My first Fox
 

I recently bought this Fox Sterling worth 16ga. It has 26 inch barrels and ejectors. It's been upgraded with engraving to resemble a CE perhaps and restocked. The stock has a lot of drop and the pitch is horrible. I'm thinking of taking it to a straight grip and restocking to suit me. I don't have much in it and it will make for a great Grouse gun and I really need another Grouse gun:rolleyes:

Someone put some money into it. XE engraving instead of CE. Interesting, they had the "Sterlingworth Compressed Steel" lettering altered on the top of the right barrel to just "Compressed Steel". Added the XE style ebony foreend tip as well. What stands out is the ejector escutcheon on the bottom. Only because all XE's were made after they had gone to the deeley style latch. Some of the early early graded Foxes (A, B, C, D) came with the sterly style ejector escutcheon but not the XE. I like the engraving. The stock work less so. Not sure if you could just replace the buttstock and keep the forearm. Looks like they used black walnut instead of circassian. Would be a fun grouse gun for sure.

The wood has all the figure of a telephone pole so it will be replaced with something much more appropriate. I'll need to find a straight grip trigger guard.

I don't know what happened to the first picture but I'll try it again. New computer:cuss:

Galazan makes them. I think it requires a drill and tap of the existing hole because the threads are different. Making a straight stock may require the tangs to bent a tad up so the stock doesn't look like a boat paddle.

If you don't want the Galazan straight trigger guard this fellow seems to have all original "in the white" parts.

http://www.pumpkinmountaingunshop.co...Gun_Parts.html

I am trying to add to my Fox collection and just bought a Sterlingworth Co. pin gun. The comb nose (is that the right term?) is shaped down like yours and that is the only thing I don't like about it. A straight grip stock would look great on yours

Nope!! See 16-gauge XE-Grade 300459, The Double Gun Journal, Volume Six, Issue 3, pages 59 to 63.

It is somewhat strange that someone put that much work into an upgrade and didn't use a nicer piece of wood?!?

Mills,

The stock on your new The Sterlingworth Co. gun, shown on the A.H. Fox Collectors Association, Inc. site is definitely not factory. Should have a nose to the comb that looks like this --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...psf2599456.jpg

A lot of the late Savage-era Fox guns didn't have a fluted comb --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...jectorSUGG.jpg

For those of you not on the Fox forum . . .

http://i1306.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1bbb236b.jpg

I'll take care of the lack of decent wood on the restock:) it will be a worthy specimen.

Learn something new every day. Yes, he spent a lot of money on an upgrade and plain straight grain piece of wood. Doesn't seem to work in my mind.

i think the stock on it now looks pretty good but thats me it looks like it fits the metal real good how does it shoot...charlie

Charlie the wood to metal fit really isn't that good when you look closely. I'm glad the wood isn't very nice as it's easier to decide if to restock it or not. I haven't shot it the stock fit is horrid for me.

FOX
 

Good for you Rich....i kinda like those Foxes too.
here's my jewel.....

CE 16

ddp

you boy s gonna make me get a fox yet..nice gun...charlie

Something to think about is having the forearm metal engraved in the same style as an XE. Looks like they kept that the same as the Sterlingworth. They can also engrave the escutcheon like a graded Fox at the same time. Gun after restocking would by most appearances (I think) be right as rain. PS. I love to spend other folks money. :)

Would you have any pics of what that would look like? What about the checkering pattern on the XE?

I think the checkering pattern isn't far off. Here is a link to an original XE that sold at auction. You can blow it up a bit and get an idea of what the forearm metal should look like engraved in the XE pattern:

http://www.icollector.com/Gough-Sign...otgun_i9966116

Doug Turnbull restored one and I think the checkering pattern is much like what was done to yours. Here's a link to that one:

http://www.turnbullmfg.com/store.asp?pid=27865

Forend engraving 20ga XE

Could you post more pics of that gorgeous 20 Craig? Don't tell anyone but I would part with a few Parkers to get a high grade Fox smallbore like that. Wow!:bowdown:

Rich, that upgraded Sterlingworth has some real potential. The metal work and engraving looks to be very nice. Should come together as a great gun when all is said and done.

Good work C-Note!! All we need to do is flash some more Fox small bore porn in front of Daryl and he'll be shootin' for "The Good Guys" this weekend to be sure!

This should melt him like a pack of M & M's on a 100 degree dash board!!!:whistle:



http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/...CE20Engrvg.jpg

CE 30"-----SG-----SST......(Charge paddles to 500mw......CLEAR!!!!)

Well Steve, I'm a double trigger kind of guy but I could live with THAT single trigger. I've been torn between shooting for the Fox team or team Parker and it boils down to the 2-0 record (plus the 2 flats of RST's supplied by the PGCA BOD's).:rolleyes: I can't let the boys from Philly run away with this but you guys have some tough shooters and it's going to be a blast either way. Make sure you get a good night's sleep on Thurs.:bigbye:

Dang-it.....knew we should have led with Plunk's mint, AE 20b!! :knowbetter:
Agreed....should be a BLAST!! See you on Friday.

Hey Daryl, ya want double triggers? Here ya go. Sure you don't want to shoot for Fox? :banghead: Besides, I hear some ringers will be shooting for Parker .....

Yep it will be a blast. See you on Friday. Safe travels everyone!

Another CE - 1914 straight gripper, 30-inch, "thick wrist"
http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/...ps123151c9.jpg

....and we'll even throw-in a FREE, limited edition T-shirt signed by Ansley H. himself, celebrating the small-bore launch, and first offered at the 1911 Grand!! :p


http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/...1021/Tee-9.jpg

is that the Fox team shirt for the challenge ??

Oh, noooooooooo. The Fox creative team is still in the midst of their grueling, selection process but is quite hopeful that will be finalized by close of business today!:biglaugh:

You guys are killing me. I'm nothing but a gun junkie who happens to be addicted to straight grip, double trigger smallbores. Unfortunately they are much more available from Meriden than they are from Philly. But....I'd be proud to wear one of the Tool's T's.:) See you soon.

upgrade
 

I like straight grips too. I did this to my 16 Grouse Sterly.
http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps60e76d43.jpg

Here she is back from the beauty shop just in time for Grouse season.

The picture of the butt didn't turn out but there is a ribbon running down the center in a wavy manner. I'll try to get a better pic.

Metal was all re case colored, small dents and dings removed from the barrels and re rust blued and the trigger guard extended and engraved.

Wonderful piece of English. Did that come from Cecil F?

Yes it did, as a matter of fact I had a different blank and during the stocking process a defect was revealed and he replaced the blank. I have gotten several blanks from Cecil and never been disappointed. I'm in the process of selecting two more blanks from him, one for a rifle and the other is another Fox project.

The pictures don't do the stock justice. hopefully I can post some with it and a Grouse.

Feather english doesn't grow on tree's. Well it actually does, but it sure is hard to find. Cecil has the goods as they say. Good man.

Now that's one beautiful custom Fox !

Wow, it really came out nice Rich!

Mike

Very nice Rich! What a change since we were looking at her at Hausmann's last year. I'm looking forward to hearing about her this fall. You shoot often and well and she sure found a good owner/teammate to let this old Fox show her stuff with white gloves off and in the woods.

Nice thread.

Just my observation of Fox guns, but the trigger guard loops are poorly shaped. Compare them to a fine Italian or English gun. The good part is that trigger guards are soft as butter and reshaping is easy.

Stocked by whom?