XE 20 and birds and dogs

[AmarilloMike]

Went hunting this afternoon east of Amarillo. Red and I walked three and a half hours. Red found and pointed eight coveys and many singles.

I snapped these two photos right after that walk.






Then I had a sandwich and split another sandwich up among the three dogs, Red, Ginger, and Jazzy.

Then took Jazzy on a one hour walk and she found three coveys.

Wonderful day. Mostly cloudy, low 40s. Fair scenting conditions.

The gun is an XE 20 gauge, 26" barrels, 2-1/2' chambers, choked about 5 thousandths in both barrels. Stock is 14-5/8 x 2-7/8" x 1-3/4" with a half inch of castoff. Weighs five and one half pounds. Has a Kautsky single trigger that has operated without a single hiccup through three flats of shells. The factory card shows the gun ordered to be cylinder and cylinder so the gun was intended to be a bobwhite gun I believe.

I was shooting RSTs, 2-1/2" x 7/8oz x #8s.

I won't get to go again for a longtime - not till tomorrow morning

[J73C11]

Get fun. I didn't do nearly as well west of Roswell. Got a few blues, but I was not blessed with great dogs - only a 16 gauge Sterly. This is my favorite time for hunting, and hopefully will be at it again this weekend.

[Jim Cloninger]

Great hunt and pictures, Mike. That Red is a damn good looking dog.

[Sporrns]

Mike, looks like you tape your dog's boots on? If so, how does he tolerate them? Some dogs try to rip them right off as soon as they hit the brush. What's the best way to secure them (what kind of tape)? Thanks, Kevin

[birdawg]

Well done Mike I would love to see more of the gun jl

[TOOL MAN]

WOW....that's the stuff that dreams are made of, Mike!
I'd be pinching myself wondering if I died and went to Heaven!
What an outrageous Fox. Certainly appears that you've found your "Excalibur."

[vaturkey]

One word "AWESOME".

[Stan Hillis]

Great report and pics, Mike. The XE ...... you said the card specified that it was ordered with cylinder in both barrels, but that it now has .005". Has it been jug choked or do you believe it was actually shipped with .005"?

Thanks, SRH

[Silvers]

Very nice Mike, thanks for taking time to share your hunt and pics.

The "Fox Cylinder" factory choke typically has about 3-7 thou of constriction for 20 thru 12 gauge respectively. Late Utica era guns are an exception with some having the factory "Cylinder" choke at bore diameter. Thus a Phila or early Utica Fox no matter what its gauge, that's bore diameter at the muzzle, is suspect. Not asked, but answered is that the "Skeet Cylinder" choke as supplied on Utica S&U guns is different, having a reverse bell choke.

[AmarilloMike]

J73 I have hunted blues around Carlsbad several times. I also made two trips to hunt around Los Cruces. Very challenging but lots of fun, especially with dogs in cold weather. I hunted most of this season with a Sterlingworth 20 with 26" barrels, 5-3/4 pounds.

Thank you Jim. He is a fine bird dog, a fine field trial dog and a fine house dog and I am lucky to have him.

Kevin I use the molded rubber boots made by Lewis Dog Boots in Enid, Oklahoma. I think Lewis changed mold release agents because I having a hard time getting the duct tape to stick to the ones I just bought. I use the colored duct tape from Walmart. My criteria for duct tape is that it hold reasonably well but be reasonably easy to remove from the boot when I prep them for their next use. Red can chew both front boots off in less than ten minutes. But if I hunt him immediately after I put them on him he is fine. Some of my dogs ignore them. Some chew on them as soon as we stop hunting.

Thanks jl. I have some more pictures of the XE20 in my iPhone. I will try to post them today sometime.

Steve there is no doubt I exaggerated my prowess with it here. But I do shoot it well, for me. And I never tire of looking at it. It is a very attractive gun. I think the X grades are the most attractive of the graded guns. Just my opinion. And thanks for the kind words.

vaturkey I love the little gun. Thank you.

Hey Stan! Thank you. Yes, I think the chokes are factory, based on Silver's, Researcher's, and other Fox aficionado's postings on the subject; And based on barrel wall thicknesses at the last five inches of the barrels; And based on the bore diameter profile of the barrels.

Thank you Frank. I am a slacker compared to you. Thank you for the scores of photos, how to articles, and Fox information you have posted here.

I forgot to mention a "4" is visible on one of the tubes so I take it they are four weight barrels.

Best Wishes,

Mike

[AmarilloMike]

From last season:









re-edit: (I hate Photobucket)

[birdawg]

Thanks for the photos Mike, That its a great bird gun. I would love to find its mate in a 16.
Good luck and Keep hunting, I am stalled here because I am too much of a wussy to hunt birds with below zero wind chill, but that will change

[mc15426378]

Mike, was your shooting student/dog wrangler/gun bearer/freeloader Joe with you?

[AmarilloMike]

birdawg, if you come across the twin to that gun, only in a sixteen, and you don't buy it please let me know.

Jess: I was by myself that day. The thought of providing me a bologna and cheese sandwich so bothered the parsimonious Mr. Wood that he stayed home. He was unable to overcome his tight nature even though we were going in my truck, burning my gas, hunting my birdlease and shooting my birds over my dogs. And I was unwilling to settle for less than a bologna and cheese sandwich.

[Stan Hillis]

Parsimonious. I love that word ................. and your pics.

Thanks, Mike. SRH