info for totalfox dream projeck

[Coalbin]

Gentleman I am a 70 year old bricklayer .Still working .I hunt with a Ryman englifh setter ,My dream for years is to have a lite 16 gauge straight hand double .I secured a solid 16 Philly double .I have a stockmaker but need the forums help to have the barrels rust blue an recased properly .Alsi I need a source of English walnut .My smith does not do rust bluing or casehardening .I see lots of walnut on internet but a referral is best .After restocking can you guys recommend one shop to do metal work .Note next conmenti now hunt grousr grouse a Solid 2 hours but boys the Knees are Slowing down.An gun will take some 18 months please drop me a line to help me sort out good smiths .All my bricklaying jobs over 47 years are All Referrals/.Can you help coalbin aka jack in coal regions Thanks

[vaturkey]

If you want wood that where the dealer stands by their product, look at Cecil Fredi and Watts Walnut. If their is an issue with their wood when its turned by the stockmaker then they will replace the wood at no cost. Won't get that from many other folks.

http://www.gunstockblanks.com/

http://www.wattswalnut.com/

They will both have English/Circassian walnut available. Cecil is well known by many. Provide Cecil a price range and he will send you bunches of pictures to choose from. A decent piece will probably be $400-500 IMO.

I might have a piece of Circassian available that would work for you in a straight stock configuration. If you are interested please send me a PM and provide an email address and I'll send you some pictures directly.

Regarding metal work, I guess my first question is whether this is a graded gun or a Sterlingworth and do you plan on having the engraving recut and then the frame/forend metal recase colored as well as the top lever. You'll probably also want the straight triggerguard rust blued at the same time the barrels are done. Anyway, answer the above and perhaps I can provide a couple of folks who can tackle the job that have in the past done good work at fair prices.

[eightbore]

We would really like to know exactly how far you are going to go with your custom. Engraving? Skeleton buttplate?

[Coalbin]

Gents the plan is recase receiver an forendthenrust blue barrel trigger guard also straighten guard to st . grip .Donor is a solid 16 gauge sterly no pits no rust I just love a straight hand fox .Ni NO engreaving to be redone .At 70 years old im going for the dream .I have an A grade 16 with 26 in barrels but too nice to cobble up .After restocking I need one source for metal work .Your input please .coalbin or jack

[vaturkey]

Gents the plan is recase receiver an forendthenrust blue barrel trigger guard also straighten guard to st . grip .Donor is a solid 16 gauge sterly no pits no rust I just love a straight hand fox .Ni NO engreaving to be redone .At 70 years old im going for the dream .I have an A grade 16 with 26 in barrels but too nice to cobble up .After restocking I need one source for metal work .Your input please .coalbin or jack

I would think the straight triggerguard would have to be done and incorporated into the 16 gauge frame before the restocking was done. Freely admit I could be wrong.

[Silvers]

Sorry I don't have any recommendations for the bluing because I haven't had barrels reblued in years. Also I've never had a frame re-cased and probably never will. But here are some thoughts that may be helpful. I've looked at plenty of re-cased Foxes over the years and many of them didn't look like Fox colors, and worse yet some of them had one or both barrels are off the face - probably due to warping of the frame during the process. I'm sure that happened at the factory too but Fox had people and tools on hand to do the final fitting after the case hardening. Now on the stocking, it sounds like you're looking for the traditional Fox look and your wood man should be capable of doing a stock that looks like one. Not like a canoe paddle or some other maker's stock, but properly shaped through the wrist and the nose of the comb. Personally I wouldn't go with a fella who can't or doesn't believe in doing the stocking without using glass or epoxy bedding. Steel on wood for me. Most of the gents getting custom Foxes built nowadays have a single craftsman responsible for the entire project from start to finish. He worries about all the details and has regular guild and trade contacts, and I think that's preferable.

I think you should avoid having too many cooks doing the broth. What I'm suggesting is to find one good man to do (or to coordinate) your entire project. But from what I've heard almost all the good guys have big backlogs or aren't taking in new work, and unless you can find someone who had a cancellation or similar it will probably be tough to get the gun completed in your timeframe. I wish I could be more helpful because I know you want your dream Fox grouse gun in a relatively short period of time. Mr. Jack, I hope other members will chime in here to help you.

One more suggestion. You say you're in PA coal country so it's not that far to the NE SxS at Hidden Hollow where the Fox guys will be there heavy. June 4-6 this year. In past years several custom 'smiths had tables there to show their work and discuss new projects, and that's a good way to sign someone up. Link below.

http://hhhsc.net/

[Coalbin]

Silvers an others thanks for comments .coalbin

[vaturkey]

Silvers an others thanks for comments .coalbin

Please resend me your regular email address via PM. I cut and paste the one you provided and probably messed up as I got an error message when I sent you some photos. Thx.