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Re: Is this Helmet a gamer or replica ?
There are only a few helmet manufacturers that used a clear plastic shell that was painted on the inside - the Helmet Hut post mentions MacGregor/Kelley (MacGregor was the original manufacturer, when they got out of the business they sold the helmet manufacturing equipement to their largest sales rep who's last name was Kelley). The other major clearshell manufacturer in the NFL at that time was the Marietta/MaxPro (similar situation - Marietta either went out of business and was purchased by MaxPro or they might have just renamed the company). All other manufacturers (Riddell, Bike/Schutt, Rawlings, etc.) used shells molded in white (and most had other colors available). Riddell did use a clear shell back back in the early days of plastic helmets - the RT model. That one was phased out some time in the mid-1950s.
Claymore's helmet is a Riddell VSR-1; what I'm not sure of is when Riddell might have discontinued making these. I know they came out in the mid-80s, and of course Riddell would continue to sell replacement parts for reconditioning long after they "retired" a model so it certainly could have still been in use in the late 1990s. There should be some kind of date stamp on the inside of the shell (probably under the foam lining in the crown - back then I think they were still using this imprint that looked like a circle/clock) that would at least let you know when the shell was made.
There are only a few helmet manufacturers that used a clear plastic shell that was painted on the inside - the Helmet Hut post mentions MacGregor/Kelley (MacGregor was the original manufacturer, when they got out of the business they sold the helmet manufacturing equipement to their largest sales rep who's last name was Kelley). The other major clearshell manufacturer in the NFL at that time was the Marietta/MaxPro (similar situation - Marietta either went out of business and was purchased by MaxPro or they might have just renamed the company). All other manufacturers (Riddell, Bike/Schutt, Rawlings, etc.) used shells molded in white (and most had other colors available). Riddell did use a clear shell back back in the early days of plastic helmets - the RT model. That one was phased out some time in the mid-1950s.
Claymore's helmet is a Riddell VSR-1; what I'm not sure of is when Riddell might have discontinued making these. I know they came out in the mid-80s, and of course Riddell would continue to sell replacement parts for reconditioning long after they "retired" a model so it certainly could have still been in use in the late 1990s. There should be some kind of date stamp on the inside of the shell (probably under the foam lining in the crown - back then I think they were still using this imprint that looked like a circle/clock) that would at least let you know when the shell was made.
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