barrel switch

[Harold Pickens]

Worked til noon today, but white out driving conditions forcasted for the afternoon. Went home and started looking at the guns. Pulled 2 Sterlingworth 16,s(savage guns) out of the safe, took them apart and lo and behold, the barrels interchanged easily as did the fore ends. Huh. Took out 2 Sterlingworth 20's and the barrels also interchanged easily. So, of course I pulled out 2 0 frame Parkers, a dhe and a VH, both with 26" barrels--no way would those interchange . Must have been alot more hand fitting involved with Parkers than with the Foxes.

[David Noble]

You have to be careful trying barrels on different actions! Just last week I thought I would try switching the barrels on two D toplever hammerguns. The first set wouldn't close in the other action, but the second switch snapped right in! UH-OH.. it just wouldn't open back up. The lever wouldn't pull the locking bolt back far enough. Had to pull the locks and the stock to get to the locking bolt.
Simple thought got complicated fast.

[Wild Skies]

But then, I have two 20-ga. Philly Fox Sterlingworths where the barrels do not come close to interchanging. I also have two 28-ga. Parker Repros--a single gun and a 2-bbl. set, all three barrel sets are interchangable on either gun.

[Harold Pickens]

Dave, I guess im lucky I didnt have a similar problem. Guess I wont try to see if my Fox A Grade 16 barrels will fit the Sterlingworths. Boredom makes us do strange things!