AH FOX BE16
 

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

Beautiful! Functional! I need a friend like that.

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

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!

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

Wow!

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.

Another “Perfect Upland Gun” to be sure!!





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

Attachment 127354

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 --

Attachment 127355

Attachment 127356

Attachment 127357

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.

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

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

Attachment 127359

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

Attachment 127360

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

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

As long as we’re posting pictures…

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.

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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.

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

Fox BE
 

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

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.

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.

Attachment 127374

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.