The XE came home with me today

[Weatherby]

Quite welcome Frank and thanks for the help.
After your comment I did look it over more and couldn't find the SP proof anywhere....yeah odd for sure.

I did put a choke gauge in and it was coming out as IC/IC
I'll probably start by firing a few rounds to see just how open the pattern will be as is.

The stock on this really didn't look all that good at the store.
Some wax seemed to make a big difference on that.

[Researcher]

Thanks for the additional pictures of the beavertail forearm. I'm even more convinced it is Savage work. The stock I'm not so sure on. The stock wood is certainly not the Juglans regia that would have been on a 1919 vintage XE-Grade when it started life. I note the checkering on the forearm is bordered but it appears from what I can see the grip and stock cheek checkering is borderless leading me to think the stock was done by someone other than Savage. I know I've seen that stylized fleur-de-lis at the grip and on the front of the forearm before, but I can't remember where.

[Researcher]

Are these vestiges of the SP in an oval Savage Proof marks on the right barrel flat?

[Weatherby]

I took another picture.
I'd say no though

[Jeff S]

I just re-read your previous post “Fox at a local store”. Purchasing this old gun has been quite an adventure.

[Weatherby]

It has
It's been about 5 weeks for the store to be able to consign them.
There are some really nice old guns in the collection
This one they undervalued in my opinion and I let them know.....I wanted it.

I did try it today and it does seem IC/IC

[Silvers]

Just another option to revert if you like longer barrels and/or tighter chokes. An A-Grade barrel can be fitted, barrel wedges engraved, serial number and Grade stamps microtigged, machined and redone with the frame s/n and X Grade stamp. Proper size/font a must. Lastly, properly reblued. frank
.
Here's one I redid a while back ..... after welding and ready for machining

[Weatherby]

I appreciate all the knowledge and help on a gun like this.
I particularly liked hearing the receiver could be restored on it.

I'm not sure the route a true collector would take on a gun like this.
My plan while I'm the caretaker is to just enjoy it as is and try to preserve it's current condition.

I figure some hunting and skeet shooting with it will keep me happy.
This was how it shot at 20 yards....looked workable to me.

I'm definitely still wondering if how the butt is simply checkered is odd ?

[Foxnut]

Paul, curious when you shot it if both barrels were hitting where aimed or if “Point of Impact and regulation” was affected given the length of barrels that was cut off. Hopefully it won’t impact it. To answer your second question about the checkered butt. Fox like many manufacturers would do a checkered butt upon request….especially during the Savage era. It was somewhat common for purpose built skeet guns to have a checkered butt during that time period. If someone had the stock made later than they could have any butt configuration they wanted. Many SPE Skeet & Upland guns were built w/checkered butts. Given someone shortened the barrels, had a beavertail FE made for it and a straight stock they could have very well been purposefully turning the gun into a skeet gun to satisfy their desires. Wouldn’t we all love to go back in time and listen to the conversations that led to the “customizing” of these guns! Brett

[Weatherby]

Hi Brett
I'm going to have to shoot it more to give a more exacting answer than to say for now they seem regulated still.

That was both barrels and the aimpoint was where a wad hit.
The majority of the pattern was there and high by what I saw.

[Chrisss31]

I like the checkered butt a lot, it's a classy feature in my opinion. This gun may not be configured the way it left the factory but is still a great gun for a given purpose. The engraving is beautiful too.

[Researcher]

The bare wood checkered butt was quite often a feature U.S. double gun manufacturers put on skeet guns.

Winchester Model 21 Skeet Gun --

Fox SPE-Grade Skeet & Upland Game Gun --

Parker VHE Skeet Gun --

[Weatherby]

Thanks ....sure looks like a skeet gun now.

It will be tried in that venue.
Probably do a bit by hand this winter with my son.
His name is Hunter

[Wild Wings]

What a beauty! Congratulations on a wonderful gun.

WW

[Weatherby]

Doing some rabbit hunting this afternoon.

I have my neices son down to go.
Budding hunter.
We warmed up with some clays and the XE

I missed one......shouldn't have but I did.
Kid is ruined now.