Red Label all blue with tubes...

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208packinheat

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 12, 2010
Messages
396
Location
Star, Idaho
Can anyone give me some history? All I have been able to find are stainless receivers with choke tubes. Thanks :?: The gun I have has a prefix of 410-XXXX
 

wwb

Hunter
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
2,867
Location
wisconsin
I had a 1989 vintage Red Label with a 410 prefix.... and it was stainless with the early short, blued tubes.
 

chet15

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 22, 2001
Messages
5,993
Location
Dawson, Iowa
The blue receiver 12 gauge shotguns (and 20 gauge as well) were made for ORVIS. Here's what I have on the 12 from the reference:

"Orvis" special production blue receiver RL-1226 and RL-1227 with skeet/skeet/modified/full choke tubes (blued shorter Winchester thread pattern). Known s/n's 410-56944, 410-57175 and 410-57621 (RL-1226) and 410-57313 and 410-57321 (RL-1227). Very limited production. Orvis is a famous outdoors outfitter. Only five known. Extremely rare.

I would very much like to add your sn to this list. Please send me a PM.
With no more of these ORVIS guns that have ever shown up in 12 gauge or 20 gauge, I have serious doubts as to whether more than 250 were made in each gauge.
Do any RF members have any contacts with somebody at ORVIS?? Maybe some good production info could be found?
Chet15
 

208packinheat

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 12, 2010
Messages
396
Location
Star, Idaho
Thanks Chet15, that was my thoughts. Of course my version had not facts. I bought the gun when I had an FFL from a distributor. The gun was stated as limited availability. Although I never read this, the Orvis guns disappeared from the Orvis shelves when this gun was offered, and I summized these guns were remnants and overrun guns being cleared out. This gun has no "orvis" markings, like I recall seeing on Orvis stocked guns (I think the underside has the "Orvis" logo (?) Anyway, I will send you the s/n. Thanks. I have hunted with this gun, SWEET. I had all the box and papers, but they were distroyed during a cross contry move :cry:
 

208packinheat

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 12, 2010
Messages
396
Location
Star, Idaho
The history of the all blue with choke tubes seems to be centered around the Orvis Red labels. However, there are those made for Orvis, and what I believe are the overstock of blued receivers that Orvis did not use, and thus the "unmarked" blued/choke tubes version.

Those made for Orvis had the roll mark as shown in this Pict, and also had a different pad, like a decelerator or Pacmayr pad. Not the red pad.
OrvisRollMark.jpg

NonOrvis.jpg
 

APEXDUCK

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jul 23, 2008
Messages
180
I have 2 Red Labels, a 20 in blue fixed chokes skt/skt and a 12 with stainless receiver and short choke tubes. Both have seen lots of hunting with the 12 seeing heavy use on ducks and geese with steel and some bismuth loads (only a handful of these). I have never had a problem with the selector on either gun. The 12 had a short issues (3 times) with doubling. 2 with standard target loads and one hunting with heavy 3 inch Bismuth loads (last time I ever shot these). The first two times happened the same day and I cleaned the gun inside very good and no problem until many years later with the bismuth loads. That time may have been due to heavy gloves and the heavy loads (bump fire). Cleaned and never have had a problem since. I can not tell you how many rounds have shot with the 12 but it has been thousands over many years. The 20 is a quail and rabbit killing machine. Next on my wish list is a 28GA Red Label.

APEXDUCK
 
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