://buffaloclassic.tripod.com/
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline OldSchoolRanger

  • Trade Count: (60)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2742
Re: Wesson & Harrington Rifle
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2011, 08:35:13 PM »
Tim,
Thanks  for the information.  I couldn't help admiring the craftsmanship on the gun, and I was curious, so I posted. Pictures of the guns attached for your viewing pleasure:
"You are entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts." - Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan

When you allow a lie to go unchallenged, it becomes the truth.

My quandary, I personally, don't think I have enough Handi's but, I know I have more Handi's than I really need or should have.

Offline quickdtoo

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (149)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 43301
  • Gender: Male
Re: Wesson & Harrington Rifle
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2011, 09:06:12 PM »
Nice! Someone has spent some time on that one. The only factory gun I've seen with scroll work is the Talo Golden BC.
 
Tim
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Brian56

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (5)
  • Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 62
  • Gender: Male
Re: Wesson & Harrington Rifle
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2011, 01:12:54 AM »
Tim!!


                                  In 1996 H&R Gardner,  made a limited number only (125) Wesson & Harrington's. They were the 125th anniversary addition.  They were never offered to the public. They had beautiful scroll work on the receivers.  The barrel, steel trigger guard & forend spacer, trigger, hammer, release lever, butt plate,  were all highly polished. They had choice wood stocks. I had three of these myself. I lost two of them when my apartment building burnt to the ground this past Febuary. The other one just happened to be at my sons house at the time.


                                                                                                       Brian@Remington:
Brian@Remington

Offline gcrank1

  • Trade Count: (24)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7644
  • Gender: Male
Re: Wesson & Harrington Rifle
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2011, 05:21:28 AM »
OMG, Brian!, SOOOO Sorry!
That is interesting info, but if not offered to the public, was it only employees and such? I suppose when records were lost so was the 'sold to' record to track provenance. Sounds like a real 'collectors piece' beyond what I ever have know about. Probably a good one to pounce on and become the envy of most here.
"Halt while I adjust my accoutrements!"
      ><   ->
We are only temporary caretakers of the past heading toward an uncertain future
22Mag UV / 22LR  Sportster
357Mag Schuetzen Special
45-70  SS Ultra Hunter with UV cin.lam. wood
12ga. 'Ol' Ugly OverKill', Buck barrel c/w  SpeedStock  and swap 28" x Full bird barrel, 1974

Offline Brian56

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (5)
  • Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 62
  • Gender: Male
Re: Wesson & Harrington Rifle
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2011, 05:38:04 AM »




                         They were only sold to employee's. You can tell if it is a real 125th anniversary addition by the serial number. The serial number was not roll stamped on the left  side of the frame under the Harrington & Richardson LLC logo like all the regular run frames. The serial number was lazer etched on the bottom near the joint pin.  The one that I have left is (WH000007).  They all start with WH000, then then went from  WH000001 to WH000125.

                                                                                                                 Brian@Remington.
Brian@Remington

Offline quickdtoo

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (149)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 43301
  • Gender: Male
Re: Wesson & Harrington Rifle
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2011, 05:43:34 AM »
Thanks Brian, sorry to hear about the fire loss.  :'(
 
Tim
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline OldSchoolRanger

  • Trade Count: (60)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2742
Re: Wesson & Harrington Rifle
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2011, 07:19:58 AM »
Brian,
I'm also sorry to hear about your fire loss.

According to the seller, this was a 125th Anniversary Special. 
"You are entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts." - Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan

When you allow a lie to go unchallenged, it becomes the truth.

My quandary, I personally, don't think I have enough Handi's but, I know I have more Handi's than I really need or should have.

Offline gunther66

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (47)
  • Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 392
  • Gender: Male
Re: Wesson & Harrington Rifle
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2011, 04:21:00 PM »
As my father said about Ithaca double shotguns "Don't ever say "they didn't make that""
 
Oldschoolranger  Can you post a close-up pic of the frame showing the engraving detail? Thanks, G66
"There is nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse"  Ronald Regan

NRA Life Member since '72

Offline OldSchoolRanger

  • Trade Count: (60)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2742
Re: Wesson & Harrington Rifle
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2011, 05:56:16 PM »
gunther66,

Sorry, no can do, those are the only photos, I have.  If you click on the photo, you can see the details of the engraving.
"You are entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts." - Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan

When you allow a lie to go unchallenged, it becomes the truth.

My quandary, I personally, don't think I have enough Handi's but, I know I have more Handi's than I really need or should have.