Custom Fox

[Phillip Carr]

I would like to share a few pictures of a custom Fox that all started with a conversation with Chris Dawe.
I will post some pictures and descriptions of the work over the next week to bring the project up to date and then post weekly updates of the project as the work continues to completion.
Chris had come out to hunt quail with me here in AZ on two separate occasions. During one of these hunts for Mearns quail we had a discussion about my desire to have a custom Double built.
Chris owns Stillwater Restorations has built a number of beautiful custom Doubles and I had particularly liked the Foxes that he and Lemieux Armuriers had collaborated on.
I knew going into this project that I would need to finance this work by selling some of my other guns from my collection. I justified the project in my own mind by telling myself that I was not spending any real additional money.
A little over a year ago I purchased a 20 gauge Sterlingworth and started the process of exporting it to Canada.
This was followed by selecting a blank from Cecil Fredi in Las Vegas.
I looked over hundreds of blanks that Cecil sent me pictures of. Finally settling on a pieces of dark English Walnut. Which I promptly sent to Chris.
TO BE CONTINUED.

[Dean Romig]

Amazing figure in that one Phil!

What a terrible tease you are!! :corn:





.

[Brett Hoop]

Always an interesting process to view.

[Phillip Carr]

Here are a few pictures of the frame before Chris started his sculpting and shaping. Also with the frame final filed and ready for engraving.

[Dean Romig]

That's going to be really nice!

I wasn't aware Chris was doing metal work. What an artist he is!





.

[Phillip Carr]

He is a Jack of all trades and a Master of all.

[Dean Romig]

Who would have thought a roughneck on an oil rig could be such an artist...?

Amazing!





.

[Phillip Carr]

There is not much Chris can’t do. He is a Renaissance man. From building his own home. Hauling everything needed out to the middle of no where and building his own cabin.
Not much he can t repair. One of the finest gunsmiths and stockers out there, and a hell of a friend.
Here are a few more pictures.

[keavin nelson]

This is going to be a beautiful gun, outstanding wood, can't wait to see the engraving move forward!

[Phillip Carr]

I am calling this Fox my “BRADY ROSE” GUN. Named after my 3 year old granddaughter that will own this some day. It will be as pretty as she is….almost. LOL

[Brian Dudley]

Looking good. I have seen a lot of different bolster treatments done on custom foxes, but that is a new one. Very different.

[Phillip Carr]

The sketch’s of the layout

[Dean Romig]

This is getting exciting!!

Can’t wait for the finished product.





.

[Phillip Carr]

Picture of Top lever in work. Please tap picture for better viewing.

[Dean Romig]

This guy's good!





.

[charlie cleveland]

you want have to shoot doves with this gun they will jusy fly by and light just to see this beautiful fox.....charlie

[Phillip Carr]

Here are the latest. Maybe some additional ones next week.

[john pulis]

Wow. Beautiful craftsmanship. How difficult was it to ship from the US to Canada?

[Stan Hillis]

Exquisite! That top lever is just "over the top". Will the blank areas on the bolsters be stippled, or engraved in any other manner?

[Phillip Carr]

I used Borderview International for the export and will import back it to the US when completed. Not inexpensive but pretty much hassle free so far.
I have also used IRUNGUNS, but did not like how they marked the frame for import.
As far as the bolsters You must stay tuned for the next next series. :)
Possibly I will get some updates today.

[Chris Robenalt]

Awesome, just awesome Phil. You're a man of vision for sure! I remember this gun a couple years before you owned it. I'm witnessing a complete metamorphosis, she'll be a beauty for sure! I can hardly wait to hold it!!

Chris, AZ

[Phillip Carr]

Just a few updated pictures. My “Brady Rose” gun is coming along very nicely.

[Dean Romig]

My, ain't that pretty!!





.

[keavin nelson]

Can't wait to see the floorplate with the birds/dogs that were sketched, this is beautiful!

[charlie cleveland]

birds will be safe with this gun in the field...who ever is holding it will just set and admire it while the real birds will just fly by...just a fine looking gun phil....charlie

[Phillip Carr]

An update picture.

[Chris Robenalt]

That is really cool Phil, something to be proud of! You'll need a special hard case for this one....!
Chris, AZ

[Robert Brooks]

Wow!

[Travis Sims]

Damn...

[Allen Peterson]

Spectacular!

[john pulis]

Double Wow. This keeps getting better and better. can’t wait for the finished product.

[Phillip Carr]

Update

[Dean Romig]

Just WOW.





.

[Ken Descovich]

Wow Phil that is gorgeous!
Ken

[Brian Dudley]

The piercing work on the guard and top lever is outstanding.

[Phillip Carr]

Yes I really like the way the piercings turned out.
The engraving should be completed shortly. Then off for case harding.

[tom tutwiler]

Big fan of heel and toe plates. Something you don't see every other day for sure.

[Ronald A Moore]

who is doing the engraving on this gun, it looks perfect in every way. I would like to get one done by same guy.

Ron Moore

[Phillip Carr]

Ron all of the work has been contracted through our member in Newfoundland Chris Dawe. He coordinates the shipping back and forth, metal work, wood work, and engraving. He is the man. I would drop Chris a PM if interested. Navigating and coordinating work to be done in Canada requires a professional like Chris.

[Gerald McPherson]

Is that a "ROSE" on the trigger guard?

[Phillip Carr]

Yes its a Rose. My youngest granddaughters middle name is Rose which is what we call her. She will eventually inherit this gun. Hopefully after I have hunted with it and put some nice history and wear on it.
I dont want this gun to be a safe queen.
I would like to purchase a noce case for it and am debating that now. Im torn between a solid wood case or a Leather break down.
Thoughts are welcome and appreciated.

[Jim DiSpagno]

Classic Oak and leather case with all the top of the line accessories

[Mike Koneski]

GORGEOUS!!!!

[Dean Romig]

Yes its a Rose. My youngest granddaughters middle name is Rose which is what we call her. She will eventually inherit this gun. Hopefully after I have hunted with it and put some nice history and wear on it.
I dont want this gun to be a safe queen.
I would like to purchase a noce case for it and am debating that now. Im torn between a solid wood case or a Leather break down.
Thoughts are welcome and appreciated.


The only case befitting that gun should be hand crafted by Marvin Huey.





.

[Phillip Carr]

Love the Huey cases but the case with some accessories added and fitted you are around $4000.

[charlie cleveland]

been some nice cases offered for sale here on the parker site and some really good custom gun cases made by parker folks....great looking gun lots of us are waiting to see this rose in bloom.charlie

[Chris Robenalt]

Phil, I'm a fan of a leather or cloth case with leather trim, and of course 2 leather straps to secure. This gun deserves a classic look!

Chris, AZ

[Phillip Carr]

Engraving done on its way to Chris Dawe for case hardening, French gray, and finish stocking. I could not be happier with the way Chris has managed this project.
Tap on picture for best viewing.

[Wayne Owens]

That is very impressive! Will there be a stock shield with your name, date, or initials?

[Phillip Carr]

Shield will be engraved with my Granddaughters First and Middle name. Brady Rose.

[Chris Robenalt]

Really sweet Phil! It appears you have the trifecta of the AZ quail on your Fox. Looks to be a Gambel's on the left, a Scaled on the right, and Mearn's flushing on the bottom. I'd assume that's Scout on point? The gun looks really nice in the white! You're patience on this project will pay dividends! I can hardly wait to see and hold it!!

Chris, AZ

[Phillip Carr]

The Fox has been completed and is currently on its way to Borderview for reimport back to United States.it may be several months before I see it but decided to post some pictures of the completed gun.
Please tap on individual pictures for best viewing.
A special thanks to Chris Dawe for making a dream come true.

[Phillip Carr]

More

[Phillip Carr]

More

[Dean Romig]

Chris does amazing work and he has some extremely talented connections too.





.

[Wayne Owens]

This is the definition of "pulling out all the stops". Absolutely stunning!

[Johnny Mercer]

My WOW factor just hit a new high. Thats is some impressive work and a true beauty. Hope you can get some sleep until it arrives. Just Awesome, looking to hear more about this one.

[Dean Romig]

More



Pictures no. 2 and 3 are two different stocks - which one is on the subject gun?





.

[Robert Brooks]

I would sleep with that Fox! Bobby

[Patrick Lien]

Oh, that is a special gun! I hope you enjoy it Phil.

PML

[john pulis]

What a talented artisan. The engraving is just magnificent as is the wood and the completed project. Congrats to both you and Chris D. Enjoy.

[Garry L Gordon]

A gun to make any shooter proud.

[Reggie Bishop]

Beautiful gun Phil!

[Jim McKee]

Phil,
WOW, WOW & more WOW!!
Jim

[Larry Stauch]

We all want a special gun, but sometimes we have trouble envisioning what it would be. What the engraving would look like. What the figure in the wood would look like. Congratulations to you and Chris on achieving the objective of a truly fantastic gun that any of us would be proud and thrilled to own. Just beautiful on every account.

P.S. Go for the Huey case. The all out gun deserves the all out case.
You won't regret it.

[Phillip Carr]

Thank you guys for the positive feedback. I looking forward to getting this gun out and putting some history on it.
That way when Brady Rose learns to shoot it and eventually inherits it she will know this was PAPA’s gun and he used it.
I aged this picture a little.

A real plus, Rose loves Bird dogs.

[Phillip Carr]

Well the FOX jumped over the border and landed in Tucson at my gun dealer today. Just one quick picture, with more to follow. Called my friend Dave that raises game birds and asked him to meet me tomorrow with some Chucker’s at our training area South of Tucson. Will shoot some birds over the dogs in the morning. I need to start putting some provenance on this gun for my granddaughter. Thursday will shoot some clay pigeons and some Z birds. With a quick trip to the dairy very soon for some Eurasian dove and pigeons.
I like the looks of the Parker repro case so I will have one I own modified. They look a lot like the Vintage A&F cases. I also have in the works a custom tooled Leather slip case by my friends that in the day made leather hunting gear for A&F.
A Special thanks to Chris Dawe who’s hard work, skills and patience went into making my dream Arizona Quail gun.
5 lbs 15 Oz 28” ejector 20 gauge FOX.

[Wayne Owens]

Looks fantastic!

[Stan Hillis]

Happy for you, Phil. May it shoot as good for you as it looks.

Maybe someday when we're visiting our son in Tucson we can get together and I can see it in person. it's a beauty.

[Garry L Gordon]

Let the provenance begin! Put some good memories on that beauty asap, Phil. It sure looks like a bird getter.

For the hunter who's also a gun lover, is there any time better than a first hunt/first bird with a "new" gun?

[Phillip Carr]

Stan I look forward to the visit.

[Bill Murphy]

Phil, can you post a picture of the Borderview stamp that you mentioned earlier? My HE Fox has a very elegant Borderview stamp on the bottom rib just ahead of the forend. The HE was ordered by Nash Buckingham.

[Phillip Carr]

Here you go Bill. It is well done and not very noticeable.

[Phillip Carr]

Pictures of this morning.

[Jim DiSpagno]

Way to go Phil. Love it

[Bill Murphy]

Phil, that is identical to the Borderview stamp on my Nash Buckingham Super
Fox. Thanks for the picture.

[davidboyles]

Phil you are a perfectionist and stayed true to your goals. Priceless and what a lucky granddaughter. I'm in Gila NM scouting hopefully south for a place to hunt quail. Best to you
David

[Phillip Carr]

David we should try to meet up in New Mexico this fall for some quail hunting.

[Phillip Carr]

This is my first attempt to make a utube video. I posted over at the Fox Forum and thought ai would share here. First bird with the Fox 20 over my young dog Ollie.

https://youtu.be/iQdoghGqOL8

[Garry L Gordon]

Very nice! So had the bird moved? Hard to tell distances with a phone image, but your dog on point was beautiful.

I'm always surprised at desert cover. Things are still lush and thick here...and the chiggers are in full force. I'm guessing there are no chiggers in the desert(?)

Phil, it looks like the provenance has begun in good fashion. Now for wild birds? I hope the hatch was decent.

[Dan Steingraber]

A fellow Lefty. Nice bird manners and nose on that pup.

[Phillip Carr]

Very nice! So had the bird moved? Hard to tell distances with a phone image, but your dog on point was beautiful.

Probably about 25 yards from the end of her nose. I train to have the dogs go on point as soon as they hit sent. I can then walk forward and if the birds have moved I walk back tap her and do a short tweet on the whistle. If birds are late season birds they will walk out from the pointers, but generally one or two relocates and we will have them pinned.

I'm always surprised at desert cover. Things are still lush and thick here...and the chiggers are in full force. I'm guessing there are no chiggers in the desert(?)

Unfortunately at higher elevations such as this 4,000 ft plus we have chiggers.
We have had some decent monsoon rains so things are greening up nice. Unfortunately not all areas have gotten rain.


Phil, it looks like the provenance has begun in good fashion. Now for wild birds? I hope the hatch was decent.

Yes I will use this gun at least once a week for training, and of course some dairy shoots on pigeons, and Eurasian dove are in the plans.
Desert birds took another hit due to the draught. I did see a mom with a dozen week old babies this week. This is really a very late hatch.
We will know about Mearns soon, some areas are looking better.

[Stan Hillis]

Nice video Phil, and congrats on the "first blood".

I was thinking, as I watched that, how snaky it it would seem to be in that grass. I know how those buzz-tails like to come out in the cool of the day. Maybe you were there in early morning and it isn't as much of a danger.

Classy pointer.

[Phillip Carr]

Stan you are correct about snakes. That said, this training area is used by us as well as Several clubs use these fields for trials.
Serpens non grata �� so there are fewer snakes than would be there otherwise.
Unfortunately we have had dogs struck by rattlers.
We plan our days to start with dogs on the ground when it’s still a little dark. This reduces the chance for a bite.
Thanks for the comment on my young dog.

[Stan Hillis]

I was wondering if the Red Rock Biologics Western Diamondback vaccine has ever been proven to have any efficacy for dogs?

I recall it being questionable some years ago, when I was looking for a Timber Rattler and Eastern Diamondback vaccine for my retriever. Found out the the only vaccine for snakes, ever developed for dogs, was for Westerns.

[Phillip Carr]

I know some guys use it. Unfortunately many of the areas we hunt and train in have the have the Mohave Rattler. The Mohave has one of the most toxic venoms of all rattle snakes. My partner had a dog bitten by one a number of years ago and it died within minutes.

[Stan Hillis]

Thanks, Phil. Y'all have some nasties out there.

We flew out for our oldest son's wedding in Oro Valley several weeks ago. After the service late Saturday afternoon the family drove to a nearby park with bike and walking trails for pictures to be taken during the "golden hour". Walking back down the side of a hill, at dusk, the new bride nearly stepped on a Western, which was coiled and ready. My son spotted it just in time to stop her. I decided that indoors is the place to be, in the desert, after sundown this time of year. BTW, when we checked into a local hotel there was a small scorpion waiting on the carpet in the doorway, entering our room. Lots of stuff out there to sting, bite and scratch you!

[Phillip Carr]

LOL yes you need to watch where you put your hand and foot out here.

[chris dawe]

LOL yes you need to watch where you put your hand and foot out here.

Tell me about it !

[Phillip Carr]

Levitation another of of Chris’s many talents.:rotf::rotf:

[Phillip Carr]

The weather finally cooled down. Took the Fox out Friday and found some Gamble quail. It definitely shoots as well as it looks. First wild birds taken with it. Those 28” barrels sure swing nice.

[charlie cleveland]

nice.....do those quail eat good....charlie

[Phillip Carr]

Charlie wild quail are excellent. May be the best eating wild bird in my opinion. I soaked these out and will be making jalapeño poppers wrapped in bacon with a little cream cheese.

[Karl Ferguson]

What a beautiful gun Phil... How are the barrels choked ?

[Phillip Carr]

Choked Right .007 ( IC ) Left .013 ( Mod ) my favorite choking for 20 gauge over the dogs. Yet still enough choke for the birds that get up a little further, as well as shooting dove.

[charlie cleveland]

holler when you get the birds done and I will be right over...charlie

[Phillip Carr]

You know you are always welcome.

[Greg Baehman]

Not only is your custom Fox impressive and amazing, I find it nearly as amazing to see you’ve got Leinenkugel’s available in your neck of the woods. I thought Leinie’s were more of a regional brew unique to us up here in the Northwoods.

[Phillip Carr]

i got introduced to Leinenkugel about 25 years ago when we went to Milwaukee to fix an airplane. I buy it when I can find it locally. My daughter surprised me with a 12 pack when she came over to watch football yesterday.

[Arthur Shaffer]

Choked Right .007 ( IC ) Left .013 ( Mod ) my favorite choking for 20 gauge over the dogs. Yet still enough choke for the birds that get up a little further, as well as shooting dove.

This reminded me of something I found years ago with a 28ga RBL I bought with 30" barrels.Chokes were .001 and .005. Due to a lot of things, most of my quail hunting, when I do it , is over preserve birds that are pretty tame. I could let them get out, but it thows the timing think off for dogs. I found that for me, the chokes were still too tight, so I started using Spread-R loads. They worked great. When I started backing up my daughter, who was much slower and just starting, I found the gun too open. I then discovered Poly Wads Gram Crack'Rs. They were 5/8 oz loads of number 5 Nidkel olated hard shot completely filled with a polyester beaded filler. I discovered that they seemed impervious to patterning. I could hit quail at 35 yds, and smoke doves at 45. They were the most amazing shells I ever shot at distances over 25 yds.

They don't make them anymore, but I have enough left to last the rest of my hunting life. I suspect that both could be duplicated with different components.

Didn't want to hi-jack the thread. I just wanted to share that it proved to me that we don't need to feel limited by fixed choke doubles. You can carry two or three kinds of loads in your vest and pretty much cover any situation you encounter on a day's hunting. The good thing is you can adjust quicker than diddling with chokes.

[Phillip Carr]

My 28 gauge RBL has 26” barrels and is chocked IC IC. I mainly use it with #9 shot Spreader RST’s over the dogs hunting Mearns quail.
I generally also change shells rather than chokes. I used 7 1/2 shot on these Gambles, but will be using 9’s later on Mearns.
Late season desert birds as well as pigeons and Eurasian dove sometimes 6’s. Although I will shoot what ever I have on the Eurasians.

[Stan Hillis]

Phil, I have hunted and taken Gamble's near Tucson, at Rail X, but have never had the opportunity to try for Mearn's. I'm curious why the shot size change from 7 1/2s on Gamble's to 9s on Mearns. Closer flushes with the Mearn's?

[Phillip Carr]

Stan the Mearns generally flush a little closer, plus they are not near as tough.
The desert birds. Gambles and Scales are darn tough. I have know to shoot 6’s during the later part of the season on mature tough birds. Knock down one of these desert birds and they will bury in Cactus or crawl down a hole.