Sterlingworth identifaction help

[gguthrie]

Gentleman, I'm new to this forum as well as new to double barrel shotguns. I have spent a life time collecting and shooting but never had much interest in shotguns until I bought my first Fox, all has now changed. I have picked up a Fox Sterlingworth 12 ga. it has a straight stock as well as 26 inch barrels, I had it to a retired gunsmith who owns a number of Fox's as well as a fair number of Parkers as in his opinion the barrels have not been cut down. There are no grade marks on the water table, but there is a " SP " on the barrels. Could this be a SP Skeet Gun or a Upland Game Gun? I have attached photos, any help would be great. Thanks Glenn

[abner]

Hello gguthrie:

Welcome to the Fox Collectors. This is a Sterlingworth Skeet & Upland Game shotgun and 26" and would be correct as would be the straight stock. You are very lucky to find this gun as your first Fox--I should have been so lucky. It looks to be in good condition with case colors in protected areas. I looked a long time before I found one--I bought mine from one of the members of this board. Now here is the strange part, your serial number 160722 is next to my serial number which is 160723. My gun letters and was shipped February 28, 1936. I know the guns were built at the same time, but the shipping date on yours could be different. I would be interested in the shipping date if you letter the gun. You can get a letter from John T. Callahan and his address is on this site. There was a note on my gun's card: "retd from Sears, 1/23/39", likely for unspecified work. I was wondering if Sears also purchased your gun. No location for Sears was given, it may have been from their catalog sales. Skeet & Upland Game guns are rare and came with options only available on graded guns. Some extras were: auto-ejectors, single selective trigger, beavertail fore-end, recoil pad, and Ivory beads. The retail price in 1936 for the basic model was $48.00. We now own consecutive Fox Skeet & Upland Game Shotguns.

[MARSHFELLOW]

Very neat.....good catch on the number Abner.

gguthrie, conventional wisdom is the "sp" on your barrels stands for "Savage Proof".

Some SP(E) grade guns are marked on the watertable, some are not. As Abner points out, your gun is a Sterlingworth Skeet & Upland....nice gun.

tjw

[Researcher]

Your gun falls in a nest of Fox-Sterlingworth Skeet & Upland Game Guns in the 160195 to 160818 range. However, I have a Fox-Sterlingworth Ejector Brush, 160644, that breaks the run of Skeet & Upland Game Guns. Ralph, when did you get 160723? I when I added it to my tables of observed specimens Brett Farley had it. From Savage's 1941 Fox catalogue --

[MARSHFELLOW]

Dave,

You can add 160811 if you like, if you dont have it already. The card is marked "Brush" and stamped "skeet". 26", Kautzky SST, beavertail, ivories, ejectors. Hard rubber buttplate, straight grip of course. Shipped in '37.

tjw

[Researcher]

Some more of trivia on S&UGGs is that most, but not all, of the Fox-Sterlingworth Skeet & Upland Game Guns in this block in the 160xxx range have the sleeker "Philadelphia" style top-levers and safety slides, while this gun 160722 has the Savage shape top-lever and safety slide. Also, a couple of the guns in the 160xxx range have barrels roll-stamped STERLINGWORTH FLUID COMPRESSED STEEL instead of the more common at that time SPECIAL ALLOY -- FORGED STEEL?!? All the Fox-Sterlingworth Skeet & Upland Game Guns I've recorded in the block in the 135xxx range have the Savage style top-lever and safety slide, and have 28-inch SPECIAL ALLOY -- FORGED STEEL barrels. The earliest block of 12-gauge Fox-Sterlingworth Skeet & Upland Game Guns I've observed are in the 1306xx serial number range and they have all Philadelphia features including the long backstrap trigger guards of the straight grip graded guns, STERLINGWORTH FLUID COMPRESSED STEEL barrels, the slimmer forearms, as well as the Phily style top-levers and safety slides.

Tom, Thanks for another gun for my tables. Does the beavertail have the Deeley lever of the graded guns? Top-Lever? Safety slide?

[gguthrie]

Ralph, what is the process to getting the gun lettered? Thanks Glenn

[Researcher]

For $40 Graded or $30 Sterlingworth (last prices I've seen quoted) you can get a factory letter on most any Ansley H. Fox shotgun (Philadelphia or Utica) from Mr. John T. Callahan, 53 Old Quarry Road, Westfield, MA 01085. The information exists on the factory work-order cards, probably 85+% of which still exist. Send him the complete serial number and a check, and he can do the rest. That would tell you the specifications of the gun when it left the factory.

[gguthrie]

Thank you, I will send the information off to him and post his reply once I receive it. I would like to thank every one for sharing their knowledge. Glenn

[abner]

Hi Dave:

I bought the gun from Brett in 2003, he was reducing the number of Sterlingworths in his collection.

[MARSHFELLOW]

Researcher,

here are pics of the FE latch, top lever and safety slide....finally got to it.

[Researcher]

Nice gun Tom. Thanks for the input. Yours and 160818 that is exactly the same on my list would make a fine pair!!

Interesting that your gun in the 160xxx range was shipped in 1937 and so was my Fox-Sterlingworth S&UGG which is in the 135xxx block?!? What were the boys at Utica doing with these various serial number blocks of 12-gauge Fox-Sterlingworths?

Dave

[dragon]

you can log in my #160394

[Researcher]

Send me some pictures, or at least all the information -- barrel length, steel type, single selective trigger or double trigger, forearm style, safety slide Phily or Utica style, top-lever Phily or Utica style, any info from a Savage historian letter if you have one, etc

AHFCA@comcast.net

Dave

[dragon]

i also have a 16 bore with the same configurations,both have 26" tubesstraight grip stock,about the only differance is the 16 bore has a dely latch on the forearm.i will send pics,via PM,i am not handy with the photo bucket!