Hello MRFun60
Off the subject of your S&W Imported Husky rifle, but certainly in line with the time back then, it was Not Uncommon to see High end European rifles offered by United States Gun Manufacturer's back then. Of those were Colt, S&W, Marlin, Ithaca and H&R to name but a few. I have alway's had a fondness for the High quaility European made rifles owning several Sako's, Ithaca's which were made by Tika of Finland and a couple of Colt's imported guns. About Twenty Five years ago I came across a Very Odd European rifle made by H&R. Now when most of us think of H&R we get a mental picture of their Moderate priced medium quality hand guns, But that is not the case of these H&R rifles that they offered. Back then I was just married about a Year and with a child on the way, so I had to Pass on that Odd Looking, Yet Elegant looking H&R rifle.
It took me a Quarter of a Century to locate another example of these H&R rifles and as luck would have it I found it ina Local gun shop in my area. The owner of the Gun Shop had No Earthly Idea what he really had as he handed it to me he said that he had it for about Three months with no Player's on it. That comment certainly opened the door for some serious Haggling as I told him let's face it h&R is Not well known for high quality firearms of which he agreed. It was priced at $650.00 and was wearing a period correct Leupold 3-9 scope that I could tell as early as it's scope cap read Patent Pend. I briskly brought his price down to $500.00 Out the door with one box of Winchester .308 Hunting ammo included in the sale and was Very glad to have found it.
I Headed off to the range with it and was shocked at it's Tight groups of one ragged hole. What really surprised me was the gun's trigger as it was scary light with Zero creep unlike my Husky S&W that was somewhat crisp with a very slight creep. Once I arrived home with it, I took it out to my shop and Pulled the stock off of it. That was when I realized why it's trigger was so sweet as it was stamped Made in Finland by Sako. It was fully adjutsable for Creep and full and my Trigger Gauge showed me that it had a One Pund trigger Pull with Zero creep. I Liked it, so I left it alone and put the stock back on it.
A Few weeks Later while speaking about it on another gun forum a member of that forum PM'd me. he said that he was a former employee of H&R and worked for them in their sales department. He shared a welth of Knowledge about these guns with me as the action's were imported and made by FN In Bellgium. The trigger assemblies were made by Sako, and the Barrel's were made her in the states by Douglas Barrels. he explained that these barrels were of the highest quality as they are air gap Barrels of Match quality yet made light in the sporter Pencil style profile. The stock's were supplied by Fagen and they are called "The Aristocrat" style with the Monte-Carlo style and wild roll over cheek piece, embellished with Rosewood on the fore grip and Pistol grip areas and the checkering was done in house at H&R by Two older woman that worked for the company.
He mentioned that H&R Offered these guns from 1965-1968 time span with only a couple a Thousand of them ever being made. I Knew they had to be Rare as I had only seen one other in the past 25 Years, so I sure was glad to have come across this one.
I have Learned to Love the Buttery smooth FN action in this rifle and it is the only gun I have that None other in my safe can compare to as far as Supreme accuracy goes, this gun is a Pure Tack driver leaving behind one Ragged hole on Target no matter what you shoot through it. Here is my 1967 H&R Ultra-Rifle....
as well as the Model-A that I later purchased to replace the runined one. I hope this helps, These Husky's really shot well. Hammerdown
