Sterling-What?

[wayne goerres]

I have been trying to figure out why there is such a huge difference in the engraveing between my a grade and this a grade. if I remember correctly mine was made in 1915.

[Craig Larter]

Wayne: Fox changed the engraving style on all the graded guns in 1913. The lowest serial number I have recorded for the post 1913 A grade engraving (your style gun) is 20525. The highest serial number I have recorded for the early style engraving is 21061. So as you can see there was a period of cross over. Larry's gun is well within the early style serial number range. The early style A grade was a big seller before the introduction of the Sterlingworth in 1910. I estimate around 17000 12ga early style A's were produced between 1906 and 1913.
Larry's gun is a very nice example and as Dave Noreen has noted the single trigger and 2nd style ejectors may have been installed after the original ship date since they are both post 1910-1911 features. Craig
Edit:
Opps as Frank points out below Larry's gun has 1st style ejectors--not 2nd style as I stated above.

[wayne goerres]

Thank you for the info. Now I see why the seller of the first A grade mistook it for a sterlingworth. I rechecked the serial no on mine and it is a 1914 gun.

[Cold Spring]

Larry, as others have said you have a great early AE. Actually it looks to have the 1st style ejectors (Fox & Horne) and in that regard it's quite unusual with those ejectors, the single trigger and in such nice condition. Congrats!

[Harold Pickens]

If you join the Fox Gun Collectors, you can get a free card look up per year. You will see a copy of your order card and it will basically have as much info as the factory letter-- and you will be supporting a great organization for the same price as the letter--I bet Chromox will agree with that.
I love the early A's but prefer the later A's like Wayne's--I got one in a sweet 16.

[Mills]

One caveat on the research letter, make the check payable to John Callahan and not Savage Arms. I got a research letter on a 20's Sterlingworth and was surprised at how much info John found

[Wild Skies]

Originally Posted by Mills Morrison

One caveat on the research letter, make the check payable to John Callahan and not Savage Arms. I got a research letter on a 20's Sterlingworth and was surprised at how much info John found

Mills, would you please elaborate a little more on the information you received in your Sterlingworth's research letter.

TIA,

[wayne goerres]

I may have to get letters on my 20ga A grade and my sterling worth. Now I am curious.

[Mills]

Well it had all the specs, plus it showed it was delivered to a hardware store in Savannah owned by some family friends for several generations, ending about 10 years ago when the last member of the family finally retired.

[Researcher]

This 1913-vintage A-Grade 20-gauge was found on a dealer's table along with two 20-gauge Sterlingworths, all at the same price --