Progress on a Grouse/Woodcock Gun 20 gauge

[Foxnut]

Tom,
Going to be a really nice project with quality workmanship when all is finished. You have the patience of Jobe!

[vaturkey]

Another quick update on the Septic tank gun. During test firing the left hammer broke. Mathew will be fitting a replacement. Also Turnbull has a 4 month backup on case color hardening, so we will going to the firm Dan Rossiter has always used.

My plan to get the CE in my hands this hunting season could be fading.

[Brian]

Tom,
That stinks. was it being test fired by Grifters and Harlots? or somewhere else?

[vaturkey]

Tom,
That stinks. was it being test fired by Grifters and Harlots? or somewhere else?

Test fire by Mathew. Begley. He had shot it many many times as he was tweaking the single trigger. Then the other day this happened.

[vaturkey]

Tom,
That stinks. was it being test fired by Grifters and Harlots? or somewhere else?

Test fire by Mathew. Begley. He had shot it many many times as he was tweaking the single trigger. Then the other day this happened.

New hammer fitted. 50 rounds fired this week firing the left and then the right barrel first. All good. On it's way to Jon.Hosford who has the original barrel marking roll stamps. We are advancing.

[Brian]

nice
good luck.
nothing is easy!!

[Brian]

another beautiful Fox.
i know you will enjoy it

[Silvers]

Tom, over past years you seemed to be almost an agent for a certain Custom Fox 'smith at his tables while at vintage SxS events and I remember you even refer to "we" and "our" while there. Am I correct that you've now shifted your custom work to one or more alternate persons who've come on over just the recent few years? Or are you on the special friend list with the man I referred to?

Also a word of strong caution to readers who might get the wrong impression ..... adjusting the Fox-Kautzky single/selective trigger isn't for some 'smith who doesn't know exactly what he's doing. Very very few of them out there.

Lastly to readers with a Custom Fox smallbore in their future plans, perhaps one of the most distinctive features of the higher Grade Fox smallbores is the profile and fluting of the "nose of the comb". All too often custom stockers just can't seem to get that right and the lavishly stocked Fox just doesn't have the look. JMO for whatever it's worth. frank

[vaturkey]

Tom, over past years you seemed to be almost an agent for a certain Custom Fox 'smith at his tables while at vintage SxS events and I remember you even refer to "we" and "our" while there. Am I correct that you've now shifted your custom work to one or more alternate persons who've come on over just the recent few years? Or are you on the special friend list with the man I referred to?

Also a word of strong caution to readers who might get the wrong impression, that adjusting the Fox-Kautzky single/selective trigger isn't for some 'smith who doesn't know exactly what he's doing.

Lastly to readers with a Custom Fox smallbore in their future plans, perhaps one of the most distinctive features of the higher Grade Fox smallbores is the profile and fluting of what I refer to as the "nose of the comb". All too often a custom stocker just can't seem to get that right and the lavishly stocked Fox just looks odd. JMO for whatever it's worth. frank

Frank, you are indeed correct. I spent many a NE SXS event at the CS&S table helping both Dan and his father over the years. Almost considered myself as part of their operation. Sadly as we all know Dan has moved on and his father seems to be doing a great deal of work for G&H with stock duplications etc etc. I think Dan Senior turned all the stocks for the 100 year anniversary G&H rifles. CS&S also didn't attend the NE SXS event this year as well or the Southern.

Anyway, when one door closes another door opens as they say. Matthew Begley seems to do excellent work based on my eyeball test and many other members here have been utilizing his services. He is in the process of building a pretty large shop in Ohio and plans to doing this for a long long time. He has turned down other positions with larger companies as he prefers to stay independent. As per the norm these days Matthew now has a 18 month old backup. He has submitted various metalworking project to the Custom Gunmakers Guild for judging as a metalsmith and hopes to be a member of that organization early next spring. He did spend a week with Dan at the CS&S shop a few years ago learning the fine points on how Fox flutes and combs should look to make them look right. He has had a bugger of a time with the Fox-Kautzky single trigger on my septic tank CE20. That trigger and the entire gun has a very rough life indeed. Bringing one back from the grave is difficult and it takes a long time and it sure isn't cheap. I think when all is said and done it will be worth it. Time will tell for sure.

PS. One thing Matthew has in spades is keeping the clients up to date with progress on their projects. Many smiths (won't get into names) don't do that and frankly its a head scratcher as we (the clients) are providing their paychecks. Without us they would have nothing. Sadly the days of getting things done by accepting someone's word and a handshake are mostly over. That sadly includes gunsmiths and stockmakers.

[vaturkey]

duplicate

[44whiskey]

i sure hope name septic tank gun is retired and a new name worthy of what i expect to be a beautiful resurrection is bestowed on said CE all the best fred

[vaturkey]

i sure hope name septic tank gun is retired and a new name worthy of what i expect to be a beautiful resurrection is bestowed on said CE all the best fred

Fred when all is said and done I have a new name for her that I'll reveal. Just give a tease, here is the receiver after it was annealed and prior to be micro tig welded and filed in prep for Gournet to recut the engraving. All metal work was done by Matthew. There is a reason I think he will be accepted into the Custom Gunmakers Guild early next year. He is that good.

[Silvers]

Kind of interesting, first pic in the preceding post shows the head of a screw instead of a pin for the trigger pivot. First Kautzky I saw without a trigger pin. Also the "shoe" - for want of a better word - that the safety slide block bears against when ON SAFE, is mispositioned. I assume your 'smith Matt knows that.

Tom, I've been told by a comrade that pics of the broken hammer along with a narrative were posted on FB (?) or some similar platform. Possibly those of us not on FB can look at the same here? Me, I’ve personally seen only one broken hammer over many years of fooling with Foxes. That one had a cocking lever that was broken off. Actually it’s still here in my parts bin. frank

[vaturkey]

Kind of interesting, first pic in the preceding post shows the head of a screw instead of a pin for the trigger pivot. First Kautzky I saw without a trigger pin. Also the "shoe" - for want of a better word - that the safety slide block bears against when ON SAFE, is mispositioned. I assume your 'smith Matt knows that.

Tom, I've been told by a comrade that pics of the broken hammer along with a narrative were posted on FB (?) or some similar platform. Possibly those of us not on FB can look at the same here? Me, I’ve personally seen only one broken hammer over many years of fooling with Foxes. That one had a cocking lever that was broken off. Actually it’s still here in my parts bin. frank

Good questions Frank. Matthew told me that some of the parts or pieces of the Kautzky were messed up and that he had the parts to fix it. Believe he got those parts from Jason B, but not sure. I know he told me the trigger wouldn't reset after being pulled. Regarding the pic of the broken hammer here it is.

[Silvers]

Thanks Tom, the cocking lever is broken off and curiously it looks like the small end of the lever - lower piece in the pic - is slightly deformed, expand to max to see. And if so I'd surmise that interference could have caused the breakage. Something for your man to check out. frank