Fox Sterlingworth 12 ga

[Kolohala]

This shotgun was purchased new by my grandfather around 1936 or 1937. He was the only owner. More information:

Gauge: 12
barrel length: 30 inches
Right barrel: Special Alloy Forged Steel
Left barrel: Savage Arms Corporation, Utica N.Y., U.S.A.
Serial Number: 142010
Years if manufacture: 1936 through 1937 (?)

I'd like more information and the value of this shotgun. Is this the Wild Fowl grade? Does this shotgun have auto ejectors, and how do I determine the choke for each barrel?

I hope the pictures are helpful. Any assistance is greatly apprciated>

[Kolohala]

More pics

[eightbore]

The little silver disc on the forearm indicates that your gun probably has ejectors but a picture of the breech face would confirm that. A Savage era Sterlingworth 12 gauge is not a collector's dream, but a little work on the rust and tarnish would make this gun a nice shooter. A brown ejector gun with perfect bores may bring seven or eight hundred dollars. However, that's only one person's opinion. The choke is probably modified and full or only possibly full and full, but only a measurement with a proper bore micrometer will tell for sure. A Wildfowl would weigh around 8 1/2 pounds, about a pound more than a standard Sterlingworth.

[Silvers]

It’s not a Sterlingworth Wildfowl.

[Researcher]

How great to have your grandfather's gun!! Looks like grandpa hunted it a lot, but never abused it.

Your grandfather's gun is a Fox-Sterlingworth Ejector Standard. Here is the Fox-Sterlingworth page from the 1937 catalog --

The Wildfowls are all in the 1341xx serial number range, or a few in the late graded gun serial numbers, and have a Deeley forearm latch like the graded guns.

Here is a gun 80 digits higher showing a high percentage of the original cyanide case colors on the frame --

The AHFCA only have copies of the production cards for graded guns (A- to FE-Grade), so one has to go to the McCracken Research Library at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming, to get a letter on a Sterlingworth.

https://centerofthewest.org/explore/fir ... ds/savage/

[eightbore]

I had forgotten that Sterlingworth Wildfowls had the Deely forend latch. Frank said what I was reluctant to say, "That is not a Wildfowl". If I had said that, I may have been putting my foot in my mouth. Thanks, Frank.

[Kolohala]

My grandfather and great grandfather were paniolo (Hawaiian word for cowboy) of Portuguese decent in Hawaii. Grandpa passed in 2009. I was told the gun was purchased new around 1936 or 1937. Grandpa was ambidextrous. He played baseball (bat and throw), polo and roped lefthanded. He wrote and shot righthanded. I think the SxS was a better fit for him. The gun was well used but always clean with a clean bore. He also had a 1960's Browning A5 12 light that my brother still uses.

I've had the gun for years but haven't used it. I've been using an auto for 30 years and don't think I would shoot it well. The double triggers look complicated.

From the advertisement provided by Researcher, the 30 inch barrel chokes are mod/full. I will make the effort to take it out this season. Thanks for all your help and anymore information would be appreciated.

[vaturkey]

My grandfather and great grandfather were paniolo (Hawaiian word for cowboy) of Portuguese decent in Hawaii. Grandpa passed in 2009. I was told the gun was purchased new around 1936 or 1937. Grandpa was ambidextrous. He played baseball (bat and throw), polo and roped lefthanded. He wrote and shot righthanded. I think the SxS was a better fit for him. The gun was well used but always clean with a clean bore. He also had a 1960's Browning A5 12 light that my brother still uses.

I've had the gun for years but haven't used it. I've been using an auto for 30 years and don't think I would shoot it well. The double triggers look complicated.

From the advertisement provided by Researcher, the 30 inch barrel chokes are mod/full. I will make the effort to take it out this season. Thanks for all your help and anymore information would be appreciated.

If you have not ever shot a double triggers gun it can be a tad intimidating. I learned on a skeet range. Took about 2 rounds and then the muscle memory kicked in. I would shoot 1 oz loads if possible. You will break just as many for the most part and the lighter loads will be easier on 90 year old wood.

[jolly bill]

For a quick and easy method to determine if your 12 gauge Sterlingworth is Full choke is using a good old US dime which has a diameter of about 0.703 inches.

That dime will not go all the way in a 12 gauge Full choke. It will go all the way in a Modified, or more open choke.

This very easy method may be frowned upon by some but it's worked OK for me for 60 years. I usually have a dime with me and hardly ever a caliper. Not very scientific but it works fine, at least for me. Others, maybe not.

Jolly

[Silvers]

Bill, I was shown that dime 12 ga choke test many years ago by a mentor and have used it often. As an old saying goes: "close enough for government work". frank

[Foxnut]

My grandfather and great grandfather were paniolo (Hawaiian word for cowboy) of Portuguese decent in Hawaii. Grandpa passed in 2009. I was told the gun was purchased new around 1936 or 1937. Grandpa was ambidextrous. He played baseball (bat and throw), polo and roped lefthanded. He wrote and shot righthanded. I think the SxS was a better fit for him. The gun was well used but always clean with a clean bore. He also had a 1960's Browning A5 12 light that my brother still uses.

I've had the gun for years but haven't used it. I've been using an auto for 30 years and don't think I would shoot it well. The double triggers look complicated.

From the advertisement provided by Researcher, the 30 inch barrel chokes are mod/full. I will make the effort to take it out this season. Thanks for all your help and anymore information would be appreciated.

Kolohala,
Did your grandfather use this gun in HI? It would be interesting to know if the letter shows shipment to the West Coast or to HI. Also, curious if you know what your grandfather hunted with this Fox. Great piece of family history! Thanks for sharing!

[eightbore]

Foxnut, would that be the hundred dollar letter?

[Researcher]

Friends of ours from Kodiak, AK, often winter in Hawaii and they have a friend who is a planter there and I've seen several pictures of them pheasant hunting on his farms.

[Kolohala]

[/quote]

Kolohala,
Did your grandfather use this gun in HI? It would be interesting to know if the letter shows shipment to the West Coast or to HI. Also, curious if you know what your grandfather hunted with this Fox. Great piece of family history! Thanks for sharing!
[/quote]

Foxnut,

My grandfather was born and raised in 1917 in the Territory of Hawaii (TH). Hawaii didn't become a state until 1959. He used the gun in Hawaii for upland hunting. Mostly pheasants (ringnecks and blues), but also chukar and grey and black francolins. There are a few more gamebirds. Here's a picture of my GSP with a few pheasants and black francolins from 2024. BTW, Kolohala is the Hawaiian word for pheasant.

There weren't departments stores on our island in the 1930's. The gun was most likely purchased through a Sears catalog. I don't have the original shipping invoice. It would have been shipped to the TH.

[Foxnut]

My grandfather was born and raised in 1917 in the Territory of Hawaii (TH). Hawaii didn't become a state until 1959. He used the gun in Hawaii for upland hunting. Mostly pheasants (ringnecks and blues), but also chukar and grey and black francolins. There are a few more gamebirds. Here's a picture of my GSP with a few pheasants and black francolins from 2024. BTW, Kolohala is the Hawaiian word for pheasant.

There weren't departments stores on our island in the 1930's. The gun was most likely purchased through a Sears catalog. I don't have the original shipping invoice. It would have been shipped to the TH.

Kolohala,
Thanks for sharing the info on upland hunting. I knew there was a huntable ring neck population on the island but wasn’t aware of blues, chuckars or francolins being on the island. Great that you have your grandfather’s Fox and get to enjoy it. What elevation is the upland hunting and which islands do you hunt? Awesome!