Family Fox restore it or leave it?

[Eugene’sGhost]

This is an A.H. Fox A grade with ejectors that belonged to my great grandfather. I am curious what to make of the strange marks on the stock’s cheek. It looks like maybe there could be a screw hidden behind putty, but we also have a family theory that at some point there was some sort of emblem attached on either side. Also, anyone got a guess in the age?
My great grandfather was a breeder of English/Llewelyn setters and had multiple dogs in the National field trial championships in the 1920’s. One of his dog Eugene’s Ghost is in the field trial hall of fame. He was a notoriously thrifty and we have a hard time imagining him buying and expensive graded gun. We wonder if it could have been a prize from a big field trial championship and had some sort of logo/emblem on it at one time. Of course being a saver he probably would have put a screw in it and patched with any ole putty he concocted. In a lot of ways I want to leave it as it is and just care for it and use it, but then I look at those marks on the cheeks and I want them gone. Anyone know of a way to fix the cheeks without restocking the gun? Also anyway know what the barrels are size wise I can’t make it out but maybe one of y’all that is use to looking at and reading the marking can read it just from experience. Only one barrel has any markings on its underside.
Thanks

[ROMAC]

I've seen pictures of Dewey Vicnair's work where he laminates the cheek with walnut veneer that is only noticeable if you look hard for it.

[Researcher]

Undoubtedly a screw or pin repairing a crack in the head of the stock stock. The gun is a 12-gauge by the serial number. It is of 1923 vintage when the AE-Grade sold for $74.50.

The markings on the bottom of the barrel tubes are S.B. & Co. which stands for Sanderson Brothers & Company a division of Crucible Steel, the supplier of the rough barrel tubes. The numeral 4 refers to the weight range of the original barrel tubes.

[Stan Hillis]

The decision to spend time and $$$ fixing it up would be entirely yours, but asking for other's opinions sometimes helps us decide. If it were mine I would probably leave as is. There is considerable minor pitting on almost all exterior areas of the metal, that is visible in the pictures. After having the cheeks' repairs hidden by a veneer overlay you might then decide to redo the metalwork, which would sink you deeper in the "hole". For some, the "hole" may be worth it. For me, it wouldn't.

I have my grandfather's 16 ga. Rem. M11. It's well worn from his hands and from hunting. The forend is cracked, as so many of them do. I have had it since he died in 1975, and have never considered spending any effort on it to gussy it up. I like it just the way it is.

Thanks for posting the pics, and congratulations on your heirloom.

[Silvers]

Yes, it looks like a repair to the stock head to help keep a crack from spreading. Generally done using a short piece of dowel glued in place, a pin or screw with the ends covered with period "plastic wood" or similar. Overall yours and other similar family Foxes have a spirit in them, the result of countless hunts and the hands that held them. Any "restoration" of this or that cancels out those memories and will make other parts of the gun to look out of place and that often leads to more and more work to gussy up what should have been left alone to begin with. If you want to shoot the Fox get her checked out for safe function. Otherwise I'd strongly suggest honoring your Great Grandpa's memory and leave as he left her.

frank

[fox-admin]

I would also advise not doing a restoration. I would get a bottle of Hoppe's solvent and a Frontier pad. I would soak a rag with Hoppe's and dampen the metal parts and then go over the exterior metal lightly with the Frontier pad( (do a google search for Frontier pad). That will remove all of the active rust. Do the same with the bores using an electric drill and cleaning rod with a piece of frontier pad. After your done wipe the gun down and then lightly it with a good gun oil. Get the bores check by a good gunsmith and have fun shooting the gun.

[Eugene’sGhost]

Thanks for the input. I think I will just take care of the neglect it and leave it like he used it. The Frontier pad sounds like a good option, but boy it loos an awful lot like a Brillo pot scubber. They really won’t take off the blueing that’s left?

[fox-admin]

They will not take off blue or case color just the soft rust, they are not Brillo pads. Don't use steel wool or any other abrasive product. Just go slow and realize your goal is to lightly clean the surface not remove the pits.

[Stan Hillis]

EG, the Frontier pad is made of an alloy that is softer than steel. As said before, it is safe for bluing. Just don't overdo it on the case colors. Go lightly. Great product.