The letter I have on a graded Fox shows it was shipped from Philly many moons ago with a straight grip. However it has a pistol grip type stock. I had the stock off to remove the safety actuating rod and saw that the pistol grip stock head is serial numbered to the gun. Also, the tail on the trigger guard (a regular Fox pistol grip type guard) also has the gun's serial number engraved on it. Everything looks old.
So, what is this.... factory record book error, or a later restock to a different configuration at the factory? Any thoughts from the experts? Thanks. Silvers
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Silvers: I think the factory must have done a great deal of repair/modification work on customer guns. I purchased a CSMC Fox and it has been back to the factory a few times for minor repairs. I don't think it was any different back in the days when the Philly and Utica factories were operating. I have a XE that doesn't letter, the factory records say pistol grip and it is a semi-pistol. The head of the semi-pistol stock is stamped just like any factory stock. The catalogs also had a section on the cost of repairs/modifications, I am sure many sportsmen took advantage of the service. The bottom line is we will never know, it just adds to the intrigue of collecting old guns. When I first started to acquire Fox guns I got all twisted up if a gun didn't letter perfectly. Now I find it interesting that many of these guns have a story, just like people.
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It happened that often guns were made up for stock and then when a specific order came in it was written up on a bigger "Fox Special" tag. I have one gun that both the original little rectangular production card and the big "Fox Special" tag survived for. The gun was origianlly built with a slim forearm and choked full and full, but before shipping got a beavertail and the chokes opened to improved modified in both barrels. I have another gun that has a straight grip and is choked improved cylinder and modified. The original card for that gun says pistol grip and full and full, but they are crossed out on the little rectangular production card?!?
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