An Old Fox AE comes home
 

Posted this on the Fox forum yesterday, but thought the Parker crowd (I'm one of those as well) might enjoy.

Picked this one up local today from a local gunstore. I do a fair amount of business there, as they handle all of my inbound shipments. Since most of those shipments consist of Foxes, they kind of keep their eyes peeled for Foxes that might wander in. That said, in the 5 years they have been looking for me, only two Sterlingworths have showed up and they were strictly shooters. To put it mildly, this part of the Shenandoah Valley is not a hot spot for Ansley's graded guns (unlike Pa).

Thus the rest of the story is that yesterday after coming home from work I noticed the old blinking light on the answering machine from the gunshop. Too late to call, but the message said an A. H. Fox had showed up in the store and they had bought it with the idea that I might be interested. Called this morning (I was off work taking a dog to the vet for shots and buying a new Frig with the Queen of the household). and said it was an early 12 gauge in pretty decent shape and they thought I should come by and take a look. Course I said sure, but really had only mild interest in a 12 gauge Fox (I like small bore Foxes).

Finally got there a few hours ago and rolled into the shop and looked it over. First thing I was struck by was about 99% original barrel blueing and about 50% case colors. Wood looked real good at first and then I noticed a small chip missing behind the top tang and there was a bit of a gap where the stock head meets the frame. Turning it over and looking at it I could see it had been apart and the rear screw wasn't timed correctly. Also noticed the forearm checkering wasn't quite right and it (the forearm) was a tad loose. However even with the forearm off the gun was tight as a drum and the lever way to the right. This sucker was tight.

Took the gun apart then and was surprised to find it had ejectors (was told it was an extractor gun). Also noticed that it had Krupp number 1 barrels (30" long). Got out the skeets and checked the bores and they were both .722. Then checked the chokes and they seem to be reversed. Right barrel was .033 and left barrel was .022 constriction. Either ordered that way, or somewhere in time someone decided to open up just the left barrel. Maybe one of the previous owners was a lefty. Checked the chamber length and they were 2 5/8". Barrels rung like the proverbial 100 year old wind chimes. Lastly, I popped outside and test fired the gun and both barrels went bang, the empty's ejected and the automatic safety worked as it was supposed to.

After all of that was taken care of the negotiations began. I threw out a number and they said no. They threw out a counter offer and I said no. I pointed out the couple of issues and then we both compromised and the deal was struck. The new girl in now in the gunsafe, replacing a VH Parker 12 gauge extractor gun I sold two weeks ago. Couple of other things discovered here at the house is LOP is about 14 1/8" and the Buttstock is curved and thus it hasn't been cut. Drop at Heel is circa 3" IMO. Weight is 7 lb 6 oz. and the chokes are circa 4" long.

I have requested a work order card and its attached.

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL59.../403106031.jpg


Here's a couple of pictures of the old girl:

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL59.../403105499.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL59.../403105500.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL59.../403105501.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL59.../403105503.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL59.../403105505.jpg

Have decided this one is a keeper. Few things have to be taken care from the wood perspective and it will be headed up to see Dan Rossiter at Custom Stocks and Steel shortly. In the meantime I'm smiling like a 50 pound cat that just ate a canary. Even a blind squirrel finds a acorn once in a while. :)

Congrats, Tom she is a beauty. Wonderful condition. Enjoy!

Wonderful Fox Tom...Congratulations!

A very lucky find Tom!

Tom: I have one just like her with 2 sets of barrels. The case color is nearly as good as yours and overall it's a fine useable example of an early A grade. Unfortunately there are no ejectors. Lee.

Nice one! :bowdown:

Apparently pretty hard to find in this condition as most of them were used hard. I have an early A grade 16 gauge with the sterlingworth type forearm and it is well well used. This one hasn't been carried that much for sure. Came out of Middleburg Va where lots of well heeled folks live (and used to live). About 35 years ago I was a manager for Orkin Exterminating Co. and had the opportunity to go in lots of those old plantation type estates. I remember one estate that had a gun room where every gun in there cost more then probably any car I ever (or have since) owned. More sidelock london guns then one can imagine. Back then I didn't have much appreciation for them (I was in my 20's) and just looked at them as a bunch of old (although certainly expensive) guns. My attitude changed a lot over the years for sure.

Am I missing something? Great gun, but the chokes seem OK to me. Open choke on the left seems correct to me. Are the triggers reversed?

Normally the right barrel is the more open barrel as it is fired by the front trigger. Rear trigger fires the left (tighter barrel). Having the gun ordered this way is a tad unusual. The Fox Collectors have seen a few special ordered this way, but it is unusual to have right full and left improved mod (which is what the order card says).

Went up to my smith in Pa yesterday and he took her apart. It was indeed confirmed she had a split in the head of the stock. Thank goodness it appears to be an easy repair. He will bed a piece of metal in there with Acraglass and it should be as good as new. His only caution is sometimes the wood is oil soaked and he would then have to degrease which might require him to work a bit to match the age of the rear of the stock. Also, the front forearm was loose and he said a Micro weld on the inside of the latch will fix that very quickly. Then a recut/reclean of the forearm checkering and we are good to go. He said its the best early A he's ever seen as far as metal and case coloring goes. Guess all the other stuff goes with owning old guns.