"Philly" Period Correct Recoil pads

[sjh333]

I am brand new to the forum and am applying for membership to the Collectors Assoc....I have a 1914 era Sterlingworth 16ga on 20 frame and 1922 era 20ga Sterlingworth I just acquired...12ga Sterly is next to complete the Three...Then on to the "A" grades (I HOPE) eventually!!....Can someone tell me what is/are the correct recoil pads used for the Philly Era guns...From what I have read...Silvers/Hawkins were the main two w/ Jostam being used mainly after 1929 when Savage bought Fox...

Thanks in advance for your input!

Sam

[Twice Barrel]

I I am not mistaken the Jostam Anti-Flinch has a patent date of 1915 while the Sponge Rubber earliest patent date is 1917. Having said that the earliest Fox guns I owen with factory installed Anti-Flinch pads is a transitional Sterlingworth (built between Fox and Savage ownership) manufactured in 1930 but marked Savage and an AE grade manufactured in 1934. Both have Philadelphia contoured top levers and are very finely finished.

[Researcher]

Far and away the most common "factory" pad on low to medium grade Fox guns was the Jostam Anti-Flinch. The Jostam Anti-Flinch Pads seem to grow more patent dates as the years go on -- Dec 29, 1914; Oct 12, 1915; Sept 20, 1927; so one has to check the patent dates to make sure none are newer then the gun you want to apply it to, in order to be 100% "correct." I wouldn't expect to find a Jostam Anti-Flinch Recoil Pad on a gun shipped much before mid-1914.



From the XE- on up a Silvers or "Silvers type" pad was more common. The Hawkins doesn't seem to appear in the records until the Savage-era. Up through at least 1919, the recoil pad mentioned in the catalogues was the Silvers. After that it is just Recoil Pad, but the XE-Grade does specify a Silvers, but we have seen a few cards where the purchaser specified a Jostam Anti-Flinch on XE- and higher grade guns. On a few cards in the pre-WW-I era we've found the Huntley pad ordered. Jostam acquired Huntley and it became the Jostam Sponge Rubber Pad, which we find a few orders for through the end of production. I've also found a few cards that specified a B.F. Goodrich pad --



and a few other more obscure pads.

[MARSHFELLOW]

Very good info Dave, thanks.

tjw

[Twice Barrel]

The Jostam Anti-Flinch Pads seem to grow more patent dates as the years go on -- Dec 29, 1914; Oct 12, 1915; Sept 20, 1927;

Dave thanks for correcting me. I was not aware of the 1914 patent date for the Anti-Flinch pad as mine only carry the October 1915 and September 1927 dates. Do you by chance have the patent date for the "No Kick Coming" pad patent 1842528 and do you know if the sizes were common between the various Jostam pads?

[sjh333]

All great info...I greatly appreciate it...I was at an Outdoor Epic Fair last weekend in Atlanta and Conneticut Shotgun was there...The rep I spoke with also concured about the Jostam...from a "technical" stand point...but even a Silvers could be used for just a practical use...I'm not trying to be technically right , BUT....I do want the right period pad , at the least....Looks as though it Jostam!....Thanks for all your input!

Sam