Sterlingworth “Deluxe” 16g

[Loren]

I had my eye on a 16g At the recent auction in St Michaels MD. And bought it. Now I would like to know details of this piece. It has matched barrels in 28” and 30”. Ivory beads front and mid on both. Serial number says 1919-20 vintage. Is this about all I can find out? What’s a Deluxe? Is this a run of the mill or bit unique? I have Parkers figured out but am new to Fox. Can’t wait to shoot it! Thanks for any info.

[Researcher]

Gun sellers really play fast and loose with the term Deluxe when it comes to Sterlingworths. There was no Sterlingworth Deluxe per se during the A.H. Fox Gun Co. years. The options of a recoil pad and twin ivory sights were available options from the beginning. The FOX-STERLINGWORTH Deluxe was introduced by Savage with this insert --

Fox-Sterlingworth Deluxe intro January 2, 1930.jpg (29.71 KiB) Viewed 4715 times

in their 1930 catalog, which was actually the 1928-29 A.H. Fox Gun Co. catalog with a paste-over on the cover --

and a January 2nd, 1930, Retail Price List --

Deluxe was just a package deal for the options of a recoil pad and twin ivory sights. Even before they acquired A.H. Fox, they had been offering such a package on their J. Stevens Arms Co. and Springfield Arms Co. doubles. The guns were not marked in any way as a Deluxe, so the only way to be sure a Savage era FOX-STERLINGWORTH is a Deluxe is by a letter. When I got a letter on mine, John Callahan included photocopies of both cards. It was apparently originally built full & full with a slim forearm --

but an order came in for a gun with a bit less choke and a beavertail --

Very seldom when this sort of thing happened did both cards survive.

[Researcher]

Some other observations. If the second set of barrels was done at the factory, each set would have its own forearm. If the gun was ordered new as a two-barrel set, they would be numbered 1 and 2 near the serial number on the barrel flat and on the forearm iron. If the second set was added later at the factory, only the new set would be stamped 2. See Tom Kidd's article on two-barrel sets in The Double Gun Journal, Volume Nine, Issue 3. Also, the mid-bead as I see them on the gun in the auction catalog are not in the location the factory would usually put them, they are nearer the breech. A Cody letter might say they were ordered there.

For your reference, here are the Fox-Sterlingworth pages from a 1920 A.H. Fox Gun Co. catalog --

and here is the page covering extra sets of barrels, Lyman ivory sights, and recoil pads.

[Foxnut]

Dave, as always a wealth of knowledge!!! I get frustrated when a Philly era gun is advertised as a “deluxe” Sterlingworth just because it has a pad and a singular or twin ivory beads! Competent dealers should know better. Per Dave’s recommendation is to order a letter! If it is not factory two barrel set still a nice configuration!

[Loren]

Gents. I’m overwhelmed. Great info. Now I will sift through it all and figure out what I bought. The auction guys haven’t delivered it yet, so eagerly awaiting a hands on inspection and evaluation. Haven’t seen the second barrel yet. Although I did heft, throw and inspect the piece prior to purchase. It’s solid I believe. Really appreciate the insight. I will report back.

[Loren]

The second barrel arrived. It’s a good fit. Good shape. If the serial number convention that Researcher posted is applied, the second barrel was not made with the original frame. And the serial number stamp is of a different type face. Forend is a tight fit. And just discovered two longitudinal cracks in forend. Will send it out to gunsmith/stock expert for opinion. A little disappointed in this development and don’t want to pound shells through it until repaired. Any recommendations?

[Silvers]

Yes, my recommendation is to acknowledge the help you've gotten here by joining up to the AHFCA as a paying member. That in turn supports the freebie advice often given to "users" by resources on this website, along with the other Association programs. Also, members are more likely to help other member friends with gunsmith etc recommendations on the Members' part of this website that isn't accessible to users and the general public. That's because there are a very few good Foxsmiths and passing their contact info to the public is counterproductive since it lengthens the queue time when a member wants to get his/her own work done. And sometimes the 'smith gets totally booked up and doesn't accept any work from anyone. In either case it often backfires on those giving up trusted 'smith info. Sorry but that's just the way it is. frank

[Loren]

Thank you for your candid and direct response. I am a paid subscriber and member of this group. At least my welcome letter and login credentials confirm that I am. But may not be for long if the administrators allow comments like this to be posted.

[Maggiemollie]

Loren, don't take Silver's reply personally. There are a lot of new users who come on here looking for "free info" and while almost all members on this site will give some free info pointing the person in the right direction (like you got in response to your original post), none are going to give the farm away unless that person is a fellow member. It's a fairly standard comment that most new users receive who come on asking detailed questions. And many will say they registered as a member but all they did was registered as a user and not as a member.

Frank "Silvers" is one of the most knowledgeable folks on SXS I have ever come across (an encyclopedia of knowledge). He gained his expertise over many, many years of collecting and authenticating and he is willing to share......just not to the general public. But once he and others on this site get to know you through your postings, most will tell you anything and everything you need to know not just about Fox guns but other SxS, as well. You may be interested in another gun purchase and note the serial number on the members site and get a PM from someone who owned or inspected the gun 10yrs ago and they will tell you exactly what is right (everything all original) or wrong (the gun sprouted case coloring over the last decade) and that info can save you $$$.

And many replies may be through a PM. I know I have learned so much from the people on this site since joining as a member. You will not be disappointed.

[Silvers]

Loren, I checked your past posts before I replied and saw that you’ve never posted on any of the private Members’ Forums. And thus I made an assumption that you were a “registered user” and not a member. I do I apologize for that assumption which is apparently incorrect. However I stand by my reply for those who come and go, basically just seeking free advice and not investing a penny to support the Association. On that line I do believe that many of us who’ve replied with help hundreds if not 1000’s of times can get tired of doing that and perhaps get a little cynical. Again, I apologize for my assumption that you weren’t a member and suggest you post to introduce yourself and for Foxsmith recommendations on the Members’ part of the site. frank

[Loren]

Thanks, all. Good comments. Hope to see you on a range somewhere, one day. We are a unique crowd, in many ways. You should see how the classic boating groups behave sometimes. I think I have my answers for the little 16g Fox and am working on the details / repairs for the forend. I just want to shoot it. And have gotten lots of information from this forum to help make the right choices and understand my questions. Thanks, again.

[DarylC]

Loren,

Just hang tight and bear with us. Silvers is a great guy and there is much to be learned here as a member. He is one that has a heap of knowledge and is willing to share it. Please try and attend our shoot the first weekend of June at Hausman's Hidden Hollow in PA. Stay tuned for details.