How to tell if wood is original

Snipe Hunter · Post by **Snipe Hunter** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:51 pm

I first tried looking through the gun photos but there isn't much in the Sterlingworth section. Some guns have forends that are less pointed than mine and some stocks have round pistol grips. Some have bold side panels and other stocks either came without any or they have been removed through refinishing. I have noticed that different Sterlingworth forends have different checkering patterns and I have seen the serial number stamped in the forend wood on the ridge that sits between the barrels. Is there a standard set of wood for Sterlingworths of varying age? My gun is sn 260xxx. Does the wood look correct for that gun, or is it possible to know? It wouldn't kill me if it isn't but I am curious. I got this gun back in March to hunt with this year and I am looking forward to shooting it for the first time in another month or so. The second picture lets you see the checkering on the forend. I appreciate any opinions.

Skip

Post by **fox-admin** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:40 pm

Looks correct to me but likely refinished

Researcher · Post by **Researcher** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:42 pm

Yes. On factory wood if the serial number is not stamped on the ridge between the barrels of the forearm wood it is usually stamped in the back end if the wood, but you'd have to remove the forearm iron to see it. If you look in The Doluble Gun Journal, Volume Fifteen, Issue 4, page 143, you will see the serial number stamped on the ridge of the two Savage-era forearms, but not the two Philadelphia-era forearms. The picture on the bottom of page 141 was supposed to be the exterior of all four of those forearms, but two of them got editted out!?! Also those captions are backwards

For the A.H. Fox Gun Co. in Philadelphia, the Sterlingworth was a "stock" gun made to standard specifications. Any change from those cost extra and quickly got one into the price of an A-Grade where the choice of grip style and stock dimensions were part of the deal. Every A.H. Fox Gun Co. catalogue that carries the Sterlingworth from 1911 to 1929 states -- "THE STOCK is best quality plain American Walnut, thoroughly seasoned, nicely checkered on grip and forend. Full capped pistol grip only."

Snipe Hunter · Post by **Snipe Hunter** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:09 pm

Thank you for the information. I will look under the forend iron and see what is under there. Was the serial number put anywhere on the stock?

Skip

bamboozler · Post by **bamboozler** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:23 pm

Snipe Hunter wrote: Was the serial number put anywhere on the stock?

Skip

Yes, it was stamped on one side of the leading edge of the head of the stock---only visible if the stock is removed.