Value of early pin hinged style 12 bore Sterlingworth

Run With The Fox · Post by **Run With The Fox** » Fri May 16, 2008 7:17 am

Private party has one for sale at $1800- SN is 61844- 30 Mod & Full DT-Extractors- safety sears trigger pulls all mechanics check out- original barrel blue 10% wood finsh and checking- 25% Red head period pad (vented like Hawkins) with 14 and 3/4" LOP from front trigger- 1&1/2" DAC- 2&2/4" DAH- 4" down pitch off 30 inch tubes (uncut) wt. 7lbs. 12 oz. lever to right of top tang line when closed- owner claims it's a "rare gun" with a Parker hinge pin- I think it's worth about one-half of his asking price. Any feedback?? :roll:

Silvers · Post by **Silvers** » Fri May 16, 2008 7:26 am

It sounds like the pad was installed on a uncut butt, good. But the barrel bluing, wood finish and worn checkering are definite minuses. You didn't mention the bores, are they nice and bright with no dents etc.? How are the screw heads? It's a comparitively rare gun (so called Pin Gun) if you go through the production numbers on Sterlingworths, but the price is much too high in that condition IMO. Silvers

Run With The Fox · Post by **Run With The Fox** » Fri May 16, 2008 7:38 am

Wood is tight to receiver at both top and bottom tangs and at jaws-ditto at forearm-may have had some "overvarnish' but is still "proud to the steel"- the checkering is worn down, but the lines and borders are still visible-The bores are clean- no sign of tool marks in the muzzles- and they miked out at aprox. .731 nom both tubes- with aprox. 20 points constriction in right tube, 30 in the left tube- safety and re-set slide when you open the breech functions fine (which tells me the stock hasn't been removed from the action- screws are clean and not "buggered" always a good sign- I used a pair of once-fired AA hulls (with the old trick of masking tape to cover the spent primers to check for full firing pins-but had to use a set of snap caps from Galazan to get this Fox to close properly-my guess- it is still tight at breech and "on-face" as the fired AA's may well have expanded somewhat in my Browning Citori Sporting Clays shotgun- No barrel wt. stamp- nor did Fox have frame sizes like Parker did- I want a "using" 12 with 30" tubes (as on my Citori) DT- extractors are fine- for shooting some of the clays events for side-bys- I have also found a 1928 era VH 12- 30" 1&1/2 size frame DT-Ext DHBP- both tubes are full-and the Parker was refinished- through an area dealer I know-at $2200- I much prefer the simpler action of the Fox to the Vulcan Parker- but if I have to spend $1800 to get this Sterlingworth (I won't do that) I guess I'd go and dicker on the Parker- as I believe (as an amateur here) that I could recoup that price back from the Parker-if the wolf ever came to the door- Thank You

Laxcoach · Post by **Laxcoach** » Fri May 16, 2008 9:51 am

There's at least 2 "Pin guns" on GB at about half that price.

Run With The Fox · Post by **Run With The Fox** » Fri May 16, 2008 10:18 am

Do you know anything about this dealer in PA that advertises in GUN DIGEST- Tom Gibbons- executive buying service- if it is allowable to ask such a question here.. Thank you..

Researcher · Post by **Researcher** » Fri May 16, 2008 11:20 am

The 12-gauge Sterlingworth doubles were introduced in 1910 and began at serial number 50000. They went through some slight variations over the next three years, but all had the recessed hinge pins into about 1913 where the transition to a dressed flush hinge-pin took place in the high 61xxx to the low 62xxx serial number range. Of the Sterlingworth pin guns I've recorded the vast majority have 30-inch barrels. I've recorded a handful with 28-inch barrels, and haven't recorded a single one with either 32-inch barrels or factory original 26-inch barrels. I've recorded seven pin-guns with ejectors, and they are all from the high 59xxx serial number range and up. Check our Sterlingworth directory -- http://www.foxcollectors.com/sterlingwo ... ectory.htm

Over the years Tom has had some really wonderful guns, and some that really draw flies. Unless you REALLY know what you are looking at and what the market is, the best advice would be to run fast in the other direction.

jolly bill · Post by **jolly bill** » Fri May 16, 2008 9:24 pm

Dave, the Researcher;

For what it's worth . . . .

I have a Fox 12 gauge Model 1911 Pin Gun with serial number 57979 that has 26 inch barrels, but as you suggest, may not be the original length.

The muzzle does look correct tho with an ivory bead and it has the insert between the barrels below the top rib. It seems to be choked IC and Mod but reversed from the typical configuration. The left barrel is IC and the right barrel is Mod.

A nice clean 40% case color, 95% blue gun with lots of character. I've owned the gun 33 years.

If I was clever enough to post pictures, I would send you a picture of the muzzle.

Bill Jolliff

jolly bill · Post by **jolly bill** » Fri May 16, 2008 9:51 pm

If my efforts are successful, a picture of the muzzle of my Model 1911 Pin Gun, SN 57979 will appear below.

Else, I screwed up.

Bill Jolliff

Run With The Fox · Post by **Run With The Fox** » Sat May 17, 2008 1:17 pm

Thanks to all of you folks who replied- the gent owning the Fox thinks it's worth at least $1500 for two reasons: (1) Recent article by Phil Bourjaily in F&S- 50 best shotguns- he rated the Sterlingworth as no. 12- and set a price for one he bought in Iowa at Scheel's at 1250-1600-for a 12 or 16- (2) he was recently online at the Cabela's Gun Library and saw several listed like his at $2000- no wonder Wes Dillon and Bill Taylor left Cabela's for a great job at Julia's-

Fox Collectors

Value of early pin hinged style 12 bore Sterlingworth

Value of early pin hinged style 12 bore Sterlingworth

The Pin style Sterlingworth

Thanks- is that Gun Broker? Never have tried them-

Price is lowered to $1500 today