Does anyone know?

Dennis · 04-15-2012, 11:48 AM

For years I have received, "Gun Digest, The Magazine", to further enjoy my hobby and business of firearms. At one time there was a dealer named Tom Gibbons of Executive Buying Service who advertized A. H. Fox, Parker Brothers and L. C. Smith shotguns. He stopped advertizing some time ago and I am just wondering if anyone knows what happened to him. Regrettably I never had the chance to purchase anything from the gentleman but I hoped to make a purchase in the future. His listings seemed reasonable and he seemed to have desirable double guns. Does anyone know what happened to him? I am just curious.

Opening Day · 04-15-2012, 12:37 PM

"Regrettably I never had the chance to purchase anything from the gentleman but I hoped to make a purchase in the future"

You were very lucky not to purchase anything from him. Many questionable dealings, I had one and it took me well over a month and a drive to Jaqua's (he said he would only believe Neil on the gun he sent me that was "Mint" it wasn't...) to get my money back

Don't know what happened to him, maybe he burned one too many bridges...

Don Kaas · 04-15-2012, 02:12 PM

I last saw him a few years ago at the Allentown show. You indeed were lucky..."never a screw turned"...we shared a gun smith for quite a while, I saw many Foxes having their screws turned (and more) in the 'smiths shop that would later turn up in in his large ad in Gun List "all original. Never a screw turned"

Dennis · 04-15-2012, 02:23 PM

Thanks, men, for the information. It sounds as if I was fortunate never to have any money saved up when he offered guns for sale nor do I recall he took credit cards. Sometimes I forget how fortunate I have been over the years. They sure looked great in the ads.

Double Lab · 04-15-2012, 09:49 PM

Actually I bought a 32" VHE trap, double triggers, ball grip and leather faced pad from him 20+ years ago after a trip to his shop in PA. He could'nt sell it because it had double triggers so he cut me a good deal on it. Told me no one wanted a DT trap gun. The gun lettered to a T and eventually I found out through the G&H/Bob Beach service that it was owned by David K.E. Bruce, head of the OSS in London during WW2, son of a US Senator from MD and married to a Mellon- at the time the richest woman in the world. He might have been a character but he had a hell of selection of guns to choose from.