AH FOX BE16

[Chris Robenalt]

Just wanted to share this. I bought this from a friend a couple years ago. Its an early BE16, has 26" barrels, IC & MOD. 14 1/8 or 1/4" LOP, a little cast off, can't remember exactly. Great little dove and quail gun.

Chris, AZ

[Michael Hatton]

Beautiful! Functional! I need a friend like that.

[Kevin McCormack]

Wow! A rare and desirable Fox! Love the "Prussian Blue" case colors and the straight grip.

[Chris Robenalt]

Funny you you say that Michael, I figure about 75% of my collection came from that friend of mine! He knows my weaknesses for sure!

[Daryl Corona]

Nice 2nd generation engraving and a straight grip to boot. What's not to like.
Thanks for posting Chris.

[Keith Sirmans]

Wow!

[Frank Puryear]

Dang! Nice BE! Yours has colors that are almost identical to my 20G B grade, but your straight grip and single trigger are making me very jealous.

[Dean Romig]

Another “Perfect Upland Gun” to be sure!!





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[Dave Noreen]

Great gun! Would look great next to my straight grip 12-gauge.

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I must contest the OP's use of the term "early." An early 16-gauge B-/BE-Grade would have the third generation (1913 style) engraving --

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In the 30022x serial number range we see the engraving transitioning from the earlier styles to the Gough style engraving. Even into the Gough style engraving we still see some smallbore B-/BE-Grades with the snap-on/-off style forearms. So, a gun with the Gough engraving and a Deeley latch forearm is the latest style.

[Chris Robenalt]

Nice guns Dave! I think mine is a 1914. I say early, as most all my Foxes fall in the l921 to 1925 range. I'll post my XE 12 next.

Chris, AZ

[Dave Noreen]

My 12-gauge, which letters to 1918, has the same forearm checkering pattern as your gun --

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but this gun three digits higher serial number has a different pattern --

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B-/BE-Grade forearm checkering patterns are one of the most variable things in Ansley H. Fox shotguns.

[Chris Robenalt]

Lots of variety in patterns I guess. What treasures they are for sure!

[Frank Puryear]

As long as we’re posting pictures…

[Stan Hillis]

Very nice, Chris. I also have a Fox BE, though mine is a 12 ga. with 32" barrels. It is among my favorite of all my Fox guns. Yours is gorgeous!

Mine is not suited as well for quail and such as yours, but does a fine job on gadwalls on a rare, snowy, central Georgia morning.

https://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/73153_1024x576.jpg (https://www.jpgbox.com/page/73153_1024x576/)

[Garry L Gordon]

That is a lovely BE Fox! And just right to carry for birds (known as quail to none Southerners). I can't find a photo of my early CE two barrel set 12 gauge (with the most beautiful wood on a straight grip), but here are a few of some bird getters from my meager arsenal.

[John Albano]

Chris, What a beautiful gun. Love those Fox BE’s.

[Larry Stauch]

Wow Chris, that's a very nice gun and in 16 gauge to boot. Nice engraving on the barrels too. :bowdown:

[Chris Robenalt]

Great looking Foxes, all of them! I'm not positive, but somewhere I heard the B grade wasn't as common as other grades, is this true? I heard talk that years of production were minimal?

[Garry L Gordon]

Great looking Foxes, all of them! I'm not positive, but somewhere I heard the B grade wasn't as common as other grades, is this true? I heard talk that years of production were minimal?

Yes, not dissimilar to the Parker PH. But they are beautiful guns nonetheless.

[Dave Noreen]

A.H. Fox Gun Co. apparently decided to drop the B-/BE-Grade in late 1919. There are two retail price lists, one dated November 30th, 1919, that includes the B-/BE-Grades and one dated December 1st, 1919, with a large price increase and no B-/BE-Grade but includes the FE-Grade double and the M-Grade SBT.

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I have found both of these price lists in the 32 page "A Fox Gets the Game" pocket catalog which pictures the B-/BE-Grade. The "A Fox Gets the Game" pocket catalog that I have with a 1920 retail price list is 36 pages and doesn't picture the B-/BE-Grade. We do know from the records and observed examples that a few B-/BE-Grades were made well into the 1920s.