Sterlingworth Chokes

[sidelock]

Did Sterlingwort come with reverse chokes like some British guns designed for driven grouse shooting ? I'm negotiating on a Philly. 20 gauge Sterlingworth with 30" barrels serial #2573** which would make it circa 1924 according to data. The dealer claims its all original and measured the barrels constrictions and claims the right barrel is F and the let is M. ?????? And did they come with different shaped fore-end for that time period ? This one has a blunter/bulkier fore-end than a traditional sliver but its defintely not a beavertail.

[fox-admin]

Standard for a 30" 20ga was F/F but the factory would open chokes on Sterlingworth guns. The only way to know for sure is order a letter from Cody.

[Researcher]

While the Sterlingworth listings in the A.H. Fox Gun Co. catalogs from 1911 to 1929 all list 30-inch (Standard) guns to be bored full & full, three of the six letters I have in my files on 30-inch guns show modified & full. I have never seen one that letters with reverse chokes.

The Sterlingworth was an entry level gun built to standard specifications with very limited options. Any forearm other than these --

would be very suspect.

[Foxnut]

From your description of the “blunt” forend it sounds like a Savage era forend vs. a Philly “sliver” forend. Again, this is only a guess from your description. Is the forend wood stamped w/serial number where the bottom rib channel is? Like Dave and Craig suggested only way to know for sure is to order Cody letter. As to the “reversed chokes would that work for your hunting situation/style. Can you become accustomed to using the rear trigger first for the more open choke should that be necessary? Best of luck and keep us posted. Brett

[Stan Hillis]

It has always been interesting to me that so many people promote double triggers as being the "ultimate choke selection method" while at the same time there is the issue of chokes being "reversed" on left and right barrels for "driven shooting".

If it is so easy to choose the rear trigger first for a far out incomer, like I do for incoming doves so often, why move the chokes around? Why not just go to the rear trigger first? I do this almost without thinking. I have shot S X Ss with the left barrel choked tighter than the right for so many years it is second nature. No fumbling, no bother. Front rigger first, rear trigger next. Or, rear trigger first, front trigger next. Go to a sporting clay range and practice it. It's not rocket science.

I think that sometimes as a doublegun fraternity we are guilty of the pot calling the kettle black.

No particular person in mind as I write this. I have just seen it so many times over the years.